Psyllium Husks

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Wow! I'm not used to this! lol I haven't gone to the bathroom at all today and it's 4 in the afternoon! I can't believe the difference this has caused already. I feel great, I'm eating more and it's staying in. I think I'll finally be able to gain a little weight too because I can now eat and it doesn't just come out. Cat-a-Tonic, with the metamucil I'm using, each spoon full contains 3.4g of psyllium. I wonder how much more the "pure" psyllium husks are giving per spoon full.

I think everybody needs to see this thread!
 
Yes, it does lower cholesterol...

High Cholesterol

Soluble fibers -- such as those in psyllium husk, guar gum, flax seed, and oat bran -- can help lower cholesterol when added to a low fat, low cholesterol diet. Studies have shown psyllium can lower total as well as LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels, which may help reduce the risk of heart disease. In combination with cholesterol lowering drugs, such as statins, psyllium provides an added benefit to reducing cholesterol levels.

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/psyllium-000321.htm
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Sarah is down to using it once a day and she would use the equivalent of about a decent sized teaspoon I think. She says two big pinches! She was using it more frequently at the outset though, at least twice daily.

Dusty. :)

EDIT: Oh, I see what you mean KW, I don't know. I don't have a packet on hand as I have decanted it into a container.
 
Ah, no problem. I'll have a look next time I'm at the store. I'm sure the psyllium husks would have more/spoon full just because that's all it is but I was just wondering how much difference there is.
 
Dusty, sounds like I'm on the same dose that Roo is on, I do a teaspoon once daily but admittedly it is kind of a heaping teaspoon. As KWalker said in an earlier post, it does tend to stick to the sides of the glass, so I make sure I get a teaspoon plus a little extra because I know I'll be losing a bit that gets stuck to the cup. I don't usually scrape and refill, I tried that but it's easier & quicker for me to just wash my glass and then drink plain water after I've finished my psyllium. It still is a little disconcerting for me to drink water with "stuff" floating in it so I drink it and get it done with and then drink plain water without "stuff", ha ha. I guess I'm just quirky that way. :p

Thanks Dusty! I knew you'd know the answer, as Mark says, just ask you! :) I recently discovered I can eat oatmeal again too (oats do bad things to me when my illness is active, but in remission I don't seem to have any problem with oatmeal) so hopefully with the oatmeal and the psyllium I'll be able to impact my cholesterol levels.
 
Oh yeah, I tried drinking it in just plain water yesterday and wow! What a mistake! The taste and texture is awful! I just mix it with whatever juice I have now. I can deal with the texture but the taste was terrible!
 
I had a bit of google of the psyllium that Sarah and Matt are using at present and I think, from what I can decipher :lol:, there is 4 grams per serving (1 teaspoon). Don't quote me on that though!

Dusty. :)
 
Oh that's not bad then if I'm only .6grams off. It can never hurt to get more though, especially for around the same price.
 
Ohh...something else I've been thinking about but this could just be coincidence. I've noticed that yesterday and today I haven't been getting nearly as much drainage from where my abscess is still healing.. It's to the point where I haven't even needed to wear a pad with no problems at all today. Do you think there's any sort of link with that? I was wondering if it could have been feces coming out of the abscess and after taking the psyllium it's slowing that down but there's definitely none of that.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if there is a direct correlation. Reducing the amount of faecal movement around that area is bound to reduce the pressure and therefore aid healing. If you only have an abscess I don't know that you would have faecal matter passing through it, if there is also a fistula though then reducing the amount faeces and also bulking up what does pass over the fistula would certainly have an effect.

Dusty. :)
 
Kwalker, I haven't had an abscess (yet, knock on wood) so I can't speak to that specifically, but honestly it wouldn't surprise me at all if psyllium is helping you in that regard. Psyllium seems to help in ways I didn't think it could. Specifically, I've noticed that since I've been taking psyllium, I have had zero menstrual cramps. None! Having my period was pretty awful before I hit remission, and even in remission it wasn't exactly a picnic and I'd have looser stools and lots of cramps. Since I started psyllium, though, my periods are so easy and cramp-free which is amazing. I know you're a guy so you can't relate to that specifically (although I believe you mentioned your fiancee is trying psyllium so she might enjoy that aspect!) but my point is, yes, I believe psyllium can definitely help in unexpected and surprising ways besides just firming up stool/ less bowel movements per day. I haven't found any drawbacks to psyllium except for the cramps caused by taking too much at once (when I took 2 teaspoons instead of 1, I cramped up horribly and had what felt like bad gas pains too). That's it though, and the positives far outweigh that one negative!
 
