# Pamine Forte - Any Takers?



## 17961

Hi,I'm back!I didn't know IBS could go into remission & come back. I thought it had finally gone away after 3 blissful months of no problems. Then this month started getting bad lower gut pain that got so bad I thought I had appendicitis. Then the D came back & I've had that nightmare back for a week now & Gastro says we're back at square 1.Bentyl made me feel weird & crawly, Librax (Clidinium) kind of helped, but not much, so now Gastro wants to try Pamine Forte. Has anyone else tried Pamine Forte? After the yucky and kind of scary feeling I got from the Bentyl I'm a little scared of taking yet another new thing.Also curious if anyone takes BOTH Lexapro and an antispasmodic? I'm about ready to turn into a real pill-popper because I am sooooo sick of this, but that's a scary thought because I'm one of those really sensitive people & when I take any kind of drug I always wind up as that 1 in 10,000 or so that gets that one bizarre side effect. Any input appreciated. Thanks.


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## 20090

Fairly Long reply with more questions than answers.Hello - I'm Alley. I am NOT a doctor, so these are just my personal comments. To give background, I have currently been diagnosed with Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis AND now IBS for a little icing on the cake. I know: I hit the trifecta! Based on bowel sounds, severe unremitting diarrhea with severe abdominal pain, flatulence and now a highly elevated "c-reactive protein" blood test result, my GI has currently diagnosed me with the new addition of a severe intestinal infection, the bacteria presumably gaining entry via Crohn's damage to the mucosal (or sub-mucosal or both?) wall. He has currently prescribed a couple of antibiotics, asacol and Pamine forte to control diarrhea for after the infection is under control. Being a true geek, I researched the drugs to learn a bit, and I found the following letter from the FDA to Bradley Pharmaceuticals, manufacturer of Pamine and Pamine forte. http://www.fda.gov/foi/warning_letters/g5100d.htmSumming it up, the FDA is concerned that: "The professional sales aid, patient brochure, and website contain numerous effectiveness claims for Pamine and Pamine Forte *that are not, to our knowledge, supported by substantial evidence or substantial clinical experience.* They also omit risk information for these drugs. Finally, the professional sales aid and website misrepresent the safety of Pamine."This Warning Letter issued in approx. November 2004, and I have not found anything contradicting this letter yet. The products are, however, still being sold. I do not know if they could continue being sold if the company had not provided the FDA with contrary proof or whether "whatever-governmental-agency-is-relevant" having approved the drug for sale originally, the burden has now shifted to the FDA to prove the claims in the warning letter such that without further proof of illdoing they cannot remove the product from sale.This letter's existence has given me serious reservations as to the drug's efficacy. It is my intention to draw it to the attention of my GI and see: A) if he is aware of it;







what he feels about its content; and C) if he can reach Bradley for their comment.I thought you too might want to look into this further or, tell me if you know to the contrary.Alley


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## 13767

Hi I have been taking Pamine Forte sine i was diagnosed in Jan. I have felt great, but this week my symptoms came back and I am getting headaches....I don't think it is working anymore. Did you try it?


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## 15017

I was just diagnosed with IBS and the gastro-intestinal doctor prescribed Pamine Forte twice a day, along with Pepcid AC or Zantac. I also take Lexapro daily. I see in one of the posts above that someone had a concern with taking these medications together. Did you have any problems with both of the medications? I want to research this drug a bit more before I begin taking it. Thanks, Kevin


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## Vamplady

I just got perscribed Pamine Forte. I was suppose to take it twice a day but the one a day helped. I have quit taking it everday as I was getting a killer headache. It is good if I eat out I take it before hand.I had the same concern with the Pamine and a tricyclic I take. My doc said you are not suppose to take these pills at the same time that they should be spread apart. I would suggest you ask your doctor and tell him your concerns.Vamplady


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## tltrull

Pamine Forte in the 5mg was too strong for me(felt kinda sick) so I took 1/2. Eventually I got them to just give me regular Pamine in the 2.5mg. I take it as needed for cramping or as a preventative if I go out to eat. I have had no problems at all with this lower dose.I am also on Elavil 75mg, and Lotronex 2mg per day.I tried Lexapro in the past and it made my symptoms worse(most SSRI's have diarrhea as a side effect). Tricyclics seem to be better for D people as constipation is a side effect.


