I have both IBS C & D. I'm getting into some quite sever constipation phases.
I had colonic irrigation years and years ago. So i'm familiar with the proceedure....but am unsure if I want to try it again as a way to help my IBS. But i'm getting pretty desperate. The IBS network website details say simply that it can help.
Does anyone else feel it helps them? I'm afraid it will just swing me into further stronger symptoms...
My gut reaction (no pun intended) is the colonic irrigation might upset or dilute the microbiome which is needed for gut health.
I found this study on it:
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/255...
Here are some tips on constipation:
I can understand your desperation, but I personally would avoid colonic irrigation as it is only a temporary solution. xjrs has linked some great information about constipation. Ultimately the solution is to address the underlying cause, which admittedly is far easier said than done. You might want to look at the website of Elixa probiotics which has a lot of information in written and short video form. There are a vast number of positive reports of improved gut health following the high dose, short course of Elixa probiotics on the site and Facebook and, based on personal experience, I'd totally agree.
Good luck if those probiotics are too strong for your gut. You could have some serious abdominal pain from taking that and other serious side effects
I'm not sure exactly what you mean by 'too strong for your gut'. The strains included have been very well studied and are species that are desirable in a healthy gut .....ideally in huge numbers. If you read the information on the site it will make sense. The vast quantities of desirable bacteria out-compete the undesirable/pathogenic/'overgrown' species. I'd been chronically unwell intermittently for about 20 years and was rather nervous about the 'very high dose' concept as I usually react to antimicrobials. However, the logic/scientific reasoning underpinning the product made sense. And I needn't have worried, the only die-off effects that I noticed were feeling tired and headachey for a couple of days after which I felt MUCH better than prior to the course (energy, sleep, stool consistency, mental clarity etc). Having read many FB testimonials whilst researching the product as well as the entire ELIXA website , there wasn't one mention of serious abdominal pain or serious side-effects.
I mean if you get cramping and gas from a probiotic containing low amounts of bacteria then having something that strong is going to cause fat more cramping and gas in theory
I've never had colonic irrigation. I always sense that it's an unnatural thing to happen to a colon, generally anyway. But I'm not saying there could never be a time for it in extremis.
My feeling is it will absolutely nuke the microbiome.
Now the thing with a healthy microbiome is it's individual. It's yours (a healthy optimal one anyway). So simply trying to replace it with yogurt, kefir, fermented foods, or a probiotic which may or may not be the specific gut bacteria you need might or might not work for you once any remnants of your "good guys" are washed away.
That's the main thing that put me off the idea. I don't feel colons are meant to be power-washed generally.
I had 1 in October after having 3 in my 20's (now 44) and it really upset my tummy, i had to be off work for 2 weeks on seperate occasions, so be careful.
thanks all!
I have it every other week. It really helps all aspects of my ibs but especially lower abdominal bloating
Colonics really helped me ,but the cost was outrageous $150 per colonic,and not covered by my insurance
Colonic irrigation - has it helped you ? 
IBS for one year-I can't cope
Changing IBS?
suffering from IBS 
