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Metamucil Usage

I've had my J Pouch 3 years now and I take at around 2-3 glasses of the orange Metamucil drink mix every day. I wouldn't say I NEED it, necessarily. I'm capable of going without it if I have to, but it makes living with a pouch so much easier in every possible way. I'm just curious if that's been other people's experience as well. 

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Do you take Metamucil, and if so how much?

I don't take it at all
I take it occasionally, but not every day
1-2 glasses every day
3 or more glasses every day
I use another form of Metamucil i.e the cookies, etc
Other

How long have you had your J Pouch?

less than 6 months
1-2 years
more than 2 years
Posted by melissa111 ·

Comments (36)

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I know this doesn't have anything to do with meta mucil, but who told you your cancer risk was 100%? Did you have colitis or FAP?Originally Posted by Jpouch1064:

Oh I goofed I thought we were talking about immodium so here is my history of meta mucil.  After surgery in 1991, I started taking Metamucil 2 times a day.  I could author a book "A 101 ways to enjoy your Metamucil"  that is the sequel to "My 101 favorite, cleanest bathrooms in the USA"  I love Metamucil powder mixed in ice cream yogurt, mixed with chocolate milk, sprinkled on my oat meal.  Eat or drink it fast, It starts gelling real quick with liquids!!!  Now like the immodium I only use it when I feel the diarrhea is ramping up.   Life is Good!!!!  Better than having died from a chance of 100% getting colon cancer.

 

Oh I goofed I thought we were talking about immodium so here is my history of meta mucil.  After surgery in 1991, I started taking Metamucil 2 times a day.  I could author a book "A 101 ways to enjoy your Metamucil"  that is the sequel to "My 101 favorite, cleanest bathrooms in the USA"  I love Metamucil powder mixed in ice cream yogurt, mixed with chocolate milk, sprinkled on my oat meal.  Eat or drink it fast, It starts gelling real quick with liquids!!!  Now like the immodium I only use it when I feel the diarrhea is ramping up.   Life is Good!!!!  Better than having died from a chance of 100% getting colon cancer.

After surgery in 1991, I took immodium on a regular basis:  2 in the morning and one at night.   As you age your GI system changes, and now I just take it on an as needed basis.When the diarrhea starts up , that is when I take it now.  It might be one or two immodium every other day.  Pay attention to your body as you age and be willing to adjust your dose.

 

 

Likes others have noted, using Metamucil has been a great help.  My GI told me that the Metamucil cookies/wafers act much better than the powder.  Also, he mentioned that the benefit is that it binds everything up acting as a sponge so it helps reduce the number of times I go to the bathroom.  I have had a J-pouch for about 15 years.  I am on Remicade and other meds but if I miss my daily Metamucil wafers or just take it once a day I feel an immediate impact. 

I completely agree.Originally Posted by Rob K.:

23 years post surgery and I use Metamucil (original texture) twice a day.  I travel quite a bit overseas and always bring a jug of metamucil with me.  I occasionally use a product sold at GNC called Colon Cleanse, which is a coarse psyllium fiber product.  I sometimes buy a product in Asia call C-lium because it comes in individual packets which is very convenient.  Taking a fiber supplement is the single most important thing to do for j-pouch health, at least for me.

 

23 years post surgery and I use Metamucil (original texture) twice a day.  I travel quite a bit overseas and always bring a jug of metamucil with me.  I occasionally use a product sold at GNC called Colon Cleanse, which is a coarse psyllium fiber product.  I sometimes buy a product in Asia call C-lium because it comes in individual packets which is very convenient.  Taking a fiber supplement is the single most important thing to do for j-pouch health, at least for me.

Oh, and ps...I do not have time to wait around to drink the stuff. I "eat" it. Quick and easy. I put a teaspoon in my mouth, drink some water, repeat. About three to four teaspoons after each meal. I carry it in my purse when I'm out. Get the orange flavor, tastes like the old school Tang.

