I've just started taking Symprove for my IBS symptoms and thought it would be fun to document my progress on here. Just as a bit of background, I have IBS-C (constipation) which is quite severe. I had a transit test done some years ago and the majority of the markers were still in my colon after a week. I first contracted IBS after a bout of food poisoning so I supposed I can be classed PI-IBS (post-infectious). I've tried probiotics in the past without much success but this product intrigued me as it's in liquid form and supposed to survive stomach acid.
I've just taken my first dose today and I'm not going to sugar coat it, this stuff is VILE! It's very acidic and tastes like apple cider vinegar only not as nice. And you can't eat or drink for 10 minutes after taking it so you can't disguise the taste with anything. I would definitely recommend if you were going to try this to opt for the Mango and Passion Fruit flavour rather than the Original! No effects as of yet but this is to be expected as it takes up to 12 weeks to recolonise your gut bacteria.
Will keep you updated of any progress if anyone is interested!
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motoe
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I tried it but never really carried it through. So yes it would be nice if you let us know how your getting on with it. Tell me do you have daily pain or accational pain.
I used it for a couple of years and for that time it helped me. I think probiotics are individual - our own gut bacteria determines whether the chosen probiotic strain/s work or not. That's why some people swear by certain probiotics, and others don't. Be interesting to see how you get on.
I would be really interested to find out how this goes, motoe.
Binks, I was considering taking probiotics but wondering which one to take. There seems to be a large choice out there. I suppose it is just trial and error to see what works best. I am always worried about making things worse.
Hey guys, thought I'd check in after day 1. A couple of hours after taking Symprove I had a bit of loose stool, which is unheard of for me as I have IBS-C. I did read that this is a common side effect though, so those with IBS-D need to be aware of this. I'm not sure if it's the placebo effect but I did notice I was in less pain than usual yesterday. I've become quite reliant on Buscopan for cramps (which works sometimes and other times it doesn't) and I didn't need to take any yesterday. I didn't have a huge appetite and wasn't able to eat a lot for dinner but again this is pretty normal for me. So all in all a good day!
So day 2 on Symprove turned out pretty well. Warning some of this may be too much information but we all suffer with IBS so know it's not a pretty disease! I woke up very windy, which isn't abnormal for me but for once the wind wasn't trapped. I suffer really badly from trapped wind which seems to stay in one place for a long time causing pain, so the fact that it wasn't trapped was a good thing. I also managed to have a "normal" stool in the first time in ages. For my chronic constipation I have to take laxatives everyday so my stools are either small and lumpy or diarrhea like if I've taken too much. Another bonus! Unfortunately after that first bowel movement I was running to the toilet quite a bit but that was OK because I was in the house and was taking it fairly easy. I had no abdominal pain yesterday, again which is unheard of for me. Even if it doesn't have any affect on my tummy, if it reduces the pain I'll be over the moon.
What I can ascertain from this is I think you would possibly struggle on this if you have IBS-D. If it has this effect on my sluggish bowels, I dread to think what it would be like for you. Although I suppose everyone is different.
Hi Thanks I am thinking of trying this am interested in how it goes - please keep posting. I do not have much C as I take Yakult which helps but do have chronic wind (leaky gas) which I have not managed to stop - it is all since post infectious gastroenteritis. I think my bacteria have become very unbalanced which produces a lot of fermentation and digestion problems.
Day 3 - Today I woke up at 5 am feeling quite nauseous and had to get a cup of tea to settle my stomach but I'm not sure if it was the Symprove or the fact that I was on a night out and had a bit of junk food. I woke up later to find my stomach a bit bloated which isn't normal for me as normally I wake up with a relatively flat tummy, only for it to get more bloated through the course of the day.
I managed to have a small bowel movement followed by quite a bit of diarrhea but this could have been caused by the coffee I drank. Coffee definitely helps me go to the toilet - a good tip for those with IBS-C.
And I'm happy to report, no pain! Still haven't had to take any Buscopan or other painkillers!
