I just stared taking Cholestyramine (3 packets/day with meals). I'm feeling a constant pain in my diaphram - just below the sternum, in front & back - that comes on after lunch and persists thru most of thhe night. It kept me awake most of last night. Any feedback on this would be greatly appreciated.
Susan
Posted by Starphoenix (Member # 2402) on :
Susan: I'm sorry. I wish I had an answer for you!
I will say this: I used to see Dr. S, the originator of the protocol. He said that you must take CSM without food. I think I took it a half hour before meals. Otherwise, you may just be binding fat in your meals.
Steph
Posted by Susan in G'ville (Member # 8185) on :
Thanks, Steph.
I'm trying the 1/2 hour before meals approach today. It's a pity the labeling on the packets isn't more specific! I also read in the Flash archives about taking pills 1 hour before or 2 hours after the CSM. Thanks to all of you historic CSM posters. No one mentioned that weird feeling I had under my ribcage, tho, and it scared me a bit.
Happy healing,
Susan
Posted by riversinger (Member # 4851) on :
Could be trouble with the gall baldder. Are you taking the CSM with meals? It is supposed to be taken a half hour or so before your meal. Maybe it isn't moving down quickly enough if taken with food.
Also, some people do have stomach trouble with CSM. Maybe try taking fewer packets, or half a packet at a time, see if any of that helps. If this persists, I would stop taking it, and call your doctor.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by riversinger: Could be trouble with the gall baldder.
I agree!!!! I think that's why I couldn't tolerate the CSM for long.
Posted by Susan in G'ville (Member # 8185) on :
Thanks, River & Tutu.
<> So Gall bladder problems might present as achy pain in the upper diaphram??? A freind & fellow LD sufferer had her gall bladder out after taking CSM. Maybe not a coincidence.
I just had emergency appendectomy last month & would like to stay out of the ER for a while.
I'm reducing packets to 2 a day and 1/2 hour before meals. Morning are bad enough without that gritty, vile stuff!
Happy healing,
Susan
Posted by riversinger (Member # 4851) on :
The whole idea with the CSM is that after you take it, when you eat, the gall baldder should excrete bile to digest the fats, and instead gets bound by the CSM. If the CSM is too high in the GI tract, maybe it is causing the pain? This is just speculation.
See if taking it earlier helps, if not, check with the doc.