quote:

Copperhead
Posted 20 Jun, 3:43 PM
Please can any member who has tried VSL#3 give me some feedback on how it has or has not helped with crhonic pouchitis.I just started my regiment on June 16th,cost me out of my own pocket $400.00 canadian.So far haven`t noticed one bit of improvement.Right now both hopeful and terrified. Confused

I think you need to take it everyday for about a month before the flora count reaches it's peak level and stabilizes. Give it to the middle of next month and see how you feel compared to now.

I'm in the same boat and started a probiotic two days ago. I was looking into VSL#3 but I wasn't down with how much it costs, and considering I want to be on one all the time I couldn't afford it. Also the double strength version, the one that supposed to work the best for jpouchers, isn't available in Canada, thus isn't covered by prescription. I went the more affordable route and picked up a full spectrum probiotic from progressive, called HCP70. It's two a day, $65 for 120 pills, so $32 a month for my probiotic is a lot more friendlier to my wallet. It also has 6 different strains, all humanized and many the same as in VSL#3.

I'm currently finishing a 14 day course of cipro & flagyl on saturday, so I've been taking this probiotic in between the two antiobiotic doses so it builds in my system a bit before they're done. I'll let you know if I notice any difference.

It's not going to do anything for you unless you get fully cleaned out first. Take a 2 week course of antibiotics that you know works for you, then start taking a high dose 2 days before you come off the med. Since you're paying out of pocket try one DS sachet in the morning and one at night, or 2 regular sachets in the morning and 2 at night.

If you weren't fully cleaned out before you started, you're wasting your money.

I get too bad of gas on VSL and pouch issues. I switched to Align and can tolerate it more. Also WAY cheaper.

vsl#3DS will possibly be covered by insurance

quote:

vsl#3DS will possibly be covered by insurance

VSL#3DS is not available for sale in Canada unfortunately. Their regular version is sold here, but is only considered a health food and not covered by insurance.

Hey Copperhead,

How many months does $400 last for with the VSL#3?

Mine has lasted about 3 years, with perhaps another year to go. I multiply it before I eat it. It takes less than a tenth of a teaspoon to make a liter of (soya) yoghurt, and use that in four days. The packet is stored in the freezer, and the current sachet carefully sealed in the fridge. It seems as viable as when it was new. I don't know what difference VSL makes, because I use it continuously.

Hi guys.Subsky $400.00 is for 1 months worth and that is after my Pharmasist,who I went to highschool with,gave me a "deal".Lionspride I don`t understand what you mean by getting myself cleaned out first.Thanks for all the feed back much appreciated.If this doesn`t work I`ll really be up you know what creek!Oh before I forget so if I start this VSL#3 and it does work does that mean I have to take it forever for me to benefit?

$400 for one month?! Jesus that would be my probiotic budget for the whole year, lol. When they said to clean your gut out first with antibiotics is because pouchitis is caused by a build up of bad bacteria in your pouch, and it gets inflamed. You want to run a course of antibiotics (cipro and flagyl usually) so it wipes out all the bacteria in your gut. That way when you start taking the VSL#3 it's a fresh start and all the bad bacteria are gone. Cause if you are in a middle of a pouchitis flare up, the probiotic isn't going to cure it, the probiotic is more for maintaining a healthy bacteria count to prevent it from occurring in the first place. You will also have to take VSL#3 daily long term to retain the benefits of taking it...so that's like...$5000 a year out of pocket to stay on that probiotic :O

Sorry, i should have been a little more specific.

Pouchitis is caused by a bacterial overgrowth of 'bad' bacteria which causes all the issues. When you take the antibiotics you kill everything, good and bad, in theory at least. Sometimes the bacterial colonies will get lessened to the point where you aren't symptomatic anymore, but are still there. That's why they always tell you with antibiotics to take the full 2 week does to make sure everything is dead.

That's what I mean, you want to make sure the bad bacteria is gone completely before you try and repopulate with the good stuff (what's in the VSL).

Personally I think to give yourself the best chance with VSL you should start taking heavy doses about 2 days before coming off a two week stint with both flagyl and cipro (If they still work for you). If neither work for you, then after 2 weeks of an antibiotic treatment you know works.

As others have stated, it can take 30-45 days to get the bacterial re-growth established and balanced out. Common early symptoms while this process happen are gas and bloating, and sometimes increased frequency, but no blood.

I've had good results with VSL, but it doesn't work with everyone. Hopefully it does for you.