Colpermin IBS Relief Peppermint Oil Capsules Review - It's a Yes From Me!

Who knew a simple vegetable stir-fry could cause pain and discomfort? Well, most IBS sufferers should know, and I am now officially the latest addition to that lot of unfortunate people...

The quite tasty culprit!

I had the unexpected ‘pleasure’ of finding out such horrors the other night. A small, quick and simple stir-fry triggered the worst IBS attack I’ve ever experienced, and I’ve had merciless episodes before. Within half an hour after eating, I starting having abdominal cramps so severe that I had difficulty breathing. Bloating, my worst enemy, then joined the party. I looked in the mirror where I saw a pregnant woman, but not the usual gangly hospital on wheels. I then proceeded to enter a state of feeling as if I was just about to be sick, but simultaneously feeling physically unable to throw up. The only way I can describe the feeling is that it felt as though that darned stir-fry has just stuck in my stomach. As if it had, on its own wicked accord, or in cooperation with the universe, decided to just stay there, stagnant and heavy, to play some sort of cruel prank on me. (Not funny, universe, not funny...)

Like so many IBS sufferers, peppermint tea is my go-to remedy, but during this attack I felt too nauseous and gastroenterologically (is that even a word?) unstable to tolerate tea. It would have screwed me up badly, and could only think of consuming something in the form of a pill. So an evening spent on the couch with hot water bottles and deep breathing seemed to be the only viable option. After cuddling hot water bottles for about an hour that seemed like an eternity, I decided to make an emergency late-night trip to Boots in true IBS fashion. Straddling hot water bottles under my jumper and placing a bucket in the passenger seat, I set off for Boots.

Boots offer a range of digestive remedies. However, being a cynic, I stay away from about 80% of these products. Of course, any relatively sane person suffering from acute cramps and severe nausea would have no problem with swallowing any pill that promises a ‘fast relief from cramps’ and other wondrous wonders. But I have read too much about many of these remedies that I have lost faith in them. And, I believe that when you lack faith in a drug, it seems pretty pointless to take it. (There have been multiple studies on the placebo effect and similar effects, and how lacking faith in a drug minimises its effectiveness. Interesting!)

An empathetic customer assistant approached me hurriedly and offered her help. I told her I needed IBS relief, and fast, but nothing too extreme as my gut (and mind, probably) is sensitive to new drugs. She said that she too was an IBS sufferer and recommended Colpermin, which is essentially peppermint oil in a capsule, or just about as innocent as it gets. And for you scrutinising folks out there, here is the complete list of ingredients: 
The active ingredient is Peppermint Oil BP 0.2.

Other ingredients: Gelatin, colloidal silica, titanium dioxide (E171), indigotine (E132), Eudragit L, Eudragit S, triethyl citrate, ammonia, monostearin, polyethelyneglycol 4000, talc, purified water, beeswax, refined arachis (peanut) oil.

Colpermin proved to be the perfect remedy for me that night. I popped one as soon as I got back home, and immediately felt better! It relaxes the stomach muscles, and has a general relaxing effect. There are absolutely no side effects whatsoever. And it is merely peppermint oil. Simple, isn’t it? And yet so astoundingly effective!

With the added stress of being a student, December was a particularly hard month to pass. (Haha. I tried to make an IBS pun. Did it work?) This academic year, my gas has contaminated many a lecture hall and disgusted many a student, but now that I finally have a viable short-term solution on my hands, I don’t hesitate to pop a Colpermin before a long lecture or exam. For the first time in months, I can eat a breakfast consisting of fruit (which is usually my main gas-trigger) and not pass a myriad of silent-but-deadly wind before noon!

Colpermin is by no means a long-term solution, and it won’t work the same for everyone. But I can confirm that it works wonders for me in situations where gas is a big no-no. Just make sure not to take it immediately after eating, and don’t take more than six capsules per day. But so long as you follow these guidelines, you should feel wonderful, and most of all, symptom-free!

I would love to hear your thoughts on Colpermin in the comments! 

Smell ya later!

- Gorgeous Gut