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VSL #3 DS side effects

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 12/8/2012 6:23 AM (GMT 0)
Ive been taking 1/2 packet of VSL #3 DS for the past few weeks without any side effects. I went up to a whole packet yesterday and now my gut is making tons of noises all night and I have tons of gas. Is this from the VSL? I went back up on my pred from 15 to 20 mg 3 days ago as well since I noticed a little pink in my stool likely due to a horrible weekend last weekend (stress-wise). Wondering if I should go back down on the VSL DS or if theses effects will go away after a bit.
Posted 12/8/2012 12:40 PM (GMT 0)
Could be the VSL#3DS. I didn't have any problems increasing to a whole packet. Everyone's different.go back to the half. I still think that's a huge amt. I Switch back and forth.
I had a lot of noises in my gut before the VSL come to think of it. Haven't heard it much theses days.
Posted 12/8/2012 1:29 PM (GMT 0)
I would take a half packet two different times of the day instead of taking it all at once. Your symptoms probably are from the VSL.
Posted 12/8/2012 1:39 PM (GMT 0)
I agree its probably the vsl. I would try like gary said two different times of day if your really wanting to take the full amount. I think even if you didn't do two seperate doses your body would eventually get used to it but geez do we need a reason to be more gassy? I hate that feeling.
Posted 12/9/2012 3:01 PM (GMT 0)
I went back to 1/2 packet a day. Has amybody noticed that taking 1 packet a day helps a lot more than 1/2 packet a day? Just curious if it's worth trying the whole packet with two doses. I mix it with a protein shake so it's hard to take twice a day.
Posted 12/9/2012 3:14 PM (GMT 0)
I have been alternating between 1/2 and a whole packet. I seem to feel better on the whole packet. I used the 1/2 for about 2 weeks before going to the whole. Everybodys system is different. I find it soothing on the gut. I take it once a day. I do not get gas or cramping from it. I was on ultimate flora 80 bill before trying VSL#3 DS. Your body might need to get used to it.
Posted 12/9/2012 4:32 PM (GMT 0)
when i started VSL, my belly looked pregnant for the first two weeks i was on it. just so much bloating and gas. it eventually went away. i've taken a range on VSL packets ranging from 1/4 of a packet a day to 4 DS a day and never noticed a difference.
Posted 12/9/2012 4:45 PM (GMT 0)
Bananagirl did VSL#3DS help at all? Just curious. Ive taken quite a few. Primal Defence Ultra gave me a lot of discomfort. Ultra flora critical care I was fine. I only took this because insurance would pay for it . Tired of shelling out so much money!
Posted 12/9/2012 4:52 PM (GMT 0)
"Ive been taking 1/2 packet of VSL #3 DS for the past few weeks without any side effects"

so why not just stick with that amount if it's working ?

and if you can control the stress, which seems to be a major factor for most of us, maybe you could avoid increasing the pred -
Posted 12/9/2012 4:52 PM (GMT 0)
faithmac, i honestly don't think it did much of anything. when i started it, i was on prednisone, 6mp, remicade, and a few other drugs so if it did help, the results were probably being masked by all my other meds. i still took it when i got off the meds but didn't have any positive results like lessening of symptoms. i know probiotics containing bifidum bacteria can be a problem for people with digestive disorders so i've stopped taking any probiotic that has them. my favorite probiotic is sacro b. but i'm ordering some SCDophilus, too, just to see if i like it.
Posted 12/9/2012 4:58 PM (GMT 0)
Bananagirl I see in your bio you haven't taken Cort enemas. Or have you? Those really helped with the bleeding. Didn't put me in remission. Calmed things down a bit .
Posted 12/9/2012 5:00 PM (GMT 0)
Soystud , did you try the entire packet of VSL#3DS?
Posted 12/9/2012 5:08 PM (GMT 0)
faith, i tried a foam steroid enema once but couldn't remember what it was called so i didn't list it. it was kind of a weird 3 months of enemas- 1 type for one month. i started with mesalamine, then went to sulfa, then the foam one. ended up with pancolitis at the end ahaha luckily, my bleeding has gone down drastically (knock on wood) since i started the colostrum and iron supplements.
Posted 12/9/2012 5:45 PM (GMT 0)
i had some gas when i 1st took 1 ds/day. i have heard it attributed to rebalancing or bad bacteria die off. not sure, but it was pretty much as other threads here reported. it went away after a few days.
Posted 12/9/2012 5:56 PM (GMT 0)
When u started VSL always had lits of gas. Now its decreased by a lot when i have it. Now its on and off for me. Some nights theres gas some there isnt.
Posted 12/9/2012 6:05 PM (GMT 0)
Joanna, Sounds like your doing better! Don't usually like to give my two cents. I hate the bleeding thing. I know what it's like. Humira was the only thing that helped me. Hate to take all this crap... Glad your doing better :)
Posted 12/9/2012 8:16 PM (GMT 0)
I took 1/2 packet for about two weeks before switching to 1 packet. I don't remember getting much gas with 1/2 packet though. I do still take Ultimate Flora 30 billion and Align although I'm almost out of the Align and not sure if I'll get it again.
I pretty much decided to try the VSL DS too because it was covered by insurance. It didn't cost me a penny. Won't be the case if I refill it after the new year though.
Posted 12/9/2012 10:30 PM (GMT 0)
Can you refill before New Year? Have to meet a deductable? I guess I'm lucky I have a co-pay. I found the Ultimate Flora good . The 80 was the only one that made a difference.. I'm going to try to go down to 1/2 packet this week.
Posted 12/10/2012 2:28 AM (GMT 0)
I had gotten a 90 day supply (one packet/day) when I filled it a few weeks ago, so my insurance won't let me refill it again until the end of January.  My deductible will reset then and its pretty high. I could just refill it - I'll meet the deductible anyway so the sooner I meet it the sooner everything is zero cost.  Believe it or not, with UC this particular insurance plan (which I started chosing 2 years ago) has saved me tons of money over a copay-based plan.  Of course I've had colonoscopies and also had a cone-biopsy (cervical pre-cancer) in the past two years, so the insurance company ended up paying out $20k plus for me while I paid only $2500 (now up to 2800 next year) out of pocket. A 'bargain' I guess!  Sucks at the beginning of the year though but at least I have some money stored up in my HSA account now that I can use to pay most of it.

I couldn't seem to find the Ultimate Flora 80 billion - 30 billion was the only one I could find at the store. Maybe I have to order online?

Posted 12/10/2012 3:41 AM (GMT 0)
Do you have a Vitiamin Shop near you. That's where I got mine. I have one refill on the VSL#3DS left. I'm going to renew that one. Cost me $50.00 co-pay. Cheaper then the Ultimate flora.
Posted 12/10/2012 3:43 AM (GMT 0)
I think Ultimate Flora was $30 at Walgreens but that was for the 30 billion. I think we have Vitamin Shoppe, I'll try there after I run out of these.
Posted 12/10/2012 3:55 AM (GMT 0)
Ultimate Flora 80 was $56 I believe. Big jump from the 30. You know theft have a 200 also. Only has enough for 20 days. Almost bought it when I was feeling pretty bad.
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