Cholestyramine For Diarrhea (Top voted first)

I do have high cholesterol and high triglycerides(sp?) but the Cholestyramine was prescribed for me for diarrhea and such since my gall-bladder surgery. i am confused as it is not on the instructions re: what I went to the doctor to have "fixed"? I was losing my stools 3 or 4 times per day.

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Hopefully you've found a solution by now but just in case someone else is reading this. I've had chronic ibs-d for over 30 years. I am 48 years old. It has affected my entire life: where I work, when I work, what restaurants and how often I can go out to eat with my family, etc.. Recently my ibs went haywire, but at the same time my cholesterol increased and my dr put me on a statin. Instead of searching ibs cures I started looking for a relationship between cholesterol and ibs..and I found two things that have changed my entire life..even if for only 2 weeks so far---florastor and cholestyramine (par manuf)--- The cholestyramine can actually lower your cholesterol but at the same time binds your stools...try it. And if that doesn't work for you..don't give up. Try an allergic to see if you are allergic to glutens, lactose(found in medications),etc..don't stop until you find something that works for you. It's out there..you just need to ask the right question to the right person with the answer..

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hi, there! did you have to take cholestyramine long term after gallbladder surgery or is it temporary? I recently had my gallbladder removed, and I was struggling with diarrhea every day, keeping me from doing pretty much anything. After he wrote me off multiple times, telling me to just take imodium, he FINALLY prescribed me cholestyramine....already three days straight with NO diarrhea! I'm sooooo happy, but I am wondering if I have to take this forever or if it just permanent. The Dr hasn't really been much help and I'm beyond frustrated.

Thank you so much! :)

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I take 1 pouch (5.7 g pouch which contains 4 grams cholestyramine resin) daily mixed in water (about 1 1/2 cups water). I take it before food in the morning but then can eat right after. It is cholestyramine for oral suspension USP light. The light one uses nutrasweet and dissolves best and tastes the best to me.Sandoz brand really makes a difference too. Some of the others taste like plastic. Obviously who ever makes some of those other brands never tasted it. The Dr. told me that the cholestyramine absorbs bile salts. After surgery, small bowel resection due to Crohn's 18 years ago, I have been able to lead a normal life. I remember the urgency, the horrible cramping and searching for a bathroom immediately after eating. I would recommend talking to your gastroenterologist to see if this is a good option for you.

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I have been taking cholestyramine for 18 years after a small bowel resection necessitated by Crohn's disease. It has made my life normal. I am able to eat anything without the horrible diarrhea effects that I had been having even after surgery. Some brands are absolutely horrible. I suspect that I have tried them all. The best brand that I have found is Cholestyramine light (sweetened with nutrasweet) by Sandoz. I mix it with water and drink it straight down before breakfast everyday.

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Cholestyramine can be used to treat diarrhea, because it makes bile acids, such as those that may be secreted after gall bladder surgery, from being osmotically active. When they are osmotically active, they attract more water from the body into the bowel, which can cause diarrhea.

It may cause side effects, such as: constipation, nausea, tooth discoloration and premature tooth decay.

Learn more:

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Cholestyramine/­

Is there anything else I can help with?

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IBS ran my life for at least 20 years. I had just learned to live with it. Six months ago, I asked my doctor if not having a gall bladder had something to do with it and he said let's try the cholestryamine. It's been like a miracle. We can eat out now, and not worry about getting home quickly. We have gone on several weekend trips and actually ate away from home. I want to tell everybody about it, because it really has got my life back to normal.

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Cholestryamine packet once a day is like asilver bullet after gall bladder removal. I use to have to go to the bathroom within 10 minutes of eating. Now I can eat any thing when ever I want.

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Hang in there! I avoid certain restaurants just because the smell of garlic triggers my ibs...and I don't eat out that often because of it. Not really a big loss. I can live with that. In fact, I've been living this way for years and years. The cholestryamine binds your bowel movements together and seems to work. For me, it worked as long as my thryoid medication was correct. Both affect my ibs. Just know that there are many people out there going through the same thing. And, things could be worse. I still believe my ibs is triggered by food allergies. I avoid fat, garlic, processed foods,etc. I had the gluten test-negative. The hemotologist ran a gene gluten test, also negative. The trick is to keep searching. Keep a log book what affects you. And, remember...It happens to the best! You'll get through it.

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I have major concerns when taking long air flights and boat rides. I totally fast from eating the day before and take two doses of cholestyramine. I am considering carrying a pre-packaged emergency backpack of clean pants etc when I am on vacation.
I am very angry at my surgeon ASSURING ME that "Nothing will change after the surgery". I especially avoid very spicy foods such as jambalaya, italian sausage, spicy pizza et al.
Is anyone else aware of specific food/drinks to be avoided ?

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You will need to be faithful to your cholestyramine. It does work and has been a Gods send to me. You should read up on when you can take other medicines. If I take cholestyramine then I know I have to wait four hours before I can take any other drug. Or you can take your medication one hour before you take the cholestryamine. All my medications are timed around it.

