Just coming out of another gastric attack and wondering for the umpteenth time if there’s anything out there that might help. After disappointing trials of milled flax seed (major gut agony), kefir (nice but no effect) and kimchi (don’t get me started) I’m a bit wary of anything ingested, but a friend with IBS has had Symprove prescribed and is finding it helpful. I have IBS-C, the less popular and therefore rarely mentioned wallflower at the edge of the PRD ballroom. Anyone tried it for that? I know it’s ‘reassuringly expensive’, is it worth a whirl?
Written by
Skellige
Community Pioneer
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Good to hear from you and enjoy your dry sense of humour! So sorry you are still suffering- I can empathise.
Very worried about a friend recently who returned home from hospital after insertion of stents to her coronary arteries. She was coughing for England and had lost a lot of weight, She lives a good distance from us so I had to keep in touch by text.
She was severely anorexic.
Consequently I got very constipated!
Worry somewhat abated by Monday this week and I was relieved of the contents of my descending colon 2 days running. 3 loperamide were needed to get me out of the house yesterday! I had a blood test booked at the surgery.
I have 1 tablespoon of milled linseed every morning on my cereal but introduced it gradually a teaspoon at a time . I have to regulate the volume of fruit and veg in my diet and take 2 colpermin capsules first thing and 1 at lunch and dinner time. I use MR Mebeverine twice a day and use Buscopan for colic very occasionally (all on prescription)
Food and mood both seem to be implicated and I yo - yo from IBSC to IBS D accordingly!
Not a great help I'm afraid and being alive has been paid for at some expense to our intestinal health.
Thank you. Just having someone else understand is a relief to be honest. It’s disappointing to try some new food or drink or supplement and find it’s no help at all. Good to be reminded of Buscopan - I’ve never tried it, but the pains of the ‘C’ part if an attack can be quite severe, it’s surely worth an attempt. I’m very fortunate then between attacks I’m almost ‘normal’, so I count my blessings! Hope you are able to get outside and garden a bit - it’s my lifesaver….
Do the gastric attacks come in after high fiber items? Just with you having issues with flaxseed and kimchi I wonder if it’s a stricture that could be causing partial obstructions?
Just musing as this is what I experienced, and the pain during an attack was horrendous! It would last 24-48 hours and then seemingly ‘resolve’ of its own accord (after pretty much self-imposed nil by mouth).
I second jude-the-obscure ‘s suggestion of buscopan, I found it to be a real help to calm the bowel spasms. I remember having a ‘bowel attack’ on the day of an MRI and the IV buscopan they gave for the MRI had a happy bonus of instantly relieved the bowel pain.
My hot water bottle is also a lifesaver as the heat helps the bowel spasms.
Hi there. That’s really helpful - I have wondered if I have some sort of lesion/stricture, and my symptoms sound exactly like those you describe. I also find a hot water bottle helps, and will try Buscopan. How soon does it need to be taken after symptoms begin in order to be effective? I generally self-medicate with nil-by-mouth other than sips of water, for up to 2 days, but the pain is….well, a pain!
I've been fairly lucky in the gastric department and don't do anything apart from keeping well hydrated, limiting caffeine, alcohol, pulses and processed foods. One thing I've noticed is I feel significant gastric discomfort if I overdo things and then it seems only rest helps - I can't do half of what I did before my cancer treatment 🙁x
Hi All, I am 16 years out and still have these problems. Mine are definitely related to the amount of fiber I eat. I can eat 2-2.5 grams of fiber at a meal without having any problems. That's not much. More than that and I'll have gas, bloating, and bowel leakage throughout the day. A lot more than that and I'll have obstruction with severe pain which after about 6 hours I can make myself vomit but can't often stop and then I am severely dehydrated (i usually go to ER at that point and convince them not to do CTscan to just give me pain meds to stop contractions, iv fluids, and meds to stop vomiting. I've gotten better since I figured this out and occasionally I make a mistake but I check the fiber on everything I put into my mouth. It's a drag but the only way to avoid the pain and subsequent days of intestinal irritation and inability to eat. Good luck everyone You are not alone
you could try miso soup, get the bottled variety with live bacteria, it has helped me. Kefir has bacteria that gets through to the lower gut, but it is milk based, so not so good for me.
an old post so I'm wondering if you tried Symprove or not. I already had long standing diagnosis of M.E., Fibromyalgia and IBS (was C/D ...now mainly C) when I was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year. Had radiotherapy which ended last December but IBS C much worse. During radiotherapy I was asked to keep to low fibre diet as otherwise there was too much gas...very tricky since you need an empty bowel and full bladder for RT for prostate
I tried Symprove a few years ago. Apart from the disgusting taste and expense (!) it actually made matters worse. I've since tried flax seeds, kimchi, etc etc but cannot find a helpful balance so that matters are predictable. Makes trying to go out when I have the energy very difficult. How have you got on over past year ? Wishing you well
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
What products help you most with your PRD symptoms?
Radiation induced lumbar plexopathy 
Newly Diagnosed and Confused
Thank you so much to my pals on PRDA
I don't have a bottom but I have symptoms
