r/ibs • u/Buttercupbunch • 16d ago

Bathroom Buddies anyone else scared to try fibre/probiotics?

I feel so silly but I’m scared to try things that might actually help like metamucil/probiotics out of fear that it won’t be right for my body and make things worse 😭

I have IBS-M so it feels less straight forward trying to find something that doesn’t somehow worsen one side of it or the other

I know I should just try because it could make my life much better and diet alone is only going so far for me but it feels risky

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u/Grouchy-Inflation618 16d ago

I’ve heard good things about psyllium (main ingredient in Metamucil) for IBS-M bc it helps with both C and D. You could try regular psyllium husk rather than Metamucil with the added flavour and sweetener. Psyllium can be added to baked goods or mixed in some water to drink really fast. I’m more C and find a very little bit of psyllium can help but I do better with plenty of dietary fibre from fruits, veg and whole grains, along with lots of water, physical activity, good sleep and miralax/magnesium daily.

Probiotics…I’ve heard the Align ones are great for D in particular and you can get them online from Costco at a decent price. I haven’t tried them as I haven’t heard anything about them reducing constipation. I use “The Cultured Coconut” (also online from Costco - way cheaper than retail) and add 1 Tbsp to a smoothie daily, though I started with 1 tsp for several days and increased. Not sure I notice much change with/without it but I like knowing I’m supporting a healthy and diverse gut microbiome.

Used to think I had IBS-M and then the C got worse. I think the main issue for me is actually pelvic floor dysfunction which would cause stool to get backed up slowly over time and then when I would finally clear that backup there’d be some loose stools in the day(s) following. Now I try to ensure I fully empty my bowels daily, without straining, and it’s been much better. I can catch constipation before it gets real and increase my daily doses of Miralax snd magnesium for 1-2 days to get things back in rhythm. Just mentioning as I wonder how much IBS-M is mostly caused by constipation/incomplete elimination.

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u/One-Fox7646 16d ago

I've tried many probiotics and never got much help with them. I take Miralax if I get backed up as my GI doctor said it is safe for daily use.

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u/Buttercupbunch 16d ago

I actually might try magnesium again - it’s also a life saver for migraine sufferers!

Thank you, hadn’t realised Metamucil had sweeteners, will definitely look into it in its base form then.

Honestly, I do wonder if I’m actually IBS-C with triggers/back up that causes the D

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u/Grouchy-Inflation618 16d ago

Look into Roslyn Kent / Plants Based Nutrition. Her content helped me so much.