What health benefits are from taking daily metamucal?

I have noted on this site before about my experience with such a medication/food additive/supplement.
Your bowel fills up from top to bottom, and your stomach does not mix all foods together in one mass for digestion. The bowl fills up, one bite at a time, from top to bottom. So when you take all of the metamucal (?) all at once, it will occupy only a section of the bowl (or “poo train*,” if you prefer) and not the whole thing*, which would be more advantageous.
Better to take some of the additive throughout the day, a little with each meal, until you acquire the amount prescribed . This is also a good reason to eat more fiber.
(The average adult eats less than 12 grams of fiber a day. The amount one should get is between 20 and 30 grams. Eating more fiber throughout the day will help with IBS.))

Metamucil will help soften your poo which will make it pass easier through your intestinal tract. Is it working? I dunno. How have your IBS flare ups been since you started using it?

@seawulf575 I don’t know. Over two years my intestinal pain is reduced, but I don’t know if it is from the metamucal, or diet change?

This is a question for your doctor and/or pharmacist, it seems to me.

Ask your doctor – you can and should talk to them about anything.

I take it at the suggestion of my diabetes doctor who said it helps keep blood sugar in check.

It doesn’t do well for me. I think you have to drink a lot of water when you take it too. Have you tried Miralax? Ask your doctor if you can try it instead. You have to take it 2–3 days before you start to see a difference. I suggest starting with a slightly lower dose than suggested and see if it is helping after 3–4 days. Then you can adjust up or down. Ask your doctor though, he knows all of your other medications too and how they might interact.

If it helps your symptoms then it’s helping you.

While I agree that a physician with an understanding of your history would be the best person to ask, I do have a comment.
IBS can be linked to stress/anxiety. In theory, if you can help your anxiety level you can help your IBS symptoms…

I don’t mean to suggest that fiber intake can get replaced with meditation. Just that attacking problems from multiple angles is not a bad strategy…

My friend with IBS had frequent bathroom emergencies so if you aren’t having those, I’d stick with it. It was very disruptive and enbarassing for him, not to mention uncomfortable. He also is diabetic.