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[tableandchairs]

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Hello, long time lurker first time poster here....First, here's my story30ish female disgnosed with IBS-c as a teen. Been so long I don't remember the tests done. I don't think there were that many but my gastroenterologist says I have slow moving GI tract. I have been managing mostly with Milk of Magnesia. Lots of it. It eventually works but sometimes it takes a few days of 1 or even 2 60ml doses a day for a day of loose and often watery stools. Sometimes got to put up with pain and bloating before this happens. Yuck but it's better than not going. Won't go at all without "help". Tried everything else, stimulant laxatives completely stopped working. Lactulose was too bloating and gassy and too many times not effective. Of course I get healthy amounts of fiber!I try not to let myself go more than 2-3 days at a time without going, otherwise it's harder to resolve!Anyways found out from my gastroenterologist that prucalopride (known as Resolor in Eurpoe) has FINALLY been approved in Canada. It has not been marketed advertised or sold in pharmacies yet though. He managed to get in touch with a rep from Jannsen (they have the rights to the drug and call it Resotron) and got samples. Well I'm the first to get my hands on them. This medication is the same mechanism of action as Zelnorm, without the pesky heart side effects.Plan to maybe start it tomorrow.Anyone else on this or would like updates?

[annie7]

oh yes--thanks so much--i would love to hear updates! i have slow transit constipation and have been following the development of prucalopride for about four years now. sure do wish it was approved in the usa!fingers crossed it works for you! thanks for keeping us posted. wishing you all the best.

[Tiss]

Yes, would love updates! I am still ordering zelnorm from mexico and still find it effective after many many years. However, I'd rather take something that is approved by the FDA and my insurance. Good luck and I hope it works for you. Welcome to the BB.

[oceannir]

Is Zelnorm really as good as people say? The way everyone touts it is like its the cure?

[tableandchairs]

Is Zelnorm really as good as people say? The way everyone touts it is like its the cure?

I took it briefly before it went off the market. It wasn't a miracle cure, but as I recall (it was several years ago) it helped quite a bit. It didn't eliminate my need for laxatives but it greatly reduced it.

[tableandchairs]

I have decided to wait a couple of weeks until I am off a course of herbs to begin the prucalopride. This way I can avoid any possible interactions and also know for sure how the medication is working. I am nervous to start it -- I heard the first couple of days on it can be hell (dizziness, headaches, severe diarrhea). My doctor told me to wait until a time I have nothing to do for a couple of days, no work or anything else. So I am leaning to start 2 weekends from now and possibly have a weekend from hell before MAYBE finally relief :)Won't forget to keep you all posted as to what happens!!

[annie7]

dandycandy--yes, it makes sense to wait a bit, like you said, before trying it. and hopefully the side effects you have (if any) won't be too bad. usually the side effects of a new med will dimish over time, as your body adjusts to it. thanks for the updates!oceannir--zelnorm did help a lot of people. it didn't work too well for me--at least not when taken as prescribed--on a daily basis. i guess my body just developed a tolerance to it rather quickly. the only way i could get it to work (per my doc's advice) was take a double dose in the am and only take it two or three days a week--no more.

[oceannir]

dandycandy--yes, it makes sense to wait a bit, like you said, before trying it. and hopefully the side effects you have (if any) won't be too bad. usually the side effects of a new med will dimish over time, as your body adjusts to it. thanks for the updates!oceannir--zelnorm did help a lot of people. it didn't work too well for me--at least not when taken as prescribed--on a daily basis. i guess my body just developed a tolerance to it rather quickly. the only way i could get it to work (per my doc's advice) was take a double dose in the am and only take it two or three days a week--no more.

sorry to hear annie. I wonder if that is because your constipation is outlet issue predominant? I'm still curious as to how you lived your entire life with this without the drugs available. While when I was younger I managed it with Fiber it seems that now it really needs the osmotics to help it, and no doubt when you were younger alot of the fancy diets wern't around that are here today. Interesting quote about Zelnorm