There is no fistula (says the doctor after my scope) so in that case it's good, but I was thinking maybe from the constant going to the bathroom with loose stools getting around down there that it was maybe forcing pus out of the wound. Whatever it is, I like it! :)

Cat- I actually had a little bit of cramping while chugging down the drink but it went away within a few seconds. I just thought it was weird because I didn't have it before. Like you said though, that little time of cramp is totally worth the results.

It's now 5:30pm and I haven't went today, and feel no need to go anytime soon. I have so much extra time in my day now haha
 
Ha ha, KW, I know the feeling! I keep a Sudoku book in my bathroom for those longer potty trips but I haven't used it in quite awhile now. I used to use it all the time. I agree, it's nice not being chained to the bathroom! I have even gone on long bike rides recently and not even thought about needing to look for a bathroom. When I first hit remission, I would sometimes "go" 10+ times a day, I figured that was just my normal. Well, I've gone 2 times today (and both were lovely solid BMs and very quick too, no sudoku puzzles needed!). So I don't know, I guess my remission just needed a little helping hand or something, but I feel about 99% normal now which is probably as close as I'm ever going to get to being completely healthy. I'm really hoping that if/when I flare again, that psyllium will still help and I'll still be able to tolerate it.
 
Okay, I'm home now and just looked at my container of psyllium. It does say that one serving is 2 tablespoons, and that 2 tablespoons contains 12 g of psyllium. So 6 g per one tablespoon, although I don't know how that converts to teaspoons. I hope that helps anyway!
 
Wow that's a significant difference! What brand do you use? Is it the bag that Dusty posted?
 
No, I use "365 Everyday Value" brand, which appears to be Whole Foods' generic store brand. It comes in a cardboard canister kind of like what oatmeal comes in. The packaging looks like this (I didn't take this photo, I found it in a google search, but this is what I have in front of me):
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X3ghsv5RA...H6JN-r6nlQ/s1600/psyllium+container+front.jpg
The front says 8 g of soluble fiber, the back says 8 g soluble and 2 g insoluble, 12 g total psyllium (I'm not sure how the math works there, that's just what it says!). And under ingredients, it just says "Psyllium Seed Husks (whole flakes)", that's the only ingredient.
 
In Australia 4 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon. 1 teaspoon = 5ml.

In the US 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon.

Dusty. :)
 
I've started on the psyllium again tonight, I tried taking it for a week or so a couple of months ago but things got a bit crazy with a new job doing shift work, it was bad enough trying to coordinate my Asacol 3 times a day without adding the psyllium on top! But I'm in a different role now that is office hours Monday-Friday so I'm trying to get my routine back! I think with the not being able to take meds 2 hours before or after psyllium that the best time for me to take it is in the evening, hopefully it doesn't affect my sleep (drinking lots of water to go with it so hopefully I'm not up peeing all night!!)

Just tried it in a cup of hot fruit tea before reading this thread and yes, it did kind of start to congeal, it was still a thick liquid so I just downed it but I think colder drinks are the way to go. Pity, it would fit my evening tea routine perfectly! I would prefer to have it on my cereal in the morning but then that would throw off my Asacol, hmm I'm sure I'll work it out. The first time I started taking psyllium I did notice a slight difference in frequency. Also, the iron supplements I've been taking have helped in bulking up the stool (and turned it a lovely shade of black lol), but I've been a bit "off" this week with more D usual so hopefully the psyllium can get me back on track!
 
Lizzy, you sound a lot like me! I work a Mon-Fri desk job too and I'm also on Asacol 3x per day. :) Here's my Mon-Fri meds & psyllium schedule, hopefully this will help you out a bit:

6:30 AM wake up, take some supplements & Nexium

8:30 AM arrive at work, drink supplement drink (Ensure or generic Slim Fast) and take Asacol (I do a supplement drink in the mornings instead of a typical breakfast as I cannot handle solid foods first thing in the morning! Even in remission, food that early in the morning makes me nauseous but I can handle a drink.)

10:30 AM drink psyllium

11 AM break, have a snack (no meds or supps at this time since it's so close to my psyllium)

1:30 PM lunch, take Asacol (most days I hit the gym for an hour and then eat lunch at my desk afterwards so really I'm usually eating lunch at 2:30 instead of 1:30)

5:30 PM get home from work, around 6 PM is dinner, take Asacol

10 PM bedtime, take Zantac, Amitriptyline & more supplements (I like to break it up so that I'm not taking a zillion supps all at once!)

