Feel free to discuss any topic of general interest, so long as nothing you post here is likely to be interpreted as insulting, and/or inflammatory, nor clearly designed to provoke any individual or group. Please be considerate of others feelings, and they will be considerate of yours.
Zizzle,
I'm happy for your success, too.
I tried a few very pricy probiotics in the last year, and they really didn't help at all. I have definitely found more success with PA than I imagined I would.
The gas/bloat is minimized, but not gone...I'm only 2.5 years into healing, and can eat a regular salad now, and have added small amounts of fresh fruit. If I eat very small meals I do better...but it's hard to eat 6 times a day!
It also has helped me to follow a low oxalate diet.
The puzzle pieces start fitting together eventually.....not perfect, but more tolerable!
Linda :)
LC Oct. 2012
MTHFR gene mutation and many more....
Hi there,
After reading about your success I ordered the PA and have been taking it for close to 2 weeks. While 90% of the time I have normans, I still experience a good deal of gas and bloating and wanted to give this a try. I have definitely seen a decrease in my symptoms. I have been able to take 2 a day with no problems. Thanks again for sharing your success with this product.
Wow, that's great!! Wish I was having normans to boot! But I don't complain of gas or bloating anymore. I did experience some uncomfortable gas as I was acclimating to the PA over the first 2 weeks.
Hmm, now I'm starting to hear good things about Megaspore Probiotic, which might be another good choice for MC, because it does not include acidophilus and bifidus (I react to them - I think that's what is behind my continued MC - an immune attack against resident microbes that made their way through my intestines at some point). Megaspore includes Bacilus Coagulans and Bacilus Subtilis, two probiotics I've been trying to find! But you may need to get Megaspore from a healthcare provider.
Q: What spores are present in MegaSporeBiotic?
A: MegaSporeBiotic contains 5 pharmaceutical grade strains that each have unique function and thus contribute to the overall effectiveness of the product. Below is a brief description of each:
1) Bacillus Indicus HU36 – The first carotenoid rich probiotic strain offered to the dietary supplement market. An isolate from humans, Indicus HU36 produces high levels of powerful carotenoids (antioxidants) at the site of absorption. Carotenoids do not survive the gastric system well. HU36 however, has demonstrated the ability to survive past the stomach acid and produce the carotenoids at their site of absorption in the gut. This makes the carotenoids produced by HU 36 the most bioavailable supplementary carotenoids in the marketplace. HU36 gives MegaSporeBiotic a function that no other probiotic formulations on the market can claim-it provides key nutrients in their most potent form.
2) Bacillus Clausii – This strain is the largest selling strain of prescription probiotic in the world. For the first time, this strain is made available to the U.S. dietary supplement industry and is available exclusively to healthcare professionals. Bacillus Clausii is recommended for use during antibiotic treatment due to its ability to resist damage from a variety of common antibiotics. MegaSporeBiotic has the unique function of being a powerful supplement that can be used in adjunct with antibiotic therapy to keep the organisms balanced in the gut.
3) Bacillus Subtilis HU58 – Bacillus Subtilis has been extensively studied on a genetic and functional level. There are several probiotic products in the pharmaceutical and agricultural markets that utilize this powerful probiotic. One very interesting function of Bacillus Subtilis is its ability to produce nearly 12 strong antibiotics that are potent fighters of opportunistic and harmful bacteria. Bacillus Subtilis HU58 offers MegaSporeBiotic the ability to prevent harmful bacteria growth in a variety of conditions. In addition, HU58 produces a very healthy compound called Nattokinase. Nattokinase is secreted from vegetative cells of Bacillus subtilis and has been shown to reduce blood pressure, reduce cholesterol and reduce excessive clotting by fibrinolysis. Along with Nattokinase, Bacillus subtilis also produces a number of other nutrients that have systemic health benefits such as B vitamins and Vitamin K2. Bacillus subtilis HU58 offers MegaSporeBiotic the important function of fighting off pathogenic bacteria and producing key nutrients in the gut itself. In addition, HU58 is an extremely potent immune stimulator. It has the function of germinating in the small intestines to some degree and this offers the effect of broad-spectrum immune stimulation.