Peikin: Although Zelnorm is relatively new it has been a well studied drug and has been known to be very safe in many clinical trials. The two main side effects are diarrhea and headache, but most people do not experience these symptoms. Most people should be taking it twice a day.It works best if you do not take it with food. It may take a few days to work, so I usually advise my patients to stay on their fiber product or stool softener until the Zelnorm begins to work.Although Zelnorm is a good drug, it does not work for everyone. If there's no improvement at the 6 mg dose given twice a day for a month, it probably is not going to work.The drug seems to be safe to take for several months. There is not much experience with Zelnorm beyond one year of use, but there is no indication at present that long-term use of Zelnorm causes any problems. As soon as you stop Zelnorm, it is likely that your original symptoms will recur within a few days. Zelnorm is only indicated for people with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. I would hesitate using it in alternators unless it was being used in their constipation phase, and I would never use it in patients with diarrhea-predominant IBS.

I wonder if Prucalopride will be as good as Zelnorm. Zelnorm did get very universal positive reviews.

[oceannir]

There is potential for tumour formation following high level, prolonged exposure.http://www.tga.gov.au/pdf/auspar/auspar-resotrans.pdf

[oceannir]

Overall though, it sounds very promising. Its exciting that drugs like this are in development.

[annie7]

oceannir---oh no--my c is not outlet predominant. my gastro said--and i agree--as shown by my sitz marker test--my c is a combo of both slow transit and outlet problems--rectocele and vaginal prolapse. i also have mitochondrial disease. the dna test showed that it affects my colon, causing slow motility and pain.

[oceannir]

oceannir---oh no--my c is not outlet predominant. my gastro said--and i agree--as shown by my sitz marker test--my c is a combo of both slow transit and outlet problems--rectocele and vaginal prolapse. i also have mitochondrial disease. the dna test showed that it affects my colon, causing slow motility and pain.

Its difficult to imagine how easy life is for people without this.The super irony is that in public they all assume we are just one of them.

[annie7]

yeah, you're right--we don't "look sick"....

[Tiss]

Is Zelnorm really as good as people say? The way everyone touts it is like its the cure?

Everybody's different. For me, it was a Godsend.

[tableandchairs]

HelloWell I took my first dose 4 1/2 hours ago expecting a nightmare of a day. Maybe it's still coming, but so far so good. Feel wiped with a splitting headache. No nausea and not much dizziness but then again I am not moving up and around a lot. No diarrhea or stomach cramps. In fact I just had a normal healthy looking BM, unusual for me. I'll keep you guys posted as to how everything turns out. I just want this headache to go away but from what I understand it could be a couple days. My stomach, however, feels great...I hope this is a sign of things to come.

[annie7]

thanks for the update!sorry about the headache but hopefully it'll go away in a few days like you said. that's terrific that your stomach feels great and that you had a good BM --what a rare and wonderful thing for us c people--right?fingers crossed it works well for you! and thanks for keeping us posted.

[tableandchairs]

thanks for the update!sorry about the headache but hopefully it'll go away in a few days like you said. that's terrific that your stomach feels great and that you had a good BM --what a rare and wonderful thing for us c people--right?fingers crossed it works well for you! and thanks for keeping us posted.

Yeah it was super weird I NEVER just go and have a normal BM, its always something loose and forced out by MoM or painful and inadequate.....well now my headache's gone I feel fine and we'll see what tomorrow brings!FYI - I am taking one 2mg tablet per day, for now.

[annie7]

no i never have a normal bm either. mine are just like yours--loose and forced out by MoM and laxatives. without them i don't go at all.so glad to hear the headache's gone--what a relief that must be! good to know the headaches don't last forever.

[oceannir]

Sounds very promising. I really hope they can get a drug like this that cures this out to the mainstream, however as always I wonder if we can take this as part of our 'daily' routine for the next 20 years. Or if our bowels will slow right down with continued usage of it

[tableandchairs]

Today started off with a decent BM and my tummy feels great. I wonder too, Oceannir, how long this can last for. I don't have my hopes up that it will be a long term treatment so I'll enjoy it while it lasts. Hey, I'm only on Day 2, it's not sayin much.