Alice E. Thilges
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                        
                        
                        It will take some time to normalize  your bowels, but begin with taking Flax  Oil Capsules from Health Food Store  --recommend good grade of cold pressed  oil, which must be refrigerated after  opening.  Flax Oil is very high in  Omega 3 oil & will not only be a good  nutrient but a mild laxative effect. I  take 2 capsules a day. Also, add to that  Dr. Julia Whittaker's reccomendation of  2 parts psyllium powder with 1 part  each of oat bran and flax seed meal. I  purchase flax seeds and grind them in  a little coffee grinder--the oat bran  can be bought already ground and is  cheap. I take 1 teaspoon with each  meal. This will retrain your bowels  to eliminate need for laxatives, etc.,  and you won't have pain unless you  have developed hemmrhoids from all  the constipation.  Good soluble fibre  is one of the main requirements for  IBS. Also helpful if you eat only  whole grain breads and pastas, and  plenty of green veggies and fruit. Diet  is the key!!!! After years of doctors  not telling me all of this I found it  in Dr. Whitaker's Guide to Natural  Healing---one of most helpful books I  have ever read or bought on this and  many other subjects. WalMart has their  own brand of Psyllium Powder without  aspartame in it and I use that with  the oat bran and flax seed meal.  I make  a quart at a time and keep it refriger-  ated and it lasts a long time. Good luck. Your problmen need not be so painful.