Probiotics

[Kathi49]

Just an update...

I think I am doing quite well with the Probiotic (Align). At least things are getting back to normal. I couldn't figure out why for the first few days I felt very bloated (stomach). I stopped the Fibercon for a bit just to see. But the bloating continued so I narrowed it down to the probiotic. The Align website says bloating can occur for the first few days. I just want to know WHY it does that. And I should say...it is getting better. The first day was good it was the following few days that I thought I would pop. But, okay today. Anyway, rambling again...just want to know WHY it causes some bloating at first. Thanks! Oops, and later on I will add back in the fiber if I need to. But right now it doesn't seem like I need it. Then again, I have been eating foods with a bit more fiber and drinking lots of WATER! :) Darn it, forgot to say the Zantac at night is helping too. This morning was the first time in a LONG time that I slept past 7:00 am...which is rare for me. But I felt so good I just wanted to continue sleeping. :)

[Nana4&cntn]

Kathy,

I am so happy things are looking up for you!! I do hope your husband is doing better, I will need to catch up on the Spinal Disorders forum.
You are a wealth of information, thank you!

Have a great day,
Kathy

[mainepain]

Kathi,

It is my understanding that too many probiotics can cause constipation to become worse. You have to find the right mix. Too many constipation. Too few diarrhea.

Personally, I have been taking probioitcs for quite sometime now and I haven't found them to be all that helpful in that aspect. The real reason I'm taking them is to help boost my immune system. I've been on numerous courses of antibiotics and figured it couldn't hurt.

[Kathi49]

Thanks Kathy! ;)

My husband seems to be doing okay. But it is kind of a good day/bad thing at the moment. I forget exactly when but he is supposed to get a Selective Nerve Root injection soon (don't have my calendar in front of me). I am just trying to tell him of things that can help and he is doing it. :) Oh, but last night he was in bad shape. I just told him to eat, take his med and just sit up for a bit, then quit sitting, lie down and elevate his legs for a bit (put something under his knees). And when I checked on him...sound asleep. So, he was better this morning. :)

Mainpaine,

This particular probiotic is supposed to help with both C & D (due to my IBS) mainly. So far so good in THAT regard. :) And, because it is, well, helping, I don't have the coccyx pain as bad which makes sense when you think about it lol. The only problem I had was tummy bloating. But that seems to be going away slowly. I just wanted to know WHY it does this. Putting back in the good flora and slowly adjusting to it or getting regulated? If this continues to help in the C & D regard, I won't need the fiber other than in foods which I would prefer. But give me some time since this is just my first week on it.

[Kira]

The only thing I can think of is that... MAYBE... the new bacteria from the probiotic are producing different metabolic by-products that are causing bloating. Different species of bacteria use different biochemical pathways to metabolize their "food" into energy, and the different pathways result in different byproducts. Some of the byproducts are gasses and some aren't... for instance, methane gas is one of the byproducts bacteria in our guts make. When the probiotic bacteria first "arrive" in your gut, there are still the old bacteria there, too... so maybe for the first few days you've got high levels of both the new bacteria and the old bacteria, all metabolizing away and making byproducts, before they sort of battle each other out and reach a state of equilibrium (hopefully with more "good" bacteria than bad). But this is TOTALLY just guessing/brainstorming... take it or leave it...

I am still pretty suspicious of the fiber as a contributor to the bloating, too... how long after stopping the fiber were you still bloated?

Fiber is good for most people... helps decrease the risk of colon cancer, lowers cholesterol, fills you up so you eat fewer calories, etc... but it can cause a lot of discomfort and bloating for those of us with screwed up GI motility. Though this is a gross oversimplification, the main way fiber works to "fix" constipation is by making the stools bulkier and softer... so, for constipated folks that don't have an underlying problem with their GI motility, fiber can help. But, for folks whose GI tracts just don't move things along very quickly (slow motility), then the fiber is just adding to the bulk of the, umm, "stuff" that is sitting in your slow-moving intestines... making bloating worse. Also, certain bacteria in our guts use fiber as a food source, metabolizing it and producing gas (which only adds to the bloating).

This is NOT to say that I'm against fiber... I think that the majority of people would probably benefit from increasing their fiber intake... but I DO know that some of us clearly do worse with increased fiber intake, due to our sluggish, broken GI tracts. I'm not sure which group you fall into, since you have problems with both "C & D"... but, regardless, I'm glad that your GI troubles seem to be getting better.

[Kathi49]

Thank you Kira,

The bacteria is Bifidobacterium Infantis with some other things. And I had stopped the Fibercon about 2 or 3 days before but the bloating continued. I think you are right though...maybe they were all just battling it out. Oh, and I was NOT taking the two capsules they recommended of the Fibercon because I know what fiber can do. I was actually cutting one in half. Anyway, I took Benefiber for quite awhile and it never caused any bloating or problems. If anything, I lost some weight and had a flat tummy for the first time in my life. :) Anyway, the Align website DOES say it can cause bloating at first. But the main thing is...the bm's are much, much better. And yes, I know fiber can make things worse but for me, or in the past, it really did help. I just can't remember why I stopped it; probably thought I was doing fine and didn't need it. The docs are actually trying to treat the IBS, GERD and Gastritis. And the Align seems to have really helped with the IBS. And taking Zantac at night has helped a great deal as well.

[Mark N]

Kira, I can back up your analysis of the use of fiber with low motility issues. I was never so constipated and miserable as I was when my doctor had me use fiber to deal with my constipation. I stay away from fiber any more and do much better with the addition of Miralax.

Kathi, I hate the bloated feeling and have found that Gas X helps relieve the feeling.

[Kathi49]

Thanks Mark,

The bloating is gone now. At least for the time being. :) But I do want to understand something. I started Miralax at 17 grams as was recommended. I had to keep taking it down lower and lower and lower until I was at 1/8 of a tsp. It is like I had IBS symptoms the whole time until I got down that low; then it was okay. And this was over a period of a few weeks just meaning I didn't start it and give up on it. It worked, no doubt about that but at the price of cramping pretty bad until I reached the lowest amount; then the cramping stopped and I just switched over to Benefiber. From then on out I was fine.

I think the problem with me is that I alternate between both C & D NOT just the C itself. I believe this is why the docs are having me use both the Align and fiber. It isn't just a matter of having constipation from meds; it is IBS too. So, I think that is the difference and perhaps why fiber whether in pill or power form or in food helps. And I said before Colace can do the same thing. It didn't used to. But I didn't have IBS then either. Most people with IBS have on problem or another. I have both and that happens too. And I think my digestive system isn't slow; I think sometimes it is too fast.

Anyway, I was talking with a friend of mine the other day; she sees the same Urogyn I do and for very similar issues. She said she couldn't take the 17 grams of Miralax either and had to take it down exactly as I did. So, it is all just different issues for different folks I think. And I now know I have to use things that treat BOTH. So far so good with the exception of bloating at first. And I would go into the use of Premarin Cream too; THAT also can make a difference. But it is too graphic. Just suffice to say it also can help with constipation issues.

And as Steve said most people here take a lot of the heavy duty meds so it makes sense that Miralax or something similar is very necesary. I didn't want my posts to get into a big debate about fiber. I completely understand how it affects people. I am just saying it has helped me in the past. Anyway, the main point is or was...things are better. :)