I was recentley prescribed Flora Q. I tried it twice and both times got real bad gas,and diahrea. Could it just have been a bad time maybe?
Marie

Probiotics are not one size fits all.

Three things you can do. Try taking less, switch to another probiotic, or put up with the gas for a couple of weeks to see if you acclimate. Some people have a bit of a "break in period."

Jan

Marie, I am one that cannot take probiotics at all. Unfortunately for me I have had pouchitis so I would benefit from them if my body could tolerate probiotics. I am a quick fix kind of person so I tried PB-8 and a few others(for a short time maybe a week each) but the gas and diarrhea was just too much for me.There are a few people that cannot tolerate them on this board but I think that you should at least try a different brand or lower dose, maybe taking a lower dose or switching will help you. Good Luck Scott Mc

Thanks Everybody,
I probably will try another kind. I have tried the Flora Q twice with the same results. Im just a little scared to rock the boat. My doctor is talking surgery now for chronic pouchitus so I need to try other things. I am pretty frustrated with the pouch though. I don't think the bag would be so bad. I'm on Cipro now 1000mgs per day. It helps but the side effects are awful. Thanks again for all your advice. It is greatley appreciated!
Marie

Have you tried Culturelle yet? It's the only one that didn't give me any gas at all.....I get the best price at WalMart....$16 - only 1 per day and seems to do the trick for me - although I've added PB8 to the mix as well. Hope it works for you!

This is kinda the same thread, but what makes some people have their pouch removed due to chronic pouchitis, and others just stay on antibiotics? Anybody know?--Jan?--Thanks, Sue

The only thing that controls my gas and diarhea is Immodium. Other times Beano works but Mylanta doesn't work at all. I still have yet to try Gas-X. Oohh! and nothing like a hot tea after meal is very effective on gas.

The reason that some people stay on meds as opposed to reverting to a stoma in the presence of chronic pouchitis is the difference in tolerance and acceptance of the alternatives given to us.

Some people either fear or dread an ostomy so much (due to a variety of reasons) that they are willing to do whatever it takes to avoid one. Other people are not put off by an ostomy, but being on chronic medication therapy is not acceptable. A third sector are people who have refractory pouchitis and cannot get into remission with any sort of medical management and only have the choice of severe symptoms or ileostomy.

You just have to choose what is acceptable to you.

Jan

Thanks Everyone. As far as choosing to return to the bag I don't feel like I have much of a choise. We are still in the process of trying everything we can but when I am in a bad flare it is almost impossible for me to work but I do. I am not sure if it is the pouchitus or the Cipro but my legs hurt all the time. During a bad flare they almost put me down. My job is very physically demanding and with the pouchitus its hard to hold out. I don't want the ostomy bag back with the skin irritation and all but when I way it out it wins. Its not just my legs but the gas,frequency,raw bottom,lower abdominal pain and and overall feeling AWFUL. To sum it all up I guess thats the reason I am a little but not too afraid of the bag. I have a husband of 25 years who is very supportive also and that helps. Between surgeries he even changed my bag for me and it was his idea. Again thanks everybody I really enjoy this board and go to it almost everyday.
Marie

quote:

mariesloulou

I'd recommend trying Florajen 3 to see if that helps you. See my other post on the probiotics poll thread.

Thank You!

Hi. I have had pouchitis off and on since my takedown in Oct. of 2004. My doctor gives me flagyl 500 mg- he has me take two a day for a month, then one a day for 2 other months. He thinks that is the only waythat it gets rid of the pouchitis. Then afterwards, I start taking Flora Q- one a day. Each time I have done this, the flora q gives me gas etc. for two weeks, then seems to quiet down. I seem to be okay with just flora q for a number of months, then the pouchitis starts again. Sometimes, I think it is emotional and that my system just reacts like it did when I had my colon. Right now I am just on flora q- 3 months and counting.

So don't give up- good luck.

Linda

PS Between my first surgery and my take down my husband also changed my bag for me for 10 weeks. Aren't we lucky to have such great husbands. I have been remarried about 9 years, so he knew about my UC before we got married, but neither of us ever thought it would get so bad that I would need surgery. You just never know!