What probiotics have worked for you?

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brae
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Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2015 5:40 am

What probiotics have worked for you?

Postby brae » Thu Nov 16, 2017 5:45 pm

Acidopholous seemed to help me get over C. Diff a couple years ago, but it hasn't done much for the bloating I now get. I'm starting a new diet next week and I am trying to get as prepared as possible. Are there any probiotics or particular brands or dosage regimens you've had success with?
Last edited by brae on Thu Nov 16, 2017 7:59 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Ca5per03
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Joined: Sun Nov 12, 2017 10:38 am

Re: What probiotics have worked for you?

Postby Ca5per03 » Thu Nov 16, 2017 6:13 pm

Hi!! I'm 6 day post vancomycin so I don't know if I'm in recovery or will relapse, but I take Pb8 the vegetarian one. Seems to be working good, I've been taking them since I was diagnosed with c.diff October 19th.
30, female
C-diff positive 10/19 tested negative 11/26

georgina
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Re: What probiotics have worked for you?

Postby georgina » Fri Nov 17, 2017 1:52 am

The only probiotic that helped me was the Saccharomyces boulardii.
For more info about probiotics you can check CDI probiotics , prebiotics and Florastor!

NanciT
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Re: What probiotics have worked for you?

Postby NanciT » Fri Nov 17, 2017 12:14 pm

I am on VSL#3 which also helps post IBS, had trouble with a few others but this one has worked for me.
NanciT

Machaon
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Re: What probiotics have worked for you?

Postby Machaon » Fri Nov 17, 2017 1:01 pm

Hi brae!

Best of luck getting control over your bloating! I wish you long lasting relief from C-diff!

Just to make it more complex and confusing, I'll add my probiotic preferences to the mix! :)

On Sept 12, 2017, I finished 10 days of dificid and probiotics. I've had a full recovery without any lingering effects from the C-diff, which shocks the heck out of me! As with the others, I suffered badly. I expected long lasting damage to my innards and all kinds of nasty after-effects!

I am currently taking two (½ gram) Jarrow Formulas Saccharomyces Boulardii; and one Dr. Tobias Deep Immune probiotics; and one Dr. Tobias 30 Billion CFUs probiotics; and one NOW 25 Billion Probiotic-10 plus multivitamins and 3000 mg omega3, all of which I also took while on dificid.

I don't know how much these things have helped, but it is very important for me to try to heal and protect my insides. I also eat seven low calorie, balanced meals each day totaling about 1500 calories for a day.

Regards, best of luck and health! Bob
Male 77 S.Florida

900 weight lifts 750 knee bends day

Since 1987 had CHF afib asthma

I inhale $6 Flonase nasal spray for asthma :)

Ex C-diff (4/19/17- 9/12/17) after 10 days dificid

Diet:6 meals ~1500 cals 2 eggs 2 steamed broccoli, apple, bagels

Lisa33
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Re: What probiotics have worked for you?

Postby Lisa33 » Mon Nov 20, 2017 4:14 pm

VSL-3 and Florastor definitely helped me through the c-diff battle. I am 3 years out, and I take 1-Florastor or 1-Culturelle daily, alternating each day. VSL-3 is very expensive, so once I was about 2 years out, I switched to Culturelle for the live bacteria.

maxny2
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Re: What probiotics have worked for you?

Postby maxny2 » Tue Nov 21, 2017 10:17 pm

I don't think anyone can really know, it's just intuition or anecdote.

There is evidence that probiotic use helps a number of conditions, but only weak evidence so far that it reduces CDI recurrence. My ID doc actually prescribed kefir and probiotics, as adjunct to Vanco. But they know the evidence is weak.

Unlike an FMT, probiotic supplements are a drop in the bucket. The gut biome is estimated to contain > a hundred trillion bacteria, at least many thousands of different species. So a 1 billion cfu supplement of a few species is just 0.001% of what we already have inside us, if it even survives stomach acids.

That said, I took a ton of them. I was desperate. After main daily vanco course was over, I took as much CFU as max strength VSL#3, which is 900 billion/day, and as many strains as possible: http://www.cdiffdiscuss.org/PHPBB3/view ... 29#p115729

Whether it helped, I have no idea, but it made me feel better at the time. I still take one once a week or so, a year later.

Machaon
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Re: What probiotics have worked for you?

Postby Machaon » Wed Nov 22, 2017 3:17 pm

Even though probiotic supplements may be a tiny amount compared to the trillions of bacteria normally in the gut, in a study, those not taking one gram (20 billion cells) of Saccharomyces Boulardii, with vancomycin, relapsed 50%. Those taking the Saccharomyces Boulardii with the vancomycin relapsed only 16.7%.

My wife and I have never taken probiotics, until C-diff reared it's ugly head. I am not sure of the effectiveness of my tiny army of probiotics, taken since my C-diff, but I am doing so well, I still take them daily.

And... my wife has not had good potties since she was a child. She also doesn't eat a real healthy diet, no matter how much I nag her! She tried a couple of the probiotics that I have been taking and, voila!, best potties in over 60 years! We both continue to take them.

The probiotics may be tiny compared to the normal zillions in the gut flora, but they seem to be somewhat effective, and, perhaps, over time they help to rebuild a few of the protective, good bacteria.
Male 77 S.Florida

900 weight lifts 750 knee bends day

Since 1987 had CHF afib asthma

I inhale $6 Flonase nasal spray for asthma :)

Ex C-diff (4/19/17- 9/12/17) after 10 days dificid

Diet:6 meals ~1500 cals 2 eggs 2 steamed broccoli, apple, bagels


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