Day 4 - maybe it's my imagination but I seem to be urinating more on Symprove. Every night since starting it I've woken up at least once in the night to use the loo. Not annoying, just something I've observed. Another day with no abdominal pain! I did have some discomfort after eating a large lunch but just felt like things moving around inside me. I was a bit bloated last night after a large dinner but again that's fairly normal for me. Maybe I should move back to smaller meals more often.
Getting used to the taste now and actually looking forward to getting up in the morning and getting my dose of it!
Day 6 - bit of abdominal discomfort in the afternoon but no pain. Probably because I ate a massive lunch. Other than that nothing to report. Still not taking Buscopan for pain!
Keep up the good work motoe. I started symprove 3 days ago. I'm like you, I have severe constipation. I don't really have much to report. I'd love for it to ease my pelvic pain and improve my bowel motility.
Day 7 - A pretty good day. Had some abdominal discomfort in the afternoon, tummy felt very heavy but not painful. I had a bit of constipation today but it resolved itself. Family and friends have been commenting that I'm more chipper than normal probably because I'm in less pain and happier!
Day 8 - very bad constipation today and first day I've felt pain since starting Symprove. Not sure what caused it. I did have vegetable curry the night before but normally it doesn't affect me and has the other effect if anything! Yesterday I had to take 2 Buscopan and a co-codamol just to get out of the house. I went out to dinner last night and really didn't feel like going but I'd organised it so I went and could only manage to eat half my dinner. Hopefully tomorrow will be better!
Day 9 - was feeling slightly better until lunchtime when I decided to eat something. After that was doubled over with pain, hugging my water bottle most of the afternoon and because I was so exhausted I fell asleep. Luckily I had nothing planned. Felt a bit better after that and was able to eat a good sized dinner so that was good. Don't know why after a load of good days I'm suddenly feeling so rubbish but still continuing with the Symprove!
Day 10 - a lot better today, no abdominal pain and a lot more energy. Also feeling a lot more upbeat when I don't have any abdominal pain. Almost finished my first bottle of Symprove, only 7 more to go and then I get the last 4 free as I ordered from the Symprove website.
Day 13 - not as good today. Had a very sore stomach in the morning. I needed to take both buscopan and paracetamol to get the pain under control so I could get on with my day. However I am coming up to my time of the month (sorry if TMI but I know lots of women's IBS symptoms get worse then) so I'm not expecting my tummy to be in the best shape. If Symprove can improve that though, that would be amazing!
It's a probiotic drink containing 4 different strains of probiotic. The exact ingredients are: water, extract of germinated barley, live activated cultures of: L. rhamnosus, E. faecium, L. acidophilus, and L. plantarum; vitamin C, acidity regulator: trisodium citrate; preservative: potassium sorbate
Day 14 - a better day today. Did need to take some paracetamol for abdominal pain in the morning but the pain eased off as the day went on and I could still continue with my normal activities. Feeling a lot more energetic which is an added bonus!
Day 15 - another good day. I didn't need to take any painkillers and my tummy wasn't bloated at all. I was able to eat what I wanted including a Chinese takeaway with no ill effects.
Day 16 - started off well but the cramps got worse as the day went on. I'm on my period at the minute and the cramps from one seem to exacerbate the cramps from another. I did take some paracetamol as I started to get a sore back and was very tired all day but this isn't unusual for me during my period. Couldn't do as much as I would like to have done but sat and relaxed at home.
Day 17 - better than yesterday. Was a busy bee all day and only needed to take one Buscopan during the course of the day. Based on the amount of Buscopan I've needed to take over the past two weeks I can definitely say Symprove has helped pain wise.
Day 18 - quite a lethargic day. Had very little energy and needed to take painkillers later on in the day. Think it's still an improvement pain wise as I was needing to take painkillers everyday previously.
Day 19 - a very stressful day with lots of running around but tummy was well behaved until about 9pm when I had a bit of stomach ache. I didn't need to take any Buscopan, was just uncomfortable.
Day 20 - quite a rough day. Woke up feeling nauseous, never a good start to the day. Then didn't go to the toilet all day and felt very bloated. Found it very hard to eat much and went to bed early. Hopefully tomorrow will be better!
