IBS Tales

women conquering diarrhea - page one

The tale of...Linda

What has helped me for more than two years with almost daily attacks of diarrhea is calcium in the form of Caltrate Plus. Calcium is known to be constipating so if you suffer from constipation-type IBS do not take it. Here is the what and how to take the calcium information if you suffer from diarrhea.

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Calcium is an over the counter supplement we all do not usually get enough of. No prescription needed to purchase this. When you take calcium about 40 per cent of the dose gets to the bones, the rest is eliminated in our waste. The calcium goes to the intestines and soaks up excess fluids and binds them together and they are gotten rid of in our waste.

This is a process that can be continued by taking the calcium carbonate on a regular basis thus giving a more formed bowel movement. There is calcium carbonate which helps us with diarrhea and there is calcium citrate which is more easily absorbed by the body and gets to the bones.

A lot of the calcium supplements contain a 2 to 1 ratio of calcium to magnesium. Magnesium is not helpful for us with diarrhea only causing more in most cases. So do not purchase this combination. It will only make things worse. The dose to take is different for everyone. I must take three a day one at each meal and it does not make a difference if I take it before, during or after: just take it regularly.

The most success has come from using any formula of calcium supplement that is like Caltrate 600 Plus with Vitamin D and Minerals, in the purple and white box. I hope this will help anyone wishing to try it and I am always here to answer any questions for you. I have a lot of feedback from many users.

There are other things to consider. If you take any other meds check the side effects and also check with the pharmacist to see if taking calcium will interfere with your other medications and how you might take them.

The only side effect is at the beginning of taking the calcium you may have some gas or indigestion but this usually goes away soon after taking a regular dose for a few days, as your body adjusts to the added calcium.

Starting with 1/2 tablet doses with each meal will lessen this problem and it may be enough to control the diarrhea attacks without making you constipated. Constipation can be a problem so be careful not to take too much.

I had my gallbladder removed in 1976 and from that time on I had suffered urgent attacks of diarrhea. Went through a lot of test but nothing else could be found. I took many of the meds for bowel spasms and cramps over the years but nothing ever seemed to help.

I started to take a calcium supplement to help prevent bone loss in later years and from the first day I felt relief. I was pretty much a prisoner to the bathroom or had to go without eating to be able to leave the house. I must take one tablet with each meal and the diarrhea does not come back. If I miss taking it I get diarrhea.

The way it works is the calcium carbonate it a binder and when you take it only about 40 per cent of the calcium gets to the bones and the rest is gotten rid of in our waste. During the process it gets to the intestines and soaks up excess bile and water and helps give a more solid BM. Now that you have no gall bladder the bile fluid goes directly into the intestines and causes irritation and diarrhea. The calcium carbonate soaks this up and no more diarrhea. It works great for a lot of us and you just have to take the calcium regularly and do not miss.

I started with Caltrate 600 and it does seem to make a difference in the ingredients of calcium... This one seems to do the best job for most. You can buy other store brands of calcium with the same ingredients that work just as well but they need to have the same ingredients. I get Member's Mark Brand from Sam's Club you get 300 tablets for 8.99.

You won't be sorry if you try it. I suggest starting with 1/2 tablet with each meal at first this may be enough to control the diarrhea if not in a few days up the dose to 1 tablet with each meal. The side effect is constipation so if you feel it coming on just cut the dose.

It is important to use a calcium that is as much alike as the Caltrate brand. Let me list the ingredients:

There are other brands with the same ingredients so get something as close as you can. Then start with 1/2 tablet with each meal and in a few days if this is not enough to control your diarrhea then up the dose to one tablet with each meal. If you feel you are becoming constipated then cut back on the dose.

It has been working since the first day I started taking it July 1998 and as long as I take three a day (this is the amount I must take it may be different for you) I remain diarrhea-free. No cramps, bloating or diarrhea. The dose you take with each meal is not the dose that is helping you at that meal, it is the prior ones that have time to work their way through your system to soak up excess bile and water in the intestines.

It also works for those of you who still have the gallbladder. It is worth a try and I have been getting some good feedback from Lotronex users who are getting some help with the calcium.

The tale of...Jenny

I'm Jenny and I'm 36. I've suffered with IBS for about seven years. I first became ill when I was going out with my previous boyfriend (still haven't worked out if he was the cause!). We eventually split up after six years.

I had various test done through the hospital, but nothing was found, the consultant eventually told me that I had IBS, it was basically all in my mind and I should go away and have a baby as this would take my mind off myself and therefore, my IBS would heal!! I didn't take him up on his advice!

I was at the end of my tether and was seriously considering the best way to commit suicide. Then, a woman I vaguely knew in work cornered me one day and asked me why I had so much time off work. I tried to avoid answering, as I had lost so many friends by this time, I didn't really trust anyone, but she persisted and I eventually told her everything.

She gave me a card with the name and address of a nutritional therapist. I decided to try her and put my suicide plans on the back burner. The woman who gave me the card is now one of my best friends. I went to the nutritional therapist and she basically 'saved' my life. She understood completely and after various tests and chats, I found out that I suffer from severe food allergies and intolerances. She put me on a very strict diet with supplements (this was five years ago).

I have to say that this has not cured me as I still get attacks (my symptoms are the severe runs, extreme bloating, severe wind, overwhelming tiredness and occasional nausea), but my attacks now are mostly stress-related and I try to keep calm as much as I can. This can prove to be difficult as I work for social security and I find that my employers are not the most sympathetic to work for...they don't understand! Plus I'm threatened with the sack on regular occasions.

As my IBS improved, so did my life, I found that I was able to go out again, without worrying too much of having an attack. I met new friends, some of which suffer with varying degrees of IBS, this helps as we compare symptoms and sometimes even laugh about them.

The best of all, three years ago I met Nigel, he knew nothing of my condition and on our first date didn't comment that I only drank mineral water. During our second date we ended up at his house at a meal time, I couldn't not eat! He made no comment when I asked him for boiled rice, broccoli and a glass of mineral water, he even had some boiled rice in his soup!

I eventually had to tell him of my illness and he rushed off to get pen and paper, he wrote down everything I could eat. When I next visited him he showed me a cupboard in the kitchen, he'd filled it with all the food that I could eat...I was totally overwhelmed, no-one had ever understood before, especially a man!

Needless to say, we now live together with my IBS and we're getting married in June. None of this has made my IBS improve, I seem to have hit a level and don't feel that it will improve much more, but most of the time it's bearable and I'm very happy with my life.

E-mail Jenny: tanybwlch[at]tesco.net

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