NMM: Anyone take probiotics?

[Deleted]

What kind do you take? What symptoms did you have? How have they been alleviated?

My gastro gave me some samples today. She thinks I have IBS, and she said the probiotics might make me feel worse for a bit before they make me feel better. Awesome.

She also became the fourth doctor to tell me I need a new job. Preaching to the choir, lady, preaching to the choir.

[mellie35]

I take this:

www.inner-eco.com/

I originally started taking a different kind when I started having issues with yeast infections. When I first started taking them, I started to feel a lot better and lighter. I never realized how bloated I was all the time. With the probiotics and changing my diet, I feel a lot better.

I think you should try them. You have nothing to lose.

[Deleted]

mellie, how did you change your diet? I am trying to make dietary changes, but so far, I haven't detected any pattern to what causes problems.

Sometimes I'm fine, and sometimes I look 5 months pregnant.

[mellie35]

Initially, I tried to cut down on the yeast by eating less carbs and sugars. I was eating way too many processed foods. I try to avoid the artificial sweeteners and preservatives whenever I can. Even the bread I was eating had high fructose corn syrup in it. I just really started reading the labels on everything.

I also cut out soda and don't eat very much dairy.

I would really start keeping track of what you eat and note when you feel bad.

But, like I said, I really felt better a week or two into the probiotics. I did not think I would experience that.

[rikki]

I drink Good Belly every morning. It makes me less boated and my stomach feels better in general.

[steph96]

I started taking the Phillips Colon Health and it has really helped me become more regular. I hardly ever experience bloating anymore and it just makes me feel better.

[zelda25]

May 18, 2012 11:31:33 GMT -5 v said:

I take Acidophilus Pearls. I love them. They just make my tummy feel better overall, but also help with bloating.

I take these, too (when I'm not being lazy about it), and they do help me feel better. I bought a box of some other brand at Costco and felt horrible when I took them. I also eat yogurt every day, so there might be some overkill there.

I do probiotics because I'm prone to diverticulitis and I feel liket he probiotics help things, uh, "move along" better.

[ecupirate04]

No.

[froggy76]

I just started a couple days ago. I have a really bad cold/cough, and the doctor gave me an antibiotic and also told me to pick up a probiotic. So, I can't say yet if it's helping or not.

I picked it up at Target- Nature's Choice or something.

[heliocentric]

I've been taking them for years. I get regular UTIs and take these to help replenish to good bacteria that the antibiotics kill.
I also eat lots of yogurt (preferable homemade).

[DarcyLongfellow]

I've taken them for a few years, and I notice a huge difference when I don't take them. I take them to prevent yeast infections -- I take extra when I'm on antibiotics, but I need them regularly.

DH takes them for stomach issues. He has a lot of digestion issues, and he says feels awful if he doesn't take them.

I used to buy Florastor (behind the pharmacy counter) because that's what my doctor recommended. It's pricey (around $1 a pill), but easy to find. Now I buy something from my local health food store -- it's kept refrigerated (even during shipping), which the employees there assure me makes a big difference. It's also much cheaper than the Florastor (around $20 for 50 pills).

[MrsManners]

Since eating paleo I don't need them except when I travel abroad because I always get the shits. I take Align as needed. It's spendy but good.

[lmb5109]

I've been taking these for years for my Crohn's (IBD), 13 billion from the Vitamin Shoppe.

My GI doc gave me a RX for a probiotic with like 50 billion. It was a powder and worked pretty well, but it was expensive as hell so I switched to these.

www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=VS-2164

[jenn248]

DH took them for a while for his IBD. I don't think he found they made a significant difference for him; however, he's been on steroids and other drugs for years for colitis, so I imagine they just weren't quite strong enough to help him. I'd say it's worth a shot.

[starlily]

Is there any way to turn all these doctors' opinions about needing a new job into a worker's comp claim or a medical stress leave? I know a couple people in my office have done so, but I do work with some stereotypical govt employee types.

[Deleted]

May 18, 2012 15:12:45 GMT -5 MrsManners said:

Since eating paleo I don't need them except when I travel abroad because I always get the shits. I take Align as needed. It's spendy but good.

She gave me Align. We'll see how this goes.

I'm not sure how well doing paleo would work for me because I'm supposed to make sure I'm not eating too much fiber and particularly watch my raw veggie intake (i.e., no big salads for lunch).

