# Homeopathy for IBS?



## garywest (Apr 7, 2000)

Hello Folks!!! I do post messages here from time to time as I have limited access on the internet plus my job keeps me busy.I have IBS-C for the last 15 years. I was in USA for like 11 years but have now returned to INDIA. I am sick and tired of this IBS-C. Ihave received valuable input from mike Nolomotil and Eric and other folks. I know diet plays a huge part in IBS but even with strict diet and watching for trigger foods and remaining stress free I and others on this board I m sure get IBS attacks. The diet I am eating is brown rice and lentils and salads. I was on till two days back on allopathic meds - domperidone, mosapride(for acid reflux) and normaxcin(antispasmodic). But sometimes I get bloating and abdominal pain. Anyways I decided to try HOMEOPATHY now. I went to see the doctor in my city here in INDIA. I showed him my tests and diagnosis and he did my personality analysis like I do have an anxious frame of mind (sorry for the inconsistent english as I am trying to type fast).So he has given me medicines and told me to stop s o I am on homeopathic meds. He told me to wait for 3 days to see th results at least. SO I am keeping my fingers crossed. I had previously mentioned in my posts about Homeopathy . Most well all i mean here did not have good results with it. I know Mike Nolomotil said that there is no crediible research to prove that it works for IBS but I am gonna give it a shot anyways. Will let you flks know how am I doing. Please share your experiences with Homeopathy if you may .Take careGary(in INdia)


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## loon (Dec 10, 2001)

Gary -What are you taking? Triphala is from East Indian medicine and I was wondering if you were on it?loon


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## scottyswotty (Jun 29, 2000)

Since we are under an alt medicine heading, you realise that there is no such thing as IBS. It is just a label for a group of symptoms along a spectrum where you either fall into or not. As people realise the various actual causes for their digestive disorders they fall outside the IBS label. ie if it turned out you had a bacterial infection of ecoli and had been previously told you had IBS and once the ecoli was removed then you became better you never had IBS.My point is that Mike saying there is no evidence between homeopathy and ibs doesn't really mean much.


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## garywest (Apr 7, 2000)

Hello loon and Scottyswotty Thanks for replying to my post. Loon, TRIPHALA is ayurvedic medicine and I think if I am not mistaken its taken for digestion. It does not control spasms or acid reflux. Its like an digestive enzyme . You might wanna check with others. I do not take AYURVEDIC meds or herbs as they do not undergo clinical research and testing and have side effects. I took some herbs for constipation like BOWEL CLEANSE from health food and I had heart palpitations.Scottyswotty sorry I do not understand what you mean . We have IBS dont we? Alternative medicine is just different way to treat it although how eefective is anyones guess. IBS is psychosomatic disorder You know that by now the mind-gut coonnection plays a role in IBS. I agree about ecoli and stuff about bacterial infection. That is true. But I am talking about IBS solely. And I am not sure regarding your statement about MIKe. Mike said there is no evidence to prove or researcto prove that Homeopathy per say is effective in treating IBS. My homeopath told me that its a psychsomatic disorder same as my Gastroentrelologis told me. Diet plays an important part and so does counselling. but homeopathic meds do not have side effects and have been used more so in Europe than in USA and Canada. I hope I have cleared any misundersatnding. Please feel free to post and reply here. Thanks . And I hope you are a fan of kiwi cricket because Chris Cairns sure did kick um Aussie well you get the drift.Take care loon and scottyswotty. Keep those posts coming....RegardsGary(in INDIA)


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## loon (Dec 10, 2001)

hey Gary!I guess I don't understand what homeopathy is...I thought it meant using herbs, vitamins, and minerals instead of prescriptions to treat a particular ailment, in our case, IBS. If you aren't taking herbs, what do you do for your IBS that is "homeopathic"?What I have read about triphala is that it not only help as you say as a digestive enzyme, but it is also supposed to help cleanse your liver and gallbladder and hlep "tonify" the colon so it works better. However I am not sure that it really does that. I have had sucess with the triphala to help my constipation without the side effects of stimulate laxatives (natural or otherwise).I sure would like to understand what homeopathy is. Could you please enlighten me?Thanks.loon


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## scottyswotty (Jun 29, 2000)

