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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 5/29/2009 9:32 PM (GMT 0)
Anyone on it?  I started taking it a few days ago with my new med Apriso.  I think I like this combo.
Posted 5/29/2009 9:32 PM (GMT 0)
I am :) I can't believe how much it's helped me. I tried a variety of other probiotics, but Align is the one that showed really great improvement.
Posted 5/30/2009 3:15 AM (GMT 0)
I'm taking it, too. My main complaint now is ankle swelling and jaw pain. My stomach is doing well, which I think may be in part to Align. I'm going to continue taking it.
Posted 5/30/2009 6:11 AM (GMT 0)
I didn't want to spend the $30 so husband and I chose the $12 Colon Health by Phillips and it helped quite a bit, though I was gassy for half of the 24hr period.  I started taking a capsule every 12hrs and things are much better.

I also take 2 Immodium caplets 12hrs apart and give myself MTX injections once/week.  Hyoscamine as an antispasmodic for my intestines.

Do you take the Align once/daily, or every 12hrs?  I may have to give it a try...

heidi

Posted 5/30/2009 2:25 PM (GMT 0)
I AM VERY NEW...TO THE FORUM, NOT THE DISEASE. HAD SOME FORM OF THIS DISEASE I BELIEVE SINCE 2001. ANYHOW, WHAT IS ALIGN? I AM FORCED TO DEAL WITH THIS DISEASE WITHOUT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL (ITS A LONG STORY). AND SO I AM LOOKING TO A HOLLISTIC APPROACH. BUT SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE...I AM SUFFERING IN WAYS THAT ONLY YOU ALL COULD UNDERSTAND. IS ALIGN OTC? I JUST YESTERDAY BOUGHT OMEGA 3-6-9 AND CHEWABLE FIBER SUPPLEMENTS WITH ADDED CALCIUM PLUS D. I ALSO TAKE PRILOSEC 20MG IN AM, THINKING OF BUMPING THAT UP TO TWICE DAILY, AND HAVE DECIDED THAT PEPTO BISMOL WILL NOW, ONCE AGAIN, BE MY BEST FRIEND. THIS DISEASE IS SO WEIRD. I USED TO HAVE THESE BOUTS OF CONSTIPATION, THEN DIARRHEA, THEN C THEN D, AND SO ON. AND NOW FOR THE LAST 4 WEEKS, NOTHING BUT CONSTANT DIARRHEA. I ONLY EAT ONE MEAL A DAY, IN THE EVENING IF I AM WORKING, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO RISK AN "EPISODE" AT WORK FROM EATING. I ALSO HEAR PEOPLE SPEAK OF REMISSION...IS THAT FOR REAL? COULD THAT REALLY HAPPEN? PLEASE HELP ME IF YOU CAN WITH ANY ADVICE ON OTC'S I SHOULD BE TAKING OR REGIMENS OR FOODS I SHOULD BE PARTICIPATING IN. GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU.

Posted 6/1/2009 2:52 PM (GMT 0)

I take Align once a day.  It's OTC.  I really think it helps.  I do have a headache from the Apriso though and only excedrine kicks it.  I know I should take tylenol but it's not doing the job.

On another note, I think I can stop the antibiotics now.  The Align seems to have the right combo of pro-biotics.

Posted 6/1/2009 3:29 PM (GMT 0)
I am taking Align. All of the probiotics I tried before had really not done anything or made things worse. This one actually made things better. But in the last month or two, things seemed to be back sliding. I asked if I should increase to 2X a day. My doctor said that sometimes your body adjusts to the strains in one particular brand so you need to change things up. He did say that taking it 2X a day might help too, but at the cost of Align, he wasn't really sure it was worth it. So for a few weeks I am switching things up and taking a different brand 1X a day and the Align 1X a day. I'll see if things get better, and then make an adjustment from there.
Posted 6/1/2009 3:51 PM (GMT 0)

Zanne, thanks for the info.

I just can't believe between the Apriso and the Align how much better I feel.  I would say in the short time I'm taking both I'm about 50% better.