Weekends or days off is when I get into trouble, I remember to take my Asacol but sometimes I forget about psyllium and supplements. I sleep in on weekends and stay up too late, I get caught up in projects or exercise or shopping or whatever and my whole schedule is just thrown out the window. I don't drink enough water on the weekends, sometimes I forget to eat and then I panic because I have to have food in my stomach to take Asacol, the weekends are just a mess for me! So if you figure out a good system for remembering to take Asacol and psyllium and supplements on unstructured weekend days, please let me know! :)
 
DustyKat, you need a cape or something because you're my hero! It sounds stupid but this stuff has literally changed my life. Before I started I was going 4-7 times a day with the D, and yesterday I didn't even go at all! I don't want to sound gross but it's still not like a "log" (LOL) but the water is clear and it's like little chunks of solid.

This thread should be stickied so everybody can have the opportunity to see this and get in on it as well.

Gahh, I'm so happy I tried this!
 
Wow KW! :panda::panda::panda:

Just be sure you don't go too far the other way! :eek2: :poo:

Dusty. :)
 
Oh I know. Last night I didn't take any instead of the spoonfull I usually take. I might just stick to once a day for a little and see how it goes. If I have days where its not as good I'll just take an extra one.
 
I don't like psyllium husks, as I find them a bit harsh. Chia seed gel works the same way, but is a lot gentler than psyllium husks. I normally put a tablespoon or two of chia seed into a glass of water and wait ten minutes giving it a couple of stirs whilst waiting. The seeds absorb much of the water. They expand and go soft. You can eat the gel directly or drink it down with water. The other health benefits of the seed are: high in omega3, loads of antioxidants, protein, magnesium, iron, zinc, and so on. They are also gluten free and have a low GI. They help stop both constipation and diarrhea, so I find them especially beneficial. Apparently some of the other fibers marketed for the same purpose have minimal nutrition and can interfere with mineral absorption in the gut. This does not sound very good. It can't be a good thing, especially for UC & C sufferers. You can get black seeds and white seeds and I use a mixture of both. Most health food stores stock it. It use to be hard to source but it seems to have gone mainstream because last time I visited my sister in Australia I found a major supermarket called Coles was stocking certified organic chia seeds in their health food isle.

You can also cook with the seeds:

http://www.chiaseedrecipes.com/40-ways-to-use-chia-seeds.php

Hard to describe the taste, they have sort of a very mild nutty taste. I think.
 
What are the pro's of using psyllium instead of questran? I've been on questran for years and have normal bm's (95% of the time and only 1 a day) so I'm loathed to change unless there's a good reason.

The only reason I can think of is it's natural?
 
Although I've never tried Questran, from what I understand Psyllium is more readily available because you don't need a prescription and some people have either no benefits from Questran (it doesn't work) or they get pain/bloating. I could be wrong but if its working for you I would just stick with it.
 
If it ain't broke don't fix it!

I agree with K as to why some people may prefer psyllium over Questran but since Questran is working so well for you I wouldn't change a thing!

Dusty. xxx
 
I'm so glad it seems to be working for everyone! I am still trying to incorporate taking the psyllium into a regular routine and have missed a few days so I haven't noticed the benefits as of yet - but hopefully I can stick with it from now!

Cat, thanks for the tips with your routine, I also find the weekends hard with remembering to take my meds and also drinking enough water (this is my biggest challenge I think, I'm always needing to drink more water. I'm trying!). I can't really snack at work so I do have long periods in between meals but I think this will work for me during the week:

8.00am (yes, I get up late!): Breakfast, take Asacol, Pred, iron supplement, multivitamin and probiotic
12.00: Lunch, take Asacol
6.00pm: Dinner, take Asacol, and iron supplement
8-9pm: Snack, take psyllium

As for the weekend, I guess we just have to be vigilant and remember that it's a day off work, not off our meds! :)
 
I used to have psyllium every day & it made my gut worse after a while,i read you get get allergy-like symptoms after longterm use...so I agree with going with chia seeds,they're great as an egg substitute in many recipes
 
Good luck lizzy! :thumleft:

i read you get get allergy-like symptoms after longterm use
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Sarah has been using psyllium for some time with no issues, touch wood! Would you be able to provide a source for this as I would like to read more about it. Thanks! :)

Dusty. xxx
 
If it ain't broke don't fix it!

I agree with K as to why some people may prefer psyllium over Questran but since Questran is working so well for you I wouldn't change a thing!

