How do i know if I should take cholestyramine

[ETM]

I have been on a restricted diet for about 5 months. I believe I have histamine issues and I am trying to figure those out. How do I know if I should take cholestyramine or not? If I try it, how long will it take until I know if it is helping? Should I wait until I am in sustained remission to add it or would it help me to achieve remission? Thank you.

[tex]

If you've been reacting for years before changing your diet, you may just need more time. Otherwise, if your diet is squeaky clean, and you've given it enough time to work, and you still have diarrhea, you may need to try cholestyramine. Regarding your question about whether to wait until you're in remission to start taking it: why on earth would you want to take cholestyramine if you were in remission? It's not a lot of fun to take.

If you decide to try taking it, detailed directions for taking it can be found in the MCF newsletter at the link below:

https://www.microscopiccolitisfoundatio ... mplate.pdf

Tex

[ETM]

Thank you so much, Tex.

[HockeyMom]

I'm going to respectfully disagree with Tex on this one!!! I don't have any real problems with taking MASSIVE amounts of cholestyramine!!! If anything, it's more of a inconvenience given I have to drink alot of water with it....and if you take meds then you have to take them an hour before or 4 hours after taking the cholestyramine. Well, that and the fact that I take so much of it-another inconvenience with traveling and having to carry it on to make sure it gets where I am going....and taking a little extra in case of travel delays.

My young co workers just think I'm some sort of weirdo who drinks some powdered electrolyte solution at work every morning I tell them it's more like gritty Tang. Of course they don't know what Tang is! Do they even make that stuff any longer?

I think I really just had some bloating issues initially taking it. Read some of my posts for more information!!

Laine

[Mhdbeachgirl]

So now I am really confused about dose timing of Cholestyramine. You say to take meds and vitamins an hour or two before dosing or 4 hours after. The MC post seems to indicate the opposite for meals and I am assuming supplements and meds. 4 hours before eating and 1 or two after. Can someone clarify? I take important meds for blood pressure and cancer and don’t want to do anything to interfere with either one. TIA.

Elizabeth

[tex]

Always try to take any other medications at least 1 or 2 hours before, or 4 hours after you take cholestyramine, because cholestyramine will interfere with the absorption of most medications if you take them too soon after taking cholestyramine. Likewise, if you take cholestyramine less than an hour after taking your medications, many medications will not have adequate time to be completely absorbed before the cholestyramine will begin to sequester them.

I hope this resolves the confusion.

Tex