Fiber supplement pains
- Thread starter britt
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Help Support Crohn's Disease Forum:
The same happens to me, I'm in a good deal of pain and my stomach swells up, when i take a fiber supplement, or even eat foods naturally high in fiber. I do much better on a low fiber diet.
We were just debating that in the diet section on a couple threads. Some are able to eat fiber with few problems, and even seeing improvement in their condition from Psyllium Husks. And others have a good deal of difficulty when taking fiber supplements and eating foods high in roughage.
Being able to handle fiber seems to depend upon the individual.
The threads can be seen at:
http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?p=633928#post633928
&
http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=13856
We were just debating that in the diet section on a couple threads. Some are able to eat fiber with few problems, and even seeing improvement in their condition from Psyllium Husks. And others have a good deal of difficulty when taking fiber supplements and eating foods high in roughage.
Being able to handle fiber seems to depend upon the individual.
The threads can be seen at:
http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?p=633928#post633928
&
http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=13856
yes, no matter what supplement or cleanse, it is awful and adversely affects me. I have found it better to slowly add some fiber and perhaps alternatives such as ground flax, chia seeds, etc...I have found some have corn in them, which is a sensitivity for me, so not sure what it is but I swell like a balloon whenever I have tried them. Keep trying to see what works for you.
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people with severe ibd, may not react positively to fiber supplements as so many pathogenic bacteria remain at high levels in our guts and can create toxins from this fiber.
its the soluble fiber that tend to cause problems in some ibd patients.
doctors are not really aware of these relationships yet, we just started studying the bacteria in our intestines like not even a decade ago.
its the soluble fiber that tend to cause problems in some ibd patients.
doctors are not really aware of these relationships yet, we just started studying the bacteria in our intestines like not even a decade ago.
Why did your doctor tell you to take a fiber supplement? It definitely needs to be discussed with him, given the side effects you are having. That being said, I generally find fiber to be beneficial for me, in moderate amounts. I have crohns, and when I my BM are solid I take citrucel once or twice a day, depending on my meals.
Also, please drink twice as much water as you normally do and see if the fiber still bothers you.
Also, please drink twice as much water as you normally do and see if the fiber still bothers you.
Since the fiber does not seem to be helping you, you might contact your doctor to see if she has other suggestions to try such as diets or pharmaceuticals. Maybe some other idea can be helpful for your condition.
Thought to mention, when I've tried taking fiber in the past, or eaten foods high in roughage, my symptoms became worse if I suddenly stopped taking fiber. I found it best to gradually lower the amount of fiber I take over a couple days. I'm not sure why this is, but have read that some will suggest those with constipation take fiber for 2 or 3 days and then stop taking as this will clear a person out better than continuous supplementing.
Thought to mention, when I've tried taking fiber in the past, or eaten foods high in roughage, my symptoms became worse if I suddenly stopped taking fiber. I found it best to gradually lower the amount of fiber I take over a couple days. I'm not sure why this is, but have read that some will suggest those with constipation take fiber for 2 or 3 days and then stop taking as this will clear a person out better than continuous supplementing.
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- Apr 12, 2013
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my doctor told me to take fiber supplements for my constipation but its just gotten worse since i started them. however, thank all of you for the advice and i will talk to my doctor about it not working so well when i can, in the mean time i'll be drinking much more water.
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Fiber never worked to relieve constipation for me. I do better with coffee. Others tell me that low alcohol beer does the trick for them, while others say eating corn works for them, or cod liver oil. Youmight want to try experimenting with different foods until you find what works best for you.
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- Apr 12, 2013
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coffee works pretty well for me but i get pains every time i drink it. thanks for the input though i'll start experimenting. :thumright:
Aw, constipation is a whole other ball game.
With experimenting, you might take a look at taking magnesium. I know of several people that have had very good success taking magnesium for relieving their constipation. I believe they take 200mgs in the morning and 200mgs in the evening. Additionally, the Crohn's Form sight founder, David, is a big fan of magnesium for bowel conditions. He is often writing about how the mineral helps.
The other item that might be of assistance, that I know others with C take, is probiotics.
Best of luck.
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- Apr 12, 2013
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thanks so much for the advice! And ya know when i was buying my myralax i did see the magnesium below it and it was significantly cheaper i just never thought to try it. i've essentially stopped the fiber supplement because it had been almost 5 days and i hadnt had a bowel movement. i drank some starbucks with skim milk and although painful, it certainly did the trick; made for a long day, but did the trick. i've been taking 17 mg of myralax twice daily while on fiber supplements along with a stool softener and i was still backed up but when i quit the fiber supplement it helped so i'll have to seek a new way for fiber.
I've heard the mention of probiotics helping a few times, but recall the first mention of when this was brought up. The probiotic rich yogurt Jamie Lee Curtis advertises was told to me by a group to really do an excellent job of ridding one of constipation. How remarkable I thought. When I think of Jamie Lee Curtis I think of the first film she made, Halloween, and how it scared the cr*p out of me. After all these years, and well into her middle ages, Curtis is still trying to knock the cr*p out of others.
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