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question about metamucil

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Cassandra7
New Member
Joined : Jul 2007
Posts : 13
Posted 8/10/2007 9:00 PM (GMT -7)
I usually have diarrhea, but since changing my diet and adding fiber I am going everyday but am a bit constipated(two weeks) suddenly today I had a bm three times about an hour apart and they were looser. I had increased my fiber some in the last two days and wondered if that would account for the change in bm.

My concern is that I can't tell the difference between the effects of fiber and IBS symptoms so I get scared and take immodium which will make me constipated.

Any feedback is appreciated.
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gutastrophe
Regular Member
Joined : Jul 2007
Posts : 319
Posted 8/10/2007 10:53 PM (GMT -7)

Personally, I won't use metamucil.  I did for years and ended up going from IBS A to IBS with severe C.  The insolubale fiber in the form of psyllium husk is very harsh for the bowel, IMO.  In addition, there are other ingredients in metamucil, and many of the other name brand fibers, that IBS folks do not react well to. 

To be honest, I have not yet found a fiber supplement that works for me.  I try to get my fiber through food.  I find if I incorporate a bit of barley, oats, small amounts of brown rice, yams, butternut squash - those types of foods almost always yield consistent results without all the wierd side effects.

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Sarita
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2005
Posts : 2486
Posted 8/11/2007 2:03 AM (GMT -7)
I like the idea of people trying to incorporate fiber into their diets and avoiding supplements if necessary.  It takes a bit of research to figure out which foods are good sources of fiber and safe for you personally at the same time, but I think it's worth it.  If you still can't get enough fiber, supplements may be necessary - psyllium husk and methylcellulose are two of the most popular ingredients in OTC supplements, and one may work for you better than the other.

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pb4
Elite Member
Joined : Feb 2004
Posts : 20577
Posted 8/11/2007 10:26 AM (GMT -7)
Fibre is really important for IBSers and IBDers as well, my GI told me to take fibre supplements daily for the rest of my life, I use Prodiem (I'm in Canada), it's available in some US states but not all apparently...Fibre can be tricky, you have to drink lots of water with your supplements, that's important and so is fine tuning, you may never be able to fine tune it perfectly so you may have to ajust accordingly and go with whatever amount works best for you even if it's not going to regulate you perfectly.

It also takes time for the system to adjust to fibre so increasing slowly and only if necessary is best.

Besides pshyllium, some people get good results from flaxseed/flaxseed oil as well, so there are plenty of options...for some, even eating a bowl of oatmeal a day is enough to help tremendously...you have to find what works best for you and stick with it, because if you're not consistant, your poops won't be either.

Bottom line, it's important to find something rather then avoiding fibre all together or not getting enough.

:)
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Cassandra7
New Member
Joined : Jul 2007
Posts : 13
Posted 8/11/2007 10:46 AM (GMT -7)
thanks for the feedback. How will I know when I find the right fiber in the right amount, whether from food or supplements? Will I have just one bm that's not too loose and not too hard?
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Sarita
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2005
Posts : 2486
Posted 8/11/2007 12:57 PM (GMT -7)
25-30 grams of fiber is recommended for adults.  Here's a nice blurb from the American Heart Association's website (www.americanheart.org):

"Dietary fiber is the term for several materials that make up the parts of plants your body can't digest. Fiber is classified as soluble or insoluble.

When eaten regularly as part of a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol, soluble fiber has been associated with increased diet quality and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Soluble or viscous fibers modestly reduce LDL cholesterol beyond levels achieved by a diet low in saturated and trans fatty acids and cholesterol alone. Oats have the highest proportion of soluble fiber of any grain. Foods high in soluble fiber include oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, citrus fruits, strawberries and apple pulp.

Insoluble fiber has been associated with decreased cardiovascular risk and slower progression of cardiovascular disease in high-risk individuals. Dietary fiber may promote satiety by slowing gastric emptying, leading to an overall decrease in calorie intake. Foods high in insoluble fiber include whole-wheat breads, wheat cereals, wheat bran, rye, rice, barley, most other grains, cabbage, beets, carrots, Brussels sprouts, turnips, cauliflower and apple skin.

Many commercial oat bran and wheat bran products (muffins, chips, waffles) contain very little bran. They also may be high in sodium, total fat and saturated fat. Read labels carefully."

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