Psyllium Husk

[Letsfixit1]

Hi, had another flare up yesterday, after being reasonably ok for the last 3 weeks = I've really cleaned up my diet and yesterday was the result of a day out with friends, tea and cake and a slice of quiche. So difficult to find anything I actually enjoy eating at home, let alone at a restaurant.

I have noticed however that in the week leading up to the flare up, the stools are very soft and unformed. I try to eat as much fibre as possible, but its not easy. A consultant years ago suggested immodium and psyllium husk daily. I have tried this husk twice for a few weeks, and find it makes me feel bloated and crampy, but perhaps I didn't take the right quantities, or for long enough. Does anyone have any experience of this husk, in powder form, or in tablets? It can't be the wonderful solution to ibs that all the online dieticians claim, or we'd all be cured by now!

[Misspomfrey]

There's no cure for this no matter what you try, all we can do is try our best by trying different things and see what suits us. I've tried Phsyllium Husk and found it ok, I found my stools were soft and unformed like you and this seemed to help a lot. I used it in powder form and put it into my bread as I make my own, only a Teaspoon though and it seemed to be enough. I also use Ground Golden Flaxseed which I use in the same way. I take a Probiotic daily. I'm not using the Husk currently, I found just by using the flaxseed and changing my probiotics, cutting out a few more foods have made a difference. Stools are more normal now unless a flare up starts. I'm getting away with going longer without a flare up. I've cut tomatoes out completely, very high in Histamine. Histamines are a problem for me so I'm addressing that issue as well. Try the Flaxseed if you haven't already, it might just help. Start off with a small amount though.

[Letsfixit1 in reply to Misspomfrey]

Thanks for the info - I am already using flaxseed and probiotics, I also make my own bread and add flaxseed to it too. It doesn't seem to have made any difference though.

That's really interesting about the histamines in tomatoes, I eat a lot of tomatoes! I have never heard of histamine intolerance, which is strange as I do occasionally get skin flare ups and end up on antihistamine cream. I just thought of it as a skin reaction. I'm reading up on it now. I've never heard it mentioned on all the IBS advice internet posts. How did you have your histamine intolerances diagnosed - did the doctor advise it?

[Misspomfrey in reply to Letsfixit1]

No, I've not seen a doctor about it, I just know myself that it's a problem because I have so many of the symptoms and had them for years. I never related it to that either. someone on here mentioned it and I began to read about it and I was amazed. They build up in the body over a period of days and for years, I was wondering why I was getting symptoms that made me feel toxic. I was taking probiotics for years too and then I read that the usual ones have so many strains that raise Histamines. For the last 3 months, I've been taking Probiotics with less strains and strains that lower Histamines. I got a list of the strains that lower them and a list of the strains to avoid. I cut out Tomatoes, Strawberries, Tinned fish, Ripe Bananas but under ripe are fine, and various other things. But these are all high in histamines. I've been lots better since doing this, still get IBS flare ups, but they're never as bad and are gone in a day instead of dragging on. My mood is a lot better and my anxiety which I've always suffered from is much better, I feel I can cope better with things that I might have panicked about. I believe a blood test can diagnose it, but I doubt I'd get my surgery to agree. There's not much they can do about it anyway. For me, it's best if I deal with it myself. Like you, I thought they caused a rash, which they do, Hives, but there's so much more they can cause. We all have Histamines in the body and most of us can break them down, but some of us can't. I think I'm one of them. I had my gall bladder removed 45 years ago, don't know if there's any connection but I was fine till about 15 years ago.

It's worth looking in to really, any knowledge is useful isn't it?

[Psyllium1]

It needs to be taken in small quantities and gradually built up into the diet eg teaspoon for 1 month and then see how your getting on. Try to take it at the same meal everyday and ensure you are drinking plenty! Max of 2 tablespoons a day!

Psyllium husk is fibre (mostly soluble with some insoluble fibre in there) and can cause stomach ache in some people, you need to monitor your intake and adjust to you!

Just be careful you your insoluble fibre intake, your not aiming to reduce this nor increase its intake, but keep it to a ‘lower’ level! This helps bulk the stools but can cause fermentation, bloating and stomach ache. It’s all about balance!

[xjrs]

I tried psyllium husk gradually over some weeks, but in the end my belly blew up like a football and went immediately down again when I stopped having it.

[dordle]

Fybogel works for me if I stick to my pattern. One sachet in the exact amount of water recommended and take it 10 minutes after my evening meal. I drink water during the evening and a cup of tea.

[LFHell]

Maybe reduce dose? I had diorrhea like laxative when took over 1 tsp or 2 tsps by mistake. Less than that was ok tho ! Or just under the normal amount on the packet. Fibrogel contains aspartame, most sweeteners are bad for the gut biome thought the study i read didnt mention that one but i'm sure there is other research showing it is ! Even sorbitol which is natural is bad for biome!