Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Support Group

Shame on your doctor! He/she should have given you samples of the amitiza, my doc always did. Do you have insurance? Go to Amitiza's website and sign up for one of their prescription cards. I was on Amitiza for the last 8 months and I was getting my scripts filled for 15 dollars a month in stead of my usual 50 dollar co-pay.

Any way, I was on 16 mcg (2 8mcg pills) twice a day of the Amitiza, while it did help some, it was not the total relief I wanted. It also made me nauseous in the morning and I felt rather dizzy and light headed. I was not willing to put up with that for the little help it gave me. I was on it once before about 8 years ago and I remember it working better for me; not sure why it seemed less than helpful this time around.

Bentyl, I was on that about 20 years ago and then again about 12 years ago to help control spasms in my stomach. I don't recall it helping at all. I also could not remember to take it 30 minutes before a meal.

Good luck to you!

I have been finding some relief from taking digestive enzymes with meals and a ginger root supplement with meals.

Yeah this doctor is one of those that has like 40 offices. The one I was in they didn't even have a thermometer! It was really weird. He is supposed to be a good reputable doctor too. So I'm sure they don't keep samples in there. I think the office I went to is their least busy so they just don't bother. The receptionist said he only had 3 patients that day in that office & I was one of them.

About an hour after taking the Amitiza I felt nauseated, my vision was blurry, and I was lightheaded and dizzy. No bowel movement yet. I don't think I'll be taking this drug. I'm already hating the side effects & I only took 1 pill.

Well Bentyl must be safe if it has lasted all these years without being recalled. I haven't noticed any side effects but I also haven't noticed it helping anything.

You know what works for me with the pain & spasms? 1 ibuprofen. I know we're not supposed to take it but it's no worse than these other drugs with their horrible side effects. I think I'll stick with that. For the constipation I'm just not going to worry about it. I'll take Miralax, a stool softener and drink some prune juice like I did last night & then this morning I did have a movement. It wasn't much but I pooped!

i took amitizia, it didn't help my constipation. so far nothing has and the docs have me doing monthly colonoscopy preps to clean out all the stool that gets backed up according to their xrays. still no answers, still constantly impacted stools. i hope something helps you soon though.

ametiza it didnt help me made things worse..

cris & rozia, I'm so sorry it didn't help you. Particularly cris, OMG doing the colonoscopy prep every month??? I feel for you.

I'm not taking any more of these drugs, they don't help & I don't want something that I have to take for a month & keep taking for the rest of my life to feel better.

This morning was good. I had about 3 diahreah movements but not real watery squirty, just soft & I sense that it is getting more firm.

My regimen last night was 1 small can of prune juice (YUK but I just down it real fast & rinse my mouth out), 1 stool softener, and Miralax. I had taken the 1 Amitiza yesterday about noontime. I don't know if that helped or if it was the other stuff but I'm going to try just the other stuff tonight & see what happens tomorrow.

I am also taking 1 digestive enzyme when I eat.

What also seems to be working for me is when I feel my upper abdomen tightening up & getting swollen & painful with gas & spams, I take a pepcid. Sometimes an ibuprofen. Seems to help somehow.

It's trial & error & can be frustrating but when I find something that works I'm going to stick with it until it doesn't work anymore.

Have you all tried prune juice & miralax & a stool softener? Maybe it might work for you. They gave me stool softener when I was in the hospital with my diverticulitis attack... and they gave my mother prune juice when she was in the hospital for what she thought was a blockage but it was just constipation -- and it does help.

spasms, not spams - lol

i've tried prune juice, digestive supplements, and miralax. the prune juice just makes me gassy. digestive supplements don't seem to do anything, and the miralax kinda works but severely and dangerously dehydrates me.

Wow I'm so sorry & that sounds incredibly painful to be backed up like that. I look like I'm 9 months pg when I am backed up for just a day or two & it's really uncomfortable so I can't imagine what you go through. There has to be a solution! I hope they find one for you.

sometimes I have to drink 3 bottles of meg citrate to get cleaned out . I also have started Activa and it aactually works....

Oh Rozio, so sorry but glad to hear that Activia works for you.