I've never seen anything other than the orange one in stores, in sugar free or with sugar. I think the one I get is coarse, not the smoothie type. It works well for me. I find that store brands aren't as good. They don't taste as good and they don't work as well either. They also only come in orange. I know they also have unsweetened/unflavored and a berry flavored version. I guess I'd have to order those online. Originally Posted by childhorus:

If you do use Metamucil rather than just plain psyllium, I would go for the "Original Coarse" rather than the "Orange Smoothe".  It is in the white bottle.  I find it "works" a lot better to bind everything together (the orange doesn't seem to have as much bulkiness to it).  Make sure to mix it "thick" and drink it fast before it coagulates.  When I use it after meals, it makes my stools look like regular poop rather than ice cream soup.  

 

If you do use Metamucil rather than just plain psyllium, I would go for the "Original Coarse" rather than the "Orange Smoothe".  It is in the white bottle.  I find it "works" a lot better to bind everything together (the orange doesn't seem to have as much bulkiness to it).  Make sure to mix it "thick" and drink it fast before it coagulates.  When I use it after meals, it makes my stools look like regular poop rather than ice cream soup.  

I agree with GoJenGo. Won't do Metamucil anymore because of sugar, flavoring and cost. I get plain psyllium husk powder at my local co-op. My problem is remembering to take it.

I do have a supply of the Metamucil cookies that are easier to use when I'm not at home.

Maybe you're allergic to the fiber products? Is that a possibility?Originally Posted by KEVINintheozarks:

I have had my pouch over 20 years and still have 8 to 10 or more stools a day.  Over the years I have tried different fiber or bulking products and they make me uncomfortable and bloated and if anything cause the urge to go to worsen causing more straining and unproductive toilet time.  I would rather have the runny stools.  I have learned to live with it.

 

I have had my pouch over 20 years and still have 8 to 10 or more stools a day.  Over the years I have tried different fiber or bulking products and they make me uncomfortable and bloated and if anything cause the urge to go to worsen causing more straining and unproductive toilet time.  I would rather have the runny stools.  I have learned to live with it.

I use plain psyllium husk powder.  Konsyl is the brand name, but you can also get it in bulk at some health food stores by Now brand.  It doesn't have the sugar/sweetner that Metamucil has.  It works like a charm for bulking and I can really tell when I don't take it.

 

Originally Posted by mishell_lynn:
Does it just help keep things moving as they are supposed to? Lately I've been getting stopped up and then when things finally start to move again I end up on the toilet for hours.

Yeah, that's what happens to me if I don't take it. Metamucil makes me only take maybe 5 minutes to go to the bathroom, as opposed to an hour. I feel like it acts like a squeegee or a broom inside the pouch. It scrapes everything down so it'll come out a lot quicker and more efficiently. As far as I can tell from this site, it seems a lot of people prefer a more liquid stool, which I don't understand. I like to make it as solid as I possibly can. 

I was told by my Surgeon that I would need to take Metamucil 3 times a day for the rest of my life to help regulate my stool. My Surgeon also was going to write me a lifetime of Lomotil prescriptions.

 
I have been off Metamucil for 2 years now and feeling fantastic! My secret is a high quality milled Chia seed product called "MILA". Chia seeds are prized for their ability to provide sustainable energy and have been a food staple in both the Mayan and Aztec cultures, along with native tribes of North America. In fact, chia is the ancient Mayan word for strength. 
 
My wife and began taking this together as a part of many other supplements on a daily regimen, I had great results in 2 days and have never looked back. In fact we signed up to be business owners of the company because we loved how it made feel us so much!
 
Genesis PURE™ Mila® is a super food that is gluten-free, trans-fat free, sugar-free, and is a superior plant-based source of protein and fiber. Mila uses different varieties of the chia seed to provide a wide array of nutrients. By combining these crops, you get a nutritionally robust product.
 
Mila also helps meet the fiber needs of your family. The fiber found in Mila is predominantly insoluble fiber, a form of fiber that aids in the relief of occasional constipation.
 
Please visit our site at genesispure.com/teambucher for more information, you will find "MILA" on the products page.
Last edited by AndrewB
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