Hello, Lindac. Some people experience gas and bloating when they start a probiotic. Your gut is adjustingmot the new, good bacteria. I would stick with it to see how it goes, maybe finish this course. Last year when I had to take cipro and flagyl, my doctor advised me to take Florastor, and leave several hours between the antibiotic and taking the probiotic. I waited three hours before taking the probiotic.

I also drink Bio-K three times a week, at bedtime when my system is relaxed and not still digesting food. There are 50 billion live cultures in each little jug. It has to be kept in the fridge; taste and consistency of thin yogurt. I started drinking Bio-K two months before my j pouch surgery. I wish I had known about it 20 years ago and I might have saved my colon. It regulated my digestive system and gave me solid, formed BM's as if I were 100% healthy, like an Olympic athlete with a clean system! But I had to go through with the surgery. I continue to drink it. 

I had really great results with Symprove. Good luck!

Another good probiotic at a reasonable price is PB8. It can be purchased on Amazon.

I don't suffer from pouchitis often but I do do cures of probiotics about 2xs/year...I get mine at GNC or Costco...usually the chewable kind just in case...it is just enough to keep and maintain healthy flora.

Sharon

I'm on symprove too!  Not cheap but cheaper than Vsl.  Just do the recurring 12 week deal.  After the first 12 weeks you drop to maintenance dose which is 50% so the 12 week pack lasts 24 weeks!  It's about £160 in the UK.  The only problem with this is it does have a shelf life ( and takes up fridge space) so you get symprove too send you the first 8 week batch, and call them when running low for the remaining 4 weeks!

 It's not been tested for use with JPouch though (only vsl has) but it's been proven to have good viability and to reach the gut with good survival rate so can't personally see any reason it wouldn't work.  On standard subjects is proven to be one of the better ones.  It's not as time critical either, you drink it 10 mins before you eat breakfast, but it will survive in the stomach for over an hour (powered tablets are not this forgiving)

Symprove state that because it's a live probiotic (in liquid form) it's much better than freeze dried powered probiotic that require stomach acid to wake up.  In powered form the buffer to protect the bacteria can either be too effective (meaning the probiotic isn't fully activated) or not effective enough (meaning the probiotic element is killed by stomach acid)

Previously i took biokult but with hindsight that was probably a waste of money.  I think modern tests have shown it's bio survivability is poor and the stomach acid kills it off!  I think the live yogurts have been proven to be more effective than most freeze dried probiotics.

I can't say for sure that symprove works, i guess only continued good health with support that, but I've only been on it 6 months so too soon to tell! I can say I'm making good progress and docs very happy.

I don't work or profit from symprove in any way, and if i could afford it i would probably take Vsl as that is what hospitals in UK prescribe for pouchitis ( if your lucky).  But I've learned a lot from symprove and researching probiotics.  By all means do you own research but it seems a good one to consider.  Rest assured of it fails me this board will know about it lol

Bobish,

Thanks for all the information. My son has only taken probiotics in capsule form. He is lactose intolerant and doubt he could deal with Bio K taste - though that sounds like an excellent idea. ( VSL also did not agree with him.)

Bio Kult was recommended for my son ( J pouch and on humira) . Could you point me towards the source of your information that Bio Kult is not effective so I can address this with his provider. 

Thank you. I appreciate your help.

Have also found Symprove amazing for Jpouch! It quickly and dramatically improved both output and many other symptoms. 

Is anyone getting symprove in the US?

Thanks.

Check Amazon.

You can purchase both vsl and symprove on amazon.

Hi, Boy's Mom. The liquid probiotic that I've been recommending and drinking is called "BIO K" not the other brand named bio kult. I've never heard of bio kult, but I think they are two different products. I've attached the link to the BIO K website so you can read on it. If your son is lactose intolerant as I am, BIO K makes a special flavour that is rice based, not milk based, so customers with lactose intolerance can drink it without problems. There is even a children's version. It taste like yogurt. It also comes in flavours of strawberry, blueberry, mango, and plain. Here is the link: 

https://www.biokplus.com/en_ca

FAO boys mom,

Appreciate this is from the symprove website, but the research is apparently independent from UCL London. 

http://www.symprove.com/biosci...ence/ucl-study?hcp=1

Its a starting point for you at least...

hth