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Hey, can anyone suggest a first time probiotic for me. I have crohn's and I am currently on 6mp. I wanted to try a probiotic to see if it may help.

Thanks.

 Reply posted for Smiller68.

I am taking 2 vsl3 capsules per day , and otherwise am on humira 40mg 1xpr week as well as imuran <azathioprine>.  All my other meds are mostly for pain and nausea. 

 Reply posted for katya.

Be careful with the prebiotic. Elaine Gottschall said that the bad bacteria could quickly adapt to using them and that in one trial she saw Clostridium multiplied enormously with a prebiotic. I think her description was  'playing with fire'.

It was a low gi diet with extra complex carbs that made me realise how important diet was for uc. Although I started with caution the uc flared up worse than ever before almost as soon as I started the diet.

 Reply posted for katya.

I was wondering how much VSL  you taking and what other meds. you are on/CD or UC or?  I've been trying to find info. on dosing and while on other meds.  I recently switched from Ultra Flora Plus Df(15 billion per capsule-2-4 caps.) VSL#3 capsules to VSL#3 DS-sachets...slowly upping amt.  Up to about 600 billion.  I'm on Humira-UC for 28 years/trying to get off a 8 month flare!  

Thanks, Shelly

 Reply posted for tconley.

There has been an impressive clinical trial specifically for IBD patients and VSL3.  Any good probiotic will have to be refrigerated - they are living organisms.  Recommended to take up to 2 hours before meals.  I found taking with prebiotic powder helped a lot!  Start really low, and work your way up gently... and make sure to journal your experience.  It will help you & your doctors track your progress.

And PLEASE.... don't go cold turkey on your current meds.  work with your doctors and formulate a long term plan & health goals.

 Reply posted for alanschachter.

A good probiotic brand for s. boulardi is Florastor.  Has been recommended by a few gastro doctors.

 Reply posted for tconley.

My GI recommended Risaquad which has worked pretty well. The nice thing is that it doesn't need to be refrigerated so I can keep a bottle in my purse as well. About $35 at Walgreens. However, it's significantly cheaper if you ordered from Amazon or the Costco pharmacy.

 Reply posted for augie1204.

I started VSL3 while on a normal diet and it made me sick and then I had a bad flare of uc and  a skin rash. Later I went on scd which took about six months to make much difference to uc but the rash and other symptoms (itchiness, foggy brain, water retention from pred) disappeared fast.
A year ago I started taking Mutaflor and it helped but it is expensive so I only use it now and again. SCD has made a huge difference (4/2 years) and with hindsight I think the problems I had with probiotics in the beginning were due to bacterial overgrowth.
At the beginning of scd symptoms recurred within hours of eating the wrong thing but now I can occasionally eat a non scd meal without problems and signs of anything going wrong take about four days. Before scd I would't have believed it was possible to have such a clear idea of the effects of what I eat and thought the uc was not affected by anything specific. It takes perseverance but it is well worth it and all round my health is enormously improved.

 Reply posted for alanschachter.

Alan, thanks for the quickl response, this is extremely helpful. Is there a suggested time frame for each step? For example, change your diet (as listed above) for 6 months while continuing all meds, then add the supplements for a few months, then decrease immune suppressing drugs, etc.? This may vary from person to person, but is there an estimated time frame for the SCD diet and supplements to work?

Thanks again,

John 

 Reply posted for alanschachter.

I've been researching S. Boulardii and am about to give it a try. Is it best to continue meds while taking this probiotic? I'm taking a handful of the usual meds every day, but am a week or two away from stopping prednisone.

 Reply posted for alanschachter.

Alan, what specific probiotic brand do you recommend? I did a google search of the S. Boulardii strain and came up with multiple options. Also where is the best place to buy these supplements?

 Reply posted for alanschachter.

Thank you Alan. Your always so helpful. I have read a lot of your post and I appreciate all your feedback.

Thank you.