[Cigarello]

Hi all: just want to thank you for your suggestions on my other issues; For those of you with C and who use Citrucel, please tell me how many times a day you take it, does it give you gas? does it help you go more times a day, larger volume, etc?? My doctor told me to use it so I will give it a whirl--I have the type of constipation in which I can only go a little in the morning and that is it. He called it functional constipation. I guess I don't anticipate great things but I am hoping it helps a little-- thanks again for all of your help; it is good to be able to come to this board, read intelligent, caring and thoughtful posts and learn alot too;

 

[eric]

Cigarello, I don't have experience with the Citrucel, but have you heard of Miralax, just curious. Also, in October they will have a new diagnoses for testing and treating constipation it seems, that I read in the new "Digest" from the UNC for funtional gi and motility disorders that DR Whitehead is working on so you know and it might help everyone with C in treatments. Just some new info.Citrucel info: http://www.gicare.com/pated/methylcellulose.htm Miralax: polyethylene glycol (PEG) Miralax 17 grams Powder Miralax is available as a Powder This drug is also available as another trade name. Please click here to see the page on CoLyte, GoLYTELY. This drug is not available in a generic form. What is Miralax? Miralax is a polyethylene glycol powder which dissolves in water. This material is not absorbed from the intestinal tract. It stays within the gut and acts to pull water into the intestine thereby increasing the volume and frequency of bowel movements. What is it used for? This preparation acts as a laxative for the treatment of constipation. It generally should be used for no longer than two weeks or as directed by the physician. How do I take it? The bottle top is a measuring cap marked to contain 17 grams of the powder (about 1 heaping tablespoon). Dissolve the powder in 8 ounces (1 cup) of water and drink. The physician may recommend a different dose or technique. It is best to take the mixture first thing in the morning. It can be taken on either an empty or full stomach. Store this medication at room temperature. Keep all medications away from children. Never share your medications with anyone else. How long or often should Miralax be taken? It may be necessary to use this medication for 2 to 4 days before a bowel movement occurs. It is recommended that Miralax be taken for no longer than 2 weeks. Are there interactions with food or beverages? There are no known food or beverage interactions with Miralax. An increase in fluid intake, a diet rich in fiber or bran, and regular exercise can improve bowel regularity. Are there interactions with other drugs? An interaction generally means that one drug may increase or decrease the effect of another drug. There are no known interactions with Miralax. However, since a laxative effect may occur, other medications should not be taken at the same time because they may be swept down the intestine before they are dissolved and absorbed. Is there a problem if I have another disorder or disease? At times, a drug may have a different or enhanced effect when other diseases are present. At other times, the drug may worsen another disease. Generally, no laxative should be taken with certain intestinal or other diseases that can cause diarrhea. Discuss this with the physician. What about allergies? People who have known allergies or asthma may be at an increased risk for a reaction from any new medication. The physician should always know a patient's allergy history. Signs of an allergic reaction are skin rash, hives and itching. Of course, a person should not take Miralax if there has been a previous reaction to this or a similar product. What if I'm pregnant, considering pregnancy or breast-feeding? Most females now know that, if possible, no drug, including alcohol, should be taken during pregnancy or lactation. The potential danger, of course, is an injury to the baby. However, some drugs are much safer than others in this regard. So, the FDA has a grading system for each drug which reflects what is known medically. It ranks drugs from A, where medical studies show no evidence for danger to the fetus or mother, to B, C, D and X, where the medical evidence indicates that the risk to the fetus outweighs any benefit to the mother. Miralax is ranked C, meaning safety has not yet been demonstrated in pregnancy. Always consult your physician before taking any drug or product during or when planning pregnancy. What are the effects on sexual function? There are no known adverse effects of Miralax on sexual function. Are there other precautions? Always take Miralax with at least 8 ounces of water. This will allow the medication to work and helps to alleviate constipation. What about diet? Fiber increases stool bulk and is a very important part of any constipation program. Therefore, a high fiber diet is almost always recommended. (See Link below.) Safety in children has not been established. Contact your physician if constipation persists for more than a week after starting Miralax or if rectal bleeding occurs. How long is it safe to take Miralax? Miralax can be used periodically long-term. It should only be used for 14 days with a 2-4 week period of abstinence between use. How about side effects? Adverse reactions can occur with any drug, even over-the-counter medications. Some of these are mild such as a stomach upset, which may be avoided by taking the medication with food. Minor reactions may go away on their own but if they persist, contact the physician. For major reactions, the patient should contact the physician immediately. For Miralax, the following are the known side effects: Minor: cramps nausea bloating diarrhea Major: excessive diarrhea severe weakness severe dehydration A physician's comment... Miralax is the first FDA approved new laxative in over 20 years. This product was initially used to cleanse the colon prior to a colonoscopy exam. It was then modified for use as a laxative. It basically works by a flushing action. It causes a great deal of water to be retained in the bowel which acts to flush everything along in it's path. The ideal "laxative" would be one that causes the large bowel to contract more often and so move soft formed stool to the rectum regularly. This action would return the colon to its normal function. There are some drugs now in the experimental stages which seem to have this effect. Increased fiber intake is recommended for constipation. A link to the High Fiber Diet in the diet section is provided below. ------------------I work with Mike and the audio 100 program. www.ibshealth.com www.ibsaudioprogram.com