Sorry - I haven't worked out how to multi quote on my phone but wanted to say thanks for the posts above x
 
sorry for late reply,i remember reading in a wellbeing magazie & read on the back of a packet of psyllium husk that if you experience ab pains / spasms to discontinue...google long term psyllium use,i think 'livestrong.com' have some info..
btw if she's feeling good,then that's brilliant...just something to watch out for xx
cheers xx
 
So far it's going okay, I would say there has been a decrease in frequency which is good but the stools are still quite loose.. But will keep with it and see how it goes! :)
 
Thanks for the update lizzy16!

I hope at some point in the future you hear a plop! :ylol:

Dusty. :)
 
I had a hectic few days, I was in a training class for work which threw my whole schedule out the window and then I traveled to my parents' house over the weekend. But, I made psyllium a priority and I remembered to take it every day. It was interesting trying to fit it in some days with my Asacol and other meds, but I did it! My schedule is going back to normal starting tomorrow which is a relief (I'm a creature of habit and neither my brain nor my guts like it when things don't go according to plan or schedule). Although I'm a bit nervous, I went to the health food store as my container of psyllium is nearly gone, but they didn't have the kind I got before! They were all out. :( So I had to get a different brand, I hope it works the same. I still have a little bit left of my current container but will be trying the new kind soon, wish me luck!
 
Holy habersdasherty Catwoman! I was just about to ask how you and K were getting on! Spooky! :lol:

It is soooooooooo fab to hear that all continues to go well. Good luck with the change of brand...FWIW I don't think it will be an issue. :)

Dusty. xxx
 
I missed a few days because I ran out of juice and was so busy I didn't get a chance to go to the grocery store for more so the BM's were starting to go back to before but I started it up again and immediately it turned around again and is much better.
 
Thanks!! You don't really realize how much of an improvement it makes until you go a few days without it and see how much going to the bathroom the old way sucks! I have yet to have a 1 or a 2 on the BM chart but its still SO much better than what I'm used too (which was the highest number on the chart).

I actually had a question for you too. As you know I'm currently taking Metamucil (almost gone) and its known to help people who are constipated as well, yet it has psyllium in it to help people like me who are the complete opposite. Now that school is done for the summer and her stress related diarrhea is gone she usually gets constipated. Taking the metamucil helps keep her regular as well so do you think the psyllium would do the same or back her up even more?

Does that make sense? Lol sorry it's like 7:30am here. The second my dog sees sunlight he wakes everyone up for playtime. Grr
 
The psyllium should act as a laxative for a person without the bowel issues you have, the same as metamucil does.

Dusty. xxx
 
Okay, perfect thanks. We weren't sure if it was something else in the metamucil that was helping her stay regular so we were afraid if we eliminate that and go right on psyllium itself if it would cause her more harm.

I'm really excited to try that with even more psyllium than I'm getting now and see what that does for me.
 
I did look at the psyllium packet when I went shopping the other day and it has 4.1 grams per serving (teaspoon).

Good luck!

Dusty. :)
 
Okay everyone, you almost have me convinced. I picked up some psyllium husks after a few difficult days. Things are better now, but not completely back to normal.

I've now been on a full dose of budesonide for a week, and I'd really like to see if it works. So, my question is this: Should I give the psyillium husks a shot, starting today, or should I perhaps wait a little while to see if the budesonide does in fact "kick in" sometime soon?

I realize that this sounds kind of odd, as I'd certainly like some relief... but I'd also like to know WHAT it is that's actually working for me if I do start to feel better! Feel free to weigh in and let me know what you think. Thanks!
 
I agree with David. Best to separate the two so you have a clear idea of which is working, which hopefully one will!

Good luck!

Dusty. xxx
 
Has the psyllium given anyone else the toots? I seem to have more gas than usual, or rather I will go to the loo thinking I have to poop but it turns out to be gas.. hoping this will subside!

Well, I took a little tumble on my rollerblades yesterday (fell right on my bum, how embarrassing!) and I'm nursing a couple of sore arms - no breaks or sprains thank god, just a good jarring! Anyway, the doctor gave me some codeine and between that and the psyllium, I slept the whole night through without getting up once! And only 2 BMs so far today.. I hate taking codeine for more than a day or two cos it makes me so sleepy, but I love the effect it has on my tummy!
 
JDTM, I agree with David and Dusty. Give the Budesonide time to work and see how it affects you once it kicks in. It can take up to a month to kick in. When I was on it, it took exactly 9 days for me to notice a difference. I never try two new things at once so definitely wait at least a month to try psyllium. Or you may even want to wait until you're completely off the budesonide as you'll have to taper down from it and you'll want a clear idea of how tapering is affecting you too.

