Levsin/Hyoscyamine users

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jjglad
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Levsin/Hyoscyamine users

Postby jjglad » Wed May 11, 2016 8:23 am

Sorry, it is me again. :( I am going to have to pick one of these meds and stick with it...I am NOT eating enough to combat the RR visits/cramping and so I am growing weaker by the day. These antispasmotics really make me feel weird, but I have not tried Levsin yet. They gave me the generic (hyoscyamine) so I am hoping it will not cause me so many side effects?! I am sorry for all of my topics lately. Just trying to get to a point where I can halfway eat and function better.

My main question for those that have used Levsin/hyoscyamine...did you have any side effects at first and then they subsided with time or ??
All the others I have tried...bentyl, viberzi, lomotil cause me to feel woozy, vision issues, etc. They work, but the lack of eating and my horrible system are not helping me gain any strength and I would imagine are not helping the side effects of the meds as my system is so empty!

Just figured I would try Levsin next as it is the one I have tried yet...just need to pick one and stick with it. Hoping that if there is side effects that it will subside with time??

thank you all so very much! Sorry I have taken so much time from everyone lately.

georgina
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Re: Levsin/Hyoscyamine users

Postby georgina » Wed May 11, 2016 9:02 am

Like all anticholinergics: dry mouth, dry nose, dry eyes, dry everything,pupils dilate to the point at which you lose your near vision.Along with the dry part, you don't sweat, so your body temp rises.Severity and frequency of adverse effects are dose related and individual intolerance varies.

NanciT
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Re: Levsin/Hyoscyamine users

Postby NanciT » Wed May 11, 2016 9:35 am

I agree with Georgina. Levsin has been around for years and prescribed by many GI's for IBS. From my experience, most patients complain of dry mouth. I have used it on and off for Post IBS CDIFF for 2 years. I have had dry mouth when taking 3/day. If I cut it down to 1 I have no symptoms. That is the only symptoms I have had and the main complaint I have heard. It can be cut in half and a small dose can be tried, that is probably why it is prescribed a lot.
NanciT

jjglad
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Re: Levsin/Hyoscyamine users

Postby jjglad » Wed May 11, 2016 3:39 pm

How many levsin did you take in your early recovery? I think the Rx says 1-2 every six hours. That seems like alot. Just wondering how many you took to get through a day?? I assume with time I will be able to take less and less? ? Here's hoping anyway.

NanciT
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Re: Levsin/Hyoscyamine users

Postby NanciT » Wed May 11, 2016 8:03 pm

I took Levsin 3/day at the height of my CIDFF and Post IBS I started again. I slowly cut it back to none after about 3 months.
It helped me a great deal and I still have an off day I will take one.
NanciT

jjglad
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Re: Levsin/Hyoscyamine users

Postby jjglad » Thu May 12, 2016 4:48 am

Thank you nanci! I was wondering though. ..did 3 a day make you constipated at all? I tried 2 yesterday (first day) and it is formed, but certainly still soft. Yellowish brown color too. Anything "normal " about this on levsin or am I beyond help anymore?

NanciT
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Re: Levsin/Hyoscyamine users

Postby NanciT » Thu May 12, 2016 2:11 pm

jj

I did not have a problem with C, but it does slow things down. I was having terrible spasms which finally went away. I slowly cut it back and now use it once in awhile. It works quickly, if I eat the wrong thing and get IBS, I will take one and it works fast
NanciT

Ril
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Re: Levsin/Hyoscyamine users

Postby Ril » Thu May 12, 2016 4:40 pm

You might want to talk to the dr about LEVBID
It is the longer acting version that you take every 12 hrs
That's what I have taken on and off for years (the generic version)

NanciT
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Re: Levsin/Hyoscyamine users

Postby NanciT » Thu May 12, 2016 8:15 pm

My daughter has been taking Levbid for the last few years for IBS, she has no symptoms from it and it has helped her a great deal.
NanciT

jjglad
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Re: Levsin/Hyoscyamine users

Postby jjglad » Thu May 12, 2016 9:05 pm

Thank you all for the info! I will ask abut Levbid if the Levsin starts to be too much in a day. It would be nice for it to last longer,but I have only been taking 2 a day so far...one in the AM and one in the PM. It does not cause me any side effects so that has been nice since all the others have! Still taking 2 Imodium a day with it though to keep things "decent".

Thank you!!

Ril
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Re: Levsin/Hyoscyamine users

Postby Ril » Thu May 12, 2016 9:43 pm

If you continue to need Imodium regularly along with levsin, you might want to ask the dr about Enteragam, a medical food that works well for IBS-D, instead of regularly using Imodium.

jjglad
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Re: Levsin/Hyoscyamine users

Postby jjglad » Fri May 13, 2016 7:49 am

I used Enteragam early on during my Cdiff battle, but an allergy test showed that I have a sensitivity to beef, so taking that was not helping me at all. :(

Ril
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Re: Levsin/Hyoscyamine users

Postby Ril » Fri May 13, 2016 9:08 am

Before Enteragam a medication called Questran (cholestyramine) was used. It is also a powdered drink -bile salts- that works with a different mechanism but does much the same thing as Enteragam. I used that during c diff recovery and for PI IBS. You might want to ask your dr about it.
Rita

amyc
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Re: Levsin/Hyoscyamine users

Postby amyc » Mon May 16, 2016 10:21 pm

I take a tablet form of the questran and it works great for me. They are 1 gram tablets so swallowing them can be difficult. If the levsin has bothersome side effects you can try benedryl or 2 Claritin. It sounds crazy but post infectious IBS is often caused by your mast cells being hyper-active and de granulating for no reason. They dump large amounts of histamine, which causes D, bladder irritation and anxiety.

The "questran" pills are called micronized colestipol hcl and they are really cheap. The only side effect I have is lower cholesterol and triglycerides, which made my primary care doctor happy :)


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