Probiotics, "Gets worse before it gets better" thing...

[InstantCoffee]

So they say sometimes when you take probiotics, while your gut flora is rebalancing you get worsening of symptoms (diarrhea etc.) before it gets better.

How do I know if I'm just reacting to the probiotics or ingredients in it or if I should stick it out in the hopes that it goes away?

Cause right now this diarrhea and cramps is pretty uncool.

 

[wild_one353]

In my experiance not all probiotics are beneficial in crohn's. But if you what you are taking is having a beneficial effect, your symptoms may increase and then slowly decrease in a short period of time, due to pathogens dieing off. so it will be an up/down trend, but if its just an up/up trend with no gradual down, then you are just getting worse, and you should discontinue. id say after 5-7 days you should have your answer.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

You should balance out in a few days. If you continue having issues that strain may not be right for you. Certain probiotics always give me diarrhea no matter how long I take them.

 

[JenS]

Same here. I've been sick for six weeks--- GI bleed, allergies and sinus infection. All the steroids and antibiotics have killed my gut. I'm trying to take probiotics -- but yes someday a I feel worse!

 

[hugh]

SCD recommends avoiding probiotics with bifidus .....

"Before we get into the good stuff we have to touch on Bifidobacteria. It’s a hot topic in the SCD community for the reason that it can “take over” and cause health problems in some cases.
It is a beneficial bacteria, but the problem is, it’s just not a good neighbor at times. So, sometimes it can overgrow in and of itself.
So just to be on the safe side we usually recommend avoiding it in the beginning of the healing journey, but later on it can really help…"
http://scdlifestyle.com/2011/08/scd-probiotics-what-you-really-need-to-know/

" "The VSL#3 is illegal and I certainly don't recommend it.
I've consulted with a few people who have gone into massive flares after trying the VSL#3. Also I know lots who have had major problems with bifidum bacteria (especially when on SCD).
Perhaps it is because the SCD clears out the harmful microbes and bifidum takes over, overgrowing into huge numbers. The by-products of bifidum bacteria could be what sends people into flares - "
http://www.pecanbread.com/p/probiotics1.html

 

[Naturelover]

So they say sometimes when you take probiotics, while your gut flora is rebalancing you get worsening of symptoms (diarrhea etc.) before it gets better.

How do I know if I'm just reacting to the probiotics or ingredients in it or if I should stick it out in the hopes that it goes away?

Cause right now this diarrhea and cramps is pretty uncool.

Make sure your probiotics are gluten free. Gluten is notorious for causing inflammation in the body. If the probiotics are made in a factory that also produces products containing gluten, there could be cross contamination to the probiotics. The probiotics must have gluten free on the lable.

 

[InstantCoffee]

Make sure your probiotics are gluten free. Gluten is notorious for causing inflammation in the body. If the probiotics are made in a factory that also produces products containing gluten, there could be cross contamination to the probiotics. The probiotics must have gluten free on the lable.

Thanks, I'm very careful about that though because my reactions to gluten are extreme, but specific, so I can say with certainty it's not gluten because it lacks the heartburn.

In fact I believe that it was a sudden onset of a trigger food - one I've been eating safe daily for over 3 years.

I could be wrong but I've set my sights on Garlic as the trigger, and it's only really seemed to get dramatically bad since I started taking probiotics. It might be unrelated but I'm not sure.

I've seasoned my food with garlic as a base on almost everything I eat for 3 years, through some of my best and worst times, and it's NEVER effected me.

Here I am at 2 am today throwing up and on the toilet because I had some cuts of meat with a bit of salt and garlic on them cooked in butter. IDK odd coincidence maybe?

SCD recommends avoiding probiotics with bifidus .....

"Before we get into the good stuff we have to touch on Bifidobacteria. It’s a hot topic in the SCD community for the reason that it can “take over” and cause health problems in some cases.
It is a beneficial bacteria, but the problem is, it’s just not a good neighbor at times. So, sometimes it can overgrow in and of itself.
So just to be on the safe side we usually recommend avoiding it in the beginning of the healing journey, but later on it can really help…"
http://scdlifestyle.com/2011/08/scd-probiotics-what-you-really-need-to-know/

" "The VSL#3 is illegal and I certainly don't recommend it.
I've consulted with a few people who have gone into massive flares after trying the VSL#3. Also I know lots who have had major problems with bifidum bacteria (especially when on SCD).
Perhaps it is because the SCD clears out the harmful microbes and bifidum takes over, overgrowing into huge numbers. The by-products of bifidum bacteria could be what sends people into flares - "
http://www.pecanbread.com/p/probiotics1.html

I wish I'd read this before I spent $40 on one containing bifidum yesterday morning because I had a coupon. I haven't been able to find a lot of specific info regarding good / bad strains for CD. All you see is acidophilus this and that.