HI there! I just wanted to say that I've enjoyed reading your diary so far. I learned about Symprove about a week ago, and I'm seriously considering ordering it. I've been looking for reviews online to help me validate the cost (& added shipping to the US..). I've been suffering from IBS with extreme bloating/distention and abdominal pain for the last two years, and have exhausted most IBS therapies and meds.
Anyways, I just wanted to say thank you, and I look forward to reading more of your posts!
Oww thank you, it's good to know someone's reading it! If I were you I'd probably order one bottle to see how it affects you. I know it's cheaper if you buy more bottles but you don't want to buy 8 and find it has no effect. I was in the same boat as you, had tried everything else, I've had severe IBS for 7 years and it's affected my work life and social life. I'm not expecting miracles but if it reduces pain (which is my worst symptom) I'll be very happy!
Thank you for the suggestion. I've been going back and forth, as some people have reported not seeing results until the 8th or 10th week. Although after trying so many IBS remedies with no results, it definitely makes sense to start with just a small investment.
I know what that feels like. I have a cupboard full of different tablets (some prescribed, others not) which are supposed to help with IBS. The only thing that works for me so far is Symprove, Buscopan and Cocodamol but I only take this when in excruciating pain.
Day 21 - a lot better today. Finally went to the toilet and felt a lot better. No abdominal pain although the bloating was quite bad towards the end of the night but I can put up with bloating if I don't have abdominal pain. Definitely think Symprove is making me more regular which definitely helps with the pain. Ate some naughty foods last night including a curry and some of my boyfriend's spare ribs so tomorrow may be interesting!
Im enjoying reading your updates. Ive suffered with ibs for the past 5 years and am seriously contemplating trying symprove. My main symptoms are nausea, abdominal discomfort and diarrhoea. Please continue with the updates.
Glad you're enjoying them too ivesy. From the studies I read Symprove seemed to help the most with abdominal pain, which for me is my biggest issue. Hopefully you'll have some relief for your symptoms. This is well and truly a crap disease!
Day 22 - Surprisingly not bad after eating lots of Chinese food last night. No abdominal pain, just a bit of bloating and a lot more energy than usual!
Day 25 - terrible abdominal pain today. Not sure what caused it but I struggled to get anything done because I was in so much pain. It's strange because it started after I went to the loo. I thought IBS was always supposed to get better after going to the toilet but not always for me. Oh well, hoping tomorrow will be better!
Day 26 - still some abdominal pain which got progressively worse over the course of the day. Took Buscopan which did nothing and resorted to having to take Cocodamol just to take the edge off the pain. I know it's not good to take Cocodamol regularly for pain relief but sometimes it's the only thing that works for me, plus I wouldn't have been able to going into work without it. My bloating wasn't too bad, my belly will never be flat but I looked like I was only 2-3 months pregnant rather than 5-6 months when my IBS flares up really bad. Constipation wasn't really a problem today but then again I've been advised by my GP to take laxatives everyday.
Thanks for your updates. Ive just purchased one months worth of symprove to give it a trial. I'd be interested to know what improvement you have made percentage wise. I don't know what you were like before you started on Symprove but do you believe it has made a substantial difference to your ibs symptoms, if so what % would you say? I know everybody's different but would be good to understand how much its helped.
Hi ivesy, initially I felt it made a huge difference to my symptoms like 80% better but as time has gone on some of the usual symptoms are coming back. On an average day I'd say my symptoms are 50% better which is still great for me. I never seemed to have a day off from IBS symptoms before, especially abdominal pain so having less pain and even some pain free days has been great for me! Hoping it works for you too!
Day 27 - abdominal pain wasn't a problem today. Hooray! Felt quite bloated by about lunch time but as long as I'm not in pain I can deal with that and constipation not a problem today either.
Good to hear that you're getting some relief! I ordered Symprove and am very excited to try it. I have a vacation planned in a couple weeks, so I may wait til after that to start Symprove, since I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep in refrigerated while I'm away. I look forward to reading more of your updates.
Hey motoe. So just taken my first dose this morning. Would you mind me putting my daily updates on here too? If not that's completely fine, I will start my own post.
