Hi guys!

I was wondering if anyone had a bit of advice on the subject line posted. I've been taking Immodium, six a day, for the past four months or so. I'm still going to the bathroom about six times a day.

Do the Metamucil wafers perform the same job as the Immodium tablets? I was wondering if I made the switch if I would see a difference in thickening things up, the amount of BMs, etc.

Thanks and Happy Valentine's Day!

Brian

Brian,

I suppose it's all perspective.... I would be happy with 6 times a day :-) I probably average 7-8 so I don't know how much help my feedback will be.

I find that metamucil definitely serves a different function than immodium. Immodium slows everything down while the fiber absorbs water, bulks things up, and thereby slows things some. However, unless you eat a lot I don't know if you will slow things as much as with the immodium. Different for everyone I suppose.

If you really want to slow things down, find the thread on 'Salba' (do a Find on it). I tried it and it definitely slowed things more than metamucil or immodium - depending on the amount taken at a time.

Brian E. I am pretty sure I am in the minority here but these are just my opinions, I do not know how long it has been since your takedown, but I read so many posts from people who are just a few weeks or months from takedown who are popping these Immodium tablets like crazy, 6-8 per day, NOW I am not saying that this is not sometimes neccesary, but what about giving the body time to heal, I think plugging up the system without giving it a chance to adjust is just looking for trouble. The human body is a remarkable thing, and given time can overcome many things, About 3 months after my takedown I stared taking Immodium, I think it helped, but I always had this (for lack of a better word "uneasy" feeling)so I stopped using it, and it took awhile, I watched my diet, plenty of exersize, and after about a year, I started haveing pretty solid stools, I get loose every now and then, and sometimes I even have to enduce "thinning" (white grape or red wine) works great, I AM NOT TELLING ANYONE WHAT TO DO!! Do what is best for you, But I would like to encourage people not to get in such a hurry, I really believe there is not quick fix here, Give the body time to adjust.
As for the wafers, I try and eat 3 (wafers) per day, do they work? I think so. Again this is just my opinion!! Good Luck, Den

Hi Brian - 17 year old pouch here. I do 2 metamucil wafers and 3 loperamide/imodium in the morning with my latté and sourdough toast. And yes, I do notice a difference if I'm only taking one or the other. But if I had to give one up (i.e., the 'bulking police' told me I had to), I'd give up the imodium. The wafers seem to bulk and absorb.

For another take on meds and supplements (and I'm NOT disputing Den's opinion) - I didn't start imodium and wafers until my pouch was maybe 10 years old. So the damn thing didn't adjust. I know some doctors tell patients to wait on taking meds and supplements. Other doctors send their patients home with instructions that they can use lomotil, imodium, and/or fiber supplements. I think it's all a degree of comfort. If you've just had surgery and you're miserable, you'll want to try anything to make it go away. If you're experiencing mild discomfort and feel you can wait for improvements that's great too.

kathy

I'd love it to only go 6 times a day! wow
I take lomotil and am now on cipro as well. I am averaging 12-14 times day still. i watch my diet and dont drink alcohol of any kind. maybe i should buy stock in a t/p company?!?

Thanks for posting this Brian. I think I am going to take everyones advice and try giving up the immodium. I'm taking about 8 a day, and still going 12 - 16 times a day. I can't believe it could get any worse. I don't have any night time leakage, or any bad gas usually, and there isn't any pain or urgency, so its really just an inconvience.

The doc has s withced me from lomotil to pamine forte 5mg that I take four times a day. It has seemed to slow me down from 8 - 12 times a day to 5 -8 times. Immodium and lomotil did not work for me.

I had never heard of pamine forte, so I did a search and found an interesting article. I'm sure it's safe (it's approved), but the article is worth a read:

http://www.fda.gov/foi/warning_letters/g5100d.htm

Hi Brian,

I found Immodium to work best for me (but that's just me). I tried metamucil, but it didn't help with my leakage problems. My doctor suggested Immodium and it helped immensely with the leakage. I now go 3-4 times a day, and I rarely have leakage issues. If I do, it's because of something I ate and it's so minor it doesn't matter. 6 times a day is really great though! But I know you're a teacher, right? So you probably want to cut the daytime bathroom visits down?
Crystal.

