Please let me know...

**asIshallbe** · 12-11-2008, 07:33 AM

all of these meds I take are giving me major constipation. I am going to try Fibersure. Please let me know which fiber supplement ya'll have tried and which have and have not caused a flare. Please let me know if Fibersure seems a flare. Thank ya'll!

**april ryan** · 12-11-2008, 08:25 AM

Hey,

Did you have constipation even before starting the meds? I have IBS constipation type, I hate it!!!

Lately I discovered that my constipation is mostly a problem of PFD, my muscles don't relax when they should. Have you looked into this?

You can find great tips in this book "IBS for dummies".

GOOD LUCK!

**asIshallbe** · 12-11-2008, 08:51 AM

I have never had an issue up until about a month ago which is a little less than when I started the the Lyrica, Tofranil combo. Is Fibersure helpful for this? (w/o causing a flare?)

**GayleK** · 12-11-2008, 03:34 PM

I use Miralax every day.

**yvette** · 12-11-2008, 03:47 PM

You could try Acacia Fiber, it's pretty neutral stuff, no flavoring, colorings etc. You can mix it with water or food...

Just keep in mind: overall Constipation takes longer to see results than diarrhea.

***kadi*** · 12-11-2008, 04:27 PM

I really like FiberSure. No chemicals or dyes, reasonably priced, available at Walgreens.

No flares or IC problems from it. I mix it in oatmeal & don't even notice it's there. It works pretty well - I think it took about a week on it (1 tsp per day) to get "regular", so to speak. I take a couple of meds that cause constipation & it's been pretty good in helping with that problem...

I also found that pelvic floor physical therapy was helpful with not just the IC, but also constipation & menstrual cramps.

**curlycue** · 12-11-2008, 05:00 PM

I am taking Citrucel. I dont see a difference I have been taking for about a week and I am still constipated,I cant void completly.

**Goldfinch** · 12-11-2008, 07:38 PM

What kind of foods are you eating? It can make an amazing difference. I probably sound like a broken record, but so it goes. I'm a big fan of getting fibre from real foods.

I don't have IBS, and I don't really understand the constipation that is related to it, so I can't speak to that, but there are frequently questions about fibre supplements with no mention of dietary fibre. I have a husband who is on a very high-fibre diet and a daughter who suffered from constipation due to an illness several years ago, so I did lots of research and devoted much time to learning how to change their diets. If you have regular old constipation, or constipation that is related to meds or iron or calcium intake and you are already eating lots of the following every day then you can tell me to crawl back under my rock!

These are the foods that are highest in fibre and typically IC friendly: bulgar wheat, barley, oatmeal, green peas, beans, legumes, leafy greens like spinach and kale, yams, pears. Also very helpful is taking flax seed capsules. You might think that because the IC diet is devoid of most fruits that it is hard to get enough fibre, but of the not-so-friendly foods, only dried figs, apples, raspberries and blackberries have comparably high fibre content. When we started eating lots of these foods on a regular basis we all noticed a huge change in our plumbing. None of us ever experienced this kind of benefit from fibresure, citrucel, metamucil or any other supplement.

**yvette** · 12-12-2008, 01:22 AM

BTW: Yes constipation can take weeks and weeks to get under control---it's a gradual process. I know it;s not not a lot of fun, but you don't want to harshly affect your system. Also, keeping well hydrated and walking a little bit per day can help. (Excercise can help you gut keep moving)

***kadi*** · 12-12-2008, 02:10 AM

Before the IC meds, I never needed a fiber supplement. Just ate the kind of things Goldfinch suggested. But now that I'm on Elavil, Ditropan, Darvocet (all of which are constipating), I sometimes need more than I can get with just diet management.

**asIshallbe** · 12-12-2008, 04:24 AM

I will admit, I had been in so much pain and exercising always brought on a flare...but I am going to get back into a walking routine again. Yes, I have been eating alot more unhealthy than I used to. I used to be a health nut and worked out all of the time and ate tons of veggies, protein, and fruits. Once I became, I guess you can say "depressed", I quit eating healthy as well as working out or even walking. I am going to give this a quadruple shot now as I am feeling much better than before due to my meds. I am going to try to incorporate more healthy foods into my daily regimen, I am going to try to walk for 30 min per day, atleast 4-5 days per week (the pups have been really sad that I do not take them on walks anymore), I am going to continue taking my flax seed capsules, and I am going to try the Fibersure. I do have the Heather's aciaia and have been drinking it now for 2 weeks, I think I am just so anxious that I have a hard time waiting to see the change. Neverthesless, I am going to finish that jar off prior to trying the fibersure (they are both soluble fibers), then I am going to give the Fibersure a whirl. So, I must admit...half of my "prob" is the meds, and the other half is because I have not been eating as healthy as I used to, nor working out. I need to get myself back in that mindset. Thank ya'll!