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Probiotics in my Ulcerative Colitis is working

Well I have to say the last two days I got down to two BM and only in the mornings! Today so far just one. This is my 3rd week taking probiotics. I take the Primal defense. I started out with 3 and sometimes 4 a day and now i usually just take 3 a day.
My brother brought this for me.
My ulcerative colitis was so bad I had low red blood count and I think I develop Anemia. Other then the UC, I'm just feeling a lot of the symptoms of Anemia everyday throughout the day.

So I would say for those not taking Probiotics, to give it a try. I almost took Prednisone. So glad I didn't. I don't have much blood coming out neither.
Other then this, I also had Kim Chee which has friendly bacteria.

I thought I'll add this, maybe it has nothing to do with my condition but last year I also got into remission during the summer when I didn't even know I had UC. I remember eating Frosted Mini Wheats for breakfast with milk and drinking Ginger Ale soda during the day which I also started doing over a week ago.
Pentasa I stopped taking over two weeks ago and I notice lots of stomach aches so I started taking them again with folic acid.

I used to have 6,8 and more BM a day! So I'm pretty freaking happy now.
 
Swirl said:
Pentasa I stopped taking over two weeks ago and I notice lots of stomach aches so I started taking them again with folic acid.
To clarify, you're taking the probiotics and Pentasa?

Glad you're feeling better.
 
Yes I'm taking both and folic acid. If I don't take Pentasa, I notice stomach aches.
Download to mostly 2 BM a day I did had three yestarday but so far the past 3 or 4 days has been really good.
 
Swirl said:
If I don't take Pentasa, I notice stomach aches.
Sorry if I sound stupid but if stopping the Pentasa causes problems and taking them again helps then would you say you're well being is more likely due to that??
 
No. I notice Probiotics working the first week with my bowl movements. I've stopped Pentasa before also. The reviews I read about this probiotic and my improvements tells me its working.
I never heard going cold turkey on a med and back on some how might help.
Maybe only way to know is for me to stop taking Pobiotis which I wont. The not taking Pentasa on the other hand I may do. I don't want to depend on a prescription and doctor visits so thats yet to come again. Probiotics can upset your stomach if you take a few when you start out so lots of tests to come.
 
Not sure how much folic acid you're taking, but you're aware of the colorectal cancer risk at moderate to high doses, right?

Glad to hear that you're doing better! I tried VSL#3, but I'm still not sure whether it makes a difference in the severity of my symptoms.
 
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No I wasn't aware of colorectal cancer risk at moderate to high doses.
Was given 1MG. I get mine from CVS now instead of the doctor and taking 1200mcg.
I do have low red blood count.
I'm on Dr. Ohhira's Probiotics now. 3 a day on a empty stomach when I wake up. Stomach acid can kill of a lot of the friendly bacteria if you do take them while eating or soon after.


Ok I just read about cancer and folic acid. I'm going to limit my intake to just 400mcg now. Thanks!
 
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Swirl, thanks!! I have cd and have been wondering about taking probiotics. Im pretty sure I need to start taking it along with the many other pills I take. If it would help and I could get off Entocort, Im sure I would feel a million times better. Also, Im on Pentasa as well, and I dont like it....i fear going off for the problems I might experience. Its always so nice to hear that others are thinking and going through the same stuff I am.
 
Yeah no problem. If something helps, it can help others or atleast one other person.
I stopped taking Pentasa again and I haven't had any problems so far. When I first stopped taking it, I was taking less and less every week instead of all at once. That's a crazy amount of pills for my liver.

My brother got the Probiotics from Vitamin Shoppe. I know the Primal Defense have been working for 3 weeks. I'm on a little more expensive Dr. Ohhira probiotics 12 plus for 3 days now I think. I don't know if it will work as well has Primal Defense but I should see.

Seen a little extra blood in my stool since I switched to these new Probiotics so maybe I will go back to the others.

Just read the reviews on Probiotics and pick a really good one with good reviews.
 
Glad to hear your results Swirl. I was taking Primal Defense Probiotics from Vitamin Shoppe too, but I was just taking 2 a day. So you did 3-4 a day and found great results?

Maybe I was not taking enough of it.

