Thank you for all those links caroess. I’m wondering if there’s a difference between their emphasis on chronic constipation and that brought about by any form of IF. My MiL only ‘went’ once a week, she didn’t think of that as being constipated whereas if I didn’t go for two days I’d be concerned. My GP says they don’t worry until after three days and then prescribe Movicol or its equivalent.
It wasn’t ‘til last year I discovered that’s possible to have diarrhoea and constipation at the same time - don’t ask!
The standard medical leaflet for anyone with Diverticulitis (being constipated is extremely painful) is to go for a high fibre diet. I’m close to someone for whom that was an unmitigated disaster. Her diet was already high in fibre and overall healthy.
After discussion with her consultant she now ensures she has a reasonable amount of ‘rubbish’ food (for example, white bread) and takes Fybrogel every day and has been doing that for three years. So that answers Penny’s question. He was a great guy and admitted he had no evidence but it seemed that the system got used to the help and therefore didn’t overreact. The advice was to take it after breakfast, making life socially difficult, so gradually she changed the time to about 8.30pm.
When I was being treated in hospital I got so fed up being told to have a healthy diet - I’ve never had anything else!!! - including from a consultant whilst performing my colonoscopy. She suggested ‘Golden Linseed’, ‘it’s in my homemade muesli’, then take more of it’, the conversation we had could’ve made TV comedy - must’ve sounded like an old married couple, everything I said she countered and vice versa.
All Bran was advised, I’ve never minded it but couldn’t believe someone in the medical profession would recommend something with such a high sugar and salt content. In terms of sugar the same goes for low fat yoghurts.
To cut my story very short, I changed from a daily sachet of Fybrogel to occasional use and finished up weighing smaller quantities, to eventually as low as one gram about once a week. The last time was 21 December. That approach (occasional small dosage) may help those who ‘suffer’ because of IF.
I tried one tablet of magnesium - let’s just say a bit too effective.
I doubt whether there can be a definitive answer - we’re all so different.
It wasn’t ‘til last year I discovered that’s possible to have diarrhoea and constipation at the same time - don’t ask!
The standard medical leaflet for anyone with Diverticulitis (being constipated is extremely painful) is to go for a high fibre diet. I’m close to someone for whom that was an unmitigated disaster. Her diet was already high in fibre and overall healthy.
After discussion with her consultant she now ensures she has a reasonable amount of ‘rubbish’ food (for example, white bread) and takes Fybrogel every day and has been doing that for three years. So that answers Penny’s question. He was a great guy and admitted he had no evidence but it seemed that the system got used to the help and therefore didn’t overreact. The advice was to take it after breakfast, making life socially difficult, so gradually she changed the time to about 8.30pm.
When I was being treated in hospital I got so fed up being told to have a healthy diet - I’ve never had anything else!!! - including from a consultant whilst performing my colonoscopy. She suggested ‘Golden Linseed’, ‘it’s in my homemade muesli’, then take more of it’, the conversation we had could’ve made TV comedy - must’ve sounded like an old married couple, everything I said she countered and vice versa.
All Bran was advised, I’ve never minded it but couldn’t believe someone in the medical profession would recommend something with such a high sugar and salt content. In terms of sugar the same goes for low fat yoghurts.
To cut my story very short, I changed from a daily sachet of Fybrogel to occasional use and finished up weighing smaller quantities, to eventually as low as one gram about once a week. The last time was 21 December. That approach (occasional small dosage) may help those who ‘suffer’ because of IF.
I tried one tablet of magnesium - let’s just say a bit too effective.
I doubt whether there can be a definitive answer - we’re all so different.
24 hours after my last post, everything stopped. Fybrogel didn't work, Movicol has had some effect despite my meals consisting mainly of fruit, soaked dried and fresh, plenty of veg, salad some fish and a little chicken. All taken in small quantities. Even stopped bread etc., for a few days. Once again I've had to stop IF in order to get back some balance in my system. Onward and upward. 
It's not the most pleasant thing to take but I shall persist in taking it and hope that it continues to counteract the prescribed medication which is causing the problem. 