Hey Gary Sorry for the misunderstanding although I do stick by what I said. I have the advantage of knowing some very cutting edge alternative health systems and their ways of understanding how the body works. The unique factor about these are that they really really get down to causal factors like nothing else I have ever seen. Once you begin to think about them and then IBS you begin to realise that IBS is nothing in itself. I really do not believe for a second that IBS is a psychosomatic disorder. The mind gut does play a role but not necessarily a causative one by any means. At most, doctors could just be describing a secondary process. ie imagine a causative chain. They are jumping in mid way and saying C affects D (without acknowledging A and B in the chain). I am more interested in A and B. Of course, you do have to look at the mind and eliminate its effects. Eliminating A and B might do most of this and, residually, things like hypno may help. IBS is just a label. It doesn't point to any cause. I may have been labelled as having IBS but that doesn't bare any reflection on how to go about curing the digestive symptoms I get. For example if someone has giardia then they have the giardia bacterium. They get corresponding symptoms but they also know the cause. IBS on the other hand is a grouping of symptoms without a known cause. Because the cause is not known and scientists observe a malfunction of serotonin it does not mean that you say the cause is psychosoma!!!Also Loom: Homeopathy is radically different from other treatments. It is an energy form of treatment based on "like treats like". It involves treating the constitution of the person's personality characteristics as well as their symptoms. People don't believe in it basically because homeopaths just use a tiny sugar pill, or distilled alcohol, with a very minute trace of a specific substance (ie almost neglible). The pill is absorbed in your mouth not digestive tract like naturopathy or vitamin treatment.ScottySwottyBy the way, yes I am loving the cricket although we just lost our last two games


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## garywest (Apr 7, 2000)

Hi Loon and Scotty How are you all doin? Thanks again for replying. Scotty I read your post . Point acknowledged . I am not sayong IBS is i solely pschosomatic although doctors keep on stressing it. I know even without stress IBS does flare up but with stress and trigger foods it gets even worse. I think you would agree.I do not know what are your views on Homeopathy...Please do post them.I read your post last statement on Homeopathy which is 100% correct. My question is does it help ? I started on Wednesday and today is Monday. SO I watching and waiting. The hoemeopath said I gotta watch my diet - no garlic, onion or alcohol which i DOnt consume anyways. He did not give me a time frame but said to persists with it. He charges like 100 Rupees per visit so its not a rip off, just saying that. Scotty I would like to know what treatment are you taking for IBS? Conventional or regular meds mentioned at this website or alternative meds? Please do post in detail. I am like 5'10" and grosssly underweight - 50 kgs. I sometimes mess up regarding my diet smokin and drinking coke and tea which creates probs in my dig. tract. I am kinda desperate to gain weight. I was 57 kgs in 2000 but lost 7 kgs last year IBS acting up again so...Loon I read your post So triphala does work for you? Good. i am hesitant to try it I do not know about the side effects and I use natural fibre psylillium husks and also I woul d have to ask my doc homeopath since when I cannot take other meds when I am on homeopathic meds. Scotty has already told you about homeopathy which is very accurate.Scotty I look forward to your informative post. regarding alternative meds - ANything to BEAT this IBS man!!! NewZeaalnd has qualified for the finals as of Monday I am writing this at 11.30 am monday india time. They face SA now.I will be checking your post tomorrow Take care and please do post in detail what works for you and yes I forgot to mention I am IBS-C . ANy hope? I guess there is lets see. Thanks again bot of you.Take careGary(in INDIA)


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## garywest (Apr 7, 2000)

Hi Scotty and Loon I am just checking for my posts. I guess you are busy SCotty. Will check back later . JUst a bump post.Take careGary


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## scottyswotty (Jun 29, 2000)

HI thereI do know homeopathy works despite what others will tell you. (it is basically pointless posting something on the main BB about it).I went to a homeopath for about 8 months to no avail a couple of years back. Knowing the two systems I know now, I understand why it didn't work and why I would never go down that route.However, one of the systems I am interested in is a sub-branch of homeopathy called isopathy. It is based on the principle "exact cures exact" rather than "like cures like".Basically the founder of the system has found that all toxins known to man exist along a contiuum from heaviest to lightest ("The toxic pecking order"). The heavier ones hold the lighter ones in, in layers. You have to test for and identify each individual toxin and remove them from heaviest to lightest.For digestive disorders: Heavy metals and pesticides and herbicides can cause IBS. Lower or lighter toxins like bacterias can also cause digestive problems.Isopathy is relevant for the way the remedies are taken to remove each individual toxin.You can read about the system if you check out the pages at www.nziim.org.nzThe other system I really believe in is www.neurolink.co.nzIn response to your question, those are the two systems I am using. I don't take any medicines nor will I EVER!!! The drug roaccutane is what caused all my issues. I don't take any herbs but only omega 3 fatty acids. You might also want to look into the blood type diet. It is controversial but definitely superior to other diets.ScottySwotty


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## scottyswotty (Jun 29, 2000)

Gary. I see you are stirring up quite a bit of a storm over there in the main BB. It is disappointing to know when one first arrives on this BB how mainstream or dogmatic the "overlords" are in favour of their serotonin view of IBS. Just so you know, you must stick to your own truths that you experience. Truth is better than philosophy.Scott


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## canada dry (Feb 18, 2002)

Yes Gary it is me, Frostbite. I never scrolled down the list far enough before to find this discussion.I just wanted to comment on loon's reference to Triphala. My Doctor recommended I try it. I did and it caused real bad rectal itch and some bleeding. Right now I seem to be sensitive to a lot of things. I told the Doctor about my reaction and he replied 'this can happen when you are being cleaned out'. He told me to buy some witch hazel to treat my discomfort. I am in the process of switching doctors. Don't think switching doctors is going to help with my IBS though.


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