I've been eating low fat, balanced meals. I just started taking fish oil gels about 3 days ago. I don't mind taking them but has anyone experienced GI complications while getting used to them? For example, and probably TMI, I got up this morning, needed to have a bowel movement and did so without any trouble, normal consistency and all. Anyway, I proceeded to eat raisin bran and 2% milk for breakfast. I took 3 fish oil caps along with my blood pressure medicine and a baby aspirin. OH MY!, when I got to work I thought I was gonna die. I ran to the bathroom and had diarrhea with a lot of gas. I feel fine now, no more gas, no more diarrhea, just the one instance. My diet has been consistent so I don't think that's it. My thought is I'm not used to eating a lot of fat in my diet and maybe the fish oils were a little much for it since I'm not used to them. Thoughts?

i would say take the fish oil separate from your prescription drugs and/or check with your doctor to make sure it's ok for you to take them while on prescription medication. it could have been too much at once for your stomach.

sounds like your greased the tracks with the fish oil. perhaps take 1 at breakfast, 1 at lunch and 1 at dinner to split it up.

also 2nd what lillian said about the doc.

Yup, Now Nutritions fish oil caps do that to me as well.

I switched it up to their Super EPA caps and I've been fine ever since.

I re-read the research on Omega 3's. It says 1 gram/day is "cardioprotective", 2-4 helps decrease triglycerides and 3 g/day can help with arthritis. Significantly higher doses have shown modest decreases in blood pressure.

So, I'm going to stick with 4 capsules a day for now. That will give me 1.44 mg of Omega 3's. Cardio health is my main concern, my triglycerides are fine and my blood pressure is controlled. So, 1.44g/day is what I'll take for now. Thanks for all the input. Greg

Work up to 4, and divide them in the day. Also try to not take them with the ASA and see how that works out.

Will do, Thanks!

did you eat the flax seed too? that could have sent you running......

glad you did the research too.

and I seccond LV, the Now brand is a bit wiggly,and I get burps from them too. But I also changed- I take Nordic Naturals Omega -3 Purified, 1000 mg X 3.

also just making quick changes to the diet can cause some GI 'distress'.

drastically increasing fiber intake or protein intake will do this to me, so I instead step up my intake over a week or two, and then I have no side effects like toxic gas emissions.

Why do i have the impression it's the combination of the fish oil and the milk you drank that did the trick?

Never thought of that. I don't ever have trouble with milk at all. I'm kind of leaning towards the higher than usual fat content of the meal. Either way, I'll adjust my intake to 4/day, spread throughout the day and see how it works.

No, FF, no flax seed yet. I've had the fish oils for a while (for the dogs coats, boxers, they sure are pretty with smooth, shiny coats). I haven't been to the store to get the flax but I'm still at least considering it.

I may look for a different brand when I run out of these. So many options, so little time.

amen to the increased fiber intake. i started eating Kashi cereals and granola bars a few weeks ago...good god...i was on the toilet more than i was working the first few days.

Probably the combination. I would try not taking it with breakfast, or the ASA as mreik said, and at night. Where, ideally, with the meal would be one composed almost exclusively of protein and fats. For example I usually eat have some meat, some casein, some almonds and some cheese over the last 2-3 meals of the day (the final of which is ~20 minutes before sleeping).Take my ZMA, fish oil (all of it at once) and about 4 "servings" (~15g) of psyllium husk with the last. (Skipping the cheese and almonds because calcium ****blocks the ZMA.)

I've never had any problems at all. But, yet again, crappy oil is crappy.

Let me tell you what I tried. I got up this morning and ate 2 toasts with country crock on them. I took my blood pressure medicine and baby aspirin and came in to work. I just ate a banana and a granola bar for a snack and took two fish oils with it. I'll have a snack this afternoon and take 2 more at that time. Once my body gets used to these 4, I may add another 2 in the evenings. I'll update on my progress later in hopes that someone else can avoid the "issues" I've dealt with the last few days. Take care, Greg

That seems to work well. I repeated the same regimen yesterday without any GI side effects. Hope someone can gain from my experience. Take care, Greg