probiotics - what kind, why, where get? Help!

     I can sympathize with you because I have the same problem.  Hubby and I went for a very short walk today, which I thought was a good day because this morning (which is usually my "bad" time) was pretty good.  Well, half way around the block, I knew it was a comin.....ran home and thank GOD I wear kotex pads, even though I am 63 yrs old, out it came!  Did manage to get to my toilet before it came running down my legs.

     We had a cruise planned for Sept, which we cancelled.  I am having colorectal surgery on the 28th of June...a permanent ileostomy, which I hope and pray will give me my life back.

     All I can tell you is to try taking Immodium.  It may slow things down a bit for you.  I know they don't recommend taking it for patients with UC but when you are in dire straits that is what works for me.

You're right, there are a ton of probiotics out there and it's difficult to know which to buy. There's a store called Vitamin Shoppe just around the corner from me and I usually get mine there or order from the internet (amazon, etc). I've tried 6 different brands by now. I'd say that 3 of those made my symptoms worse, 2 seemingly did nothing, and 1 has actually helped. So it's hit and miss... you just have to find the right one for you. Best of luck!

It's best to try as many probiotics as posiible and see which ones works best for you. The only probiotic that seems to be helping me is Culturelle. The expensive VSL does not help me much

I tried Lifeway brand Kefir today (they had a tent at the Take Steps walk). I didn't really enjoy the drink, it was like drinking yogurt. Didn't notice any short-term benefits. Perhaps I'll try taking it once a day for a week and see what happens.

hi Saralee, you might already be on your cruise as you posted a while back. Hope you OK :)

I am thinking of you.

I was prescribed Sulfasalazine on diagnosis but never had to take it. I got out of my flare with eating porridge and bland soup, taking iron tablets and lots and lots of probiotics.

That's not to say it will help everyone but you can try it and see.

I tried to take as many different types and brands and strains of probiotics as possible - all at the same time - because your gut has millions of different types of bacterial flora and fauna.

Bombing it with just one type seems illogical to me.

I bought all of these from the CHEMIST in Sydney, Australia. You may have different brands so i have broken down the organisms in each.

They are in the form of bottles of CAPSULES that are REFRIGERATED.

I took 1 capsule morning and night (total 8 capsules per day) of:

Polybac 8
IBS Support
Nourishing Flora
Ultrabiotic 45

They cost me about $140 - worth every penny. Plus I drank lots of Yakult, a fermented milk drink.

Below is the breakdown of probiotic organisms in each bottle:

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 Support - 1 strain:
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 - 1 strain:
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 ??? (5 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

Or: 13 different types of organisms for a total of 226.788 billion organisms each day.

I was diagnosed in December 2009 after 4 months of pain, blood and mucous, aged 35. Tired all the time, many days in bed, no energy.
Doctor Useless gave no direction other than to say he would put me on sulfasalazine for the rest of my life. HA HA to HIM, none taken.

Breakfast:
- small bowl of porridge
- half a berocca (vitamin B fizzy tablet in water)
- supplements: iron tablet, fish oil capsule, cod-liver oil capsule, 4 probiotic capsules of different types: nourishing flora (8 strains) polybac 8 (8 strains), IBS Support and Ultrabiotic 45. If the chemist had any more, I would have taken them too.
- 1 Yakult (shirota caseii probiotic drink in fermented milk)

with dinner:
- calcium tablet + supplements as for breakfast (minus iron)

What was OUT:
- large amounts of milk and cheese - sundried tomatoes and acidic foods - scratchy foods eg: corn chips - large meals eg: 500g rump steak and heaped mashed potatoes and gravy (sigh)


I am now back to normal. It took about a month or two of this regime before I got completely better but I noticed improvement after just a couple of weeks.

I can now eat steak and mashed potato too though I haven't gone back to dairy and sundried tomatoes yet.

Another thing has been said to help: Helminths. Worms. Yes, Worms. Pig Whipworm, human hookworm and human whipworm. If you can find them, it's not easy or cheap. Allegedly they inject chemicals that calm your immune system to prevent themselves being ejected and that reduces inflammation.

ps: I love that name , CaptPoopyPants. That cracks me up :) LOL