Probiotics?

Hello all,

This is my first topic post, so I hope I do it correctly.

I have been reading most of what everybody posts, and have seen a lot of you post about probiotics. I take a lot of daily vitamins but have not taken any probiotics.

What would you all suggest as the best probiotic to take?

I have been diagnosed with UC for about 20 years, but am positive I have had it longer. I cannot take any of the normal meds that most of you take. The only thing I can take is prednisone, which I am currently on 40mg per day. I have a consultation with another gastro dr. on 5/5/11 about starting Remicade. I am nervous about that also.

Anyway, thanks for listening and for any suggestions on what are the best probiotics.


Sorry, I haven't set up my signature yet. Not sure how to do it. Still new to this forum.

Hi - Welcome to the forum!
You might want to start a new thread with "new member" in the title and tell us some of your story.... you'll get to "meet" some folks that way.

Are you saying you can't take the 5-ASAs....?

Have you tried the steroid enemas? I do well with those.

Probiotics. For some they help really well, and for others.... not so much. There are hundreds on the market, and the best way to find out what helps you is... try some. In general, I think the ones on the grocery store shelves aren't strong enough for those of us with IBD.

But... my son takes Align, and takes 2 a day (the dose is "one") when he has any active symptoms. It helps him.

I have found the health food store to be a helpful place to buy them; online research is good, too.
I have taken Ultimate Flora Critical Care (50 Billion), Primodophilus Bifidus (5 billion), PB8 (didn't help) and I've been taking VSL#3 DS (Double Strength - prescription only) for the past few years.
For me, I have experimented on myself and at several points halfway through a mild flare I've dropped the VSL - and my bleeding restarted. And stopped again when I resumed the VSL. So - it worked for me.

We're all different, but for me, the more potent, the better. One packet of VSL#3DS is 900 billion - and (oops, I need to change my sig) I've been in a mild flare so I've gone up to 4 packets a day to see what would happen. So far, so good.

If you type "probiotics" in the search thing at the upper right of the forum, you'll get lots of hits, and some good reading on the topic.

And - for your sig; if you go to "My Profile" you should be able to follow how to "update" your signature. Let us know again if you need help!

And again, welcome!

I stopped taking probiotics and I haven't noticed much difference in my condition. I think it's wonderful that they help many people but they are quite expensive and if they don't help, it's nice to be able to cut them out of the budget.

You could read up on the LDN thread. Maybe you could try that?

I remember years ago my dr mentioning VSL#3 as well, but did comment that they are very expensive.  I don't take it as I don't have active US (but even to limit pouchitis occurances ).  In my own research, I wanted to take Align as I read very good things about it, but we dont' get it here in Canada and it's expensive to order from the States.  So I just take an off teh shelf one that is strong for off the shelf. 

Good question about capsules vs yogurt, etc.  I personally take the pills as its easier to ensure i have it daily but not sure if one is better over the other.  And I also find it confusing on the best strain, so am also interestred in responses. 

I've had 3 GIs recommend probiotics and mention the studies using VSL... and my son's GI's nurse has told me about a child wih pouchitis that wouldn't respond to anything - until they tried him on VSL, and it cleared up.

My GI has mentioned that bifidus bacteria, in specific, have worked well for UC in studies.

I don't know why the probiotics work for some and not for others. But.... same for 6 MP or Imuran, or Remi, or the 5 ASAs. A week or so ago there was a study someone posted in which scientists had come up with three distinct bacterial styles in the colon, sort of like we have distinct blood types....? I wonder if the so definitely NOT "one size fits all" manner of UC is related to that. Or maybe it's related to whatever our onset trigger was, whether from a pathogen (there is some virus that leaves people susceptible to UC for up the three years after, if I recall correctly) or from antibiotics or Accutane or....?

I am so glad we can share our successes and failures here.

I had an appointment with my Dr. last week, and he recommended that I try probiotics (none of the 5-ASAs have done anything for me, and he's reluctant to go the corticosteroid route).

He suggested that I take them in yogurt form, since "you know the little buggers are alive", whereas with the capsules it's really anyone's guess as to what's in there most of the time, or if it's still viable.

So I've been eating some pretty serious yogurt for the last week. A bit early to tell the results, but it hasn't hurt, at any rate!

Good luck with your choice!