# Fibre/Supplements/Vitamins - Australia



## Gas Bag (May 7, 2017)

*Any Australian readers?*

I'm new to this forum, so if I make any blunders....entirely unintentional.

Because I live in Australia, we don't have anywhere near the range of Vitamins/Supplements/Medications that are often available in the US and in Europe. With my inquiries below, I'm asking for product information. If anyone wants to add some additional advice or recommendations, that's great, but my main focus here is getting product details.

- Of all the fibre supplements available in Australia, which are insoluble?
- Of all the fibre supplements available in Australia (either soluble or insoluble), which are non-fermentable once consumed with copious amounts of water?

- Ingredients & Energy content listings of the various supplements?

Also:

- How can I obtain impartial information about the dietary supplement SLIPPERY ELM? e.g. what it is, what it does, what it's used for, etc.
- Also, can I please ask what specific vitamins/supplements have been labelled/indicated "may help/assist" in the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and/or Gastritis?

*Side note: *From any personal experiences, which fibre supplements caused the least amount of wind/gas/flatulence, if you're prepared to discuss? If you want to discuss personal issues, it might be better to message me privately (if that's possible?).

Getting this sort of information is not as easy as it seems....not by a long shot. If anyone can help out, or point me to where I may be able to get this sort of information, I'd greatly appreciate it.

*Peace*


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## Helena (Apr 13, 2017)

Hi, I am in NZ and can get Psyllium husk powder on prescription. I think looking at The Pharmaceutical benefits scheme in Australia you can too? I think it is soluble fibre and you mix it with water. I find this does not give me gas and helps with my IBS along with fodmap diet, I don't know which fibres are insoluble.

Not sure what Slippery elm is. In NZ we have probiotcs labelled with IBS on the bottle. I think these probiotics may help with IBS as they have a specific strain of bacteria. Can't remember without researching it. Don't think they helped me much but then maybe I didn't take them long enough? Peppermint oil capsules can help with bowel spasms. We can get them here in NZ. They have varius names, one name is Mintec. A doctor prescribed them for me but i didn't take them much because I didn't know which foods were causing problems until I had eaten them and then the pills were more like a remedy.


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## Gas Bag (May 7, 2017)

Helena said:


> Hi, I am in NZ and can get Psyllium husk powder on prescription. I think looking at The Pharmaceutical benefits scheme in Australia you can too? I think it is soluble fibre and you mix it with water. I find this does not give me gas and helps with my IBS along with fodmap diet, I don't know which fibres are insoluble.
> 
> Not sure what Slippery elm is. In NZ we have probiotcs labelled with IBS on the bottle. I think these probiotics may help with IBS as they have a specific strain of bacteria. Can't remember without researching it. Don't think they helped me much but then maybe I didn't take them long enough? Peppermint oil capsules can help with bowel spasms. We can get them here in NZ. They have varius names, one name is Mintec. A doctor prescribed them for me but i didn't take them much because I didn't know which foods were causing problems until I had eaten them and then the pills were more like a remedy.


Thanks for the reply - much appreciated.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

hi Gas Bag and welcome to the board.

i don't live in australia so i'm sorry but i cannot answer your questions regarding fiber supplements. because i had colonic inertia, pelvic floor dysfunction and some other problems (not ibs) none of the fiber supplements helped me. because my colon was already moving slowly to begin with, adding more fiber just slowed it down all the more. we're all different but i found that i did best with a diet lower in fiber.

here is a fiber supplement chart:

http://www.nationalfibercouncil.org/supplement_chart.shtml

you might want to take a look at the other sections in that website, too.

here is some information about slippery elm. a long time ago i tried it but it didn't help me--but that's me. hopefully it will help you.

http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/slippery-elm

good luck with everything. hope you can find some relief. take care.


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