He everyone, I just need a bit of feed back or advice please regarding taking probiotics to help ibs.After reading a lot of good stuff about these pills I decided to take the plunge and buy some.I have previously been on omeprazole for around 7 years and I’d also read these can destroy the good bacteria in your gut.So I have paid £40 for 30 pills from a company called bettervits. I have now been taking them 2 weeks and a few days ago my stools starting becoming loose and now I am suffering with diarrhoea and awful tummy cramps.So is this a usual reaction?Do I continue with them hoping my gut will settle.I would appreciate anyone else’s experience taking them. I am hoping despite the awful symptoms they could actually be doing me good 🤪. Thank you.
ibs and probiotics : He everyone, I just need a... - IBS Network
ibs and probiotics
My doctor has recommended Align (I am in the US). Ask your doctor what he thinks you should take and also for how long you should take it. My gastroenterologist says not to take it for more than 30 days.
Interesting. What was the reason the gastroenterologist gave for taking probiotics for 30 days only?
Hi _ I was puzzled by that myself as it is different from his previous guidance, which was just to take one a day with no time limit. I did not ask him. I am guessing, however that the GI guidelines re probiotics have been changed by whatever overall GI entity or new research indicates a shift makes sense.
Things seem to be different in the US. In the UK GPs and gastroenterologists don't tend to recommend probiotics since in the UK it is only classified as 'food'. Maybe they meant only try them for 1 month to see if there is benefit, though I've seen elsewhere that you should give them 3 months to see if they help before giving up on them.
Yes, you could be right. It is also possible, however that the feeling is that you get enough benefits from one month. I believe, at least in the US, that there is some feeling that there may also be some negatives, such as side infections or inflammations from introducing a large number of bacteria. I have heard similar things directly or indirectly from 3 gastroenterologists. The real issues is that nowhere near enough hard research has been done on probiotics.
Hi. Probiotics were my life saver. Make sure you only choose something that has undergone proper trials in a hospital like Symprove or Alflorex. You will need to stick with it for around 12 weeks with any medication or diet change.
Some offer special introduction deals.
I took Symprove and it was magic but as a liquid difficult if you were going away.
Alflorex now works for me.
Both theses have helplines with people that have or had ibs so very helpful.
Good luck
I have used both with good resultsSymprove do a 3 for 2 offer
Good luck
You may have to have a period of adjustment after 7 years of a medication, or it may be the new probiotic just doesn’t suit you. I was recommended by my dr to take bio-kult, which so far has been amazing.
I have taken yakult for about a year now. I think that if you can buy it over the counter it can't be too strong. I'm not sure it made any difference but afraid to stop it now. Odd thing is when I switched to the low fat one I was not so good. I am limited to what I can take it must be gluten free, but even the yakult has lactose.
I take one from healthspan not too expensive not sure if they help or not
It can take a little while to settle in some people. The probiotic that worked best for me and has been scientifically studied for IBS has been Alflorex. They also have a support number and email address in case you are experiencing issues.
They are very helpful and are recommended by some NHS areas. It’s great for traveling too.
I have responded well to Kefir that's the only probiotic that has slowed things down a bit and produced better stools.
I take Inulin which is made from chicory and is a PRE-biotic (from Healthspan website in UK). I also take Onken PRO-biotic yoghurt which I buy from a supermarket. My IBS has been much better since taking this combination. It is my understanding (from my own research) that you need a PRE and a PRO biotic for healthy guts. I don't take any prescribed medication .. GP not really interested ... just told me to follow FODMAP diet.
I have tried 4 or 5 different probiotics & had the same problem as you. I gave up after a month as the looseness did not improve. So I don't have the answer sadly. Good luck.
Thank you for your feedback. I shall persevere a little longer and see how I feel cutting back to one every other day.Anything is worth a try when you are suffering with pain although we certainly don’t want to make the symptoms worse!x
It would be good to hear how you get on. Fingers crossed for you.
It's worth a go, but if you're getting a severe reaction I wouldn't persevere past a few weeks of trying (to see if it'll settle). I had bad reactions to both Alflorex and Symprove. Currently I'm trying Pro-ven (get it from Holland and Barrett or Boots), which I'm not reacting too badly to but hard to say if its helped.
Thanks Ricky I’ll persevere a little longer and see if my gut settles down.Such a complex condition especially in how we all differ in what helps.
Totally. Funnily enough, having just said Pro-ven was ok, I've had a terrible day with bloating. I suspect the full dose is simply too much for my gut to handle. I'm sure there'll be a strain out there that helps though.
Oh no 🙈 I can relate to the bloating,it’s awful,kept me awake last night.
