Anyone have problems with probiotics

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stickersteve

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Nov 17, 2013
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I keep thinking that I am supposed to be taking probiotics. I have tried cheaper ones and more expensive ones. I am starting to wonder though if they are actually making my cramping and bloating worse. I know of course the simple thing is to just stop them for a while and see what happens, which I am going to do today, but I wanted to see if anyone really has problems with them and if they are worth taking with crohns.
 
My doc recommended them. I tried several different kinds, including Activia. Every type I tried gave me horrible gas, cramping, bloating, and diarrhea. The doc said that some people can control symptoms with just probiotics, but about 20% of Crohn's patient can't tolerate them.
 
I tried probiotics once and seemed to have problems with them so I stopped taking them. They don't suit everyone.
 
Probiotics don't do good things to me either. Particularly when coupled with dairy, as in yogurt. The combo of dairy + probiotics can give me horrendous pain and sometimes even bleeding (I'm not usually a bleeder) - Greek yogurt once put me in pain for days! I think probiotics made my GERD symptoms worse for awhile, too.
 
I have tried probiotics quite a few times, and each time they end up doing nothing or making me worse. Cramping, bloating, nausea, pain, GAS!!!! I've decided that I just don't think probiotics are worth it for me.
 
I had the same problems as everyone else with the probiotics. One night I was doing my Crohn's research and came across a probiotic called Emuaid. I read the testimonials and decided to give it a shot. It works great! It even helped control some of my symptoms. I am happy with it.:) check it out and give it a try.. as far as I know, it can only be purchased on line.

Also had my GI check it out and she said it was perfectly safe and if it helps..to keep using it.

Hope this helps :)
 
I was on prescription probiotics VSL#3. They seemed to help for about two weeks and then I saw no benefit. I had a ton of bloating, but no additional cramping.

Some people get great benefit, while others none at all.
 
2thFairy said:
I was on prescription probiotics VSL#3. They seemed to help for about two weeks and then I saw no benefit. I had a ton of bloating, but no additional cramping.

Some people get great benefit, while others none at all.
Click to expand...

I am on regular VSL-3. Right now, I am having some gloating but don't know if it is because I am overdue on Remicade or if the probiotic is failing?

2
 
Bloating is the most common side effect with any probiotic. It is somewhat an expected side effect and does not necessarily mean it is failing.
 
Two days ago it was 70 degrees. Now we are completely iced in and haven't left the house at all since Thursday night. It's freakin' cold!!!
 
i took probiotics and it bugged me too. during cramps it just made things worse. not sure about vsl, i have heard good things. have not heard of Emuaid either.

we must remember, that there are MANY types of bacteria inside our bodies and the probiotics we take may not necessarily be helping in the area we lack. that balance between good and bad bacteria is a virtual mystery to medical science and is different in each of us. i suspect there is a commonality, though, in the bacterial profile for sufferers of crohn's, ibd etc. there is actually a youtube video that shows the sophistication of one clinic that takes the gut flora profile of those infected with crohn's and tries to match it with donors that specifically contain the bacteria they are missing. the video refers to FMT but it also places emphasis on the different makeup of your imbalanced flora.

food for thought.
 
My GI said to expect some side effects for the first 30 days on a probiotic. Bloating and gas mainly.

How long have you been trying them?
 
I've taken a probiotic for several years and it has helped a lot. Sure, I still have problems, but things are better. For one, I seem to recover from flares faster.

But I have UC, not Crohn's; maybe that's part of the difference.
 
Sticker have you consistently taken one brand of probiotics? Its normal to experience cramping, bloating, gas as your gut flora is being altered but it should subside after a while. For some its a few days and for me it takes about 2 weeks to subside.
 
stickersteve , the best probiotic is a fecal microbiota transplant to restore the bacteria that we are missing that cannot be purchased yet in the store, it may have cured UC-http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=52400-
 
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