Hi guys - Ive suffered from IBS for about 7 / 8 years now (diagnosed by the doctor as a wheat allergy) and in the last 2 years or so have become reliant on Immodium to keep the attacks at bay. The doctor has told me to alternate the makes of tablets, so swapping between Colofac and Buscopan to relieve symptoms and this has helped a bit but I now feel like Im too scared to stop taking the Immodium (every other day) in case I have an attack! (I dont get the constipation side, I get the other - nasty!) Has anyone else suffered with this sort of problem and do you have any suggestions how to feel better? The doc just wants to keep me on various pills, but I have the feeling my healths pretty bad and want to sort it out as naturally as poss. Any suggestions are much appreciated! Many thanks, Bex xx
2006-12-20 22:16:10 · 13 answers · asked by Secret Squirrel 6 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Other - Diseases
Get a second opinion is what I would do. You can't live on immodium for the rest of your life. There might be something else apart from wheat which is upsetting your IBS. But you need to find out what.
2006-12-20 22:19:01 · answer #1 · answered by lollipoppett2005 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
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IBS out of control, reliant on Immodium - any suggestions?
Hi guys - Ive suffered from IBS for about 7 / 8 years now (diagnosed by the doctor as a wheat allergy) and in the last 2 years or so have become reliant on Immodium to keep the attacks at bay. The doctor has told me to alternate the makes of tablets, so swapping between Colofac and Buscopan to...
2015-08-26 07:43:53 · answer #2 · answered by Law 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi Bex - I'm a colon hydrotherapist so working with people with IBS everyday. Your doctor is pretty enlightened to have identified food sensitvity - most of them don't even consider it. The vast majority of people with IBS, in my experience, are actually suffering from food sensitivity. How did you doctor diagnose the wheat allergy? I would recommend that if you haven't had a test that you do so a.s.a.p. There may be other things in your diet which are causing theproblem and also it could be a lack of some vitamins. I had diarrhoea for two years a long time ago and it turned out to be a vitamin B deficiency.
There is too much to go into detail here but I recommend that you see a good colon hydrotherapist and a nutritional therapist in addition to getting a full food sensitivity test. To slow down the diarrhoea try Lepicol with Colostrum - it works really well and will get you off the imodium which is not a solution.
2006-12-21 03:02:22 · answer #3 · answered by LillyB 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's different for everyone, but here's what's worked for me:
- Doctor has prescribed Lomotil (slightly stronger than Immodium and a slightly different drug) - I take this only when I really need it, and 2 tablets in the morning will keep me OK for the rest of the day unless I'm having a really bad bout. So I end up taking less tablets less often than I would have done.
- Find some foods that settle you - for me it's greek style yoghurt and honey, brown bread and cranberry juice.
- Take up meditation - I've been meditating with a buddhist-led group (though not buddhist myself) and I've had far fewer bouts since - often mine is triggered by stress. Tai Chi has also helped - partly because it's relaxing, partly because you're gently moving it helps move everything along so that when you do get "the runs" it will all come out in one go rather than having to return to the loo multiple times!
I still get bad days and the odd bad week or so, but I now go far longer between bouts and they don't last so long.
2006-12-20 23:53:03 · answer #4 · answered by junkmonkey1983 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would definitly get a second opinion on that. You cannot live on Immodium forever...you will eventually become immune to it. I have had Crohn's Colitis since I was little and I am on perscription meds for that. You might also want to watch what you eat...like the wheat products and possibly dairy as well.
2006-12-21 01:13:09 · answer #5 · answered by Irresistable MissJade 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
maybe i am totally wrong here, and i apologise if i am...but you might also be suffering from panic attacks. they often result from having some other illness (like IBS), and you begin to panic about having another IBS attack, so take immodium, and then you just get caught in the cycle.
its more common than you might think. and you can get help from it, if you talk to your GP. i suffered from it, and have on anti-depressants for a few months now, and im great. if you didnt want to try that, you could try taking something like St Johns Wart, which is herbal, but great at relieveing anxiety.
hope everything gets sorted for you xx
2006-12-21 00:20:49 · answer #6 · answered by clairelouise 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
hi,
i dont suffer from ibs but i do get indigestion. i drink alot of peppermint tea as it is very good for you digestive system as a whole. if you do have a wheat allergy you may be allergic to some other thing/s in your diet which contribute to you difficulties. i say see a few nutritionists. but go along talk to them ask bout credentials and if you can speak to others they have treated for the same and or different problems as yours. see a few before you decide who's advice to take as this is kind of a grey area. i agree that you should seek alternative treatments than Imodium, as your body can become dependant on them. best of luck i hope you find some relief
2006-12-20 22:31:05 · answer #7 · answered by purplesneakers 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I wish someone had told me about Bioforce's (now called Dr Vogel's) herbal drops earlier, it would have saved me years of misery. A pharmacist who was interested in natural remedies put me on to them. She gave me Spilanthes for the candida (which I believe causes lots of people to suffer from wind and diarrhoea) and Tormentil to stop the diarrhoea until the Spilanthes has time to kill off the candida. I get mine from an independent chemists.
It is not an exaggeration to say it has transformed my life.
Try them, you have nothing to lose. Good luck
PS If anyone suffers from nerves before a big event try their Avena Sativa. It works wonders.
2006-12-20 22:46:04 · answer #8 · answered by fatface 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have IBS and suffer the same as you, untill I started a strict diet of high fibre, low fat, low sugar, low cholesterol diet. I dont have to run to the toilet anywhere near as much as I used to. The Low GI diet is a good one. Try to stick with all natural products. Also, remember what we put on our skin goes into our blood stream through our pores. watch what you put on your skin too. All natural products smell better than synthetic and chemical products anyway. All the best! Let me know how you go!
2006-12-20 22:22:20 · answer #9 · answered by natalie2unat 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Defiantly get a second opinion. You will probably have to be on medication always, but perhaps not as much as you are now. As far as I know there isn't alot that you can do on your own other than changing your diet, and taking med.'s.
Good-luck.
2006-12-20 22:24:29 · answer #10 · answered by ball_courtney 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