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Posted 11/25/2013 12:50 AM (GMT 0)
I keep reading conflicting information about taking probiotics for c diif. Does anyone reccommend probiotics for c diff? Is it safe?
Posted 11/25/2013 12:59 AM (GMT 0)
I'm surprised you found conflicting information on this. I would definitely take probiotics with C-Diff. The trouble is, what does "probiotics" mean? There are hundreds or thousands of different probiotics. As far as both UC and C-Diff go I don't think just taking "probiotics" is good enough. You need the right probiotic and you need one with probably at least 50 billion CFU's, minimum. If you are just buying them at a store you probably only have a choice of different ones which are woefully inadequate. I'm pretty sure I read that VSL#3 is a great probiotic to take with C-Diff and has much information on UC as well. You just have to make sure that you time the probiotics differently than the antibiotics.
Posted 11/25/2013 12:59 AM (GMT 0)
One probiotic in particular, a yeast called Saccharomyces boulardii, is said to be most beneficial in helping clear up and prevent C Diff. I have read this in many places and was told so by my GI and surgeon when I had C diff. Of course, I still had to take antibiotics, but also took that probiotic. I can't say for sure if it helped, but it certainly didn't hurt!
Posted 11/25/2013 1:07 AM (GMT 0)
Ok, thank you! I will look into both suggestions! :)
Posted 11/25/2013 1:10 AM (GMT 0)
Can y'all recommend a good yogurt brand my daughter can eat everyday?
Posted 11/25/2013 1:11 AM (GMT 0)
i've taken many probiotics for c diff but none of them have ever had any effect.

i tried saccharamyces boullardi, vsl, kefir, yogurt, kombucha, renew life, culturelle. i've found that probiotics have no effect on my UC or c diff unfortunately.

long term vancomycin is the only thing that helped.
Posted 11/25/2013 1:18 AM (GMT 0)
I'm personally not big on yogurt for UC or C-Diff, not because it wouldn't do any good but because the amount of probiotics in them is so woefully inadequate that you would have to eat 50-100 tubs a day to get what you can get in one good supplemental probiotic. If she likes yogurt just to have yogurt then go for it as it may help in a miniscule amount. I don't think it really makes a difference what variety. VSL comes in both regular strength and a DS (double strength) version. The DS version comes in packets by prescription and some mix the packet in with yogurt. Saccharamyces boullardi I think comes in packets to so you could probably mix them with yogurt as well.
Posted 11/25/2013 1:18 AM (GMT 0)
Thank goodness we all respond differently. I swear by vsl#3. I take it at least every other day or two now that I have it built up in my system! I will hope that I never run out.

Ensure your daughter is not lactose intolerant if she is going to eat yogurt daily. Good luck
Posted 11/25/2013 1:25 AM (GMT 0)
Oh ok, she doesn't like yogurt at all. I was going to make her eat it because I thought it would help. VSL# 3 where do I buy this? And the saccharomyces? I'm so lost in all this.
Posted 11/25/2013 1:26 AM (GMT 0)
i've read on multiple SCD sites that 1 cup of yogurt has 700 billion bacteria which is way more than most probiotics and MUCH cheaper. it's better to get our probiotics from food than supplements in my opinion.
Posted 11/25/2013 1:29 AM (GMT 0)
Joanna what brand is good?
Posted 11/25/2013 1:40 AM (GMT 0)
My daughter is 17 and has been fighting Cdiff. We have been everywhere for her. The last place we went was John Hopkins we went there because they are doing FMT for kids with Cdiff. Only catch is you have to have recurrent cases that are resistant to other treatments. Her last round of Vanco seems to have helped. She takes also Florastor recommended by JH. We were hoping to get her in on the FMT and maybe get results fro her UC. Good luck with your daughter.
Posted 11/25/2013 1:44 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you Electro! I'm happy to hear your daughter is feeling better! This is my daughter's first fight with it. I pray it doesn't come back!!!
Posted 11/25/2013 1:46 AM (GMT 0)
VSL has it's own website. It is easy enough to search for it and find it. Some insurances will cover it by prescription so you might want to check on that. It can be expensive. You can also do searches with VSL and C-Diff and will probably find some good info and studies. You may be able to find Saccharamyces boullardi in regular stores. If I'm not mistaken, I believe it is the ingredient in Florastor, which I know you can buy in most regular stores.
Posted 11/25/2013 1:51 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much for the information Garylouisville!
Posted 11/25/2013 2:18 AM (GMT 0)
i make my own in a yogurt maker which i ferment for 24 hours. i haven't tried any store brands but i'm sure they don't ferment that long.
Posted 11/25/2013 2:29 AM (GMT 0)
do the bananagirl thing - she knows her stuff -

bottom line, she needs to eat, especially good food - and if it's loaded with good probiotics, all the better -
Posted 11/25/2013 3:10 AM (GMT 0)
I have never seen a yogurt in the store with that much probiotic. Vsl has 450 Billion! It's the best! Get the packets not the pills. I got mine at costco and make sur it is refrigerated.
Posted 11/25/2013 12:50 PM (GMT 0)
Vernz,

VSL #3, S. boulaardi and Culturelle - are best for c. diff.

I've heard that doctors whose patients have been hospitalized with c. diff are using Culturelle.
Posted 11/25/2013 12:58 PM (GMT 0)

Vernz said...
Can y'all recommend a good yogurt brand my daughter can eat everyday?

NONE, honestly none, no matter what they tell you in advertisement.
I make it myself at home. I got Yogourmet and the best I ever had. (Done in 6 hours / overnight.) It is not as thick as the store bought (because of less processing?) but I know what goes in there (except I don't know whats in the milk, if anything, its Trader Joe's organic BTW).

VSL#3, Nexabiotic is what I use (but I never had C. diff either). I am adding Prescript-Assist from next month.
Posted 11/26/2013 1:27 AM (GMT 0)
By the way, in the three years that my daughter has had UC, nothing has hit her like the Cdiff flare she just went thru. In the bathroom every hour on the hour for days, pure water. Dropped from 113 to 90 pounds in less then a week. Have never seen her this bad. Her GI swore it was the UC after a colonoscopy and said it was time to take out the colon. Not that her UC isn't bad, but the CDiff threw her entire health out of whack. But now much better. Back to where we were before the CDiff which is a manageable life while we keep searching for her next option.
Posted 11/26/2013 1:32 AM (GMT 0)
FT - fecal transplantation has a high success rate for c.diff,
What about that?
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