Ok day 1: first off I should start by explaining my normal symptoms. I'm ibs d, also have a lot of nausea, wind, unsettled stomach and fatigue. I took 50 ml of symprove at around 9am. Started feeling nauseous about 30 mins after. Throughout the day I had intermittent nausea. Went to friends for dinner. Didn't feel great, lots of nausea and wind. Overall I'd say my day was a 4/10.
Day 2. Took symprove at about 10am. Felt pretty good for most of the day. Had breakfast and lunch with no issues. No nausea/diarrhea. About an hour after dinner I started getting some abdominal cramps and wind but nothing too painful. All in all I'd say the day was 8/10. Which is pretty good for me.
Hey ivesy, sorry I haven't been posting as often but it's for a good reason … because I've been feeling good! Abdominal pain is gone most days or fairly mild when it is there and as a result I've had a lot more energy.
Glad to hear your second day was better than your first. Long may it continue!
Ok day 3. A bit of nausea in the morning which is pretty normal for me. However no diarrhea and no wind which is much better than normal. As a day I would say 7/10.
OK thought I'd better get back to updating. Day 32 - No abdominal pain, some watery diarrhea in the morning but that calmed down quite quickly and no bloating. A great day!
Day 4. Again a bit of nausea in the morning but not a bad day at all. Was really naughty and finished off a bag of m&m's last night so will be interested to see how i feel in the morning. 7/10
Day 5: Not a good day at all. The general nausea in the morning. had a late lunch which im sure didn't help. Around about 5.30 pm I had quite severe diarrhoea. Then after another 30 mins the same again. The rest of the evening my stomach was very uncomfortable and I was unable to eat anything. Had an early night. Im not sure if this is a result of the Symprove or its just my IBS flaring up (im hoping its the latter). Very frustrating though as I'd been feeling pretty good for the prior 3 days.
Ok so day 6. Following yesterdays horrific day today has been a bit better. Still had a really sensitive stomach but managed to eat without having the dreaded D. Nausea intermittent throughout the day however started feeling quite a bit better in the evening. Overall a 4 out of 10 though.
Day 7. I forgot to take symprove this morning. Didn't feel great for most of the day. Uncomfortable stomach with some pain. Got a little better in the evening. 5/10
Day 12 - Worst day so far, had a work volunteering day to a local dogs trust/. Felt unwell from the moment I woke up. Managed to get through the day and get home. After dinner started experiencing abdominal pain and then had two really severe bouts of D. Normally after going I start to feel better but felt terrible for the rest of the night. Went to bed at 9pm. 1/10
Day 13 - A bit of a better day, worked from home as still wasn't feeling too good. Managed to eat breakfast, lunch and Dinner without any D. Still had feelings of Nausea and really loud stomach noises. Also a bad headache from the afternoon. Going to still persist with the Symprove for a couple more weeks to see if things improve. 5/10
Day 14 - a better day. Went into the office to work. Symptoms weren't too bad during the day. Had family over in the evening and had a roast dinner. I'm trying to follow a low fodmap diet. Had a bit of wind and uncomfortable stomach after dinner but no D. 6/10
Sorry guys, it's been ages since I last replied. I've just finished bottle 4 and I'm feeling great! Over the past week I managed a four mile hike, eating a four course meal at a wedding and partying the night away. Hopefully things continue in the same vein!
That's great news motoe. Really happy for you. I've been doing ok since my last update. Not 100% but certainly much better than my prior week. Yesterday which I believe was day 20 was pretty good. No D and not much nausea which is always a bonus. 7/10
Hi ivesy. Sorry I haven't updated you guys in ages. Unfortunately over the past 2 weeks my symptoms have changed and gotten a lot worse. I've developed lower right sided abdominal pain that comes and goes but is there everyday. I've also had terrible nausea and completely lost my appetite. I'm awake for a couple of hours every night either in pain or feeling sick. I've got a doctor's appointment for in a week and a half so we'll see what happens then. Hope the rest of you are doing better. I don't think this has anything to do with the Symprove though.
Hey motoe and ivesy, I know you last posted 9 months ago but your diary was interesting. I'm on week 2 of my symprove journey, how are you both doing? Still on symprove?
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