The triphala started working within 7-10 days. I have IBS with constipation, what happened before the triphala was even on the days I would go (about once every 4-5 days, even with psyllium and colace and eating roughage), I would go a little but then have horrible straining and feel like I hadn't finished, but couldn't, then I'd go more, then another episode of straining, the whole thing would often happen over a six hour period. After I read Heather Van Vouros' Eating for IBS, I stopped taking the psyllium and colace (I never had hard stools anyway, even though it was all nice and soft I would still have the straining problem in the middle of the BM episodes), and I went with her recommendations on soluble fiber (bread and pasta). I gained weight, but it reduced the straining and length of episodes a little. Since starting the triphala I have cut down on the bread and pasta. I still eat a lot of raw vegetables, mostly ceasar salad with cucumbers, green pepper, red onions etc. and I avoid blueberries, as I had the worst straining/feeling of incomplete evacuation with those. I also eat a lot of fruit; I know that doesn't work for everyone but it seems to help me. (Just no blueberries, even in a smoothie they caused problems!) I don't know if my symptoms were indicative of slow-transit C, Sharon--none of the three gastro-enterologists I consulted ever specified what kind of IBS I had. They just told me to take psyllium, or metamucil, or citrucel, then bentyl, which was ridiculous for me as it can cause constipation. Finally the last one prescribed lactulose, which cause the worst diarhhea and hemorrhoid agony, I never took it again, poured the whole bottle down the sink. So he prescribed Zelnorm, but I have never taken it. He told me I'd have to take it "for life" and I just did not want to do anything that radical. It bothers me that the drug is so new. I also read on hear about others' side effects and that confirmed my reluctance to take it. I was mostly afraid of the horrible effects of diarrhea on my hemorrhoids. What the triphala does for me is reduces the total time of a BM, minimizes straining, just makes the whole process less of an event and struggle. If it stopped working I guess I would have to take the Zelnorm.Sorry this message is so long, more than you wanted to know probably!Happy Holidays