Hello ~

I have been reading (and re-reading!) LTYG. As a kid, I was on antibiotics almost constantly for several years. My MD thought that antibiotics were the miracle answer for every little thing. I remember taking them so much, it was like a regular thing like brushing my teeth for years, every day.

So I'm guessing all those years on antibiotics probably really messed up my gut flora and may be contributing to my colitis and gas issues as an adult. Who knows, maybe more.

But I am nervous about using probiotics. Two times in the past, nutritionists have had me used probiotics, I got massive loose stools and it was awful. They also made me really tired and achy.

Could this have been a reaction to inferior probiotics? Or a healing reaction? I never took them longer than a week because of these reactions.

I just bought a bottle of Natren Life Start and a bottle of Natren Bifdo Factor. I am thinking I'll start slowly with the Life Start, since I was on antibiotics most of my infancy, too. Maybe like 1/4 tsp daily and see how it goes, then maybe add in the Bifdo.

I am interested to know -- what experiences have other had using probiotics? Any initial reactions? What was it like, at first and over time?

Thanks!

Rissa,
I am having just that problem, everytime I take the probiotics even in a small amount I am in the bathroom in a couple of hours emptying out from top to bottom. I have always had that problem.
did you get any feed back from Jini. I know I need them, but they are causing me to lose weight, and I can't afford that.
B

Rissa,
I am having just that problem, everytime I take the probiotics even in a small amount I am in the bathroom in a couple of hours emptying out from top to bottom. I have always had that problem.
did you get any feed back from Jini. I know I need them, but they are causing me to lose weight, and I can't afford that.
Barb Tocci

Hi, Rissa and Barb.

Here are a few thoughts for starters; do any of them "click" with your intuition at all?

Rissa, your reactions to the probiotics could have been either a Herxheimer reaction, caused when pathogens die faster than the body can deal with the toxic by-products the bugs make as they die OR it could have been a reaction to inferior probiotics. Do you have any sense, however vague, toward one of these conclusions over the other? If so, that little voice is probably right and you can proceed from there.

Barb, you're right; at some point, improving the gut flora is a necessary facet that needs to be addressed for healing to take place (not everyone can address everything at once, which is why I say "at some point"). Can you give a little more information about the probiotics you're taking and in what quantities? For instance, are you using the Natren probiotics? Dairy-based or vegetarian formulas? Are you taking all three at once or have you been testing them individually? What other treatment approaches are you utilizing at the same time?

Nicole

Nicole.
I have used the acidophilus' pearls without to much trouble, I have used Florastor Saccharomyces boulardi lyo without to much problem.
I bought the Natren Bifidus and only used a pinch, I had violent diarrhea.
My Dr. thought that, as you stated that my body could not rid it self of the die off fast enough, I am sure there is plenty to kill!. He suggested a healthy dose of Slippery Elm to absorb the toxins. Right now I am just letting my body heal and rest from the event. I am on a very strict "don't feed the yeast" diet. So that should help, and then I think I will go back to the probiotics that I could handle. I have lost 30 lbs and weigh what I did when I was 13, I can't afford another wave of diarrhea like that again.
I had a bacterial infection in my intestines in Aug. and they used Cipro and Falygl to wipe it out. I have been sick ever since and they found ulcerative colitis two weeks ago, and even though I think I am getting better over all, I know I have to deal with the bad guys in the gut. I have a super sensitive constitution, I have never handled even decaf coffee, so I am going to take it slow.
Welcome any input, so grateful!!!

Barb T

Hi Barb,

Acidophilus only affects the esophagus, stomach and small intestine. It is not a resident of the large intestine.

Saccharomyces Boulardii is actually a yeast, not a bacteria.

So what you've been taking so far has not impacted your colonic environment - which, after taking Cipro and Flagyl is in dire need of good bacteria! I particularly warn against Cipro in "Listen To Your Gut" since the pharmaceutical insert that comes with the drug warns that it can cause ulcerative colitis.

You may want to try Natren's Life Start (B. infantis) first. This is the species of bacteria that is normally present in a baby's intestine and many people find they can tolerate it the easiest. It's available in Dairy-based or Goat milk-based. Phone Natren for more info.

take care,
Jini

Thank you for your reply that is very enlightening about where specific bacteria live, I had no idea. What if I was to do a gentle enema with the colon specific probiotics?
Barb T

That's a very good question....

I would guess that your bowel is very toxic and loaded with pathogenic organisms right now. Which is why you get such a strong Herxheimer (die-off) effect from even a small dose of Bifidus.

So, if you were to do an enema, which delivers a large dose, directly to the colon.....either you're going to have an even stronger Herxheimer reaction, or, somehow the huge dose of good bacteria being able to adhere quickly to the colon may balance out the Herxheimer reaction...

It's really impossible for me to say. I know there's a colon clinic in Sydney that uses repeated probiotic retention enemas to treat even full-blown, bleeding flares. But I don't know what that process looks like in action. Maybe the first enema (let's say in the morning) produces massive toxin expulsion and you feel quite ill. But then the next one (in the evening perhaps, or the next day) can really take hold and you feel much better very quickly.

Please post your results here for whatever you try. Connect with your gut and you'll get a feel for what's right for you to do.

And if anyone else has done "Jini's Probiotic Retention Enema" please post your results/experience here so we can pool our information!

take care,
Jini