Probiotic for teen?

I would make darn sure she took heavy doses of a probiotic any time she had to take an antibiotic for anything and I would avoid antibiotics like the plague unless absolutely necessary. I have two young daughters and this worries me too. I really don't think there is any evidence that a daily probiotic will ward off UC but women in general may have better health by taking a regular probiotic daily. It may be better off to consider a supplement such as Turmeric or Curcumin or Boswellia if you want to attempt to ward off UC. They have some good statistics in keeping people in remission once they have already attained remission so that's a possibility.

The whole genetic thing is that your daughter MAY HAVE inherited a predisposition to an autoimmune disease (not necessarily UC), PROVIDING THE RIGHT TRIGGERS ARE PRESENT TO TRIGGER THE DISEASE. This means that even if she does have a faulty gene she may never develop UC unless the trigger or triggers present themselves. Sometimes it is just one trigger. Sometimes several different triggers need to be present all at once to start the process. Unfortunately the triggers could be anything from antibiotics to viruses to food to environmental things. Right now it is impossible to know what her triggers might be and please remember that it is very possible she did not inherit a predisposition to catching autoimmune diseases at all. The last thing you want to do is radically change gut microbia because that in itself could trigger the disease.

Yeah. I try to think that maybe I will hopefully get lucky because both of my children were born before I came down with UC. I'm hoping the genes they inherited are better than the ones I have now. I really wish there was a study showing how many offspring came down with UC when they were born after a parent already had UC versus how many offspring came down with UC when they were born before a parent came down with UC. That would really be an interesting statistic.

It's very possible that the antibiotics set the stage for getting UC later. I too took antibiotics more than a normal person and I came down with my UC while I was in the hospital getting broad spectrum antibiotics. There is no doubt in my mind that the antibiotics I was on while in the hospital were at the very least partly responsible for me coming down with UC, if not totally. I would do your very best to keep her off antibiotics as much as humanly possible, particularly the higher powered, broad spectrum ones and make sure she is megadosing on probiotics every single time she takes antibiotics.

You won't ward off UC....but I think everyone should be on probiotics for obvious reasons (so easy to pick up anything since a HUGE # of people DON'T wash their hands after using the bathroom.

Absolutely use them when on antibiotics.

I wasn't on lots of antibiotics as a kid.

And yes, I was fearful of passing anything I have onto children...that's why I chose to not have any.

q

I'm 58...no regrets for even one second on both my husband and I.

With my health history of both physical and mental...it's the best choice.

Let me add to you...I truly wish I was never born, and my daily struggle on many levels wouldn't have helped by me having children.

I have a cat with many of the same issues I have (she's 19)....and she's the "child" I never wanted.  So, I'm quite clear on the parenting part, I don't regret it a moment.

The problem is that you can't accept a woman actually saying that.  Thankfully we have the right to make that decision.
q

You didn't ruffle feathers, just want to add to the why.

Actually, half the world shouldn't have children....but we have to care for those who can't or won't. That's the part that's sad! I'm not even going to touch on the state of the world at this point.

And just to add....I'm not talking about the joys of those who are already born.

q

Gary... you must know genes don't work that way, right?

The genes you pass on to your children are not different if it's before or after you're diagnosed with UC. "I'm hoping the genes they inherited are better than the ones I have now." You have the same genes you've had since you were conceived.

epigenetics