Just received VSL#3 via purolator

If you are not already on probiotics, one a day. Probiotics are like fiber: you need to start low and increase the dose gradually because they can cause a lot of gas and stomach upset if you jump in too deep.

Personally, I take probiotic pills right before bed because they still give me a lot of gas and if I take them at night, I can sleep through the worst of the pooting, cramping and stomach rumblings. I don't take them with food, but as I eat just a couple of hours before bed, they're not in there on a completely empty stomach either. Really, I don't think it matters; personal preference (convenience) and personal reaction matter the most. If you find it makes you sick to eat on an empty stomach, eat with food. If you feel you do better taking them later in the day, then take them then. Whatever else, do what is most helpful (or least harmful) for YOU.

Yogurt, however, I can eat at any time.

Probiotics contain good bacteria and good bacteria "eat" your food and "poop" tiny particles of nutrients that your body can absorb, and they release gas as part of this process. Bad bacteria also do this, only they produce bad types of gas that are, apparently, harder for your body to expel (giving you lingering gas pains), and I think they poop things that can actually be harmful to your intestines. We all have good and bad, but we don't have problems until there is an imblance and there are too many bad bacteria.

When you introduce a lot of good bacteria, they get busy eating, pooping and farting, and that's where you get more gas. But, after a time, either your body adjusts and gets better at expelling or absorbing the gas, or some of the good bacteria die off because there's really not enough room for them and you get to more normal numbers which don't fart more than your body can handle. LOL.

Fiber, as far as I know, makes you gassy because it makes the bacteria fart more than usual when they are breaking it down. Not sure if that's because it's makes them exhert themselves more or it breaks down into gasses more than other foods, but the result is the same. Also, your body (and/or bacteria) will adjust and you will stop being so gassy after a while. So I guess your body compensantes by absorbing more of the gas.

Activa is for both and I can tell you it really helped me.

I would go 3 days of no BM and then 3 days of D. It was horrible. My body was not digesting food properly. THe docs said I had IBS/Ibd, and the gave me prescription pills for the pain and cramping I would have every single time I ate. I suffered for almost 2 years. Every meal I ate felt like I was food poisened. could not eat much for food. Everything had to be bland. Like white rice and baked chicken for the last 2 years.

I tryed Activa and the first 3-5 days I did not notice a difference. BM were still loose. I still ate one everyday and now I have been on it for 1 month. I feel like a million bucks!!!! I go the same time everyday now and its normal and there is no pain associated with it. My mood has improved and I am ten times happier then I've ever been. I can finally go out to restaraunt with my boyfriend and eat from the menu without worring. Just only regret I tried this sooner so I would not have to suffer.

And I can eat anything I want now. I might gain alot of weight at this rate. The foods that I would have to avoid before I can now eat with ease....

Like Pizza, ice cream, soda, chocolate, pudding, chips, sandwiches, an occasional beer OMG the list goes on.....

I'm taking the vsl and I think it's working. I'm also trying the Activa yogurt. I don't have diahrea everyday but I still do poop alot. It's either very soft, soft or hard. Im also taking the benefiber twice a day so I guess all these things together are helping me but I still get the pain before before I have to go...then I think Im going to get D and its normal...and Im so thankful for that. I have to go back to eating my date nut bread I find that binds me up really well and takes away the pains.

Does anybody on here feel like they still have to poop even after your done...I get a weird feeling in my bum...what is it, I can expalin it.

Oh Saturday I had bad D, I ate out at a Christmas party and had Muscles sauteed in tomato sauce and oinions. I didnt have D when I woke up but in the afternoon I thought I was going to die in pain in the bathroom.

Hope everybody is having a great day :)

I just read a clinical study that showed that one probiotic in particular is found to reduce the symptoms of IBS - it's called Bifidobacterium infantis. I believe VSL#3 does contain this, but many other formulas do not.

I take two Caltrate pills per day. I take them at night because a medicine I take in the morning interferes with the absobrption of the calcium--not a problem when you just take them to mop up excess water in your stools, but I also want some calcium to be absorbed. Also, I'm worst in the morning, so I like to send them through my system at night to help when I get up in the morning. But I have taken them in the mornings as well. I think it was Canyon said they made her have idigestion or upset her stomach if she took them on an empty stomach (fine if she ate first), but I've never had that problem, so it's however your body wants to work. But for morning bowel problems, take at night or as soon as you get up. For problems later in the day, take at lunch and/or supper. I take both of my pills at once, but you can space yours out if you want to. Like I said, all of my problems happen first thing, so I hit my gut with a double dose at once.

Three Caltrate pills are the absolute maximum you're supposed to take daily. There is such a thing as too much calcium. As you are already on Activia as well, I'd keep it to two. I don't do more than two because I too frequently have milk products to give me extra calcium. You also get extra calcium from dark green leafy vegetables, like spinach.

If you should (what a miracle, huh?) get constipated, drop down to one calcium pill or even just half of one per day.

Speaking of medicine to regulate D, Sarita, how is the cholesterol medicine you're on helping you?

Yeah, I can see not wanting to take more of that powered stuff.  I couldn't use it.  How are you supposed to take it when you're in the car and need some?  I use my Welchol for breakthrough D, if you will.  I take two a day on average, but I can take more if I need it.  So I like having a pill I can just pop in and swig down with whatever liquid is handy. 

I take the two a day.  I think my mother-in-law does three.  There have been a couple of people on here doing 6 though!!!  So you may not be done raising the amount that you take yet, especially since you are a hard case.  The Welchols are 625mg per pill.  I guess, though, that you don't need nearly so much of the Questran because it's already broken down into powder form.   

I've been taking two calcium pills at a time for months and months now. If it was going to bother me, I guess it would have by now. But some people get an upset stomach when they take them on an empty stomach, so two at once might upset someone with a super-sensitive digestive tract.