I have to admit I havent really taken probiotics much during the last 8 months.
I haven't had any yeast issues that I know of.
but I am on an antibiotic break for a few weeks before I start Mepron Zith ad I am going to start taking probiotics.
Can you take too many? Can they cause harm?
The one I ordered had 35 billion and 15 strains.
What is the strain the really helps prevent c diff?
I didnt order Theralac mostly because of the cost of about $50 a month with shipping is too much.
Advice appreciated. Melissa
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Melissa...You are wise to take care of the yeast situation you will eventually encounter.
Your intestinal tract can take only so much.
I don't think you can take too much. If you did, it would probably just cause a tummy ache.
Theralac is far superior to anything else out there in my biased opinion.
If you order two bottles the shipping is free....so it's $40 a month.
S. boulardi is what you need to protect from c.dif
Which brand did you order?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
oops
Posted by merrygirl (Member # 12041) on :
I know I have been bad
but now I am going to behave (maybe just a little though)
I ordered NSI #1 Probiotic 15 Strains - 35 Billion CFUs with NutraFlora FOS -- 120 Capsules
I probably should have just ordered theralac...
but when I got to the pharmacy my copay's for Zith and Mepron are over $200 and is freaking me out.
Melissa
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I hear ya on the money issue. Mepron is a big ouch! Zith too!
But we don't want you to have yet another thing to battle. Yeast will sneak up on you and then you will have a heck of a time getting rid of it.
Hang in there!! Posted by maureen2174 (Member # 11471) on :
i order my probiotics from customprobiotics.com- guaranteed to have 50 billion at time of expiration, but tests show much higher levels. i take 2 every night. they are $40 for a bottle of 90. I love them, been taking them for years, way before I had (or knew) I had lyme- I had a yeast problems years ago and this helped me a lot.
Posted by Amanda (Member # 14107) on :
In order to prevent C. dificile, you should take Florastor. Its a good yeast (in addition to the probiotics, which are the good bacteria). They have been using this for years over in Europe, and many major medical clinics in US have "discovered" it. They give it to patients who have C dificile to help get rid of the infection.
Try Costco for best price (30 bucks a month)
Posted by mojo (Member # 9309) on :
The NSI 35-15 is a good one. I also use NSI 10-10 and JarroDophilus. Sometimes the NSI 35-10 will cause constipation until you adjust.
Posted by Monica922 (Member # 13496) on :
Honestly Melissa I do not think it matters as long as you take one of them. It is good that you have not had a yeast infection. Many people even use Culturelle. I use HLC brand. You cannot take too many but it will cause gas and stomach upset if you do. I would start with 2 a day and see how that works for you. My doctor always says take twice what the suggested dose is on the bottle. Even the kids chewable brand works. Monica
Posted by tanzi2u (Member # 9237) on :
We haven't had a problem with theralac.
We first were using Florastor (S. Boulardii) but after 2 months (just 1 daily), daughter dear developed nasty, unbearable gut pains. They went away when we stopped the Florastor. Started again when we tried it again a few months later.
Like anything, YMMV.
Generally though if you take too much, they make you gassy.
Posted by KrisW (Member # 14590) on :
Hi I am new to this site but thought I would respond to what I have found works for me. I go to the local vit. shop and get the chewable Acidophilus with bifidus. I have tried the pill version and they don't work as well. I have taken up to 20 a day to keep the yeast and abdominal issues away. Just make sure not to take them an hour before or after meds. Hope this helps. Saves on the wallet as well.
Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
YES YES YES YES!!!! YOU CAN OVERDO IT!
For example the probiotic
Saccharomyces Boulardii
that many of us here take- you can get, if you overdo it, a SYSTEMIC Saccharomyces boulardii INFECTION!!!
And no, it's not just that- think of acidophilus-lactobacillus acidophilus!!!! People here down that stuff like crazy but it can even cause SEPTIC ARTHRITIS or endocarditis!!Or death!
Excerpt: 1: South Med J. 2007 May;100(5):531-2.
Lactobacillus septic arthritis.
Lactobacillus is a Gram positive bacteria found in the mouth, gastrointestinal and female genital tract.
