Anyone try this probiotic? Is it good for avoiding pouchitis? I'm currently in Canada and last month was in the States and so picked up a 28 pack. I only did 28 incase it was hard on me, but it seems fine. I have heard very good things about it and am thinking of ordering more online. Only thing is, no one in Canada has it, so I will have to pay $30+ extra for shipping (and even then have only found one site that will ship here).

So my question is...is it worth paying the extra money for shipping (which i don't mind if it is a good one for jpouchers)

I used Align for several months and it worked great but then it stopped working. Had to switch to another probiotic and was told that is normal to have to go back and forth due to your system gets used to one. A lot of people here seem to like the Culturell probiotic also. Maybe you can find that cheaper.
Janita

I have been using align and honestly do not see much difference when I use it or do not. As others have said though some people have good luck with it.

I use VSL#3DS (double strength) and asked my internist to prescribe it so my insurance company would pay for it. There is a good thread on here, by lionspride I think, describing it and how it works with insurance companies. I was thinking since you live in Canada maybe you could get it prescribed under your national insurance.

THank you all for the respones. I find it all so confusing with the different kinds of probiotic. I don't get pouchitis regularly, but have had it maybe 4-5 times over the 23 years of having my pouch (which is not bad I guess). Just want something to keep my system healthy and lessen the chances. One thing I've read with Align is its good with bloating, which I tend to get (or is it just my pouch since as soon as I eat, my stomach pops out, even though I'm 94lbs so am quite small otherwise)

I take Align. I stopped taking it for a couple of weeks in late April/early May (I was too lazy to get another box from the closet). The result - I got pouchitis for the first time!

Now I take it every day. I get it at Costco. I stock up whenever Costco runs coupon for it.

For those taking align with success, how many pills a day do you take? maybe one pill a day is not enough? I am now trying vsl3 in the packets.

I took align for over a year to control my UC symptoms. That plus diet worked wonders for me. Though it didn't last forever. I did eventually flare up again and now I'm getting the surgery. I tried the VSL#3 it didn't seem to have any effect. I did the powder stuff which tastes awful and does not stir into anything very well at all. There is a pill form right? I would try that, but I heard it is mad expensive. And I have the same question about taking more than one align a day?!?!? or even for taking different kinds of probiotics everyday? Like doing both align and the VSL#3. I've got three different kinds here at home but not sure if I can take them all at once.

I can't taste the vsl#3ds when mixed with yogurt, apple sauce and various fruit smoohie, protein or fruit drinks - in other words something sweet tasting.

Jan Dollar told me it takes a couple of months to know if probiotics are helping.

Also VSL#3DS is the only one my insurance company will pay for - which helped make my decision.

Thank you for the responses. I guess for me I won't really know if it's working, since I really feel no different (but it's not like i felt bad before). I've just heard good things on here about it so thought I'd try. I did end up purchasing 2 boxes and then will decide whether to bother to orcer more from the STates or just get another probiotic from the drugstore.

I had chronic pouchitis and was cipro dependent. Since starting Align over two years ago, I've been pouchitis-free. I initially was taking two a day, but now only take one a day.

Justin C - that sounds like a real success!

It's more of a maintenance thing for us. We were taking VSL#3 (not the DS - our insurance wouldn't cover it). My son got sick of having to take it mixed with chocolate milk (he wouldn't take it any other way) so I switched to Align on the one condition that if he started getting any pouchitis symptoms that I would switch him back so fast his head would spin. He's doing great and it's been about 7-8 months on it. He takes 2 pills a day 1x in am and 1x in pm (along with very small dosage of Pepto Bismol and a fiber supplement)