KW, I hear you on the dog thing, my dog sleeps in a crate, but if I'm not up by a certain time then she just starts barking until I get up and let her out. She never lets me sleep in!

Lizzy, glad to hear nothing's broken! Be careful not to slow things down too much, you don't want a blockage. If the codeine is stopping the flow of things you might want to consider skipping psyllium for a little bit.

I'm still doing fine, I think I forgot to mention in my previous post but I actually had d the other day for the first time in a long time. I had a salad a few days ago that did NOT sit well - sometimes I can get away with salad, but this one was clearly not my friend and it caused a lot of LRQ pain and some d. I'm mostly recovered although I had a little bit of LRQ pain earlier today so I made sure to eat very safe foods today (pudding for snack and french fries for lunch - not very healthy but obviously if my body can't handle salad then healthy foods aren't doing me any favors anyway!). I'm back to having normal solid BMs so I'm mostly fine, just that bit of lingering LRQ pain. It was kind of funny having d, it was like, "Oh, I remember this!" :p Ha ha. It'd been awhile and frankly I'd be fine with not having d again for another long while! I think psyllium helped firm up my stools quickly again after the salad incident as I only really suffered and had d for about a day or so and then went back to normal pretty quickly.
 
lizzy16 said:
Has the psyllium given anyone else the toots? I seem to have more gas than usual, or rather I will go to the loo thinking I have to poop but it turns out to be gas.. hoping this will subside!

Well, I took a little tumble on my rollerblades yesterday (fell right on my bum, how embarrassing!) and I'm nursing a couple of sore arms - no breaks or sprains thank god, just a good jarring! Anyway, the doctor gave me some codeine and between that and the psyllium, I slept the whole night through without getting up once! And only 2 BMs so far today.. I hate taking codeine for more than a day or two cos it makes me so sleepy, but I love the effect it has on my tummy!
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Yes whenever someone on a low fiber diet starts adding more fiber to their diet they'll get good amount of gas in the beginning. Just start slowly then move your way up. Took my system acouple months to adjust to all the fiber I was taking. Its normal your body will get used to it.
 
I recently had a bad experience with the metamucil. If anyone has seen, I recently started work last week. Well, the night before I wanted to make sure I didn't go to the bathroom at work before I knew where they were, etc so stupid me thought it would be wise to take DOUBLE the amount I usually take on the night before and AGAIN in the morning. Biggest mistake ever! My first day of work was hell! Thank god i know my boss pretty well and he is really easy going because I was in so much pain it was insane. I was honestly ready to go to the hospital. The pain lasted a few days and then it finally went away because I stopped taking it but I never want to go through that again! It felt like a I had some sort of blockage.

I stopped taking it for a few days and have since started back up (taking normal doses LOL) and everything is back to normal
 
Whoa KW! It sounds like you dodged a bullet there!

Just be sure you don't go too far the other way!
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Now why didn't you listen!!! :lol:

Seriously though, it's so good to hear you managed to get through it unscathed and are now back on track! :thumleft:

Dusty. xxx
 
I didn't really go the other way though, that's the weird part. The BM's didn't change or anything, I was just having this crazy pain like I was full of gas. I had to stop and take breaks to let it settle down a few times.
 
Oh it definitely wasn't a good thing at all! I wasn't having bowel problems but I had the worst pain I've ever felt in my stomach. I don't know how to explain it. I feel like I should have had a blockage or something with the pain I had. It hurt so much to push when going to the bathroom too. It was horrible
 
KW, when I had doubled my psyllium dose early on, I had a similar experience although not as bad as you describe it. I didn't feel like I had a blockage, but I was hugely bloated and had very painful cramps. It was not fun in the least and I won't be doubling my dose again! Glad to hear you made it through okay in the end but I'm sure it was a miserable time for awhile!

Well, I got food poisoning last week and purposely skipped psyllium for a couple of days to let my insides heal and recover. Adding fiber to an already upset stomach and guts didn't seem like a bright idea! Fortunately it wasn't too terribly bad and the worst was over with in a couple of days. I added psyllium back over the weekend and am feeling mostly normal again. The guts are still a little bit grumbly but much better than they were a few days ago. I'm hoping to be feeling back to normal again soon.
 
Hey Cat,

So sorry to hear about the food poisoning...:(:(:(

How are you feeling now, are things back to normal?

Dusty. xxx
 
After reading all your posts on psyllium husks and the benefits -i,m off to the health food shop tomorrow to find it. Can it also be bought online? Health food shops are small in scotland :smile:
 
Good luck carol ann!

