At this point I am planning to do the elemental diet using the AbsorbPlus shakes and homemade broths for a two-week period in April. I will be using my accumulated vacation time to do this and I also have some sick days in reserve in case things are a little bumpy when I resume solid foods.

I don't know how many people who "only" have IBS visit this site and read this board, but I am going to post my experience to stay in contact with Nicole and Jini, to get advice from others, and so that my experience might prove useful to others with IBS. I like the wholistic approach on this board and in the book Listen to your Gut. The main IBS board (ibsgroup.org) is too drug and “miracle-cure” oriented to suit me. Based on all I my reading and research, IBS/IBD/Chrons are physical manifestations of unhealthy diet and lifestyle, toxins and stress, and we who have it are the “canaries” ie. due to some factor, genetic or other, our health is affected, not the general population (altho the sheer number of people who report some type of IBS is quite alarming at 15-20% of the population.) This is a vast oversimplification, but I don’t want to go into the whole rant here.

I was diagnosed with IBS in 1975 when I was senior in college. I managed it all the way to about 1997 when it became very life-limiting. I am now 55 years old. Over a period of about 4 years I went from IBS-c to loose stools all the time. I got some relief by making simple dietary changes. When I realized it wasn’t going away, I started reading and trying different things to get relief. In 2002, I had food allergy testing done on my blood and after about 2 ½ weeks on an elimination diet (most notable elimination was wheat), I had about three symptom-free days……….the first in five years. I was impressed and encouraged. Following this, I spent a year and a half on rotation diets, elimination diets, anti-candida diets and although I had many syptom free days it never lasted. Diagosis: Intestinal dysbyosis. It was at this time that I developed another symptom which has become very limiting: I get brain fog, confusion sometimes accompanied by gut pain and headache every day between 1 and 2 pm, and I become very tired, ie. I could literally fall asleep on the floor in my office. This is tough for someone who works. A nap works wonders, though.

Following the dietary route led me down the nutrition path, and I decided that to heal my intestinal walls I needed to eat good food and get rid of inflammation. That was about 3-4 years ago, and I have implemented many changes over time. Currently I eat basically meat and vegetables with brown rice virtually my only carbohydrate. (so I’m not feeding the bacteria) No sugar and no fruit (I do tolerate 2 small grapefruit per week) I drink only triple filtered reverese osmosis water, NOTHING else. (why let chlorine kill those expensive probiotics?) I shop for the highest quality ingredients --especially meat, and I eat home or bring my food 95% of the time.

I have reversed asthma and periodontal disease, tamed my blood sugar which resulted in much improved sleep. I am 5’9” and I weigh 126 lbs. (lost 10 when I gave up the wheat and sugar) I used to be a runner but now I don’t have the pep necessary for running. I bicycle instead and walk. I routinely do a 20 mile ride every weekend, in the morning when I feel good. On vacation in France last summer (in a rented apartment where I could cook really good food for myself), I did several rides of 50 miles in one day. (That trip was tough, however, with the IBS. I resolved not to travel again until I feel better because I’m wasting my money if I do) My blood pressure is 90/50, my good cholesterol is 71 and my triglycerides are 46. I look much younger than my age and I am never sick-- unless you count feeling awful from about 2 pm to 7 pm every day. I have taken fish oil for 4 years and L-glutamine on and off for two. I prefer to get nutrients from food rather than in a bottle. I spend a great deal of time shopping, cooking, cleaning up and sleeping. Oh yeah, and waiting around to go to the bathroom. I am extremely busy doing all this and my biggest accomplishment is geting myself to work every day. I negotiated in a shorter work day in my current job -- I leave at 3.30. It’s very bad for my career prospects.

Reasons for my interest in the elemental diet: Each IBS patient is different. I believe that my problem is a bacterial imbalance, or bacterial dysbyosis. The evidence of this has come to me in several ways. First: I took Erythromycin for ten days after elective surgery in 2003 and enjoyed 14 symptom-free days (then it all came back). Using the exclusion diet gave me a good many symptom free days, and eliminating carbs, beans, fruit made a big difference for a while, then it came back. I used Natren probiotics to make my own yogurt and got some real relief for about 2 months or so. It is interesting that whenever I make a change and there is an improvement, it always goes back after a time, as if the bacteria were adjusting to a new environment.

