Which probiotics have you tried? Which ones work?

I have tried:

VSL#3 Double Strength - helps a little but not that much
Dr Ohhira's - didn't seem to help

What have you tried? Did it work?

I started out on Culturelle, which I think helped a little bit. Then I switched to the one in my sig, which I think maybe works a little bit better (more strains and higher # of cultures) because my remission got more solid after I did. However, I also switched from Asacol to Apriso around the same time, and it could have just been that I was further from the flare, and therefore my colon was more healed.

The best probiotics I used are HLC intensive capsules by Pharmax. HLC stands for Human Lactic Commensals according to the manufacture they use human derived strains.
They are hard to get and expensive. So, I use acidophilus Pearls by Enzymatic therapy for now. I recommend the pearls as well.

I have tried Culterelle, align and Ultimate flora critical care....the ultimate flora is the only one that seemed to help.

I use VSL, I think it helps but I am not sure cause I staretd a whole bunch of things at once..

I have used Flora Q, Align, MegaFlora Plus, Ultimate Flora Critical Care and VSL3. The first didn't do much, the second made things worse, the MegaFlora and Critical Care both are good for me, but I prefer the latter, and the VSL3 helps as well-I don't know if it helps enough to warrant the price, but I got my GI to write me a script for the double strength, so once I get the go ahead from him, I will add it back into the mix as well. The critical care is hit or miss for me in the stores, so I order mine online.

My acupuncturist's daughter, who also has UC, uses and loves one called BioKult-she gets is from a naturopath, but I think you can order it online as well. I have never tried that one.

http://www.bio-kult.com/

I use BIO-K PLUS in the evening , and ULTIMATE FLORA CRITICAL CARE by Renew Life in the morning.  The both work great for me.

It is probably better in that regard, Krissy, but if you don't need it to maintain remission, then why use something so expensive? I mean, if I were having symptoms, I'd probably try it, but since I'm not, I'd rather not spend the money. I also know that some people can't tolerate it.

I know  the probiotic is working because when I stop using them symptoms start usually with me within a few weeks.  Looser BM's, going more often and eventually I start to flare sooner.  Then it takes time before the probiotics start to kick in.  So now I take them daily and my remissions have lasted alot longer than years ago when I didn't use them.  Both of the probiotics that I use contain 50billion bacteria each, its not nearly as many as VSL but it's alot more than most of the ones in the health food stores. 

I've alternated between the Jamieson capsules (Canada), and the Digestive Advantage C + C Formula (U.S.), and have found the latter to be a bit better. I've been wanting to switch to the VSL#3 but can't bring myself to paying hundreds a month for it.
Does anyone in Canada know the best route for getting the VSL#3 at a "good" price??

kleetz

I live in CAnada..and I pay for VSL..my friend has UC so we have taken turns ordering it. IT you order right from them the first time around is 62.50 per box as oppose to 88 dollars. I just started using it and so did she..so the first time I bought it for both of us..then the second time she bought for both of us and it was both our frist times buying so we got the good price.. eventually we will be buying at 88/box..plus the shipping..and the minimum is 2 boxes so it will always be around 200 bucks. I was thikning to maybe save the VSL for flares and try the Renew life Ultrimate..does anyone know how much tihs costs? and can you take two a day?

I pay $65 a month for VSL 3 at Costco. I'm flaring now at 25 mg pred and when I get to 10 mg pred, if I start having problems, I'm going to kick my dose up to 2 packets a day.

I believe it helped me when I first started taking two packets a day when I hit 10 mg pred on my first flare, but at the same time I started Canasa suppositories so I'm not sure.

The following fixed me right up. I'm not on any meds and am back to normal.

This is my diary entry from January, detailing how i felt and what i took. all were refrigerated, OTC from the chemist. I took a capsule of each, twice a day.

"I think I am cured. I feel great. Putting on weight. no pain. no blood, no mucous, no diahrroea.

The thing that turned me around was heaps and heaps of probiotics.

As soon as I started taking them I got better very quickly.

I have been taking 226.788 billion organisms each day of 13 types.

"Polybac 8" - 8 strains:
Streptococcus thermophilus (1.5 billion)
Bifidobacterium lactis (4.5 billion) and longum (4.5 billion)
Lactobacillus acidophilus (7.5 billion), casei (7.5 billion), plantarum (7.5 billion), rhamnosus (9 billion), salivarius ssp salivarius (3 billion)

"Nourishing flora" - 8 strains:
Bifidobacterium bifidum (333,000)
Lactobacillus acidophilus (3 billion), plantarum (1.66 billion), casei (333 million), delbrueckii (333,000), rhamnosus (333,000), brevis (333,000), kefir (333,000)

"IBS Supprt"
Lactobacillus plantarum (20 billion)

"UltraBiotic 45" - 9 strains
Streptococcus thermophilus (2.25 billion)
Bifidobacterium bifidum (450 million), breve (1.35 billion), lactis (4.05 billion)
Lactobacillus acidophilus (7.4 billion), casei (9.45 billion), fermentum (1.35 billion), plantarum (3.35 billion), Rhamnosus (15.55 billion)

"Yakult" fermented milk drink
Lactobacilus Casei - shirota strain. Unknown amount of live culture - 2 small drinks per day.


TOTAL PER DAY:

Streptococcus thermophilus: 7.5 billion (2 brands)

Bifidobacterium lactis: 17.1 billion (2 brands)
Bifidobacterium longum: 9 billion

Lactobacilli:
Acidophilus: 35.8 billion (3 brands)
Casei: 34.566 billion + shirota strain ??? (4 bands all up)
Plantarum: 65.02 billion (4 brands)
Rhamnosus: 49.1 billion (3 brands)
Salivarius ssp salivarius: 6 billion
delbrueckii: 666,000
brevis: 666,000
Kefir: 666,000
fermentum: 2.7 billion