LOL at starlilly. I wish!

[IIOY]

I think you know my story, but Culturelle, at the recommendation of a doctor at Emory. I can't be 100% certain, but I am think it may have helped to rid me of my reflux. FWIW, I no longer have to take it and feel fine.

The nice thing about probiotics is that they can't hurt, so there is zero risk in taking them aside from the hit to your wallet.

[Deleted]

May 18, 2012 17:00:34 GMT -5 IIOY said:

The nice thing about probiotics is that they can't hurt, so there is zero risk in taking them aside from the hit to your wallet.

The nice thing is that my PA gave me 3 weeks' worth of samples. If these don't work, we might try a different kind. I hope they are prescription because my pinko commie prescription coverage is awesome.

[mrs.spunky]

May 18, 2012 16:56:23 GMT -5 starlily said:

Is there any way to turn all these doctors' opinions about needing a new job into a worker's comp claim or a medical stress leave? I know a couple people in my office have done so, but I do work with some stereotypical govt employee types.

When my mom worked for Verizon, people went out on medical leave for stress all.the.time. They got 12-13 weeks paid. There were repeat offenders who did this every year/every other year, especially in the summer.
DH had one woman in his office do so recently as well. She took leave (I think some of it was paid) when she had a breakdown in their office over coverage that day. FWIW, if you are out, your work gets distributed to your team. 100% of the work has to be done that particular day, no waiting til you return. This person had had like a week where she had to cover 1/4-1/5 of 2 people's work each day, due to their absence. When she got that day's notice that she had coverage, she freaked out, and left. With 2 or 3 people out on mat leave, another out on extended leave after his father passed away, and regular vacation scheduling for the rest of the team *everyone* has to do extra work, plus now her work.

[rex]

May 18, 2012 16:58:57 GMT -5 @angryharpy said:

May 18, 2012 15:12:45 GMT -5 MrsManners said:

Since eating paleo I don't need them except when I travel abroad because I always get the shits. I take Align as needed. It's spendy but good.

She gave me Align. We'll see how this goes.

I'm not sure how well doing paleo would work for me because I'm supposed to make sure I'm not eating too much fiber and particularly watch my raw veggie intake (i.e., no big salads for lunch).

LOL at starlilly. I wish!

I really think you should look into it. My aunt's job made her intensely anxious and depressed. She took a 12 week paid leave. In that time she spent as much time as possible job hunting and found a new job that she loves and doesn't make her have health problems.

It's something to consider.

[starlily]

We have a couple repeat offenders at my office too, which is how I learned about it. They are file clerks. Alphabetizing is apparently a lot harder than one would expect.

[barefootcontessa]

When my son was two, a doctor recommended biopsying his small intestine to see if he had celiac. I took him for a second opinion, doctor recommended probiotics and within a week, all his GI were gone. Big fan here.

[IIOY]

May 18, 2012 17:45:45 GMT -5 barefootcontessa said:

When my son was two, a doctor recommended biopsying his small intestine to see if he had celiac. I took him for a second opinion, doctor recommended probiotics and within a week, all his GI were gone. Big fan here.

I don't follow all, or even most, of it, but there is a whole body of emerging research about the importance of the GI track in a host of health issues that don't necessarily seem related to digestion. It actually is pretty fascinating.

[Deleted]

Yes, for IBS-C.

I tried Align for 2 weeks and I'm now trying 4X Pro-B, week #1. I guess things are better but I'd still like to find one that works even better for me. So I'll probably use this up and then move on to the next. The true test will be when I travel..that's when I have the most problems.

I eat yogurt every day but that has never been enough on its own and not really why I eat it; just love it.

[Deleted]

I don't think worker's comp/ stress leave is a possibility. I have no doubt they'd manufacture performance problems and fire me.

[thedutchgirl]

I take Garden of Life Raw probiotics. My brother runs a health foods store and assures me the raw helps more because they are more active. They are the kind that needs to be refrigerated.
www.gardenoflife.com/ProductsforLife/RAWDIGESTION/RAWProbioticsWomen/tabid/2015/Default.aspx

[Deleted]

Thanks, everybody! I am supposed to take these for 3 weeks and then follow up with the PA. In the meantime, I have convinced myself that in addition to IBS, I have ovarian cysts, colon cancer, diverticulitis, and appendicitis.

This is why dr.harpy does not like me to Google symptoms.