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## 16911

Hello i took Pamine Forte and have not been right since. I am going on two weeks I have been off the drug and I have an out of body felling, dizzyness, i had dry mouth that went away and congestion which went away. I am stuck with this wierd loopy feeling and can not get back to work. I feel that this is more of a problem then my stomach ever was. I went to an eye doctor he says my vision is fine but noticed my pupils were dilated and have been since the pamine forte. i would proceed with caution with this drug right now it is ruining my life and I hope it didn't trigger something else and hope the side effect goes away.


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## Britt

Up until last week, I was on Pamine Forte for about 3 1/2 weeks for my IBS. I took it with Wellbutrin, midrin, and topamax. It was going okay for a bit until about two weeks into it I eventually lose all vision up close to the point of needing bifocals. And I'm 22, so I knew it wasn't my eyes going on me. My eye doctor said the same thing about there being nothing wrong with my eyes, and my pupils were severely dilated. Plus, with the large pupils comes headaches and I have migraines to boot.Basically, pamine made it nearly impossible to function in my classes and during my final exams!! But my GI doc switched me off and put me on Librax, which is working pretty good and I don't have dry mouth anymore. Since i was on so many meds, I wasn't sure which one was causing the dry mouth. When the bottle said it may cause blurred vision, I wish they would have been more serious about it.


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## DOIHAVEIBS?

Hi all, I was given Pamine Forte back in 2004 which was the last time i saw my GI. From what i experienced it dries you out I mean DRIES you out all over. It stops me from sweating my eyes get dry and my throat gets so dry that i cant even talk and i am sore.I think it has something to do with helping your body absorb fluids because lots of IBS with D are caused from too much fluids, i guess.I stopped taking this stuff because of the side effects and sore throat which is very bad. but its funny i still have the meds in my drawer and I suffer from Sinus issues and bad post nassal drip and on occasion i break a Pamine Forte in half and take before bed so I can sleep and it works wonders on drying my sinus out. As for stomach I really cant tell you because i only tried it a few times and i couldnt stand the side effects on the rest of my body and not sweating in the midst of summer was very odd so i stopped


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## momochan

I take my Pamine Forte as NEEDED. I am supposed to take it every day but even as a IBS-D sufferer I still find that too much Pamine Forte backs me up!As for the Bentyl, it's effects are different entirely. Bentyl leaves me feeling groggy and has actually caused me to suffer hallucinations. Pamine isn't like that at all.


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## Guest

I'm sorry - I'm intrigued - I have absolutely NO idea what this is - but its a stunning name for a dog don't you reck - "Pamine Forte - come to master"!!! It actually sounds like some kind of Italian salami.Sue


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## phef

I have been on Pamine Forte a few times when I had a flareup on my regular regimen of Rxs. It works very well for diarrhea and cramps.One thing you will learn is that IBS is a disease that can be controlled by a normal regimen of drugs and diet that work for you but you will still have occasional flareups. When this happens it's time to visit the doctor and try something else to get the flareup under controlI am on Meprobamate and Librax which works in keeping my IBS under control most of the year. However I stil have flareups two or three times a year. When these happen I have to switch to either Pamine Forte or Donnatol.Once the flareup is under control I go back to my regular regimen.


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## blondeoverblue24

I had some horrible experiences with pamine forte, though I don't know if those things could be attributed to my IBS, an infection or the medication. While I was on it, I developed increased abdominal pain and horrible liquid diarrhea - Typically my IBS-D is at least somewhat formed, but this was as if someone was turning on a faucet. I was going to the bathroom every few minutes and I was still in college at the time (this was 2005), so I took some imodium so I could function. In the next twelve hours, things slowed down, but for the next week I didn't have a single bowel movement. The pain was excrutiating I was having horrible urgency. Then, like a switch being flipped, I was having the liquid D again for a day, then became constipated again. The pain at this point was so bad that I was actually taken to the ER by an ambulance because I couldn't move and kept almost passing out. The doctor at the ER was completely useless (but that's a different story). I finally regained more normal bowel function about a week later, but I had lost weight, my appetite and had a lot of pain. I can't remember when exactly I stopped using the pamine, but they switched me back to bentyl and added paxil cr, and that's what finally helped me.


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