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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 6/13/2008 9:38 AM (GMT -7)
i haven't started taking probiotics yet but i know i should. i know what probiotics are but i don't know what's on the market.

i don't know what to buy. i'm sure i could find them at any health food store but is one brand better than another? are there a lot of different types? any suggestion?

Posted 6/13/2008 9:43 AM (GMT -7)
I just started to take them a few days ago. I went to GNC and kind of just read lables and checked prices. I ended up with Probiotics acidophilus. It wasn't too expensive, I think $24.00ish. It had 14 billion good bacteria and that sounded like a good big number to me....lol. Good luck with your choice, Bellski
Posted 6/13/2008 10:08 AM (GMT -7)
I started Sustenex a few weeks ago which is made by Digestive Advantage. I guess it's helping. I am in a flare so it's hard to tell.
Posted 6/13/2008 11:07 AM (GMT -7)
I started taking Fiber Smart probiotics and it really helped me for 4 months then I switched to a more potent one called Healthy Trinity by Natren.  Then I got a flare 1 month later so not sure what happened but I was doing GREAT for 5-6 months!
Posted 6/13/2008 11:27 AM (GMT -7)
I take primadophilus reuteri probiotics everyday for my IBD and IBS, it even states on the bottle that it aids with lactose intolerance (which it does because mine was severe) high cholesterol (which it does because I no longer have to take meds for that) and vaginal health for women (which it does because I havn't had a single yeast infection since I started taking it 4ish yrs ago now and that's truly a record for me.

It's made by natures way and only one/day is needed and it's very affordable (in Canada I pay 29.00 for 90 caps) only thing is it must be kept cold (even when you purchase it, it must be in the store's fridge).

:)
Posted 6/13/2008 12:39 PM (GMT -7)
thanks everyone. i think i'll look for primadophilus reuteri. it seems to be a winner with quite a few people on here.
Posted 6/13/2008 1:56 PM (GMT -7)
Creamofrice, if you go to the Nature's Way website and look up Primadophilus Reuteri, they have a feature where you can search for a pharmacy in your area that carries it. If there isn't one, you can order it online.
Posted 6/14/2008 12:14 PM (GMT -7)
that's very helpful, thank you judy
Posted 6/14/2008 9:40 PM (GMT -7)
I started out taking just acidophilus and was not sure of the benifits...I have been taking probotics for about 7 months now but I have been in a flare up since January so I really can not tell they help. They are suppose to aid in puttting back the good bacteria in the stomach and intestines. I went to the GNC and the lady there is really good, I told her about the problems I am having and she has this book that tells what is good for certain things, and she told me that the Kyo-Dophilus is better for people with UC than just acidophilus because it may not cause the bowels to run off....there is a possibility of that with just plain acidophilus. Anyways, it can do no harm, if anything it will do good because it takes out all the bad stuff and resupplies it with the good that is needed. Hope this helps.
Posted 6/16/2008 6:41 AM (GMT -7)
Thought I'd add my 2 cents in here...my daughter suffered from UC, but one vicious flare later, she's got a jpouch now and her surgeon prescribes VSL #3 DS. The DS formula is double strength formula and is often paid for by insurance companies with a doctor's prescription. I wish we'd have known about it before she had her colectomy. We tried probiotics and asked for her GI's help and he was entrenched in the idea that it was "alternative medicine" and he was a "science man" so we were on our own. I was nervous about giving her probiotics because I didn't know how much to give her etc etc...but there are clinical studies now of VSL #3 and it's been shown to put UC into remission. If you are able to get it, I'd build up slowly though because it did take her a while to work up to a full packet. It caused some abdominal discomfort, but once the war was won by the good bacteria, she has a happy gut :)
She's doing great now with her JPouch, and we attribute that to the probiotics maintaining a healthy flora balance.
Best of health to you!
Posted 6/16/2008 8:30 AM (GMT -7)
I think one must create an ideal environment in the gut for the postitive bacteria to thrive. It may be impossible to do during a flare, but we have to try. You just cant be putting bacteria and think they'll live and procreate in a bad gut. They need to do a little dance make a little love and multiply. People should also eat more veggies and whatever those little bugs like to eat.
I recently increased the amount of probitotics and have seen a nice improvement. Less blood so I am excited. I have been taking probiotics for a long time, but now am thinking the more the better.
Posted 6/16/2008 11:36 AM (GMT -7)
There is a school of thought that some folks don't respond well to probiotics until they've got the worst of the bleeding and inflammation under control. You have to experiment and see. In the book, Listen to Your Gut, Natren's non-dairy Bifido Factor powder is the gentlest one suggested to try first. And it should be started at a low dose and work up to a full dose.
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