# Anyone try Levsin (also known as Hyoscyamine)?



## Rodeogal (Feb 5, 2001)

My doctor recently precsribed Levsin to me to help my IBS. Has anyone else tried this? And if so, does it work?


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## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

Timely question. I just got Levsin myself today - not for pure IBS but for bloating specifically. I'll take it just during attacks.


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## Misty B (Aug 21, 2000)

Rodeogal,I've been on Levsin S/L for many years for IBS-D. I take 1 before meals and 1 at bedtime. It helps me.Good luck! ")


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## echris (Jul 19, 2000)

Like Misty, I've been taking Levsin S/L for years (since about 1976) without problems, except I take 1/2 tablet before meals and sometimes at bedtime.The only side effect is that I don't sweat normally so I can feel yucky when it's really hot out. echris (IBS - D, 25 years and counting)


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## JenS (Dec 18, 2000)

We are all different. Some people respond well to Levsin, others don'ts. Same with Bentyl. Good luck to you.


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## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

I took my Levsid last night and did seem to feel a tad better.I took Librax and something else 2 years ago, before I had much bloating, etc. (I think the doc was overeager to give it to me). I agree about the sweating thing: to this day, I barely sweat unless I'm outside in 100-degree weather. Kinda weird.


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## Loraine (Nov 19, 2000)

I have been on Levsin for over a year now, most of the time it works if I take one in the morning and one at night. I don't care to much for the side affects, they really have gotten bad lately. Dry mouth, anxiety attacks, sensitive to sunlight and heat. I have had IBS for 10years now, since I had my gallbladder out. I am going to try the Caltrate, I discussed it with my Doctor he said Calcium is good for you anyway, can't hurt you, he also suggested Fibracom or Metamusil, but I thought Fiber made you go. I am IBS with "D" and pain! Best of luck with Levsin but make sure you take it regularly, don't skip or wait.


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## Rodeogal (Feb 5, 2001)

Thank you all for replying to my post. I'm glad to hear that Levsin works for some people.


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## SaraCC (Apr 24, 2001)

I took Levsin but like Bentyl, it had little to no effect. My doctor prescribed Levbid recently for me, which is also Hyoscyamine. I believe the difference is that Levbid is a time-release version. I take two 12-hour pills per day. I'm not sure of the effect yet since I've also started antacids for my stomach. It's hard to tell which drug is doing what, but so far my bowels have quieted down a bit.


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## Blair (Dec 15, 1998)

I've taken all those. It's weird but at first they help, a day or so, but then the cramping acually gets worse! Took me awhile to figure that out. Dry mouth was my only side effect.


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## SaraCC (Apr 24, 2001)

Glad to know I'm not the only one getting drymouth from it. I guess maybe that's good because now I drink tons of water, which can't hurt.


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## Guest (May 24, 2001)

Take Levsin for upper GI spasms and dicyclomine for colon spasms and metamucil for fiber. Add a high fiber diet and my IBS-D is getting much better since I started Levsin a month ago.42


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## Guest (May 24, 2001)

I have taken both Levsin and Levbid. Neither worked for my IBS-D, and both made me highly sensitive to sun/heat. Good luck to you. They must work for some people or doctors wouldn't perscribe them.bj


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

They work quite well for me, but like all drugs some people they work for some people they don't and some people the side effects aren't worth the benefit.Every person's genetic makeup is a little different and some of the differences are in the enzymes the liver uses to process xenobiotics (organic chemicals that come from outside the body) like drugs and chemicals plants use for various purposes, etc. Depending on what your drug removal unit has in it you may be more senstive to certain drugs because you get a higher blood level or don't clear them out of the body as effeciently or less sensitive because you don't process the inert drug into the active metabolite or clear it out of the body faster than usual.K.------------------I have no financial, academic, or any other stake in any commercial product mentioned by me.My story and what worked for me in greatly easing my IBS: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000015.html


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## LotronexLover (Jan 10, 2001)

I have been on Buspar, Bentyl, Librax, Levbid (Levsin), & Lotronex. Lotronex worked the best...but we all know you can't get it anymore. I now started Remeron for my IBS D & so far it has worked wonderfully. I only started it 3 days ago. I'll keep you posted. Levbid also helped me, but boy does it dry you out. Also, lowers your sex drive.


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## awcfly (Apr 15, 2001)

You & your doctor may have to adjust dosage carefully. People seem to have widely varying results with (and tolerance of) the anti-spasmodic family (Levsin, Bentyl, others).I haven't used Levsin, but Bentyl was very unpleasant at a dosage of 40 mg/day. Yes, it stopped the abdominal pain, but the side effects were worse than the original problem.If it should turn out that Levsin doesn't work well for you, or it works but you can't tolerate the side effects, please realize there are other treatment options, including anti-depressants (like amitriptyline) or calcium carbonate or colestid, etc. The specific treatment will depend on what your primary symptoms are (D,C,C&D or







.


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## SaraCC (Apr 24, 2001)

My Levbid has been making me constipated on and off. My doctor said to try some milk of magnesia to help this, but that gives me such bad D that I end up taking Immodium to stop it. Has anyone else had this problem with hyoscyamine? And if so, what did you use to correct it?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Since you find it constipating (and some people do) maybe trying a gentler solution to constipation than laxatives is needed.. Daily fiber and plenty of water is usually a good approach as long as you can tolerate fiber (some can't). Although extra water is probably a good idea for everyone.You colon removes water from the stool for recycling so keeping hydrated can help keep you from removing too much water from the stools which leaves them small, hard, and hard to pass.K.------------------I have no financial, academic, or any other stake in any commercial product mentioned by me.My story and what worked for me in greatly easing my IBS: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000015.html


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## Liz143 (May 2, 2001)

I am on Levsin right now and have been for a while but it does nothing for me or bental not sure why.


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## Sally Jane (Jan 14, 2001)

This is so interesting to me. My doctor gave me Levsin tablets many years ago for abdominal pain. I only take it when I have pain and can't go to the bathroom, which is rare for me. Not long after I take it, I will then have a bowel movement. It CAUSES me to go to the bathroom. I found out that my mother's doctor had given her Levsin for indigestion. She said it didn't help her so she gave me hers. Isn't it strange how these medicines affect each person differently? I never knew until I started reading the posts on this board that Levsin was good for anything else but abdominal pain.


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## HopefulOne (Nov 29, 2004)

I have also started taking Levsinex (1 each morning), about a month ago. I think it really helps to keep my tummy from rumbling / moving so much during the day. BUT, I have noticed that my morning BM is not nearly as formed as it had been before the Levsinex. It is less urgent, but VERY unformed D. Anyone else found their BMs to be less formed while on Levsinex? Any ideas for why this happens??? My only idea is that the Levsinex keeps the bowels from moving so much, that they don't remove enough water either-- so D. Could this be???!!!


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