Problems with Align? Any suggestions? Please Help!

Hey Everyone,

This is my first time here and I did skim through some questions, but I apologize in advance if I am being extremely redundant in my post. Anyway, I suffer from IBS-D, was diagnosed about 2 years ago after normal colonoscopy and stool testing by my GI doc. I was also tested for a gluten allergy and that was negative too. I know I have a real problem with dairy and high sugar/fatty/greasy foods, so I try and avoid those. I have also suffered from severe eczema my whole life and have probably tried every prescription steroid under the sun with little to no real results. I am 29 years old. I have been taking Align for the past month (about 3 weeks now) and it doesn't seem to be really helping much. I am still have many D episodes. Also, it really seems to be making my eczema go crazy. When I informed my doc of this side effect he acted like he didn't even believe me. I asked if he could recommend a different probiotic to try and he basically said that Align was the only one he was recommending at the moment! Well thanks alot doc--I guess because I am allergic to it, I will just go back to suffering and become a total recluse. What a jerk--he sounded like he works for Align or something. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? Any other probiotics or something I could try? I am leery of yogurt because of the dairy. Thanks for reading this long post!

Thanks so much for your response. I am hesitant to spend so much money for a month supply, but if it really worked I would pay anything---obviously the companies that make these probiotics know that and thats why they get away with the ridiculous prices. The IBS-D has without a doubt affected my life and compromised the quality of it. I used to be the most outgoing person you could ever meet....spontaneous, adventurous, ect...Now I am afraid to leave my house to go to the grocery store some days. It makes me want to cry when I look at what I have turned into! I have an awesome husband that has been very supportive and without him I would have given up years ago. I feel guilty for him too though as I am just not the same person he married. I hate taking vacations now, going out with friends, ect...He can't even plan a surprise for me-I never know when an episode will hit. He has had to pull over to the side of the road because of a D attack--if that isn't the epitome of humiliation I don't know what is. Please keep me posted on your progress with the VLC. I won't be taking the Align any more after today. MY IBS-D isn't any better and I practically want to rip my skin off from the itching. Thanks again.

Thanks for the probiotic suggestions. I have been allergy tested numerous times, but not very recently. I am 29 and have had severe eczema, allergies, and asthma since I was born. My ped use to always joke that my parents should just put me in a glass bubble. I actually really need to get tested again for food allergies and I am going to get on that--it is just hard to get an appointment, especially one that isn't 9-5 M-F when I have work =) I was scheduled last year to have this skin patch testing done where they actually test you for other irritants like certain perfumes, additives, etc...The problem is you have to go to the office four days in a row, again all during normal business hours. I run a small home daycare and it is next to impossible for me to get that kind of time off. Of course washing my hands 100 times a day because of the little ones doesn't help either! I have actually already noticed a slight decrease in itching since stopping the Align two days ago and this is the second time I have given it a go just to make sure it really is the Align I am allergic too--my GI doc still thinks I am making it up of something. He did test me for wheat allergies as he suspected Celiac Disease though and that was ruled out. I am going to start keeping a food diary and see if I can pinpoint any D or Eczema flare-ups that way. I keep seeing others discussing calcium and I want to look into that too. Thanks again.