probiotics -

hi, has anyone here noticed that when taking 'probiotic' - bloated stomach & acid reflux - occurs?

I realise 'probiotics' are supposed to be a good thing to take - but it seems to worsen my 'gut' problems.!

[kitty9309]

Yes. Start with the lowest dose and then increase slowly.

Also consider adding Saccharomyces boulardii- a very beneficial yeast. It is also a probiotic.

[jgthurston]

sometimes a probiotic will add a prebiotic called FOS and for quite a few folks that can cause gas and bloating. The other possible cause for gas and bloating is some die-off

[JackieCalifornia]

I took Saccharomyces boulardii (aka S. boulardii).  Kitty above describes it as a 'very beneficial yeast.'  What the labels and the MDs don't tell you though is that like any yeast, in the wrong environment, the yeast can colonize your body, and set you up with a super sized yeast infection of your body/system.  S.boulardii is relatively recent in the US but has been used in Europe for longer, and the medical literature is beginning to show reports of problems esp over there.

The advantage to S.boulardii is that it has a specific action that helps prevent a very serious (potentially deadly) bacterial infection of the intestines by Clostridium difficile, which can happen with longterm abx treatment.  So you are trading some security from C. difficile for *potential* problems with S.boulardii.  I know people who have taken S.boulardii for extended periods of time with no problems, but I wasn't one of them...probably due to a low level and long time yeast infection that I didn't recognize as such.  (Yeast infections, I have learned, do not necessarily have white discharge etc., and can happily live in your body without you ever seeing them.)

Because I had not been warned, I was not watching for signs of a yeast colonization, although I did comment repeatedly to my MD for months and months that I had a low-level yeast infection with red, swollen, itchy private bits, but that I could tolerate it.  My MD should have picked up on that but didn't.  My loss.

S.boulardii has its uses, and it works for many people, but if you are prone to yeast infections generally, be cautious and vigilant.  

I am preparing to go back on abx for my NEW tickborne disease, and have started taking small doses of L.acidophilus (no other strains included), and I am having the intestinal discomfort mentioned in your post above.  

I'll look for the FOS jgthurston mentions, thanks for the tip.

[JackieCalifornia]

PS

I just looked up FOS on the interent, and it's short for 'fructooligosaccharides', which reads to me like fruit sugar.

I just did some quick reading on it, and if you like I am prone to yeast problems, FOS may be something to avoid.  I just looked at a website  "www dot healingnaturallybybee ******* slash articles shlash pre2 dot php" that lays out the case against FOS.  I've read things on that website before and they seem like straight shooters.  (For you Brits, that means 'honest and straightforward'.  Accurate is another question.)

[JackieCalifornia]

the only thing medhelp's robot managed to eliminate and replace by *** above was [dot]   com    .