 

[lilymaid]

Cig--I have IBS C/D (now mostly D). Doc told me 1 to 1.5 tbsp./day. If I have D on that day, don't take it. (I've basically been D-ing on a regular basis since October, so haven't taken Citrucil since then.) The doc suggested I take it at night, but it made me feel really full. So I took it in the morning, first thing. I was originally on Metamucil but felt miserable due to gas and bloating. Turns out I was sensitive to the psyllium in it, which is wheat-based. (Now I'm wheat-free in the rest of my diet, too.) As for the Citrucil, it got to the point where just smelling it or right after drinking it, I could go to the bathroom!Regards, Lilymaid

 

[Cigarello]

Eric: thanks for the info and site for Citrucel. I have tried Miralax and it didn't work. I was very disappointed in it and I will never use it again. it gave me the urge to go but nothing came out(to put it bluntly).

 

[bonniei]

I find all fiber taken with a lot of water helps my C but I have never had the severe C I have heard mentioned on this board

 

[Guest]

I have been using citrucel for years. I to have IBS-C. Saw a new gastro dr last week and he advised me to do the citrucel in the am and fiber cookies with dinner. I have noticed a big change in the bowel habits. Go 2 times a day now. Try the cookies with your meal at night. Hope it is helpful

 

[beth_crocker1]

Cigarello, I am ibs c also. I have found that the citrucel has helped me tremnedously. I used to only take one scoop in the am, but I developed a very bad fissure from having hard stools, so my docotor told me to increase the citrucel. So now I take one scoop in the am, and one scoop in the evening. And it seems to be working good. I am having one bowel movement in the morning that is almost normal looking, sometimes the color is wierd, but it has been since the ibs started. But the citrucel seems to keep me regular, and keeps the stool soft also. And my fissure is finally starting to heal up.

 

[Guest]

I used to take Citrucel but it just gave me D no matter how small an amount I would take and what time of day I took it. But then, any type of fiber treatment reacts that way with me. It all depends on the person.

 

[sweetie]

Citrucel has given me the best results for IBS-C and I have tried most fiber types. I don't get any gas with Citrucel - I take the sugar-free, one scoop when I go to bed and one when I wake up (but I had to work up to these quantities slowly). I also to Culturelle which may also help with the gas.

 

[colic4adult]

I have been using citrucel for years. I to have IBS-C. Saw a new gastro dr last week and he advised me to do the citrucel in the am and fiber cookies with dinner. I have noticed a big change in the bowel habits. Go 2 times a day now. Try the cookies with your meal at night. Hope it is helpful

Can you say a bit more about the fiber cookies. I use a modest fiber supplement but need to change because it has Inulin.

In all, a helpful discussion for me. Gratitude to members/moderators, I am new here.