You can buy them online here so I don't imagine it would be any different there???

Dusty. xxx
 
Dusty, I'm about 95% back to normal now. I've been having some GERD issues the past couple days but that's it, everything else is fine. I've been back on psyllium for 5 or 6 days now and everything is smooth sailing there, solid poos and no nausea, etc. I had oatmeal today too and that also went fine, so my body is accepting soluble fiber with no problem. Not sure why my GERD has been acting up the past few days, but it's a fair bit better today than it was yesterday so I'm going in the right direction at least.

Carol Ann, I would imagine you should be able to find them online pretty easily. I just did a quick search of amazon.com and found a whole bunch of psyllium products so I would imagine you wouldn't have too much trouble finding it online too. Good luck, I hope it works as well for you as it has been for me!
 
:) So good to hear Cat. :thumleft: May it keep on keeping on!

Onwards and Upwards!
Dusty. xxx
 
Okay, this is probably a question for you, Dusty. Do you (or does anyone) know if there's a big difference between "psyllium whole husks" and "psyllium flakes"? Are they one and the same thing or are they very similar at least? I just finished off my old container of psyllium, and upon looking at the label more carefully, it says it's psyllium flakes. The new container (different brand since the health food store was out of the kind I had previously bought) says it contains "psyllium whole husks". I don't see any difference visually, they look pretty much the same. I did notice however that the "husks" don't stick to my glass nearly as much as the "flakes" did. They stick a little bit but there's not nearly as much goopy mess to clean up afterwards. So it seems there is at least some minor difference between the two. I just hope these husks are as nice to my guts as the flakes were. I'm sticking with one teaspoon and so far so good although I've only been on the husks kind for one day. I guess it's good to try different types and brands and see which one I like best, although I'm also a creature of habit and am very wary of change! :p I'll update later as to how the husks are treating me as compared to the flakes.
 
I'm currently taking Colestipol (1gm tablet, twice a day)... would asking my GI about psyllium (possibly metamucil) be a good idea? or would combining the two cause some sort of issue? Also I read online that you should take other meds 1 hour before or 4 hours after as opposed to the 2 hours after that you guys mention, am I safe with 2 hours or should I ask about that too?

I'm having D anywhere from 3-8 times a day but just started taking the colestipol about a week ago with my 3rd remicade infusion and the BM's have reduced so I'm hoping that continues. The only thing that's super annoying is I can feel everything my guts are doing when gas or something is moving through them and I seem to build up a lot more gas recently. Is that a good thing? I mean, I figure better gas than D... but sometimes I can't tell the difference and have to run to the bathroom anyway lol.
 
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:oops: Sorry Cat and ravensfan88!

I don't know if there is a difference but I don't imagine there would be, well not an appreciable one???

Have you changed over yet? How are things going?

@ravensfan88. If the tablets are working then I would stick with that. Perhaps further down the track you may want to look into it. I would not take both though as they are both actioned in the same way in the bowel so you run the risk of substantially increasing the effect of the Cholestid which could lead to constipation or blockage.

The time factor with your other meds is a little less with psyllium but you need to stay with the restrictions that exist with the Colestipol.

When starting Colestipol/psyllium there is often an adjustment period for the gut of a few weeks and during that time many people do experience increased bloating and gas.

Good luck! I hope the Colestipol and Remi do the trick for you.

Dusty. xxx
 
Thanks Dusty! I made the change-over a few days ago. From what I can tell, it's been going fine. (I know you saw my other thread about coconut, yesterday was a pretty bad day with lots of nausea and extra bathroom trips due to the coconut incident).
 
So good to hear that all continues to go well Cat! :):):) Well minus the coconut incident...
tnut2.gif


Onwards and Upwards!
Dusty. xxx
 
Hey Dusty, it's been a few weeks now and I wanted to give you another update. Since the coconut incident passed, I've been doing fine again. Switching psyllium varieties/brands didn't seem to have any effect, I'm still having solid BMs about 2-4 times per day. I'm trying to eat oatmeal about 3x per week in addition to the psyllium (the soluble fiber aspect alone is great, and I also need to get my cholesterol down) and that's going really well too. As long as I avoid coconut and my other trigger foods, I am good! :)

How is Sarah doing, is she still on the psyllium? Did your son ever try psyllium?
 
Woohoo! Fab update Cat! :luigi::luigi::luigi: May it keep on keeping on!

Yep, Sarah still uses psyllium and Matt is also using it most mornings that he out for the day. All is good thanks hun. :)

Dusty. xxx
 
Thanks Dusty, glad to hear your kids are doing well. I hope they continue to do well for a very long time! :) I'm sure it's much easier on you too when they're both doing well.

