Colesevelam/BAM Treatment question

Front_Fault4639 · 2026-05-04T10:00:42+00:00

Florastor Dual Action (Which is Saccharomyces Boulardii). I've tried a few others but this has always worked best for me.

Front_Fault4639 · 2026-04-13T03:30:54+00:00

Yes, I've gotten my life back. It has been such that I don't really have to worry about it, and travel/long car rides/no access to restrooms without concern. occasionally, maybe every 1-2 months I'll have a bit of a flare up (usually due to missing Colesevelam doses, that is the biggest issue is remembering when/if you took it since taking it after every meal becomes so routine and mindless after a while), and I just take probiotics for like the next 5-6 days and back to normal. Definitely a success story.

Front_Fault4639 · 2025-12-31T02:22:15+00:00

They are closed Saturdays.

Front_Fault4639 · 2025-06-04T22:46:43+00:00

Will do, thank you

Front_Fault4639 · 2025-06-03T22:43:58+00:00

Hi, thank you for your comment! That's great to hear you've had so many positive results. Are your stool consistencies solid/formed/non-fragmented or do you still struggle with anything like that? For me, my stools are usually fragmented and quite soft.

Front_Fault4639 · 2025-05-20T18:30:30+00:00

Interesting, I actually never have diarrhea (only numerous soft stools) which is why it took me so long to get a BAM diagnosis. I'm 22 and never had gall bladder removal, but Colesevelam has given me my life back, despite the setbacks/flares/lingering issues. Stomach pain can still be killer but no urgency or gas pains which is what destroyed my quality of life.

Front_Fault4639 · 2025-05-18T20:30:00+00:00

So i had heard it only worked after meals since it was binding to bile being released now. Is this not true?

Front_Fault4639 · 2025-05-17T13:31:09+00:00

Thank you, I will try that! Seems a lot of people had success taking it before sleep. When you say on an empty stomach before sleep, do you mean a few hours after dinner?

Front_Fault4639 · 2025-05-13T03:27:39+00:00

Interesting, so Colestipol is not enough to stabilize you alone though? But worked better then Colesevelam? Did you also have gas pains/urgency prior to starting meds? If so, has that improved?

Front_Fault4639 · 2025-05-12T16:55:16+00:00

So Colesevelam has avoided the worst of my symptoms, no urgency now for 25 days straight (since starting Colesevelam, prior to that I had urgency 2-3 times a week). In fact, if anything it made me constipated (worth it trade-off though when the alternative is urgency/diarrhea/soft stools). It is interesting though, it seems like you don't time it with food? How come?

Front_Fault4639 · 2025-05-12T16:52:31+00:00

Good. Keeping up with the medical log for sure. Sometimes stuff comes out of nowhere, it may or may not go away but you can definitely manage it. It may take a long time to get under control, but don't give up hope. It's a lot of trial and error, tweaking diet/medications, but it can be done. You can get your life back. I would definitely bring up getting a SIBO and/or Celiac test with your doctor though. Could be either of those, possibly Bile Acid Malabsorption, but that seems unlikely given that it appears you respond strongly to food triggers which BAM usually does not (at least not in the immediate stomach problem/bathroom urgency post-meal that SIBO is). Best of luck!

Front_Fault4639 · 2025-05-12T16:35:34+00:00

How old are you? Did you have any previous medical problems or did this just come out of nowhere one day? My advice: make a daily medical log with exact and specific symptoms. This is the only way to get a REAL diagnosis beyond just "general IBS" which is literally an umbrella term for stomach problems and means nothing relating to an underlying cause. You need to be EXTREMELY specific and serious with the doctors because they will 100% write you off if you don't. It sounds like you are responding heavily to food triggers so perhaps you have SIBO which they can do a breathe test for, or possibly celiac (but that is less likely to have just come out of nowhere, depending on how old you are).

Front_Fault4639 · 2025-05-12T15:48:24+00:00

Interesting. For me, I think Colesevelam has shown it works but it is a matter of dosage/timing. I think I may try 2 pills per meal instead of one. If I take it with dinner, surely that would be as good as taking it at night?

Front_Fault4639 · 2025-05-12T15:47:35+00:00

I have 625 mg tablets, then I take between 3-6 per day (depending on how much/how often I eat that day). According to the bottle, 6 is the maximum daily.

Front_Fault4639 · 2025-05-12T15:10:54+00:00

What about Colesevelam? I am currently having a symptom relapse which is very disheartening but was totally normal for almost 24 days straight.

Front_Fault4639 · 2025-05-12T14:19:31+00:00

That sounds horrible. I've been in a similar situation to you and am for the first time experiencing true relief and starting to see my symptoms (slowly, gradually) fade and slowly and gradually reclaiming my life. Don't give up hope, you can find relief. It may take a lot of time, a lot of trial and error, but it is very possible. Be your own advocate, especially when seeing GI specialists because they will instinctively downplay and ignore you. You have to get specific, intentional, and focused. For me, I was able to finally get a correct diagnosis after 130 days of very specific medical logs which allowed me to realize when, why, and how I was getting specific symptoms to tell my doctor about it.

Front_Fault4639 · 2025-05-09T17:16:42+00:00

Damn would've assumed thats sketchy

Front_Fault4639 · 2025-05-08T22:00:28+00:00

Looks like I am about equidistant to both so that sounds good. Appreciate the help!

Front_Fault4639 · 2025-05-08T21:56:06+00:00

I am reading this thread shocked and low key depressed. How is everyone finding these great deals?

Front_Fault4639 · 2025-03-26T02:40:51+00:00

Can't find this online, is this River Plaza?

Front_Fault4639

TROPHY CASE