Hi,
I´ve stopped taking Imodium. Just didn´t feel it made enough of a difference for it to be worthwhile. I go LOTS. Haven´t ever counted - guess I should, but I´ve been ill for so long, with my life being dictated by my BMs so after step 2, I´ve just rejoiced in my "new" body with a pouch! I eat more or less what I want and just brace myself for lots of loose BMs. I know red wine, grapes, spicy food etc. will give me major trots, so I do think twice before indulging, but usually it´s just risk and damage assessment ("Can I face the consequences of this?") I´ve just assumed that it´ll take my body a while to adjust to not having a colon, so unless I´m doing myself or the pouch actual damage (I´m not, am I Jan?!) then I feel like I can live with a touch of the Mexican Quick Step for a while!

Hi everyone,
My name is Amy I have the problem with going alot during the day my second surgeon that was located at UMASS Memorial Hospital in Worcester, MA put me on Lomotil and Codeine Sulfate to help bind me up and to be honest I know Codeine is not the best for you but it works great. I have been taking the same amount for so long that it has no affect on me at all. I don't get tired from taking it I feel my normal self. I never heard of anyone using that before but he had many patients that was using Codeine Sulfate and then I found a friend on the j-pouch webstie in Canada that also takes Codeine Sulfate to control her bowels. I have started to go a little more latley and found out I have pouchitis which I get a lot but the Cipro is helping great. But the problem is they now think I have Chrons in my small intestine. I did try the Wafers I didn't really have a lot of luck with them. Just wanted to let you know what I was doing to help me get through the days without going that much. Thanks Amy

Amy,

codeine is used quite commonly here in Germany to control diarrhea, although on this site it has never been mentioned (AFAIK).

What I wonder though: all you people who take Imodium, Loperamide or Codeine, do you feel that the number of BMs is actually reduced, or rather that the output is just delayed?

I've experienced very acidic and watery "bursts" whenever I slowed things down too much, so it seemed to me that whatever needs to come out eventually comes out.

On the other hand, it seems to me that Metamucil powder slows things down and adds lots of volume at the same time. Just yesterday I felt like I had to let go way more than I ever ate.

Any similar experiences?

Greetings,

Alex
Hamburg, Germany

Hi Brian...

I though I'd give you an update. I did quit Immodium for 2 weeks. And I had to start again. I was just too watery and frequent without it. I have not started back on Metamucil wafers yet, but I think I'm going to. I have felt really crummy last 2 weeks, but who knows what from.

What did you ever decide to do?

Hi Alex,
I didn't know it was used a lot in Germany I also has a friend that lives in Canada that also uses it.

My bowels did reduce but not as much as I want them to. They now thing I have Chrons disease in my small intestines. I was diagnosed with UC in my large intestines had them removed and have a J-pouch and I started to get pouchities all the time and went on Cipro with the Lomotil, Cipro and Codeine I was great. Then more problems started I started to cramp get rashes on my legs and a little bit of blood in my stool. They are trying to get my health insurance to cover the Video Capsule procedure I just had a scope from both ways but only found pouchitis. When they told me I had UC they asked me who else in my family had it I said no one then one my mom got diagnosed with Chrons one doctor said that is uncommon for one person in the family to have Chrons and the other to have UC. So my new specialist is very positive of this. My new fear is they do the capsule I try medicine for Chrons and it doesn't work and I need surgery if they remove all of the small intestine and need a bag I will not handle it well I didn't do well with the bag for 3 months I passed out in my shower if I did need surgery I am hoping they only have to remove pieces like they did for my mom. I know I think way ahead but I am just worried I have 2 small children and a husband and worried. I just found out I am very very anemic and going in for a iron tranfusion. I will stop I could go one and one. Thanks for listening really appreciate it.