I ate something greasy yesterday expecting it to hurt me and it didn't.

I hope it's not mind over matter.

Posted 6/1/2009 10:49 PM (GMT 0)
Where can you buy Align? I currently take Florajen 3, has anybody ever heard  or used it as I'm not sure it is working.
Posted 6/1/2009 11:25 PM (GMT 0)
I take Align every other day, sometimes every day. It is expensive, so I try to space it out to every other day, mostly. You can get it at Walmart or any drug store over the counter. There was a $5 off coupon in the Sunday paper about 3 weeks ago. I take a bunch of supplements in addition to Pentasa, and it really seems to help. Have been seeing an acupuncturist the last 3 weeks for Crohn's and associated arthritis. Finally am starting to see some results with the ankle swelling.
Posted 6/2/2009 1:01 AM (GMT 0)
I tried this about 2 years ago for 2 months when I was first getting treated for Crohn's. I went into remission, but I had also just been started on ASAs and was feeling much better and continuing to improve already when I started the align. I don't remember exactly what the timing was and it's difficult to say whether the Align actually did anything or if it was just the Asacol and Rowasa. Ultimately, after 2 or 3 months I wasn't having any Crohn's issues and I wasn't sure the Align was doing anything except costing me $30/month, so I switched to a cheaper probiotic from Nature's Way without any increase in symptoms.

I would def. try it again in the future though, since it could very well have facilitated my going into remission. I just don't want to try it right now since I just started another new med and I'd end up with the same problem of not knowing what helped.
Posted 6/2/2009 7:13 PM (GMT 0)
I'm just finishing cipro and flagyl and was thinking of starting a probiotic since I still have diarrhea. I have some primal defense at home but am wondering if anyone thinks Align is better? I'll try anything at this point.
Posted 6/2/2009 7:44 PM (GMT 0)

Bluize said...


I ate something greasy yesterday expecting it to hurt me and it didn't.

I know what you mean!! My boyfriend's mother made him a birthday cake which I thought 'no, not a good idea' initially because of, well, you know, but I didn't feel sick at all after digging into it.

And I had a salad two nights in a row when I was staying with them. This was not possible until after align/humira combo.
Posted 6/2/2009 9:36 PM (GMT 0)
OK, so I just bought Align. I take Metamucil and colace at night, (tend toward constipation) so do you think it would be better to take the probiotic in AM or PM?
Posted 6/2/2009 10:05 PM (GMT 0)
I always take mine shortly after I wake up since I don't eat in the morning anyway. I can't even remember if I actually read it somewhere or if it was just the results I got, but it feels like it works better when I take it on an empty stomach.

Just my two cents.
Posted 6/2/2009 10:06 PM (GMT 0)

gumby44 said...
OK, so I just bought Align. I take Metamucil and colace at night, (tend toward constipation) so do you think it would be better to take the probiotic in AM or PM?

Experts differ on whether to take a probiotic at night or in the morning, with food or on an empty stomach. (it seems they used to all say first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, but I no longer see this as the only option) Check the label or insert to see what they recommend. If there's no recommendation, I would just experiment. See which gives you the best outcome... er...so to speak... smilewinkgrin
Posted 6/3/2009 9:44 PM (GMT 0)
If you go on the website you can get a person to contact you about it. There may be some advice there.

I'm out now and I just ordered online. They say it shipped. I haven't had too many issues today but I took something else to help against the antibiotics..cause who needs a yeast infection right?
Posted 6/4/2009 1:44 AM (GMT 0)
I have tried it but didnt notice any difference in symptoms gas etc
Posted 6/4/2009 4:50 PM (GMT 0)
Dragonfly,

I had tried several and either had no reaction or a worsening of symptoms. So I tried the Align with no expectation that it would be any different. My new mantra is that you need to find the right one for YOU. Just like everything else with this DD, it is individual. What works for one, won't work for all. And sometimes you need to switch it up and change probiotics for a few months to jump start things again, so says my doctor. Who knew.
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