I had a little extra psyllium yesterday and did okay with it. My hubby is the cook in our family and yesterday he made some mini blueberry pies. When he was making the pie filling, it was a bit watery so he wanted to thicken it. He was going to use corn starch, but he saw my container of psyllium and he decided to try that instead. It worked great and neither of us could taste it - I didn't even know the pie contained psyllium until he told me, it was not noticeable at all. I had already had my teaspoon of psyllium for that day, so I was a bit worried that I'd bloat & cramp up like I did when I took 2 teaspoons instead of one, but I was just fine this time. So that's good to know, I can have a bit of psyllium in food and that won't be detrimental if I have that on top of my daily teaspoon of psyllium. I still won't overdo it of course, but it's nice to know.
 
Well hush my puppies and prune my magnolia's!

Sarah has just arrived home for a visit and we have been discussing her raw vegan, limited sugar and no caffeine diet. She said she is going to the toilet no more than twice a day and her BM's are 100% normal! Yes folks there is a plop! BUT and this is the biggie...she is no longer using psyllium!!!

Dusty is shocked! :yfaint:
 
I have mastocytic enterocolits and for several years cholestyramine worked great. Then it started making me severely sick to my stomach so I had to stop taking it. I am going to try psyllium husks. My problem is that I live in a very rural area, Walmart is the closest store that may carry it (its 1 hour away). Can I try metamucil or the equate walmart brand of pysllium or should I try to order some from an online health food store (need recommendations on one)?
 
I don't see any reason why you can't try the Walmart brand or Metamucil.

Good luck! I hope it works as well as the Cholestyramine did. :)

Dusty. xxx
 
carol ann said:
After reading all your posts on psyllium husks and the benefits -i,m off to the health food shop tomorrow to find it. Can it also be bought online? Health food shops are small in scotland :smile:
Click to expand...

Holland and Barrett sells it in powder and capsule form.Have tried the powder but prefer capsules.
 
I am amazed and excited! I took 1 tsp of metamucil today and after 1 episode of a bile-induced trip to the bathroom right after I took it, I have been fine all day so far! This is a record. And unlike the cholestryamine, I don't have a horrible sick feeling in my gut. I am still taking the Gastrocom and my usual assortment of Type 1 and 2 antihistamines. I am excited that maybe next week I can go back to my morning field work when I need to or drive several hours to meetings.

I read where several posters talked about terrible stomach pains and gut "stop-ages" that weren't really the same as constipation. I think what is happening is something I have read about with mastocytic enterocolitis called "gut paralysis". I have been incapacitated by it and also have had severe vomiting.

I can't wait to wake up tomorrow morning to see if the metamucil works its magic again.

Thank you for the wonderful advice!
 
i had cholestyromine for years too, did me good then, same as you rolling, gave me incredible griping pain. have just picked up a tablet form of this yesterday, its new and called colesevelam 625mg. anyone tried this, if no good i'm gonna have to go for the psyllium husks, but congrats to Sarah, a complete plop! wow, and a much cleaner loo
 
Spooky1, I tried the pill you are talking about. I was supposed to take it 4 times a day, 2 pills each time. I took only one of the two pills the first morning, and it that one pill made me feel as bad as the cholestyramine and I refused to try it again. Thank goodness I didn't take both pills. This is my second day on psyllium. I ate a burger with home grown tomato and onion last night, one bm this morning just after I got up and just a few minutes after the psyllium. I feel great right now, my gut feels calm and pain free. My real test will be when I eat a whole home grown tomato. (sorry, the scientist in me cannot help but test where the boundary is and experiment, plus home grown heirloom tomatoes are my all time favorite food).

Does oatmeal function similarly in some way to the psyllium? If
 
i am going to give it a go tomorrow as i have about 100 miles to drive to take my mum to hospital. very few loos about in rural areas. I was wondering if it would gripe like the sachets of questran and loperamide. can't believe ur eating burgers and tomato and onion though, if you don't mind me saying i am surprised that you put this to the test. these are often no no's for many of us. good luck with psyllium husks.
 
I had to put it to the test to know that it did in fact really work and work well; I didn't want to live with a "false hope" . And I knew I would be at home all day today so it was a good time to test. I did have one hurried trip to the toilet in late morning but considering the test I gave it, I think it worked pretty darn well.
Have a safe trip tomorrow.
 
I don't think the oats have the same effect, well they didn't with Sarah as she added the psyllium to her porridge.

