Whos tried this?
#349230 - 08/20/09 01:01 PM
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mrae
Reged: 02/05/09
Posts: 481
Loc: California
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I have tried 2 different probiotics without seeing any good effects. Has anyone tried vsl#3 and if so how much did it cost you and where did you get it? Also has anyone tried culterelle? If so did it help with ibs-d? I take Lomotil 2 a day and 1 25mg Librium for anxiety and this has been workig great but I want to keep up on my probiotic but want one to add to the helping affect and not be wasting my money. I have tried Align and Kyo-dophilus and my pharmacist said to try acidophilus but I thought its better to have more than one strand in the probiotic? Any advice or comments?
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You can do a search on VSL#3, a lot of people on here have used it. I live in Canada and ordered it over the phone from the Canadian distributor. I take half a packet per day and there are 30 sachets in a box, so I go through one box every two months. I think it was $80 a box. I started it in June and for about a month I had a full BM every morning, totally incredible, but then maybe my body got used to it and so it hasn't been quite as effective, although still helpful, I think. I am considering upping my dose.
Note that it can cause an initial increase in bloating at first, which lasted about a week for me, but eventually went away.
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IBS-C, lots of spasm and trapped gas.
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VSL#3 can be ordered on-line or it can be order through your pharmacist. There is a link on the page to find a pharmacy in your area that carries VSL#3.
There is no clinical evidence to suggest that taking more than one probiotic or taking a probiotic with multiple bacteria is more beneficial than taking just a probiotic with one bacteria.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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I've tried Culturelle and acidophilus with no effect either way. Align made a big difference for me at first, but not as much now (though I'm still worse without it). I haven't tried VSL yet.
Lomotil 2x a day? Wow, if I take it twice in one week I'm plugged up for ages! Sometimes it can't be helped, though.
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IBS-A and GERD since 1983
Low FODMAP since 2012
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Yes I take 2 lomotil each morning and am good for the rest of the day and still have a bowel movement in the morning. I think since I am wanting to continue the probiotic just for good measures I can probably just stick to the one I have or try something else down the line. I took them for a few months before I had my surgery and while in the hospital they gave me two rounds of antibiotics but they didn't have a bad affect on me and I really think it is because of taking the probiotics prior to the surgery.
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VSL is super expensive. Why is this any better than regular old acidophilus from CVS?
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IBS-C, GERD, Lactose Intolerant, "Allergic" to Legumes (Soy!), Tree Nuts.
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Very few probiotics have been clinically tested for their efficacy to manage IBS symptoms. You can see a brief overview of IBS studies and probiotics here. Digestive Advantage which contains the probiotic Bacillus coagulans has some recent clinical trials that were not reported in the overview. While acidophilus is good for as a general probiotic it has limited value when it comes to managing IBS symptoms. It is also thought that some probiotics might exacerbate IBS symptoms in some individuals.
IBS research has suggested that IBSers have modified amounts of Bifidobacterium in the gut flora . Acidophilus is not a member of the Bifidobacterium family of bacteria. Align - which contains only one probiotic Bifidobacterium infantis - seems to be the most effective IBS probiotic available. It is less expensive than VSL#3 which contains many probiotics. Bifidobacterium infantis is believed help regulate the gut immune system response.
You can read a bit more about probiotics and IBS in the American Gastroenterology Society's article
An Evidence-Based Systematic Review on the Management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
and in the British Gastroenterology Society's article
Guidelines on the irritable bowel syndrome: mechanisms and practical management.
A couple of articles you may find interesting are
Irritable Bowel Syndrome:Overview of Diagnosis and Management of IBS - Focus on Probiotics
and
Helping Patients Make Informed Choices About Probiotics: A Need for Research
As you can see not all probiotics are the same when it comes to managing IBS 
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Thank you so much-- I appreciate your evidence based knowledge!
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IBS-C, GERD, Lactose Intolerant, "Allergic" to Legumes (Soy!), Tree Nuts.
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