Has anyone tried Kolanticon for IBS-D? Saw it recommended on an IBS website, and have just managed to buy the last available bottle from

[ausems]

Lloyds pharmacy, but not had a chance to try it yet. If anyone has any experience of it would be interested to hear. Many thanks.

[Hidden]

Kolanticon has been around for donkey's years and works well on all kinds of digestive upsets. My husband had a very bad bout of food poisoning a couple of years ago and his GP advised that it was the best thing to take until it passed. I don't know whether it would be successful for IBS-D but it's worth a try.

Have you had a SeHCAT test to determine whether you really are an IBS-er or actually have Bile Acid Disorder/Malabsorption (BAD/BAM) instead? This presents with identical symptoms and is misdiagnosed in 50% of patients. This happened to me, and I found out only a few months ago that I actually have BAD/BAM and not IBS-D. Treatment is simple, very effective and has given me my life back.

[ausems]

Thanks very much for your response - am hoping that Kolanticon (hadn't heard of it before) will help my IBS, and am also hoping my GP will refer me to a dietitian I've just contacted on the internet, as no-one has ever really investigated my diet. Was interested to read about your BAD as have only recently heard of this complaint - what is the treatment for it, and do GP's know much about it? Many thanks and long may you continue to feel better!

[Hidden in reply to ausems]

No, unfortunately, according to Prof. Julian Walters who's leading all the latest research into BAD, only about 20% of gastroenterologists know about it and even fewer GPs which is why it's so often misdiagnosed.

The treatment is a powder called colestyramine which you make into a drink about 20 minutes before you eat. The amount you take varies according to the size of your meal and how responsive you are to it. It's completely safe as it doesn't invade your body but just sits in your digestive system and mops up the excess bile acid thereby preventing diarrhoea etc. The worst it can do is make you constipated if you take too much - which, never doing things by halves, happened to me initially!

Instead of making me wait for a SeHCAT test, my GP gave me a trial-by-treatment of colestyramine which, I believe, is quite commonly done. Worth asking about as it turned my life around.

The other thing you could try is the low-FODMAP diet which works for a great many people.

Roz

[ausems in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for this information - most helpful. Have an appnt. tp speak to my doctor this week to see if he'll refer me to an NHS dietitian (£80 per session if I see her privately!) as have been interested to read reports of the FODmap diet, and will ask him about Cholestyramine at the same time. Glad it worked for you. Kind regards.

[Gardener]

I have taken Kolanticon for many years, it does help my predominantly IBS C but the magnesium content can make the bowel a little loose, so wonder about it for IBS D. Also it's best taken later in the day as I find the drug in it makes me feel a bit woozy.Worth a try though as the anti-spasmodic effect is helpful. Hope it helps.

[ausems]

Kind of you to reply - many thanks. Only started on it today so too early to know if it's helping, but have got to the stage of trying anything new that might help! This site is certainly great for exchanging advice.

[Pjkvrk65]

I have just heard about this product, although this is an old medicine, it was prescribed by consultant for a friend recently, anyone got any good results ?