Last Fall I became aware of the research of Dr. Mark Pimental of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in LA. He uses rifaximin for 10 days (an antibiotic intended to cure tropical bugs in the gut over a three day period) to eliminate bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, and this eliminates the IBS. (he feels the BO is the cause of IBS) Jini has also posted studies done in Australia where Chron’s patients treated with an antibiotic regimen saw improvement and even remission, further convincing me of the bacterial etiology of these diseases. I looked at Pimental’s studies carefully and read his book. The problem is, the actual complete ‘cure’ rate is not high, or, at least, I wasn’t able to find hard numbers on it. Pimental says that he gives patients a low dose of erythromycin to create or improve natural cleansing waves in the small intestine to prevent the IBS from returning. He says if the IBS does return, in two months, in a year-- he just puts the patients on rifimaxin again for another round. To me that’s not a cure, and I don’t feel like chancing a course of antibiotics that is not going to be a sure thing in terms of a cure. He does mention that in difficult cases he uses the elemental diet to get rid of the BO, with a product called Vivonex. Here is what he says:

“Research conducted since the 1970’s has shown that a diet consisting exclusively of Vivonex and water can significantly reduce overall bacterial overload. In tests conducted by my colleagues and me involving over 100 IBS patients, bacterial overgrowth was eradicated in more than 80% of cases after the Vivonex diet was followed for two weeks, making it one of the most effective ways for addressing bacterial overgrowth. In fact, we have now treated over 800 patients with IBS/bacterial overgrowth this way with this rate of success.”

From: A New IBS Solution -- Mark Pimentel, MD Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Health Point Press 2006, page 76

Does this mean that I have an 80% chance of getting rid of bacterial overgrowth? Will that cure my IBS? Are they one in the same? Were those patients cured of their IBS? Or did they get just a reprieve?

Despite some remaining scepticism, I feel that this is worth trying. I like those kind of odds, I don’t feel that doing the ED is as dangerous to my health as taking rifaximin, and starving the bacteria seems like sensible thing to do (and so satisfying!) With a good product like AbsorbPlus available and my existing health status I should be fine, physically. Furthermore, I can do this in reasonable period of time. If it works or gives me any improvement, great. Otherwise, I will chalk it up to research and discovery. I must keep on trying to get well, because, as you all know too well, I have no life otherwise.

I will just mention briefly here another reason for my decision to undertake the ED. I tried the Oregano Oil Protocol and the Olive Leaf Extract Protocol, and I was unsuccessful with both. The volume of stool produced and the resulting discomfort was more than I could tolerate while working. Jini commented that it sounded like the Herxhiemer reaction, and I would tend to agree. It felt like I was implanting probiotics in the evening to grow and flourish and then be killed by the Olive Leaf Extract during the day…. A veritable battlefield in my intestines, leaving me lots of dead bodies in my gut to process and dispose of. Painful. I would like advice incorporating either the WOO or the OLE in this ED process, maybe the second week? We’ll see. Advice welcome.

Absorb Plus first trial
Sunday, Feb. 24, 2008

Drank 20 oz. herbal tea 7-9 am; had breakfast, 9.00 am 2 corn tortillas 2 eggs 2 small turkey sausage patties. I waited until I was hungry again, at 11.00, to have the shake.

I used one Absorb Plus sample bottle vanilla flavor, 8 oz. cold triple filtered reverse osmosis water and 1 teasp. of Nordic Naturals Fish Oil. Ran it too long in the blender and did not drink with a straw or use ice cubes.

It was delicious, as I haven’t had milk in 10 years. Great flavor, texture and milk “feeling”. Too sweet by about 75%!! Easy to drink. Drank it in 5 minutes, I tried to go slower but it was so good. Stopped feeling hungry after about 20 minutes, but still felt spacey, the way I do when I am hungry in the morning (low blood sugar). Had a sip of water. Burped for 45 minutes, not unpleasant, but I had obviously swallowed too much air. At 12.00 had 4 oz. of water. Felt like brushing my teeth and did so; had second 4 oz of water at 12.45, became very hungry. still feeling exactly as spacey as I felt when I drank the shake at 11.00 am. I then ate a big lunch including warmed over grilled chicken thighs, assorted grilled vegetables & brown rice.

Results:

Nothing on that day except I felt very energetic at bedtime which is unusual. Monday: small soft bm in the morning, felt a bit like the ‘system slowdown’ was starting. Tuesday: same small soft bm in the morning, felt even more the discomfort of the slowdown. Wednesday: same smallish, but more formed bm in the morning and extreme discomfort or ‘stuffed feeling’ which cuts my appetite and makes me irritable. Large welll formed stool plus some looser stool at 3 pm, which felt like relief. Next day pretty much back to normal.