Serious infections due to Lactobacillus are becoming increasingly common. We present a 49-year-old diabetic patient with Lactobacillus septic arthritis.
Pathogenic relevance of Lactobacillus: a retrospective review of over 200 cases.
Cannon JP, Lee TA, Bolanos JT, Danziger LH. Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Pharmacy Service, 119 5th Avenue and Roosevelt Road, Hines, IL 60141, USA.
Given that Lactobacillus has been reported to be the causative pathogen in many types of infection despite debate regarding the organism's clinical significance, a literature review was conducted to investigate the treatments and outcomes of Lactobacillus infections reported to date.
In this article, the characteristics of over 200 reported cases of Lactobacillus-associated infections are summarized.
Lactobacillus was found to be frequently associated with endocarditis and bacteremia. Lactobacillus was also associated with a variety of other infections including, but not limited to, peritonitis, abscesses, and meningitis. The species casei and rhamnosus were the most common. The isolates tended to be most sensitive to erythromycin and clindamycin and most resistant to vancomycin. The species that was most sensitive to vancomycin was acidophilus. The overall mortality rate was nearly 30%.
PMID: 15599646
Posted by METALLlC BLUE (Member # 6628) on :
Merrygirl, how did your experience go with NSI?
Posted by treepatrol (Member # 4117) on :
Where did you order that from? And what brand is that?
The one I ordered had 35 billion and 15 strains.
Posted by merrygirl (Member # 12041) on :
I gout mine from vitacost.com there was a 5% off coupon on the board somewhere.
The NSI was fine. very reasonable. I also use the chewabkle acidophillus from CVS.. LLMD wants me to take 10 of those a day.
Melissa
Posted by kam (Member # 3410) on :
I get the PB8 from a local store. Take 2 in the am and 2 in the pm if I remember.
I am assuming this is working for me.
The guy that provides the lyme chat web site provides them cheaper than I can purchase them...especially if you purchase more than one bottle at a time.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Kam, I took PB8 for years, THINKING it was working for me. When I found Theralac, I found out very quickly that the PB8 was worthless.
There's an old post here about someone testing the PB8. They found no active cultures.
You don't have to go with Theralac, but I think PB8 is less than what you NEED.
Posted by METALLlC BLUE (Member # 6628) on :
Tree Patrol did you use that probiotic yet? The 35 Billion etc? How did it go? Which brand?
I posted this in another thread a minute ago. This might be valuable to others to know.
I just relized after doing my homework, that if you get the VSL #3 capsules, which have 225 Billion live bacteria per 2 capsules, and there are 60 in each bottle, if you buy from VSL directly, and purchase 2 bottles, you pay 85 dollars (with shipping and or taxes added). That's 120 capsules. Take 1 cap per day, which 112.5 billion bacteria, and you can make that 85 dollars go 4 months. That's a little over 21 dollars per month
How is that for savings! Now we're talking. Not to mention, if you talk with your doctor, you may be able to get your insurance company to pay for them since there is quite a bit of actual credible scientific research confirming this products effectiveness in treating bowel ailments.
[ 05. May 2008, 02:33 PM: Message edited by: METALLlC BLUE ]
Posted by lymie_in_md (Member # 14197) on :
I've been taking the NSI 35b by 15s and had good luck with it. But with probiotics time to switch, I'm thinking theralac, ohhira's professional or vsl#3 next ... decisions decisions.
Posted by METALLlC BLUE (Member # 6628) on :
I'm going to try the NSI at some point. I wonder if anyone can try the "Milk experiment" with the NSI.
How does it work? You add a capsule of the probiotic to a small bowl of milk and let it sit for 24-48 hours?
You have a control with nothing added, same portion size, same type of container.
Then you have the probiotic mixed into another portion. It should turn into a custard like substance?
Someone mentioned it.
Posted by sparkle7 (Member # 10397) on :
I'm not sure it addresses the yeast question but it was interesting to know that some strains of bacteria can cancel others out. So, it may not be better to take more...
I've been trying to get my probiotics by eating good quality yogurt (organic, biodynamic yogurt) or Kefir. I'm not taking abx so it's not as big of an issue. I am still having some problems with yeast so I've been taking Fluconozole.
The herbs in the Cowden protocol are tinctures & they are in alcohol - so it may be causing some yeast issues for me.
