Hi all. How's everyone doing these days? Funny enough I'm doing ok. I haven't posted in a while because I was trying to keep out of the nasty debates. I lurked but didn't post unless I had something to help.Anyway. for those that know me you also know that I have one of the more severe cases of IBS-d that my docs have ever seen. I hadn't left my house in months. My aunt in Maine has been sending me a ton of information on IBS, and all the other stomach ailments out there and some natural solutions. Of course I hate trying to weed out the ####. Anyway, I read through the stuff and decided to try one thing. So I went to the GNC store and bought Modified Citrus Pectin. I had never heard of it before until reading this stuff from Aunt. Here is what it said in the paperwork she sent me. "Bananas may be a golden solution to diarrhea, because they contain pectin, which can tighten up loose bowels. They also provide key minerals often lost with diarrhea:magnesium and potassium. A lack of potassium can cause intestinal cramping, so dont just assume the pain is from the affliction. Carob, rich in pectin, normalizes bowel movements as demonstrated in numerous well structured expeiments. Pectin is also found in the peel of citrus fruits, apples, carrots, potatoes, sugar beets, and tomatoes"So GNC sells the modified citrus pectin, I bought it and started it on March 1st. I'm trying to be optimistic because since then I have had normal BM's, even though it's still frequent daily, a lesser amount of pain, which for those that know me I'm in terrible pain every day and hardly ever leave my house due to pain and D. Anyway, I have also been out doing things every day since then. I have gone shopping, out to dinner, walking, playing with my kids, taking them places, etc. I take one pill twice a day. When I get up in the morning my stomach hurts as always but I do my regimine of: get up, get a drink, take the pectin, eat some dry toast. Then about an hour later I have a normal bm and then as the day goes on I feel so much better. Some days are still a little worse than others but believe me when I say that I really didn't expect the pectin to help, I'm more of a pessimist than an optimist. But I honestly went from having severe cramping with D a minimum of 8x a day to now this past week and 1/2 having 3-4 normal formed bm's with minimal pain only from having to go and not used to having formed stool in me so it causes a little pressure at the anal area but nothing like before.I'll keep you all updated as to how it goes. I am going to continue taking it because I am feeling closer to a normal person as each day goes on. Today is a little worse than the other days but I already had a normal bm this morning and I know that I'm not ever going to be completely free of ibs. I am in no way trying to say that this may be a cure because I know that there are no cures for IBS, but it has helped me deal with my symptoms better and they have lessened. so keeping my fingers crossed. If any of you want to try it just go to GNC stores or whatever place you have like gnc where you live. Where I got mine they are 750mg tablets taken 2x a day, cost me 9.99 for 60pills. I don't sell them, I don't work for gnc, nothing like that, I was given information and went with it. I'm glad I did.Have to go get ready now to bring cupcakes to my son's class for his birthday today. He's 12 today!! yahoo, yipee, oh, I feel old! LOLOf course now I probably jinxed myself and it won't work anymore. LOL Man, I hope not, I like this going out stuff, I could get used to that, I've been out doing things more the past week than I have in 8 months!
