Hi all. Just wondering if anyone knows of any good 'natural' ways to deal with diarrhea. I know theres no hope for normal for me.. with no large intestine. I fear mine has increased from the magnesium supplements I'm taking (but it's too soon to tell) and I REALLY need to get it under control. I currently take lomotil, 6-8 per day, sometimes more. I know thats probably too much but right now my diarrhea is VERY bad.
I have read of a few natural things, just wondered if anyone had tried or had input, thanks!
Carob Powder; Vinegar; Blackberry root bark; Pectin; and the one I'm most interested in, Calcium Polycarbophil. I have read that the calcium "absorbs liquid and creates a bulky mass in the colon"
That sounds great, lol, but who knows. Also just read about taking activated carbon to bind stool better. anyone heard of this? I will speak to my doctor before trying these.
Also, I used to eat marshmallows before changing my bag when I had the stoma.. Does that work when your reattached?
Thanks!

Sarah

This message has been edited. Last edited by: flyte,

Yes, yes, yes! I don't use lomotil or anything like that because the only thing we can get our mitts on here in Norway is Imodium, and that just doesn't work for me. But I swear by natural, plain psyllium (seeds and husks) that I use in baking. (You can find my recipe on the thread DIY Metamucil/oat and psyllium crackers). This is cheap, completely natural and very effective (for some of us anyway). I know it didn't work for Manchester, unfortunately, but Nikki2 and I use the recipe, Alex in Germany feels it works for him, and several others use psyllium husks in smoothies, yoghurt etc. I'd urge you to try it out at least. Good luck I don't know the carbon product that "creates a bulky mass", but one of the reasons why I like the psyllium is that it doesn't seem to turn into a mass; it just kind of scrubs through the intestine and pouch, taking everything with it. I feel "cleansed" with it and I don't get that diarreah butt burn, nor do I have the feeling that no matter how long I sit on the loo, I'm not empty.

So this bulks you up or cleans you out? I want to Stop pooing, not poo more! lol

Psyllium adds bulk to stool - this may sound bad but it's actually good because it means less liquid and urgency.

Metamucil powder and wafers are made from psyllium husk. Although Metamucil is marketed as a laxative, it has the opposite effect if you take it with much less water than the instructions say.

I make my own wafers using 2 cups of rolled oats, 1/2 cup psyllium, baking powder, spelt flour, olive oil, butter milk or yoghurt and a bit of maple syrup. Now that walnuts are in season in Australia, I've been adding crushed walnuts and I also add lots of spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and ginger.

Are you taking probiotics? Probiotics are meant to lessen the severity of diarrhea.

Slippery elm is also meant to help with both acid reflux and diarrhea.

A change of diet can help. Avoid fatty food and eat lots of white rice (I find that basmati rice is the best). Cooked vegetables, vegetable broth and boiled apples (no sugar) are also good. If you're a meat-eater, steamed or grilled chicken breast and fish are the best choices.

Sarah, have you been tested for Celiacs disease (wheat/gluten allergy)?

Hi Sarah,
I know what you mean! But like Nikki says, take the psyllium with far less liquid than you're told to, and it works very well against diarreah. I bake up a batch once or twice a week, and when I run out, I really notice the difference. Urgency, diarreah, mild BB etc. And with the diarreah comes hemorroids. You could always make a batch and try them for a few days. Try my original recipe or Nikki's one - they have the same basic ingredients of psyllium, oats and a bit of flour. It makes all the difference to me. And it does make you poo less . You go less often, and when you go, you get rid of everything. That's my experience anyway

Bananas. Bananas work wonders for me. I rarely use Immodium if I want to slow things down. I eat one each morning, and just last night, when I was going quite frequently, I had one before bed. Problem solved.

I agree. If I've run out of oat and psyllium crackers, I grab a banana.

Oh yes, bananas! I forgot to mention them in my 'anti-diarrhea' food list. But they must be ripe.

Wow guys thanks SO much for all the responses. No, I have never been tested for Celiacs disease.
I have been taking activated charcoal for the past few days and while it helps, it's not perfect. I have benefiber, is that just as good as the metamucil? I started taking that instead because they have the chewable tabs and I was always bad about water. I have been drinking a lot more water lately and I could try the metamucil again. I'm trying to drink at least 1 1/2 liters a day I will keep raising it up. I just have this urinary problem when I have diarrhea.. I feel like I have to pee constantly and then hardly anything happens. It;s not an infection.. it just sprouts up when I'm very runny. It's like it wants to make sure I HAVE to spend every waking moment on the can. lol
I am going to try to get the ingredients for the crackers tomorrow, sounds great! I think I'm still always going to have an issue though because of the magnesium. I refuse to stop taking the magnesium though.. I'm off ALL my antacids!
My hope is that, as the damage done by the acid heals, I wont have to take as much of it. Also, I'm going to try taking it in different forms.. once I learn what the difference between the suffixes oxide and chloride and gluconate are
What, exactly, are probiotics? I am taking acidoplilus and echinacea atm, I know they are good for the gut. I am also taking iron, omega3 and a good multivitamin. (I was anemic for awhile so I was told to take iron)
I just came off being a vegetarian for 15 years. I've been eating meat for 2 weeks now and I have noticed a HUGE difference in myself.. in my skin.. in my energy levels, I feel great. I was not a very health-conscious vegetarian and I know thats probably the cause for almost all my health issues. I just didn't realize you really ARE what you eat.
Thanks so much!!!

Sarah

Hi Sarah,
Benefiber gave me terrible diarreah, so the psyllium is definitely a different ball game for me. Probiotics are (among others) acidophilus so you're already taking some, but I'd recommend looking for a type that has different strains of bacteria - and as many of them as possible. I take BioLife's Biodophilus, but I gather VSL # 3 is the real King of Probiotics . Costs too much for me to ship it over here, so I stick to mine which work fine for me anyway and cost far less. As for the other supplements, I don't know much about them, I'm afraid. I'd recommend cod liver oil/fish oil/omega 3 though, as a useful supplement too. I was veggie for a while, too, partly because of being a broke student, partly because I shared a flat with 3 vegetarians and only one other meat eater. Every now and then the two of us craved MEAT!!! But in general I felt great. But yes, you do need to make sure you eat enough pulses etc to get the protein you need. If eating meat makes you feel healthier, go for it. Whatever works for you. Chicken and fish often work well for a delicate gut. If I have bad diarreah and feel tender, some poached fish with potatoes and a white sauce with dill added does wonders.

Here is a link with a list of foods that either Thin or Thicken the stool for us Jpouch'ers.

http://ccnt.hsc.usc.edu/colorectal/jpouchguide.aspx#diet2

Sarah, I know you're in a "catch 22" situation, but iron supplements and multivitamins might actually be exacerbating your problems. Iron (whether in liquid or pill form) has always given me nasty diarrhea, even when I had a colon. And I can no longer tolerate multivitamins, even the kids' stuff - very acidic stool and urgency.

And like Soph, Benefiber gives me the runs.

Have you tried digestive enzymes? Shelby uses a brand called Digest (made by EnzyMedica), which also contains probiotics. I use a different brand, which I order from New Zealand. You should give them a try - they are meant to help with gastric reflux and I personally think they're really helping my j-pouch function well.

Good luck with everything!