I was taking Therelac for a couple of months & I didn't notice that it was superior to Jarrow. It's kind of hard to tell, though.
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
NSI is vitacost.com's own brand. I don't know if the product mentioned here needs refrigeration but I find that vitacost will not put any probiotics purchased on their site on an ice pack for shipping AND they do not refrigerate any of the probiotics that require refrigeration while in their warehouse.
This may or may not be a problem during the winter but it will sure as heck kill a lot of probiotics during the summer. Not only in storage in a hot warehouse but in shipping during hot weather.
Also, someone posted a report here by a consumer group on one of the NSI brand products. The consumer group said it had lead in it. I contacted vitacost about it and they said they were running their own tests on the product and would let me know the outcome. That was a number of months ago and I haven't heard a word from them. Makes me very leary of their products.
That said, they have good prices on other brand products. iherb.com ships and stores on ice for products that require refrigeration.
Terry
Posted by WildCondor (Member # 434) on :
The best stuff for preventing c.diff is Florastor. VSL#3 is another really good one.
Posted by lymie_in_md (Member # 14197) on :
NSI doesn't require refridgeration.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
The only NSI brand I buy is the Vitamin D.
I buy other name brand products at Vitacost. Good stuff!
Posted by Chia Pet (Member # 12399) on :
I take Theralac and Metagenics Ultra Flora DF. I also take Saccorymces Boulardi.
The theralac has proven for me superior to anything including Florastor. Florastor did not help me at all.
I can tell you that I do take a product call Candex and it works great for me. It kills yeast without a herx. I also take Kyolic garlic capsules and eat garlic frequently. 2 parts of a bulb approximately. Clears up everything immediately.
One thing I have noticed is sometimes you can take too much and I get gassy or it comes out a different way ( for ladies) I have also taken the Ultra flora ( not the theralac) and mixed it with all natural yogurt (Stoneyfield farms) and used it with a tampon overnight. It was a little uncomfortable, but rid me of a vaginal yeast infection. I also ate my garlic quite a bit, took my candex too.
I was taking each probiotic 3X a day per my LLMD, but found an article that some different strains fight with each other. Can't recall which, but, I what i do is take the theralac 1X a day, an hr or so later, the Saccyrymces, and then lunch the Ultra Flora etc. Less expensive and found it effective for me.
Prior to the candex and kyolic, I had yeast I couldn't contain. I am now even able to have some sweets and a little bread now and then. I just watch it. I notice if I overdo, my joints hurt and I feel yucky, but I went a long time without any, years, and I feel a little better because my body needs it. I have hypoglycemia.
Hope this helps.
Posted by METALLlC BLUE (Member # 6628) on :
Just for an additional note. I received information from a number of women about a vaginal yeast tool, very cheap, very simple.
Wrap a small string, similar to a tampon, around a Garlic clove (Cut the clove obviously to make it raw. Tie the string around some small grooves cut into the clove and make sure it's firm and in place.
You can use that overnight for one, or more nights, remove it easy morning. That's an effective way to kill yeast extremely quickly and less uncomfortable than some other methods. The size of the clove doesn't matter. Smaller is fine, like 3/4 inch length, 1/2 inch width. You can use a larger one if it's what you've got on hand.
Posted by merrygirl (Member # 12041) on :
I have to say that I wont be using garlic or yogurt "up there". Sounds a bit risky to me. What about monistat or something instead??
Maybe I am just lucky I dont need to.
Meissa
Posted by sparkle7 (Member # 10397) on :
You would eat garlic &/or yogurt but you won't put it in your vagina??? Would you eat Monistat?
I've had little success with Monistat & other stuff like it.
There are a number of natural remedies for vaginal yeast infections.
The one that worked the best for me was to mix a tablespoon of chlorophyl in about a 1/2 gallon of pure water, add a drop or 2 of white thyme oil, wintergreen, & tea tree oil.
Use it as a douche or apply with cotton balls. Be careful of the white thyme oil because it is very strong. Tea tree oil is quite good since it doesn't burn delicate mucous membranes. You can adjust this remedy.
I also found that chaparral & echinicea tea is very good for itching & burning.
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VSL#3 is another really good one.