Give it time, Vanessa. I think they say it can take a few months for full potency. Plus, double the dose when traveling. I am doing well on it, but I am sure my Simponi is the major influence.

Good luck staying off antibiotics. I like to to reserve them for pouchitis.

Jan

My whatever "pouchitis" symptoms are horrible lately. I don't get what is wrong with me. I wish this pouch and I would just get along.

I wonder if your gastritis is the primary issue and that is causing general GI upset. Also, if this is an IBS type thing, that is more difficult to treat than pouchitis I think. You definitely have a complex case that is commplicated by multiple disorders. No fun, I am sure!

I wish I had some better suggestions other than to just keep trying different things, but you need to give each treatment a month or so before you move on to the next.

Jan

i am having my 2nd upper scope in 3 days so see if it has improved any.
Today my pouch is great but my fatigue is really bad. But I'll take fatigue over an angry pouch. :-)thanks

Hey Jan,

Question for you. Does Align make you tired? It is all I am taking right now and I notice I get dizzy feeling and very tired. I don't get why a probiotic would do that though.

Nah, it shouldn't. More likely your other inflammatory conditions, since inflammation is a major source of fatigue. Most of us forget about that and try to blame it on medications, activity (or lack of it), depression, etc. Those are causes too, but inflammation is easy to dismiss.

Jan

My inflammation is pretty much reduced by 80% in this last scope. Just 2 weeks after I started the previcid so since that is better I am sure it has something to do with my pouch as well. ALign really works for me, or so I think. My stool never smelled before, now I have to actually use air spray when done.

Probiotics make me worse. I am starting to agree with the studies there just isn't enough to prove they help without a colon. I had to go back on a dose of cipro to kill the horrible stuff that was inside my pouch. Doing wonderful actually now. Started 5mg of Prozac for pain and it helps, makes me wired as hell though but I think that will pass after a few weeks like most SSRI side effects do.

For now I have to go on and off antibiotics but VSL, VSL DS and Align were ok coming off antibiotics by week 2 and 3 they makes me worse. I can't not function so probiotics are officially out.

There is no one thing that works for everyone. Sorry they did not work out for you.

Jan

My GI says overgrowth of bacteria in small intestine so I am on cipro now then will switch in 10 days to half a dose then maintain it with Xifaxin (sp). Maybe that will lessen when they remove more of it! (sarcasm about more surgery)