Thanks for your input bud :)
 
Yep i think it said the max recommended is 3. But my brother done a lot of reading on probiotics and read about loading doses where you take more at the beginning then lower it to the basic recommended dose so i did. It worked for me but i ran out and for some stupid reason my brother decided to buy a different one which didn't work. I haven't tried primal since but will soon. I took two other probiotics and it worked but they stopped working.
I took each spread out during the day.
I continue taking them because it can only benefit me and I wont always be in remission but it should help still by taking probiotics.
 
Hey Swirl,

I have Crohn's, but i've been reading the same thing. I read an article last week about how probiotics are great for the intestines, so I started taking Green Vibrance and it's worked wonders. I've gone from about 4 BM's a day to 1 or 2. It's a great feeling! :) What you're doing during this remission time is so important!
 
It's always good to read positive posts and thanks for the info :thumleft:

I am currently trying acidophilus which I think is much the same
 
That's great TwinkleToes. If for some reason it stops working. Switch to a different brand. It stopped working for me 3 times and I also switch probiotics when it did and it worked over again. I also try taking more each time it did stop working but that didn't help.
I do let my doctor know I take it because probiotics changes the pH in your body. The only thing i know about pH is when it comes to Fish Tanks! lol I still have yet to read about pH levels in humans.

JetWhite,
That's what I'm taking. I've taken a acidophilus brand. I forget which, its somewhere in my past posts, it worked with one pill, once a day. But it stopped. So I switch to a store brand acidophilus, but i didn't notice a difference. I'm still taking it.
But treating IBD is so random with everybody, and that friendly bacteria is needed in our gut either way.
 
Hi everyone... so glad I found this forum!!!

Swirl... what strength do you take of Primal Defense?
I have to get this under control it is impacting my life in a bad way, I want to try probiotics but have been confused on which ones to get...

Does anyone have info about a drug called "Asacol" I was prescribed these but not sure if you should take them all the time, or when you are experiencing symptoms. Not that I can afford them without insurance it costs $200 for 90 pills that it says take 4 per day...
Thank you in advance everyone...
Marco

Oh I have UC by the way...
 
Welcome mpolo!!!

I was quite relieved to find this forum as well. I was diagnosed with UC in Feb of 2005, I've been on Asacol ever since, recently Asacol HD (just fewer pills in a high capacity form but same drug)

I've noticed no side effects with the drug and it has worked wonderfully for me.
 
I also take Asacol and as others have said, you should continue to take it, even if between episodes. I too have not had problems with side effects.

As I've said elsewhere around here, I also take a probiotic (I happen to take Renew Life Ultimate Flora Senior Formula) and it has improved things even further.
 
I'm on Sulfasalazine (same family as Asacol I think) - formal Dx is "Crohn's Colitis"
I also take probiotics daily, along with vitD (oily capsule), fish oil, and calcium/magnesium. I'm always a little uncertain about probiotic capsules/ tabs, cause I'm not quite certain how they are standardised. I generally drink a couple of bottles of Yakult, and one of another brand(Danone I think) daily. Seems to keep things on the right track :)
 
Well now I take Nature's Made Triple Probiotic. It kept me in remission for a along time. I came out of it due to the Hurricane and haven't been in remission 100%, more like 90% for a few months now. I'm also taking Asacol.
I've limit it 3 pills less and still the same. I only have 2 months supply left of it, and I no longer have insurance.
 
@Swirl, what dosage are you on for your Probiotics? Are you taking 100 Million Organisms or are you in the billions? Because I am really dealing with a lot of pain and have been left with no diagnoses from my GI, but I am certain it is Ulcerative Colitis.
 
It doesn't say how much it has, Nature's Made Triple Probiotic. I think i've been on it for two years now, and mostly been in remission or just enough for me to be able to get up and go to work for a year now. It is however hard for me to work early in the morning. I take one every day at dinner and 3 Asacol Pills twice a day but soon will be off it since I no longer have insurance. And my diet is normal except that I don't eat dietary food and avoid soda, beans and peas as much as I can. I do eat lots of Pizza.
 
I havent had insurance since the end of January but luckily my DR put a mail in order for a 3 month supply. Which is almost up. On top of that I discovered a website where you can get discounts on your prescriptions. I take Azathiorprine, its a generic version of Imuran. Without insurance it costs $80 but with the coupon (and or pharmacy discount card that I now have) I saved up to about 75%.

Please visit and save yourself money and your ass.
RxReliefCard.com
 
I recently bought Nutrition Now Probiotics acidophilus because of its low price and high ratings on GNC website. I will be sure to track my progress and come back to this thread to let others know if it works for me.
 
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