Probiotics and digestive enzymes

[Francesbarbara]

I was prescribed Omeprazole when first diagnosed with Polymyalgia. Consultant agreed I could stop them a year ago. Have always taken digestive enzymes which have always helped me in the past. . I am thinking of adding a Probiotic supplement. Has anyone else taken both these things together?. Currently on 2.5mg after 2 years.

[PMRpro]

i think you might have more chance of finding someone with relevant experience on the dedicated PMR/GCA forum - hundreds of PMR patients on pred! And lots who take supplements ...

[piglette]

A lot of people just take yoghurt with their pred. Are you taking the enteric coated tablets or the plain white ones?

[Francesbarbara in reply to piglette]

I do take yogurt as I know it is recommended but not every day. My pills are the plain ones - GP not keen to prescribe enteric ones. ? cost

[piglette in reply to Francesbarbara]

I don’t understand GPs. They are quite happy to prescribe plain pred plus Omeprazole, but won’t prescribe enteric coated which would be cheaper than the two sets of tablets together. I have discovered doctors are not very good at arithmetic!

[PMRpro in reply to Francesbarbara]

Not only aren't they too good at sums - the doubling of potential adverse effects plus risk of interactions seems as good a reason as any to me for NOT handing out another medication!!

[eh66]

There are many foods that support the gut biome especially the fermented foods; live yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir etc Generally a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables with plenty of fibre will be support the good gut bacteria. Take a look at work of Prof Tim Spector, Dr William Li, Dr Will Bulsiewicz for info on food/gut interactions.

[Francesbarbara in reply to eh66]

I'll be interested to look at these sources, thank you. We do have lots of veg and fruit, and all the items you list apart from kimchi (will look that up ) - Perhaps I don't really need anything extra as a supplement.

[eh66 in reply to Francesbarbara]

Kimchi is fermented Korean cabbage. It is not for everyone. The best places to get it tend to be oriental supermarkets if you have one near by. You can make it yourself too.

[dianamarie]

Good morning...firstly I must say omeprazole is NOT a digestive aid, or even digestive enzyme, it is a proton pump inhibitor. It simply shuts down your bodys acid pumps, thus reducing acid reflux, heartburn and the like.Your pancreas produces most of your needed digestive enzymes, Trypsin and Chymotrypsin to digest protein, Amylase to digest carbohydrates, and Lipase to break down fats. Your doctor can run easy tests to determine if your pancreas is functioning properly. Again, omeprazole simply reduces stomach acid.

If you Google how to naturally increase digestive enzymes, you will learn,, Eating more protein, chewing your food longer, taking digestive enzyme supplements, and eating certain foods, such as papaya and pineapple, which are naturally rich in the digestive enzymes that are even the core ingredients in the supplements.

If you have mastered eating yogurt everyday, that is helping you get the good bacteria in your gut, with the goal of out numbering the bad.

I personally have moved on to Kefir! I purchased Kefir grains, on the internet, and have been making my own Kefir for quite a while. All it requires is milk, and the grains! Home made Kefir is super high in probiotics, and makes you feel amazing. Internet will tell you Kefir, 'Boosts your immune system, aids in digestive problems, improves bone health, and may even combat cancer.' It is slightly tart and tangy, You can drink it, flavor it so many ways! In smoothies, make puddings (and most anything you would use milk for) even make your own cheese, which will also give you whey, and that's a whole other healthy story to google!

Start drinking slow, just a few sips every morning, then gradually increase, to prevent discomfort. Your gut is filled with bad bacteria, Kefir starts to give them a boot out, so go slow to prevent uncomfortableness...please Google it, and learn!

Hope you are on the road to health recovery soon!!

Best wishes!

[Francesbarbara in reply to dianamarie]

Thank you dianamarie for such a helpful resume. The reason I asked to come off Omeprazole was that I have never had acid reflux, heartburn etc and I didn't see the sense of more pills, unless essential. I have started using Kefir which I really think is beneficial and I'll find a recipe for a home made variety. Papaya and pineapple sound a good idea too. There is so much we can do to help ourselves, as you suggest. .

[dianamarie]

Sounds like you are taking your better health into your own hands! Good for you! The doctors don't tell you that omeprazole taken regularly over time causes bone loss and osteoporosis, which can lead to painful fractures. Drinking Kefir can help with that. I too was given omeprazole while on drugs for CNS Vasculitis for many years.Was not informed of long term use effects, and last April suffered 4 spinal fractures. I Google to learn how to naturally help my bones, ...Kefir!

So, better health has been a learning process, and I am so grateful for being able to google so much info on the internet!

Keep researching, keep learning, and I promise you your body will thank you for it!

Also, although Kefir from the store is better than none, it has been pasteurized, and alot of the probiotic benefits have been killed off. Making your own Kefir is super cheap, and fun to do!

First you have to buy 'Kefir grains', from someone local, or eBay or Amazon. I got mine off ebay! ($15) You put them in a glass of milk, leave on counter to ferment 24 hrs, then voila! Kefir! Then you pour it through a strainer to retrieve the grains, put your freshly made kefir in the fridge, and simply add more fresh milk to the grains to start the process again. The grains (they are like rubbery cottage cheese) will live forever, and will even start to reproduce, you can sell or share them!

[Francesbarbara in reply to dianamarie]

Your last paragraph was particularly interesting and made me enthusiastic to get going with own brand of Kefir. You hear a lot about fermentation these days and sauerkraut is another of my recent purchases. So sorry to hear of your perhaps avoidable fractures.

[dianamarie]

Thank you,, it has been a struggle...Well, sometimes it is disease, or accident that will encourage us to do better for ourselves 😊I also tried fresh sauerkraut, I positively love it fried up with sausages or bratwurst...grew up eating it, so that one was easy for me. ...then I did some research on it,.. and you only reap the probiotic benefits if you eat it raw. Heating it kills the good bacteria, so if you are heating it before eating it, might as well get the cheaper processed, canned style that does not say live probiotics. Cuz its all the same once you cook it!

I've tried to eat it cold, it is quite snappy, lol

Kefir gets its fermentation from the grains that eat the lactose from the milk. It is how they used to keep/store milk centuries ago, and the grains would get passed down the generations.

There are several websites, all good, one of my favorites is -culturedfoodlife.com-

They educate you on several fermentation options. Very knowledgeable site!

Have fun learning, you will want to share with others once you are reaping the benefits yourself...like me, lol....😄