If you are a member of The IBS Network log in with your member details to access our factsheets they contain extensive, authoritative information regarding the symptoms and treatments of IBS. Click on the individual factsheets to read or download to print. There is one about probiotics theibsnetwork.org/fact-sheets/
It can take a while for the bowels to get use to them. I use a powder called Bimuno which you can titrate to how your bowels respond. I have to say after over 50 yrs of IBS this is has sorted me out!
the best and cheapest way is to make your own kombucha or water kefir, I felt so much better after taking water kefir that now I make kombucha too. they are live cultures of years and bacteria, I can't see how distilling them into a pill will be as good. Look them up on the internet and you can buy them on amazon very cheaply. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall made kombucha on his programme. Its called a SCOBY symbiotic culture of organic bacteria and yeasts
Hi Julie,Loose stools are a common side effect of probiotics. But it sounds to me like you should reduce your dose while your body adjusts. I have been taking Kefir recently and am slowly building up from a tablespoon a day to the full dose which is 170ml a day. If you are taking pills you could try taking them every other day for example and see if that helps.
Thank you so much Liz for your advice,sounds like wisdom 👍. I shall try taking one every other day now and see how I get on.I have gone from my usual constipation to now the other extreme 🙄.Trial and error I guess.xx
I successfully used Holland & Barret's probiotics for a month without serious problems. At first, I noticed that I was feeling hungry all the time. This was due, I think, to the fact that they were reducing the amount of bloating I was suffering. They did work for me, as they helped while I sorted out my diet. Now I don't take them, as I no longer feel that they are necessary. However, please take care, and if you feel uncomfortable with something you are using, trust your instincts and stop taking them.
Thank you for your advice,much appreciated x
Years ago I tried probiotics and had a violent greasy diarrhea response. I stopped immediately and didn’t try any more brands, but I probably should have. I am now taking a probiotic tablet twice a day without any reaction, but I’m not sure if it’s doing any good because I take another tablet with it called IBsolution which regulates the stool quite well if I am watchful with my diet. The same company recommend the probiotic so that’s the route I’m taking for now.
Some probiotics can do that, but try another one that suits you better. I use Bio-Cultures Complex from Free Soul which is available on Amazon, it's £13.95 for 30 and generally seems to keep everything in order. Omeprazole can have a negative impact on the good bacteria found in the gut, because the bacteria make up in the digestive system can become disrupted resulting in the microbiome weakened and more susceptible to the risk of infection and illness. Probiotics strengthen the gut mucus membrane which can get leaky after long term use of PPI's .
I tried BioCultures and they made me throw up for 2 days afterwards - never again...
Thank you for this information.This is the reason I’m trying the probiotic tabs as I read somewhere that omeprazole can destroy your good bacteria.Not sure why they are literally emptying my bowels out 🫣 but maybe they are doing me good despite the diarrhoea!
Have you tried soil based ones such as b coagulans?? Some people get on better with them. Or maybe water/milk kefir? Most commercial probiotics are only transiting anyway which means the benefits only lasts while you're taking them.
Personally I haven't found any that have had long term benefits, but I'll probably give water kefir a go soon.
I agree I spent a lot of money on pill probiotics and they did pretty much nothing. Studies say most just go right through. I did notice my stools changed quite a bit with goat milk or oat kefir. The organisms are alive and tend to incorporate better in the microbiome. Kefir also contain yeasts such as Saccharomyces which tend to keep down some enteric pathogens such as enteropathogenic E. coli and Klebsiella sp. I've noticed less urgency less stools with better color and consistency. Originally I was going to the bathroom 10x a day 24/7. My poops were yellow and thin. My GI says it was because of rapid transit. We couldn't figure out anything except that I had some diverticulosis and I had a few gut infections and food poisonings. That is what started all this nightmare. I'm definitely not cured but with kefir and soluble fiber such as phgg my life is a bit better. The last few years of my retirement have been total trash, and have been able to go anywhere.
Hi JulieB5200
I have been taking BetterVits too and its done wonders for me. First week or so i had similar reaction but I stuck with it and I've been feeling so much better since. My IBS has improved a ton.
I'd say keep at it till you finish your first pack and see.
Oh that’s interesting, thank you 👍. I am going to persevere but take every other day as the cramps n diarrhoea are getting on my nerves! I was fine till day 10 and then it was as if my gut is expelling everything out each time I eat.
My husband started on bettervits and his ibs diarrhoea has greatly improved. He has tried other probiotics before but didnt help. I think the bettervits have more friendly bacteria than some other brands. It has done wonders for his confidence and although they are expensive he is afraid t o try cheaper brands
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