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I take Cholestyramine before I go to bed thus avoiding the sleepy morning. I was originally taking this once in the morning and once at night but have been getting by successfully, for now, with just the one dose. This medication has been a life changer for me. I was diagnosed with ulcerated cholitis this past Spring, that explained the constant diarrhea. My GI prescribed this medication first but then put me on something else. That one made me constipated and the next one he prescribed, after a flare up, didn't work at all. I went back to the Cholestyramine and everything is back to normal. I can finally get a good nights sleep without fear of an accident. Thank goodness for my bidet during those awful times, at least I could clean up easily after the explosions. I do have hypothyroidism so need to check with my GI or GP regarding any possible interference with my thyroid medication that I take in the a.m., and if I need to take any supplements.

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My doc prescribed it after gall bladder surgery: mixed in applesauce 2x / day, it's not too horrible, and it works!

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To Verwon: Thank you so very much for this post/reply to my post of the last few days.. I knew it had something to do with bile acids but did nto understand it until now. So I now will be able to look up a little bit more about the osmotic part of which you wrote. Thanks again.

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I was prescribed cholestyramine for IBS-D. It didn't help but made me nauseated, so I stopped taking it. I was treated with Cleocin and Cephalexin, recently for an abcessed tooth, now have C. difficile. I'm currently taking Flagyl. I'm having severe diarrhea with incontinence, rectal pain, sores around my rectum. I'm taking 8mg/day Lomotil, 6mg Robinal Forte & 4 Immodium & still having severe diarrhea! I'm also on Verapamil 180 mg./day. Would it be good to try taking the Cholestyramine again? I just don't know what to do anymore, I feel like I'm going to die. Can't keep anything in for more than 5 minutes. I'm eating yogurt also. Any recommendations? PLEASE HELP! THANKS. I'M 48 yo female disabled from IBS-D, fibromyalgia, CFS, malnourished.

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I think everyone is different. My doctor initially wrote half a packet twice daily but I had to bump it up to 1 packet twice a day. I take first packet before breakfast and 2nd packet in evening. I did find out that this drug as well as omeprazole does bind to good vitamins and minerals and you pass them. This was told to me by a hemocologist. Good luck.

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Thanks for the heads up and your words of encouragement ........ you've been a help................ I appreciate it Penelope.

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I forget that prunes are good for constipation. Put them on my shopping list. Thanks!

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I have been taking Cholestyramine powder for a couple years to help control diarrhea post gallbladder surgery. Recently I had to have a tooth pulled, and had excessive bleeding afterwards. Because the bleeding would not stop, I had to have 3 stitches to stop the bleeding. My dentist asked me if I was on a blood thinner, and I said as far as I knew I was not. Then when I read online of the possible side effects of taking this medicine, excessive bleeding was one of the number one problems. Why aren't people warned about this side effect?

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Wanted to share my experiences with chronic, watery diarrhea. I, too, could expect diarrhea within ten minutes of eating. A biopsy during a Colonoscopy revealed I have lymphocytic colitis, apparently an added bonus of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and specifically the auto-immune disease which RA automatically comes with. For more than 20 years my primary doctor thought I had fibromyalgia, but the rheumatologist told me it was something else that hadn't emerged yet; that something was the RA which finally showed up in deformity of knuckles, increased pain, etc. and I'm convinced that for all those years I was experiencing the auto-immune symptoms (feeling like you're coming down with the flu, temps, and a host of other symptoms), while the RA had not yet shown up.

The diarrhea showed up about 7 yrs ago, and the gastroenterologist treated the lymphocytic colitis with Pepto Bismol, the commonly used treatment. It didn't work for me, so the doctor put me on steroids, which did help but can't be taken for long periods of time. During the next several years, I realized that I'm not just lactose intolerant also, but must be allergic to cow's milk (or whatever they eat). I balked when the gastroenterologist told me the next step would be immuno-suppressive drugs and I asked my primary doctor if she had any ideas. She put me on a trial of Cholestryamine powder, which seems to be working, at least for now. Good luck to us all.

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I have begun taking Cholestyramine about 1 month ago for d. (no gallbladder). I had it removed 10 years ago but about 2 years ago I found I was making more trips to the bathroom due to d. I went to a gastro doctor and he put me on Cholestyramine powder. I started with packets from Sandoz. Since my insurance requires me to do mail order they sent me cans of powder from PAR mfg. I like that brand better since I don't feel any nausea. I take it 2 x a day and mix it with Unsweet Ice Tea and 1 packet of Stevia plus the powder. It is helping a lot but I still need to watch that I don't eat high fat foods. I still take Immodium with me when I plan to travel since my confidence has been shaken (I use it very sparingly). I am 66 and think that this is as good as it is going to ever be. Thanks for listening and it helps to know what other people are doing and what works for them.

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