colon irrigation?

Does it really promote weightloss? Is it dangerous? Has anyone tried it? I'm curious but hesitant. any thoughts?

Sat. Nov 4, 1:34am

I've had a few

In my experience, there was no weight loss benefit. I've had 5 this year and actually stay the same or tick up a pound on the scale the next day. I have no idea why that happens.

Rumor has it that there is a risk that the tube could perforate the colon, but the technicians who've worked with me said that the only way that could happen is if someone was actively trying to hurt you. It only goes in about 2". It takes about 45 minutes, leaves you feeling tired afterwards, and is a little uncomfortable but not painful.

I will continue getting them because (a) there's a history of colon problems in my family, and (b) I've had a long-term problem with hard stools and the usual recommendations didn't work, but colonics have resolved it.

There's a thread full of unhelpful opinions by the intolerant anti-alternative-medicine crowd from a few months back, but search for "colonostic" because the original poster wasn't sure what it was called. I'm sure they'll put in an appearance here at some point.

Saturday, November 04, 2006, 11:39 AM

WARNING: Graphic content about 2 types of colonics coming....

To the 3:03pm poster...

The place I go to is run by a Naturpathic doctor. Before the 4th & 5th colonics (when the really weird stuff comes out) of the 8-colonic detoxification series, I was given psyllium husk powder to mix with fruit juice for a few nights beforehand. This has been such a fantastic regulator of all things bowel-related that I'm thinking of picking some up at the healthfood store this weekend. Apparently it's not your average fiber supplement - it's got some really good 'bonus' properties.

If you have a colonic on a Libbe machine, there's a transparent tube for you to see...stuff. It's not that bad, honest -- 90% of it just looks like plain water. I don't like this machine at all. You're left on your own, it's self-service, and I wonder the whole time if I'm doing it right. Also, you don't expel the water through the tube - you're set up in a special table with a well under you that leads down to the tube.

Now, when you have a more 'active' colonic with a technician doing it, it feels about 10x more effective because the technician massages your stomach or remind you to do it, and they can tell when something is blocking the route and where it probably is. You don't see anything at all during this type. They never directly commented on what they saw, other than to say "try to chew your food 20x before swallowing".

All of the technicians who worked on me were enthusiastic about their work - they tend to be fans of various types of preventative health care, so it can be very informative to hear their take on things like juicing and food combining (it wasn't a sales pitch, thank god).

Saturday, November 04, 2006, 3:29 PM

does anyone know if this can be covered by insurance?

Saturday, November 04, 2006, 3:52 PM

I know it's not in NY, and I suspect that's true for the rest of the US. I don't know about those flexible medical spending plans though. Since those usually cover acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, etc., you might get lucky. I'm self-employed and will be deducting it as a medical expense - I figure if I ever get audited, it might add some entertainment to the experience.

Saturday, November 04, 2006, 4:00 PM

The "colonostic" thread was actually highly informational, with posts from people with all kinds of first-hand experiences. Worth searching up.

Saturday, November 04, 2006, 4:16 PM

I have colitis and definitely have problems with my colon. For the last year I have been drinking 6-8 oz of aloe vera juice, most health stores carry it, and have noticed a huge difference. Now mind you colitis makes the intestines and lower part of the rectum swollen so lots of fiber is important and avoiding certain types of food is a must, varies from person to person, but I have noticed since drinking the juice things jsut seem smoother, if you know what I mean. And cleaning out the colon has no effect on weight loss. Make sure you read real fact studies from reputable places. Don't believe everything you read.

Saturday, November 04, 2006, 4:31 PM

i tried to link to this but it did not happen. someone was looking for some feedback, so i bumped this thread...

Tuesday, January 30, 2007, 12:31 PM

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