Jan and Tricia, I too would be interested in your thoughts on this.

I don't know if there is any real evidence out there that probiotics can help those of us without any sort of reservois to colonise in but I do know that my joint problems are a lot less severe when I'm taking my probiotics. If for any reason I run out I find myself siezing up and back to feeling like an 80 year old. That's not to say I don't still get flares but they seem to be a lot less severe when I'm taking the probiotics.

Of course this could just be the placebo effect but I'm not complaining if it means that I feel better taking them.

Shell

The results are mixed on this, and particularly with RA. But, for IBD related peripheral arthritis and spondylitis, there is evidence that probiotics play a useful role. Here are a couple of newer abstracts:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16266224?ordinalpos=...anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18181732?ordinalpos=...anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

Basically, the jury is out, but there is some promising work. I do not see a huge difference for me, but that does not mean I stop taking my Culturelle.

Jan

Well I guess that is a good enough reason to start buying my Flora-Q again. I will take your word on the abstracts Jan. Personally I get three lines into them and find myself lost. lol

One more question - does not having a colon or a pouch mean I get less benefit from probiotics? Or will some colonize in my small intestine?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: AyrishGrl,

I think it probably does colonize in the ileum, as noted in this abstract, where ileostomy patients showed colonization after taking probiotics. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14766603?ordinalpos=...anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

As to the other abstracts, the key is to read them backwards. Read the last few lines to get the conclusions, then read the rest if you need more info.

The first one urges prospective randomized trials and states:

Based on preliminary clinical observations in patients with arthralgia and IBD, we put forward the hypothesis that probiotics may be helpful in the management of common extraintestinal manifestations such as arthralgia in patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

The second one is an overview of clinical use of probiotics:
There are also studies indicating that probiotics may be useful for prevention of respiratory infections in children, dental caries, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease. Areas of future interest for the application of probiotics include colon and bladder cancers, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis. The probiotics with the greatest number of proven benefits are Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain GG and Saccharomyces boulardii.

So basically, it is not clear yet. By the way, lactobacillus rhamnosus strain GG is Culturelle and saccharomyces boulardii is Florastor. Flora-Q is a combination of four other probiotics.

Jan

quote:

By the way, lactobacillus rhamnosus strain GG is Culturelle and saccharomyces boulardii is Florastor. Flora-Q is a combination of four other probiotics.

OK you will have to forgive a lowly network admin here...does that mean that Flora-Q is good or bad?

Well I've just checked the list of cultures on both my probiotic capsules and my probiotic natural yoghurt and unless there's a Transatlantic language thing going on I don't think either of those strains are in them.

I don't care! Even if it IS only a placebo effect I'm still going to carry on taking them because I do feel they make a difference!

Shell

It does not mean that Flora Q is good or bad. It just means that those two strains have the most research of proven effectiveness. These were the ones mentioned in the prospective analysis of past studies.

Of course, VSL#3 has proven effectiveness too and it has a whole slew of different strains. I know there has been some research with Flora Q and a number of people here have gotten good results with it. I tried it myself for three months to compare it to Culturelle and saw no difference for me. Since it was more expensive, I went back to the Culturelle. What makes the Culturelle lactobacillus strain a little different is that it is known to survive the stomach acid, so it can reach the small and large bowel alive.

The point is that probiotics are known to work for all sorts of things, but the jury is out on arthritis right now. Take the one that you feel well when taking. And as Shell says, even if it is placebo effect, it is an effect. Of course, that does not mean that it will do anything for you, placebo or not. Trial and error, just like practically everything else. We have to be our own clinical study!

Jan

Thanks Jan. I will go ahead and order some Flora-Q and start up on it again. It is worth a shot if you ask me.

Hi Tricia

I was wondering how you are getting on with Lyrica, as I have just started a course myself. Hope you don't mind me asking a few questions.
What dose are you on now?
Are you/or did you have any side effects?
And the crunch question - is it working?

Thanks
David.

Hi David!

I am taking 75 mg tablets twice a day. I can take a third mid-day if I feel I need it. I have not noticed any side effects except when I first started I did have some dizziness. I started with just one pill at night and after a week went to twice a day and have had no problems since. I think you might have to ease into your dosage with this med. I think it is working. I have noticed a decrease in my joint pain. Some days I feel the beginnings of the achiness, but it never quite escalates into the all over body pain. It has helped my hip bursitis some but since I am off the Celebrex now that seems to be coming back little by little. If that continues I will ask my doc for a longer script for Celebrex.