Encouraging: No stomach upset, no excessive gas, no allergic reaction, did have a bm each day, etc.

Questionable: This was probably not an optimal trial as the week before I had stopped eating nuts (I eat almost a half cup per day of raw nuts) as I started to associate them with loose stool activity 2X a day. Nuts (I later found out) have tons of magnesium! So I went into this probably more prone to constipation from removing the nuts. Also, on Saturday night I went out to eat and had some greens, like collards. Not much, but the iron in those is very constipating for me, and I usually avoid them.

Possible problem: The Absorb Plus is too sweet for me as I am not used to tasting sugar. Can I drink five shakes like this per day? I am not wild about putting sugar in my body, even though the type in the product is totally absorbed in the small intestine. I have something like a hair-trigger insulin response -- this didn’t seem to perk me up but it stopped me from being hungry-- mystery. It lasted 1 hour and 45 minutes, and I was hungry again. The calcium and l-glutamine in the product are what is constipating for me. What would the effect be like on five shakes a day? I have never been able to take mulitple vitamin supplemnents because the iron and calcium don’t work for me for that reason.

Next: Another similar trial this weekend with the berry flavor. I'm looking forward to it.

Hi, karoe.

I read your post with interest and just thought I'd share some of my own experiences/thoughts for the sake of comparison.

It's not at all unusual to feel like you've "hit a wall" with an elemental diet and I think how soon it happens is a function of metabolism, sensitivity of insulin response, etc. For myself, I remember that early in the day, I felt like I HAD to have a shake every three hours or so. If I let it go too long, I'd feel shaky, spacy, weak. Shortly after I ate, I'd feel good again, so clearly low blood sugar. That's the flip side of one of the very things that helped heal the intestinal wall, the very fast absorption.

I'll check what the word is on unsweetened Absorb Plus.

I don't know if I'm on to anything, but I have something occurring to me. How would you describe the pain you felt when you tried the WOO and OLE? In other words, was it sharp, dull, wavelike, constant, etc.? The more description, the better. I'll tell you what I'm thinking when I hear back from you.

I'm going to be honest with you. In terms of healing gut dysbiosis, I don't think the elemental diet, on its own, is going to do that. I think if you only do the elemental diet, without either the Wild Oregano Protocol (or equivalent) or long term high-dosage of probiotics (at least 7-10cfu of each species), you're going to see the same thing happen . . . initial improvement with an eventual return of symptoms. I might be wrong and if you have a strong feeling about it, I wouldn't argue with it, but I just feel I have to get that out there.

One other thing to keep in mind when planning for following the IBD Remission Diet: When people get themselves into "trouble," it's usually following the elemental diet when they reintroduce solid food too quickly. I think you'd be able to do it a lot more quickly than some people; I, for instance, introduced a new food only once every three days, so it took awhile before I was getting enough calories from solid food to wean from the elemental diet. I don't think you'd have to do that, but make sure you don't plan to be on it full throttle on Day 14 and off it cold turkey on Day 15. (I know I'm mixing my metaphors, but I think you get what I'm trying to say.)

Anyway, just a few thoughts to put out there . . .

Take care,
Nicole

Hello Nicole and thanks for your post!

I will respond to your requests for a description of my pain while on WOO/OLE and I will clarify my "vision" for the Elemental Diet which I plan to do for two weeks in APRIL. I'll let you respond to those things (your idea...?) and then we can move forward.

Last time I did the OLE I took a partial capsule each morning and the probiotics in the evening with L-gluatamine. I would say that my abdomen became bloated and firm to the touch, and I had 3-4 bowel movements per day, all loose stool, three of them fairly large in quantity. The pain is a dull discomfort in the large intestine and a feeling of fullness and weight. The pain radiates in a dull fashion out to my legs and arms. I get a mild dull headache. My appetite is cut and therefore I don't feel like eating which drops my blood sugar. The discomfort is not localized in the gut but rather it effects my entire body, head and digestive tract. After a bowel movement there is a period of relief that lasts from 15 minutes to 5 or so hours. Then it all repeats. I can't bear it and go to work.....it's just impossible-- remember, I get the crash in the afternoon, too. It's just excruciating all together.

