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probiotics and herbal supplements with meds.

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 9/1/2011 2:24 AM (GMT 0)
i'm just wondering who here takes probiotics and herbal supplements with their prescription medications. my gastro told me to stop taking all of those things when i started his medications. i don't want to stay on medication forever (even though he says i'll need it) and i feel that probiotics would help a lot with maintenance. i had a prescription for vsl#3 from my naturopath but never picked it up because i was in the hospital. i don't see how probiotics or even aloe vera juice could negatively affect my treatment, but i'm curious to here your thoughts on this.
Posted 9/1/2011 3:23 AM (GMT 0)
Get a new GI. I can see how conservative doctors can be skeptical about herbals but not about probiotics. They have more than proven their effectiveness and now many of the most conservative doctors and GIs appreciate how probiotics help with IBD.

Check out our signatures and you will find that most veterans of this disease take probiotics, it is probably the most popular supplement on the forum. Because they work. If your GI is too blind to see that then, you need a new GI.
Posted 9/1/2011 3:13 PM (GMT 0)
thanks babe. this is actually my 3rd g.i. doctor so i'll probably stick with him anyways. i'd like to just start taking them anyways though. i was taking them before i was on my medications but they weren't strong at all. i've heard that vsl#3 is the only fda approved probiotic and that it's very affective. i just really want to get off the prednisone and feel that i should add probiotics before i become dependent on it.
Posted 9/1/2011 5:47 PM (GMT 0)
A good, high quality probiotic is one of the best treatment options for IBD. Probiotics shouldn't adversely affect your medications in any way. In fact, there's a good chance they'll reduce your need for them.

I also take George's Roadrunner Aloe Vera juice - among other helpful supplements - and have had no issues. In fact, I've been off all meds except a maintenance dose of azulfadine for years.

I'd agree you should try another GI, but if you choose to stick with the one you're seeing, you'll just have to keep your alternative and dietary approaches to yourself.
Posted 9/1/2011 6:48 PM (GMT 0)
i actually still have some of george's juice in the fridge. i used to buy it by the gallon until my doctor told me it wasn't worth it. i am going in for another infusion on sept 12 and am going to ask my nutritionist if he thinks a probiotic would be ok.

princesa, what do you eat on a normal basis??
Posted 9/1/2011 7:03 PM (GMT 0)
Bananagirl,
I don't think that anything natural will hurt.. I swear by the aloe vera juice and l-glutamine powder... I tried the probiotics for 2 weeks and it didn't seem to change anything. But many people on here have had great success!!! I think that the other posters are right about your GI doc. I know that going thru the hurdles of finding and getting in to a new doctor is challenging but finding one that is on the same page as you is super important also. My doctor told me to try anything that I wanted to but if it made anything worse even for 1 day to not take it after that. He also suggested as much liquid or chewable supplements as possible, they absorb in your mouth and not in your intestines so you have a better chance of getting full benefit...
Hope this helps!
Posted 9/1/2011 7:11 PM (GMT 0)
Hi bananagirl :-)

The only one reason I can agree with the doctor to ban all probiotics and herbal supplement is to see if the meds are working as they should be. What I mean, is that for example, if you start taking probiotics sometimes for a day or two (or more) they makes your guts to rumble, can effect in watery D etc. Mostly just for a few days, until your colon gets used to new thing. Te same can go with any intestine supplement. So, when you introduce new medicine, it can be better - from GI's point of view - to stay clear of other remedies for a while. And after medicine gets yours 'ok', then try to re-introduce your herbal and probiotics supplements, step by step, watching out for any symptoms.
Posted 9/2/2011 3:06 AM (GMT 0)
When Imuran and 6MP were pushed on me I said, "screw it". On my magic tinctures for a few months and I am doing pretty darn good.
Posted 9/2/2011 3:16 AM (GMT 0)
I have never had my GI tell me not to take vitamins, supplements or probiotics. I do not use many of these products because I can't really afford to spend money on such things right now but I used to and it never seemed to cause any problems with my UC meds. I also never saw any improvement in my UC symptoms with naturall treatments but that's just my individual situation.

In some ways I can understand a GI saying not to take it, like Dunia said, maybe he wants to see whether these herbals may be part of the problem.
Posted 9/2/2011 5:23 PM (GMT 0)
My former GI first taught me about probiotics, my son's GI gave us samples, and my current one is so happy to prescribe VSL.

I did have one former GI who just didn't know anything about them, so... I guess hat's the case with some docs; they just can't know everything.
Posted 9/2/2011 8:17 PM (GMT 0)
Probioitcs are fine and as others have said, recommended.

With regard to some of the other herbal products, check with the pharmacist where you get your remicade. Most things are fine, but there are a few herbals that they are concerned with (eg. St. John's Wort) while taking Remicade.
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