Probiotics

[BeanBandit]

Does anyone else get incredible inflammation in the intestines and chest/lungs from taking probiotics?  This is the 2nd time its happened. The first time was with culterelle and it got so bad and to the point I was crying all day at work, almost couldn't walk and breath...... it subsided when I stopped taking them....... I take sustenex and do VERY well on it but it is not enough with taking azithromycin everyday. So I take an additional one now called something flora..... healthy flora maybe I bought at sprouts . And it has about 5 different strands of bacteria. I started taking it about 3-4 days before my period and had some abdominal pain but then when I got my period I was bed ridden.  Sooooo much pain from the inflammation inside I have complete issues walking and even laying down....... and (I'm sorry to be so detailed) but the inflammation is so awful it has turned my "wastes" into brown water =(  do you think it is doing any good? Or should I discontinue???

[BeanBandit]

Thanks so much Jackie =) I will have to wait til I can afford to see the doc, he doesn't do much by the phone =(  so until then I will have to figure it out on my own and with a herbalogist.  Just like I did when I went downhill 1 year ago....... if I didn't figure it out on my own and stop taking those megadoses of steriods (prednisone) after 1 1/2 months I don't think I would be here now.
The facts you gave me are great, however I find myself more confused...... haha are they both dairy based? Is that correct? If so, that's confusing cuse Sustenex works soooooo good, it doesn't cause any inflammation within and actually helps me go regularly...... well compared to what I used to anyway. Its these other ones that have gave me a bad reaction...... the cultrelle which you informed me about and Ultimate Flora.
Haha love the little wise cracks, you make me laugh =)

[JackieCalifornia]

I'm no authority on this topic, but I can tell you what I've figured out from my own experiences.

I just looked at the Culturelle website and it's very cagey.  After talking about what great stuff it is, it says:  "These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease."  Nice loophole.

The strain of Lactobacillus they say they are using is "Lactobacillus GG", supposedly discovered by two people whose last names each start with ... G!  That's as far as I read, and I have no idea if their claims are valid or not, but it means that they are being cagey.  They will not share their research/theories with anyone who will not or cannot register their 'medical credentials.'  Uh huh.  So who knows what's in it that you might be reacting to.

I was just at the health food department of the local fancy grocery that has a pretty good vitamin/supplement department and bought myself some new probiotics.  Had an interesting conversation with the guy there about which probiotics are dairy-based and which are not.  From what I have read in various places, there seems to be more lactose intolerance in the population than previously recognized.  I have it, and it runs in my family, but none of us knew until recently.

There are also forms of probiotics that are not bacteria-based like acidophilus, but are yeast-based, like Saccharomyces boulardii.  I had a really bad reaction to that stuff, but my doc said he had never seen that happen before ... however a little reading online and it's not quite that rare.

This is a long way of saying it's necessary to read all the labels about what's in what you're taking, and if anybody is listing only some dodgy made up name like Lactobacillus GG, I wouldn't go there.  Who knows what's in it.

I looked up Sustenex.  It appears to have as its active ingredient a bacterium called Bacillus coagulans.  WebMD says:  "Bacillus coagulans is a type of bacteria. It is used similarly to lactobacillus and other probiotics as 'beneficial' bacteria. ... Bacillus coagulans produces lactic acid and, as a result, is often misclassified as lactic acid bacteria such as lactobacillus. ... Unlike lactic acid bacteria such as lactobacillus or bifidobacteria, Bacillus coagulans forms reproductive structures called spores.  ...  How does it work? There is not enough information to know how Bacillus coagulans might work for medical purposes. Some research in animals (but not yet in humans) shows that Bacillus coagulans might increase immune system function and decrease harmful bacteria."

Gee, that's enlightening -- not!  I don't know whether it's good or bad, usual or unusual for a probiotic to produce spores in your intestines.  However if you are not able to digest milk products easily, then the lactic acid that Sustenex produces may be causing problems, just like Lactobacillus GG above.

Also, something I didn't realize until recently, that if you take antibacterial medicine (like antibiotics) or supplements (like grapefruit seed extract and others) too close to when you take your bacteria-based PRObiotics, then the antibiotics will also kill the probiotics.  Lose/lose.

If you have not called your doc's office about the diarrhea, please consider doing so.  I would.  You shouldn't have to be figuring this stuff out yourself or on websites like this.  There could be several things going on, and your doc needs to be involved in helping you figure this out.  If your doc won't engage, then I'd find a nutritionist or someone who understands this stuff.  You are suffering, and need advice that focusses on the specifics of what you are taking and when and why it is not working.  

You are not being a sissy:  you are very brave and your doc needs to step up.  Please call tomorrow and tell the nurse/person what exactly is going on and what you've tried.  Let us know what you hear and how you do, okay?  You deserve to feel better and be healthy!