I'm sorry if my long post about my rationale for doing the elemental diet did not include this: I think that Pimental's patients fail because what they are doing is killing everything, but then not changing anything about the environment that the bacteria seem to thrive in! They don't change their sugar and refined carbohydrate diet, they don't supplement with high dose high quality probiotics to turn the predominate bacteria from "bad" to "good" -- and, small wonder, the problem resurfaces.

The value of the ED for me as I see it is that I can get a clean slate (starve the bacteria) and then repopulate it with good bacteria. I can also benefit from the healing that will take place in the two weeks that I am drinking the shakes. Please keep in mind, I have IBS not IBD/Chron's -- ie. let's use and benefit from Pimental's experience, and improve on it. Don't think of me as someone who's had a flare, been in the hospital, been on steriods....none of those things have ever happened to me, so let's be creative about this. I see the value of taking either WOO or OLE while on the ED (depending on how rough a time I'm having) but I don't see any value in taking probiotics until after I'm done.

Regarding the return to solid food- I have explored food sensitivities in mind-numbing depth. I know perfectly well what I can eat without problems. I think I'd just go easy the first few days, and I guess you are right, taper off the shakes, not just quit them all of a sudden.

Over to you, Nicole.

I just thought I would mention that I have had 5 EFT sessions of one hour since Dec 2007. I have not seen any benefit, save for enjoying the concern and attention of the practitioner. I have spent $1,000. What should I do? My next session is March 29.

Hi, karoe.

Just keep in mind that if you're experiencing problems with urgent, explosive bowel movements when following the IBD Remission Diet, that you may want to include probiotic supplementation even while you're following it. (See book updates in the navigation bar above for other things to try if this becomes a problem.)

The pain you describe sounds an awful lot like gas . . . the kind that just sits there and makes you miserable. Gas is a classic die-off symptom, so if I'm right (maybe I'm not), it does make sense that you'd be experiencing pain while on the OLE or WOO. Anyway, just an idea. If that clicks, I'd suggest using colonic massage which really helps to move everything along and out and relieve any discomfort/pain a lot faster than if you just left it alone.

People often experience increased gas and bloating on the elemental diet, as well. (Tends to be worse if you drink the shakes cold, but they taste a lot better that way . . .) So keep the colonic massage in mind for then, too, in case you experience that.

Regarding EFT, you're the best judge. What I'd suggest is that if you've read about it and you feel like it SHOULD work, keep pursuing it. (Similar to Jini with all the various probiotics she tried.) But look at whether you might connect better with a different therapist, that type of thing. I found the therapist I worked with (Rue Hass) by reading all the articles in Gary Craig's free EFT newsletter until I found the one I "clicked" with.

If, on the other hand, you don't feel that way about the therapy, I'd let it go and move on.

Something I'm going to add for everyone's general benefit regarding EFT is an excerpt from Annabel Fisher's article in the March/April '08 issue of Good Health is Real Wealth:

In my experience of using EFT for serious illness, it appears that once the intricate layers of emotional stressors are addressed, cleared and neutralized, the body is free to start healing itself. That is when we start to notice the physical symptoms, such as digestive disorders, chronic pain, exhaustion, or sleep disturbances, are reducing and disappearing.

(Italics mine)

So again, making a general statement since I'm on the subject, one meant for everyone's benefit and not meant to influence your personal decision, karoe:

The above is something to keep in mind when you're dealing with a physical problem that's chronic. The ideal place from which to begin EFT is from a belief that emotions do affect the physical body and from a place of openness to explore the roots of what makes particular things stressful for us. But even then, when you're dealing with something chronic, in my experience, it takes time and works best when you're using EFT regularly on your own in addition to weekly or monthly (or whatever) appointments with an EFT practitioner.

Take care,
Nicole

Regarding the pain, no, I can't say it was gas. The IBS patient has hypersenstive intestinal walls, so when the gut is not only irritated but full of a large quantity of very loose stool, it really hurts. You get relief, and then it starts filling up again. The pain is not limited to the intestine, it is a type of discomfort that goes throught the entire body.

Regarding the EFT, well, I gave it a try. It's posible that he's not someone I click with, or perhaps, he is not very skilled. I did not get a recommendation for him, I chose him from the EFT website. ???

Hopefully we can make the next post a tentative plan for my trial with the ED: when to schedule phone calls, when to take WOO, when to resume probiotics, how to reintroduce food. I plan to take my first shake for lunch at work on a friday, that kind of gives me head start.

