What a great question, I would like to know also.

I've taken pepto for at least 7 years, been told by my doc it's ok. It helps a little but I'm not really sure If it's good to take for so long.

If you have no other health issues it should be fine, with a few caveats. Don't go crazy with dosing, thinking it is completely benign. There are a few reported cases of encephalopathy from long term, high dose use of bismuth subsalicylate. Bismuth is a heavy metal and can accumulate in the body, particularly with liver or kidney disease. 

Also, it is a salicylate, so it can have the same side effects as aspirin.

http://journals.lww.com/em-new...lt_in_Severe.12.aspx

Jan

Thanks Jan. Always caveats, eh? I've got ADPKD (kidney function is perfect currently) so I should probably be careful. I'd rarely used it over the last decade since takedown and was surprised to see how well it worked. I wonder if I have a bacterial issue in my J-pouch that is not pouchitis related. If Pepto works almost like an antibiotic could I perhaps use antibiotics to slow down my output?

Yes, probably. Probiotics are supposed to have a similar effect, but the results are less consistent. You can definitely have bacterial overgrowth without pouchitis.

Currently I am rotating Cipro, Flagyl, and Rifaximin for chronic pouchitis. Rifaximin does not work as well for me as the other antibiotics, so I take Pepto Bismol 3 times a day when I am on it and it improves my function. 

Jan

Thanks so much for asking this question! I have wondered the same thing. I will see if I can find any articles on point. Jan, I really appreciate your posting, too, with the citation.

Good question, I am rotating between Cipro, VSL and now Pepto. Everything for me works great at first, and then stops working..which is SUPER frustrating..especially when you start to feel like a normal human for a bit..then all the trouble returns! UGH. 

I take Pepto every night before going to sleep. Doctor said it will do no harm day or night. 

Janie

Great info!

I've never tried Pepto before,,,,how do you all take it? Liquid or tablet?

thanks for all the great info!

Don't take tablets... it turns your tongue black... not good lol! My doctor said that the liquid works much better! 

I really can't swallow the liquid. It is too thick for me (not hard to swallow---just an "ick" factor for me). I chew the tablets. I do not take pepto routinely, but if I fly (which I do for work), I take it and Gas-X to keep my J-pouch calm. We make more gas when we are in higher atmospheres and we all know that gas in the enemy of J-pouchers.

The liquid turns your tongue black too. I never had a problem with the caplets, but the chewables will turn your tongue black. 

Jan

The black tongue scared the heck out of me the first time I noticed it! haha

I know it turns stools black.  Never thought to look!

So,,,,,

do you guys take pepto when your stomach is bothering you, hurting or upset and tonslow or thicken stool as well?

ive never taken it all of these years but now with a jpouch I'm up for trying it

thanks!

I take it occasionally at dinner if I am eating something with tomato sauce or going out to dinner.  Like tonight, I'm getting together with friends for pizza.