# zelnorm



## bad girl (Aug 19, 2003)

Hi guys,Is anyone else on Zelnorm? My doctor gave it to me last week to try. So far my IBS-CD has been replaced with IBS-D. Not a great alternative. I am extra bloated too. I read that the d should stop after the 1st week. That hasn't happened yet... maybe soon. I only take 1/2 pill in the morning, although they reccommend 2 pills a day. That would be a little too much. My doctor suggested taking a little, then increasing it if it works. I still take the yucky fiber powder with it. Any suggestions?


----------



## erin5983 (Mar 25, 2003)

Hi, good timing on asking this. I started Zelnorm yesterday morning. I am starting on 2 mg twice a day and then next week will move up to 6mg twice a day (seems like a lot to me, but we'll see). I hear you on the IBS-C turning to D...I must have had the Zelnorm in me for less than an hour when it started, so I've been hanging around the bathroom all day







.There's a discussion board called 5-HT4 on this site that deals specifically with Zelnorm, so if the D doesn't improve pretty soon, I'd ask around over there and maybe call your doctor. I've heard it's only supposed to last for a week. The bloating has been affecting me too, even after a day of it. I am NEVER bloated and it's so uncomfortable...so I'm wearing elastic waisted adidas shorts







. There were a lot of people I saw on the 5-HT4 board that had to sort of adjust their dosages, like take it every other day, take a half a pill instead of a whole one, etc, so if the D doesn't improve maybe you could try something like every other day instead of every day. Hope it gets better for you!


----------



## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

Im sorry i can't be of more help with this because i know nothing about Zelnorm at all. I would say call your doc after a while if it hasn't righted itself. Or post on the main forum for advice.Nikki


----------



## Purple_Jewel_Gurl (Sep 6, 2003)

I was on 2 mg of Zelnorm, which worked great...for like a week, then upped it to 6 mg, which also worked for a week, have been on it now for a month and still no change, I am going to go off it...grr..


----------



## bad girl (Aug 19, 2003)

Really? It is working for me right now. I hope it still works for me.Sorry you didn't have any success.







Hopefully you will find something that does work


----------



## MelissaAnn83 (Sep 8, 2003)

hay I went on Zelnorm (6mg-twice a day) 2 months ago. within an hour of taking it I was sick w/ D. after a week of D and missing alot of work. I called my doctor and he said if I didn't get better to only take it once a day and if that didnt help to take it once every OTHER day. I would definatly talk to your doctor and not change your doses on your own. Also the directions say to take it on an empty stomach before meals. I found that the only way I could take it and not have D was if I took t at night after a very small meal. once I began taking it once a day at night I felt GREAT! but unfortuntely my doctor is taking me off it because he said being 20 I shoudn't be on this medicine forever. I posted a question about Zelnorm recently and I got a bunch of peopl saying that zelnorm is usuay only taken for 3 or so months. well I hope you feel better and it starts working for you.


----------



## bad girl (Aug 19, 2003)

I take 1/2 the dose too! I think it works best for most people.I am a little concerned my doctor will take me off it too. That would not be cool. After I finally got it working, I would hate to be taken off it. I'm 20 also, does that have something to do with being on zelnorm?


----------



## erin5983 (Mar 25, 2003)

Also 20 and on Zelnorm, but my doctor said that although it's only supposed to be prescribed for a few months, many doctors have been prescribing it for an indefinite amount of time, which is what I'm on it for. I can't imagine any tease worse than being on a helpful med and then having it taken away! Once I got past the first few bouts of D, it started to help. I take a full pill in the morning and a half pill at night. I also recently moved into my own apartment, and since I can't cook ANYTHING, I've found myself eating very generic foods-- spaghettios, soup, pasta dishes-- and have noticed that having no greasy foods in my diet is exactly what I needed. I don't know how to cook any greasy food so I guess that takes care of that







. I've been feeling better than I have since I was diagnosed with IBS. Unfortunately, the food I eat is pretty much all the same, but...I'll take that if it means no awful IBS.


----------



## jack_c81 (Aug 10, 2003)

Zelnorm/Zelmac, from what i understand is mainly targeted at women. Being a guy, however, i also took a chance and gave it a try. My C/D also changed to D, which is really of no great help. I've also been under the impression that it is not designed for long-term use.I've since moved away from these prescription drugs, and found greater benefit in natural remedies and dietry/lifestyle changes.I also can't explain how much i have benefitted from peppermint oil capsules.Hope this helps.


----------



## mjnooner (Sep 16, 2003)

Hey! About the whole Zelnorm thing...I was on Zelnorm not very long ago...and I was taken off of it by the specialist I was seeing! I just have to say be VERY careful that your doctor has prescribed the RIGHT type of Zelnorm for you (IBS-D, IBS-C, IBS-C/D) because I was put on the wrong kind, and it did nothing but make my "bathroom problems" worse!







My specialist also said that sometimes medicines aren't the best things you can take! I just wanted to say be careful ok!?  bye all!


----------