Sarah didn't have issues with griping and my son doesn't either.

Good luck with the trip!

Dusty. xxx
 
*** Potentially very important! ***

In doing some research on short-chain fatty acids, I found that psyllium can significantly increase the amount of butyrate produced by colonic bacteria. Butyrate is likely the most important short-chain fatty acid and has been implicated in various aspects of IBD.

My point here is, psyllium may be MUCH more than just a bulking agent. It can help maintain or possibly induce remission, improve blood flow in the colon, increase electrolyte and fluid uptake, reduce chances of colon cancer, and more. Ceasing its use might not be the best idea if you do well with it.
 
In addition, there seems to be a difference between psyllium HUSK and psyllium SEED (Plantago ovata seeds = Psyllium seed). This study found that the SEED is as good as mesalamine for maintaining remission in UC patients.
 
Wow, that's fascinating info! I've been using "benefibre" regularly (pardon the pun!), but might give the psyllium husks a try.
I just transiently wondered about mixing it in the morning probiotic drink (my daily "germs" :) )
Wonder if it would affect those wonderful little creatures for better/worse, or not at all?



HD
 
I'm no expert but I would have psyllium separately from everything else.two hours before or after any meds or supplements if you can.Not sure why,just something at the back of my mind.Googling will tell you.Or David.I take mine early morn.before breakfast and late evening an hour or two before bed,with lots of water.I've got U.C-Proctitis and it has helped me enormously
 
Scottsma is right about psyllium and timing. If you do start to use psyllium you need to take any mediations/supplements at least one hour before or two hours after the psyllium. Because of the way it is actioned in the bowel it can reduce or delay the absorption of other medications/supplements you are taking.

Dusty. :)
 
Thanks David! That's wonderful information! One question about the husk vs. seed thing - what I currently take says "Psyllium husks" on the package and then in smaller letters it says "Whole flakes". I'm assuming then that it's the husks, and not the seeds? (The part about "flakes" is confusing but it says "husks" too so it must be husks.) I just bought a new container so I will use that up and then see if I can find the seeds instead. And I definitely won't stop taking psyllium - I won't stop Asacol either, I'm enjoying remission and don't want to jeopardize it in any way. If both psyllium and Asacol are helping keep me in remission then that's great! I'm happy to stick with both. :) And once again I'm really thankful for this thread! Huge thanks to both David and Dusty for all the great info in here. :D
 
From what I have read (and there's not much information) it's not that seeds are better, they're different. Supposedly, the husk is better for bulking. So those of you taking psyllium husks to reduce frequency are on the right track. Seeds are supposedly better for creating butyrate.
 
So David, based on what you've read, would it be prudent to try taking both seeds and husks then? I'm feeling fine with the husks but might be missing out on the benefits of the seeds. Or might I constipate myself if I took both?
 
That's what I was wondering. All I know is its not something to mess with because I once "overdose" (just took too much at the same time) and it was a big mistake! I was starting a new job so thought if I took extra the first day it would help. It made things so much worse.
 
KW, I know what you mean. I overdid it on the psyllium once too (I took 2 teaspoons at once instead of my usual 1 teaspoon) and was horribly bloated, gassy, crampy, and just painful for several days. I remember reading about when you overdid it on the psyllium, you said it felt like a blockage - how awful that must have felt!

If I switched to doing both seeds and husks, I would start verrrrry slowly with small amounts (like 1/2 teaspoon) of each, and very gradually increase the dosage over time. Over the past few months I've slowly increased my dosage of psyllium husks from one regular teaspoon to one heaping teaspoon with no ill effects (probably equivalent about 1 regular tablespoon at this point), so I would do something similar if I switched to both seeds & husks.
 
I was in a store looking today for some psyllium husks finally because I finally finished off the metamucil and all I could seem to find were the capsules, and it says to take 3 pills 5 times a day! 15 a day?! No way! I must be looking in the wrong spot for the husks because I can't seem to find them anywhere!
 
KWalker said:
I was in a store looking today for some psyllium husks finally because I finally finished off the metamucil and all I could seem to find were the capsules, and it says to take 3 pills 5 times a day! 15 a day?! No way! I must be looking in the wrong spot for the husks because I can't seem to find them anywhere!
Click to expand...

my capsules say to take two, three times a day,but I only take two early morn. and two late afternoon.Works for me but I know some of you have to fit them in 'round your meds.I prefer capsules as they are much easier to take.
 
Over here they are in the health/organic/vegetarian shelf products section of the supermarket.

Dusty. :)
 

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