Lurker here w/suggestions for IBS
Find a Conversation
| Fri, 02-17-2006 - 3:25pm |
Hi. I have lurked here in the past when my stomach was giving me lots of problems. Someone suggested calcium for IBS w/D. Well, here's what I do and it might help some of you, too.
I take a Caltrate 600+D at breakfast and Citracal 400+D at dinner (I wanted to get both kinds of calcium). This worked ok but I had some of what I would call breakthrough d. I have added on dose of Metamucil after lunch and this combination seems to have almost cured me. I no longer have pain but I still have urgency in the morning. But it's no longer d and I have very few bouts of nausea anymore.
Now, if I have been religious about this regimen for a while and then miss a dose of calcium or Meta I usually don't have a problem. But I must take it the next day.
Also, I have cut way back on my alcohol and caffeine. The alcohol was quite a culprit.
I hope this helps one of you. It's healthy stuff so even if it doesn't work for you like it does for me there is no harm in trying.
Lucky

Hey Lucky!
Glad you came out of Lurkdom and posted this wonderful info for us.
Just a note on taking Calcium. I took those calcium chews during college since I wasn't eating breakfast and that was the only time I'd drink milk during the day. I developed a kidney stone from it! Just to let you know that if you're taking that much calcium drink plenty of fluids to flush it out of your kidneys!
Make sure the Citracal does not countain much magnesium this will add to the diarrhea. You can take 3 600 mg of calcium a day and this may give you better control.
Linda
I hope I'm not taking too much. I'm taking just the recommended amount so it shouldn't be a problem. I will definetley ask my doctor.
Thanks,
Lucky
Thank you. I'm confused now, though. Post #2 said to add magnesium.
How much is too much? Actually, I am doing ok right now so I may have found the right mix for myself.
Lucky
Some can not tolerate any magensium but because calcium carbonate is so constipating the 40 or 50 mg of magnesium in a tablet can help you from getting constipated on the calcium carbonate. If you do use the calcium with small amount of magnesium do not take the tablets too close together or you may get diarreha from that. 4 or 5 hours apart seems to be a good rule of thumb on the timing of that.
Linda