It will be different working with an IBS patient, but I think in terms of the number of people this may benfit, it could be very worthwhile. IBSers can be very sick indeed, and there are many more of them out there than those who have Chron's/IBD. To date, I have only seen blogs of IBSers who have used Vivonex for this purpose. Sounded terrible.

Hi, karoe.

Okay, as far as incorporating wild oregano oil or olive leaf extract into the elemental diet, you can begin both simultaneously if you wish or if you intuitively feel it would be better, start the IBD Remission Diet first, follow it for a week and then if you feel you need to, add in the WOO or OLE. Either would be fine, so do whichever you feel would be best.

(If it were me, I'd probably introduce them one at a time, but that's me.)

I'm also doing some research on berberine, which isn't really ready to share yet, but may be of interest when the time comes.

Here's the iffy thing about following Jini's Wild Oregano Protocol for you. If I remember correctly from posts on the former JPT Wellness Circle Forum, you haven't yet worked up to at least 1 teaspoon/day of each of the three probiotic species (or cfu equivalent in capsules). So to be honest, I'm nervous suggesting that you follow Jini's Wild Oregano Protocol (or adapt the principles therein to olive leaf extract). If you don't follow the antimicrobial with aggressive supplementation with good bacteria (7-10 cfu per species, according to studies to make a therapeutic difference), the door is left open for reinfection...the last thing you want.

So you might do best to follow the IBD Remission Diet and then just take the probiotics (or start taking them during the diet if you have a problem with explosive bowel movements, as some people do).

You're a careful researcher in your own right and clearly know yourself well, so ultimately the call is yours - I'm only throwing thoughts out there.

As far as reintroducing food, again, it's your call. The one thing I would absolutely caution against is stopping the diet cold turkey and going back 100% all at once to regular food. I'd suggest at the very, very fastest cutting out one shake/day and replacing it with a meal of foods you know to be well-tolerated.

So, for instance:

Day 14: 100% elemental

Day 15: 75% elemental; one solid-food meal (best to stick to soft foods, though, and chew well; you don't want to shock your digestive system)

Day 16: 50% elemental; two solid-food meals

. . . and so on

As you feel ready, go from soft foods to more "challenging" textures; again, I'd suggest doing that incrementally.

This is a lot faster than most people would reintroduce food, but your situation is much different than say, someone who's severely malnourished, getting over intestinal bleeding, etc.

So again, listen to your body's signals and use your own judgment.

Hope this helps.

Nicole

Nicole:

Thanks very much for your excellent suggestions, and I agree with all of them. I do want to get throught the first week of ED before I introduce the WOO or OLE. I hadn't thought about doing both...interesting. I do think there is going to be a system slowdown or constipation when I drink five of those shakes a day, but who knows? Your food reintroduction outline is great and will totally work for me. I have this planned so I will be going back to work on day 18, so I may have 3 days of food reintroduction, or at least two, by that time. Planning is nice, but you never can tell what my guts will do...have to remain flexible.

It looks like I will start this on April 4, my last day of work...I'll eat a regular breakfast so I can get thru the morning and then take broths and two shakes to consume at work. I go back to work on April 21. I just have to wait for the OK from my boss and I will go ahead and order the Absorb Plus and the phone call package. The broths are no problem, I have been making them for almost 2 years now...chicken, beef, turkey, and most recently, duck. I intend to filter through cheescloth in a colander.

Thanks again...........

addendum: Jini recommended LifeStart II (when we were corresponding on the other board) and I have that on order. I will begin it as soon as I can.............I'm nervous about doing that all thru the ED, but I think it makes sense.

Just a quick note on my second mini-trial with the absorb plus sample: I had a chocolate shake on an empty stomach at 5 pm Wednesday. Tasted good, no ill effects. It stayed with me for three hours, till 8 pm, then I got hungry and ate a regular dinner. No effect on morning bm next day, seems to have prevented the afternoon bm, and that afternoon I awakened from my afternoon nap and had NO GUT PAIN. What a pleasure that was!! Next day had small unformed stools, pain in the am (unusual) and pain in the pm. On Saturday, had a substantial formed stool in am and in afternoon. Peculiar, and probably unrelated, Sunday, I had no bowel movements at all. I took a Sudafed at lunch time on Sat and that would have constipated me a bit.

Overall, I'm encouraged by this, I seem to have no sensitivity to the ingredients in the shake and my guess is that the calcium and the large amt of L-glutamine at one time would be the caluse of the slowdown. Q: Can I take the Magnesium supplement while on the ED "Calm"... I have a bottle.

