Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Probiotic? IBS? Something else?

Hello -
I believe I've had very mild irritable bowel syndrome for the past year or so.  I mean mild to where I would have an occasional bout of watery diarrhea if I ate something that upset my stomach and experienced a bit of anxiety over it, but for the most part, still able to function normally.  I started taking a probiotic because I thought it would help and now that I've stopped taking it I feel worse.  I wake up every morning with loose stool preceded by cramping and gassy pains in my lower abdomen.  My stools seem to almost start normal and than just go mushy and a little watery with ragged edges sometimes.  Sometimes I have to go more than once with urgency, like diarrhea, but usually that's the only stool I have for the day.

I've been blood tested, stool tested, urine tested and told that everything is normal.  The doctor has put me on buspar for anxiety and mentioned IBS.
I've changed my diet over the last couple of days.  Eating no more red meat, no more dairy, and I try to eat a lot of soluble fiber.  I add 100% Acacia fiber to my meals a few times a day.  Eating smaller meals more frequently.  Still no change in the problem.  Could the probiotic have caused this?  If not what are the other things that the blood, urine, stool tests may not have picked up that I should be tested for?
3 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
Hmmm, well I also thought it was really strange that the probiotic would have this effect on me.  I took culturelle and I only took it for one week at that.  I stopped taking it because, at first it made me constipated and than once I started going again, I got up to 3-4 looser movements a day, and every time I'd go I felt like I wasn't done going.  I just felt very uncomfortable about it, so I stopped taking it.

I've always been fairly gassy my whole life that I can remember anyways and can remember even as a little girl getting some bad gas pains and such, but never having any trouble with diarrhea until after I had my son.  Now I notice I also burp a lot more, even long after eating.  Also noticing more stomach gurgling since I stopped the Culturelle.  I thought about trying to take it again, but now I'm a little afraid of how I might react to it.  I had been taking one pill a day.    

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I agree 100% with patient915 about seeing a gastroenterologist to find out what's going on.
I also think the probiotic didn't cause it, because your symptoms got worse after you stopped taking it.

Sometimes people with conditions like irritable bowel or even colitis find their symptoms improve and they feel better while on probiotics. That's certainly been the case for me (I have irritable bowel) as well as my husband (with colitis.) The key seems to be taking the right about of probiotic--taking extra pills than what the label says can cause problems.  

Good luck and please keep us posted,
Yvette
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
The probiotic wouldn't have caused this.  I would recommend seeing a GI doctor rather than your regular doctor to see what they think.  In the meantime, if it gets bad enough, you could try the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) which would help with the diarrhea.
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Gastroenterology Community

Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Learn which OTC medications can help relieve your digestive troubles.
Is a gluten-free diet right for you?
Discover common causes of and remedies for heartburn.
This common yet mysterious bowel condition plagues millions of Americans
Don't get burned again. Banish nighttime heartburn with these quick tips
Get answers to your top questions about this pervasive digestive problem