Probiotics causing intesnse stomach pain..?

Hi all,

On Friday night I had probiotics for the first time with my dinner. So I had 1 tablet of Scdophilus 3+ from GIProhealth with dinner. An hour later I also had 1 capsule of Saccharomyces Boulardii. Within an hour I was very sick. I had food poisoning like symptoms but without the vomiting or diarrhea. I had pain/discomfort throughout my whole abdomen for the next 24 hours.

At 2200 on Saturday night my appetite came back and I had some food (meat to be exact as I was at a party). Within 12 hours I had severe pain in the area of the descending colon at the back which slowly moved forward to the front before disappearing. The pain was pretty bad. So I stopped eating again until Sunday.

Sunday night I felt well again and I ate a big dinner - mostly greens and chicken (all SCD legal stuff for reference). This was about 1930~2000. The next morning (Monday) at 0800 I had very bad pain in my back and front left side that lasted until I went to hospital and they gave me a painkiller. Maybe 4 hours.

At the hospital they tested my urine and did a bunch of xrays. After a few hours the doctor said they could not detect any physical problems with my digestive track - it was not swollen, inflamed nor was their any indication of diseases that cause this type of pain (he rattled a few off but I don't recall). They also said the appendix was fine and it was the wrong side anyway. They gave me 3 days worth of pain killers and said if it hadn't resolved in that time to come back. But at this point, as far as they could tell, it was just pain.

There is definitely a link between eating solids and the onset of pain. Anyone had a similar experience? Did I take too many probiotics in one go? Did I mix two that should not be mixed?

My theory at the moment is either the tablets were rotten - but I doubt that would make me so sick and its ongoing. Or there is a war going on and my colon is the battlefield. I read probiotics can last up to 2 weeks. I really don't want to not be able to eat for two weeks.

One last thing I have ulcerative proctitis and the pain is not ulcerative in nature as I know what that feels like. Its a sharp pain that moves from the back to the front then disappears - as if the discomfort is in the lower end of the descending colon and once the irritant passes to the rectum the pain is gone. Though I have residual discomfort for a few hours anyway.

you could be super sensitive to those probiotic strains. that amount of probiotics is so small that i'm surprised you had such a painful reaction. i've gotten horrendous diarrhea from florastor sacro b. so maybe it has something to do with that strain.

are the expiration dates okay on the probiotics?

bananagirl said...
you could be super sensitive to those probiotic strains. that amount of probiotics is so small that i'm surprised you had such a painful reaction. i've gotten horrendous diarrhea from florastor sacro b. so maybe it has something to do with that strain.

are the expiration dates okay on the probiotics?

I am just guessing its the probiotics as it was the only odd thing out. Though I did also take vitamin C tablet and a magnesium tablet that evening (first time for both) along with a multivitamin and fish oil. Multivitimin and fish oil I have been taking for months so its not that.

The probitoics expire middle of next year. But they took a week to get here (USA to HK). Though they were iced and the weather is cold.

Post Edited (solomani) : 12/17/2012 6:26:51 PM (GMT-7)

garylouisville said...
Saccharomyces Boulardii did a number on me but I got bloody diarrhea from it. I'm guessing it is indeed the probiotics.

Hi Gary,
How long did it last? I am hesitant to try any probiotics now.

/mm

It started almost immediately and lasted a couple of days before I was back to where I had started.

It's important to take the correct strains of bacteria, some will cause D while other strains don't....my brand also suggests to take it on an empty stomach, while others may suggest taking with food.  Also, at least 10 billion per cap is highly recommended.

These are the two I took doesn't look like they have those in there but not sure what inulin, FOS and MOS are?

http://www.giprohealth.com/scdophilusnext.aspx

and

http://www.naturalhealthyconcepts.com/saccharomyces-boulardii-OM60-p-ortho-molecular.html?currenttab=2

I just realised I never posted a followup. I ended being in crippling pain for two weeks and going to hospital. I could not do anything except stay home and suck it up crippled on the couch. Pain was particular bad 12 or so hours after eating so I ended up essentially fasting for two weeks until it worked through my system. Doctor said it was just pain, most likely gas, so they gave me strong pain killers to help me stick it out the the second week of discomfort. To give you a gauge they gave me something equivalent to morphine in pill form that had the side affect of essentially making me a little high and I could still feel tingling pain down there. No diarrhea though.

I haven't touched probiotics since in processed form. I stick to sauerkraut only. And sometimes even that will trigger a minor gas reaction.

YMMV.

Hi Helper2b, you found probiotics in pill form helped you? What was the regime you followed?

Thanks!