Okay, time for the first update. I started the ED on Friday, and I'm writing this on Monday morning. On Friday I had a good breakfast (eggs, turkey sausage, org. sprouted corn tortillas, and then went to to work. At work I consumed 2 shakes and 2 broths, and left the office at 3.15. This was a hard day because I feel TERRIBLE when I'm hungry and I was getting the afternoon crash just when I was leaving the office. My hands were trembling, that from low blood sugar. I did lay down for an hour when I got home. No BM, but a heavy feeling, somewhat painful, gas from 6-8 pm.

Saturday morning had a decent formed stool and the quantity was encouraging....my fear was constipation from the l-glut and calcium. I consumed 5 shakes and four broths. I had periods of intense discomfort in the gut, like if I could "go" I'd feel better, but nothing happened. I took it very easy because I was low energy...just the transition off of real food.

On Sunday morning, I had a lesser amount of normal stool, but enough to encourage me about not getting C. Spent the day either doing small projects around the house, resting and took 2 naps. Still had the fullness-block-in-the-gut feeling and a dull, minor headache all day. I had a shake or a broth as I became hungry and could feel myself perk up afterwards. I took a half hour walk at 5 pm. I really didn't get hungry till very late on Sunday night because the gut pain was killing my appetite, so my last shake was at 11.30! I was still wondering about the C, so much that I took out my bottle of Magnesium and read the directions.....

This morning the pain was sharper and rumbly. I had a liquid stool, putty colored and it was a small quantity. That really encouraged me. I think that means that things are working the way they are supposed to. Went back to bed and slept for an hour, and now I feel very good, energy wise and gut pain is gone.

I'm amazed at how satisfying the broths are (homemade)!!! They taste so delicious and they satisfy me for almost 2 hours! I would have to say that doing these broths are an essential part of this process, in terms of compliance. Shakes also taste fine to me...best is Chocolate with Coconut oil in it...it's the least sweet one and the coconut taste is an added bonus. I am also surprised that I have no desire for real food. Watching the Food Network actually kinda grossed me out yesterday and I had to turn it off!! More as it happens

Karoe,

Would you share some of your broth recipes?

Everyone, karoe has a *sense* for good food; I think whatever she shares is going to be very healthful and delicious!

Nicole

I continue to do well. I am having enough appetite for 4 shakes per day and 3-4 broths. I have had only one additional BM, that on Wednesday. It was entirely liquid, a fair quantity and light brown. That happened Wed at 11 am. I had cramping for two hours afterward, but I kept moving, that always helps me. I took a nap, and when I woke up, I really felt I had turned the corner...no pain, no fatigue, no headache. Lots of energy..took a 3 mile walk and had no problems (first time since I started the ED). I was concerned about not having consistent (liquid) bowel movements, so I called my doctor's office. In their experience, they said, "that is not uncommon."

I don't know why the compliance rate for this procedure is so low...my usual routine of work, cooking, shopping etc. just getting thru everything despite the pain is MUCH more difficult than what I am doing now. The shakes are delicious, my broths are great, I have none of the usual pain gas bloating, etc..........so far so good.

Well, here's the Monday morning update...I'm still at it, doing allright. At the end of the week, I was concerned about the sparsity of BM's so I asked for advice. I had started the magnesium (CALM brand) on Tuesday and Jini suggested I up the dosage. I took about 500 mg at three different times during the day on Friday and a 500 mg tablet of vitamin C ascorbate and drank prodigious quantities of water. By the evening, my gut, previously flat, was out like a bowling ball and I had a splitting headache-- this eased off by 9 pm, thankfully.

The next day I had thick brown stool (sat), and I continued the magnesium (but not the vit C) Sat and tolerated it better. Sunday I actually had a formed stool....substantial quantity so I knew things were working, but continuing on with the Mag on Sunday, I started feeling bloated, tired and lousy about 1 pm. This morning had a fair quantity of thick brown stool and I feel better. I have to keep up with the Mag, because my intuition says things have got to keep flowing, to wash out the bad stuff....but this is tough. As I've mentioned before, the L-glut and calcium are probably the things in the AbsorbPlus that slow things down, and from my conversation with Nicole, for the Chron's patients, this is a good thing.

I have not seen any worms, parasites, monsters, snakes or other scary stuff in the stool and it's virtually ordorless and of a consistent texture. Looks just like melted chocolate. I don't know what effect the WOO is having. Hard to tell. Okay, Thursday evening I get to eat yogurt.........coming down the home stretch here!