 

[hugh]

I wish I'd read this before I spent $40 on one containing bifidum yesterday morning because I had a coupon. I haven't been able to find a lot of specific info regarding good / bad strains for CD. All you see is acidophilus this and that.[/QUOTE]

save it for later, once you have built up a healthier microbiome.........

Have you looked at making your own probiotic foods,
Much larger numbers of a wider variety of bacteria for a lower price...........

 

[InstantCoffee]

I wish I'd read this before I spent $40 on one containing bifidum yesterday morning because I had a coupon. I haven't been able to find a lot of specific info regarding good / bad strains for CD. All you see is acidophilus this and that.

save it for later, once you have built up a healthier microbiome.........

Have you looked at making your own probiotic foods,
Much larger numbers of a wider variety of bacteria for a lower price...........

I made sauerkraut once, but it didn't seem to do much and I just... didn't enjoy it at all. I was surprised however at my ability to digest cabbage. I usually have trouble with fiber.

I actually went lactose intolerant a few months ago and bought store-brand kefir and my lactose intolerance went away. Prior to that I was a huge probiotic naysayer, and refused to throw away money on them. It's really changed my outlook.

I've heard about making your own kombucha, yogurt or kefir but never tried it. Kombucha because certain teas trigger me and I've just been lazy about the amount of effort yogurt takes with proper heating and stuff.

 

[Fiera]

Hi Instant Coffee,
It works well for my son 4 years old. A sachet per day help him to reduce the watery stool. But frankly, it didn't immediately show any improvement during the early stage. We cut some food he love like potato. No broccoli or cauliflower. and no no no meat (lamb/beef) too. It cause a hell for my son's health. good luck yeah! :ysmile: :ysmile: :ysmile:

 

[wild_one353]

SCD recommends avoiding probiotics with bifidus .....

"Before we get into the good stuff we have to touch on Bifidobacteria. It’s a hot topic in the SCD community for the reason that it can “take over” and cause health problems in some cases.
It is a beneficial bacteria, but the problem is, it’s just not a good neighbor at times. So, sometimes it can overgrow in and of itself.
So just to be on the safe side we usually recommend avoiding it in the beginning of the healing journey, but later on it can really help…"
http://scdlifestyle.com/2011/08/scd-probiotics-what-you-really-need-to-know/

" "The VSL#3 is illegal and I certainly don't recommend it.
I've consulted with a few people who have gone into massive flares after trying the VSL#3. Also I know lots who have had major problems with bifidum bacteria (especially when on SCD).
Perhaps it is because the SCD clears out the harmful microbes and bifidum takes over, overgrowing into huge numbers. The by-products of bifidum bacteria could be what sends people into flares - "
http://www.pecanbread.com/p/probiotics1.html

I do remember reading something similar in the book breaking the vicious cycle. i made yogurt using a starter using lifeway kefir as a starter because it had so many different strains which i reasoned would or might be better then just one strain, but i experienced negative effects on body and mind. then i tried just a storebought plain yogurt with traditional yogurt strains like l. acidophilis and had much better effects on my brain function my anxiety was lower, but didnt verify any benefits for stool characteristics. I only did these experiemnt for about one week each as i still had issues with lactose in the yogurt which ultimatly led me to discontinue both types of yogurt. i have yet to make homemade yogurt with JUST traditional yogurt strains though as described in breaking the vicious cycle, chances are good but not yet certain to me, that the authors recomendations are sound.

 

[Basmah]

Up until today, I started off with 5 billion of S.boullardi, and then went up to 10 billion. My brand only has 2 strains, so I found MegaFood has their own probiotic line (I love their products). It's 20billion, and I am planning to take it alongside the S.boullardi. Just wondering how long do you all take a certain dosage before you increase it?

 

[qiaraau]

I believe it takes a week or so but that depends on how your body cope with the rebalancing. You can decide yourself if you need to change your strains or your brand depending on what changes you've felt after days of taking your current brand. Surely, probiotics are a good help for gut health.

 

[cmack]

VSL#3 is what helped me. It was recommended by my doc. You get it ordered from the drug store, it has to stay chilled to remain alive. Probiotics usually die off (lowering the effectiveness) if stored outside a fridge in my experience.