stopping a probiotic

Have any of you stopped taking a probiotic permanently and it didn't make one bit of difference. I mean going without a probiotic

Did the bleeding stop when you started VSL 3 again?

Yes, I eat yogurt too.

Makes a lot of sense. Now I'm having diarrhea. I'll probably go to the store and get some probiotics. Maybe being off of it can cause that so soon. What do you think.

The other thing I did was maybe take too much psyllium husk. Two heaping tsp that's usually too much.

Another day... just figuring it all out, or at least trying to.

While I do not have the UC diagnosis, I do struggle with daily IBS-D symptoms. One of your very kind members popped in over at the IBS forum and mentioned a probiotic that works wonders. I went on it and have noticed a marked improvement.

Here it is:

Renew Life, Critical Colon, 80 Billion Count

You find Renew Life products at health food stores, in the chilled section near other probiotics and oils, such as flaxseed oil (what I put in my dog's food, off all things.....).

Google Renew Life, you'll quickly see they carry many products, for instance they offer lower billion count products, 30, 50 but I like the 80 billion count. It seems to be just what I need. When I'm off track and need more, sometimes I take two at bedtime. You'll want to take this probiotic on a completely empty stomach. The pill is encoated so as to not dissolve until it reaches the lower colon. Just where I need it most and possibly you too.

I also eat Brown Cow yogurt each day. I feel my best when I start and end my eating for the day with one cup each time. I jokingly refer to this habit as bookending my intake with yogurt. Does it work? Probably doesn't really but it can't hurt to introduce it before other food travels thru my system. I also often joke I wish I could just inject yogurt to my lower colon. I'm trying to exist w/o a sigmoid, removed for cancer reasons. But now the probiotic really does help level my insides out and I have less swelling, less upset (gurgling, heaving, rolling of my tract).

I'm doing the Rowasa every night and Canasa every day and have had one episode of loose stools.

I'll go back on Align. But I'm not going back up on Asacol.

Since I have to take my pills with meals it's not a good idea to take the psyllium husk with meals.

I'm going to the store now and getting align. Giving it another try. If I'm not satisfied after this month I'll go to your regime, but I can't afford the Reuteri. It would be about $60 a month. Am I not correct, Q?

Thanks, Songlady.

Now my question is why even bother to taper meds, if it's going to lead to excacerbation of symptoms? Now I have mucous and I'm getting a little thirsty, which is a sign of some dehydration.

I don't know. This whole board is taper.taper.taper. I feel taper pressure.

I'd like to keep Asacol at six. I don't care about the enemas or canasas. I just feel guilty about not tapering. But it seems like a roller coaster and wait wait wait, then drop, drop, drop, then up, up, up.

I think it's difficult to live that way.

I don't understand your enema regime, songlady. Can you explain it better?

The Reuteri is fairly inexpensive. I have been using UFCC. I think it helps my colon.

I feel sad that you are having taper anxiety! When I used mesalamine enemas I used them every night and then added a canasa in the AM for a few days when I didn't feel quite right. My doctor thought that was just fine. It might be cheaper for you to do the enemas more often and cut out the suppositories. The Canasa was always really expensive on my insurance. :o)

You shouldn't fart if you've recently had a shart. I find that if you have one shart, another fart could potentially be a shart. I wouldn't be comfortable walking around passing wind if there was any chance it may come out wet. I don't pass wind at all when I have symptoms unless I am on the toilet.

Ever fart after an enema? Could that be why you sharted? You can't pass wind if you have recently used rectal meds.

Hopefully that's what you thought was mucous.

I'm happy to hear you've concluded it was Canasa and not a shart. Sharts are usually a bad sign. It sounds like you've been pretty stable for quite a while, you should try not to stress so much, you're doing well!