4) Bacillus Licheniformis – A probiotic often found with Bacillus subtilis and other bacillus species, licheniformis has been shown to have a potent effect of preventing the growth of harmful bacteria via the production of a common antibiotic called bacitracin. It is also a potent immune stimulator. Another very important feature of bacillus licheniformis is its ability to produce highly effective and stable protease enzymes in the gut that assist in the digestion and absorption of proteins. Lastly, licheniformis also produces the whole spectrum of B vitamins in the gut including folic acid and biotin and acts as an important nutrient factory in the digestive system.
5) Bacillus Coagulans – A very well studied probiotic in the spore family that has a profound effect on inflammatory conditions such as IBS and Crohn’s. Bacillus coagulans offers MegaSporebiotic an expanded effect of controlling these common inflammatory bowel conditions in addition to its potent immune boosting activity. Coagulans has the unique attribute of producing lactic acid and specifically the L+ optical isomer of lactic acid, which has been shown to have a more profound effect on immune stimulation and gut defense than the other forms of lactic acid produced by conventional probiotics. Coagulans is also a tremendous colonizer and thus assures proper colonization of MEGAsporebiotic, which in turn will produce the beneficial effects required. Coagulans also plays a key role in digestion of food and absorption of nutrients. In fact, Coagulans can digest incoming fat to reduce the uptake of cholesterol. Coagulans adds another dimension to MEGAsporebiotic, giving it a potent ability to fight inflammatory conditions, aid in digestion and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
I wanted to share some preliminary success I've had with Prescript Assist. I had been having a flare since early March that has been calming down but not totally gone. I probably need to say the big picture is that even before the flare things had not been entirely normal for a solid year. I seemed to vacillate between 2 or 3 semi solid stools per morning or 2 to 5 more watery. I began taking one Prescript Assist in the morning 4 days ago. The day before I took it I had probably 5 trips to the bathroom with each one being more watery. The day after my first pill I had 2 morning semi solid stools. Over the past year this has been about the best it has ever gotten. But by the next day, still 2 trips but more solid and the same the next day. Then this morning....one completely normal bowel movement
So here is some more background about other things I am doing right now or have done. First of all this is not my first try of Prescript Assist. I took it for 3 days towards the beginning of this flare. I knew I was starting to flare and I was desperate to stop it. I know many of you know that feeling. It seemed that the PA made me gassy and did not stop the watery diarrhea. It did not seem to make me worse but I was concerned that it would. I was at that point where it's so hard tell if something is helping or not and you just don't want to rock the boat any more than it's being rocked. So I stopped taking it.
Also, I have been gluten free and soy free since last August. I have been mostly egg free since then as well but I would eat them in the occasional gluten free baked good and even had them as a main course a time or two when things were going good. I never noticed any reaction. About three weeks ago I also did a trial elimination of dairy and gluten free flours. I did this for 2 weeks to see if I would improve. Things were a little better, but I was already improving anyway so it is hard to tell. But over the last week and before I began the Prescript Assist I have had a few servings of both dairy and gluten free flours. I didn't seem to react. As I said I seemed to be getting over the flare. The thing I noticed to affect me the most was anything with too much fiber and not dairy or gluten free flours.
One other thing I have done differently recently is that for about 3 weeks I have been using Young Living Frankincense oil (boswellia). I use 3 drops in a capsule 2 times a day. This is supposed to help with inflammation.
Then finally I think it will be helpful to point out that my history with other probiotics has not been that good. I took VSL#3 last summer for about a month and the whole time I had straight liquid stools. I actually got a little better when I stopped it. I have taken S. Boulardi for months and it seems to help but not that much. I stopped about a week before beginning the PA because I ran out. Also, I have taken Bifido Balance by Jarrow or some form of bifidus strain only probiotic since last fall. I ran out about a month before this recent flare but started it again when I began flaring. Like the S. Boulardi it seems to help but no miracle results by any means. I stopped taking it when I started taking PA.
I wanted to put all this information out there so you can see that this has not been a well controlled study. There are a few uncontrolled variables for sure. But I have always felt that gut dysbiosis brought on by antibiotics is what pushed my body over the edge into full blown MC. The very first bout of months long diarrhea I had was 3 years ago after receiving Ampicillin during an outpatient procedure. Then things were on and off for 2 years, mostly off, until I had to have antibiotics for pneumonia in January 2014. By February 2014 I was in MC hell and really have not considered myself normal since then. Maybe I'm premature on this but the improvement over the last 3 days has been undeniable and for me unmatched in over a year.
Wow Gigi! Keep us posted!! I also can't take lactobacillus strains - they cause severe watery D. Apparently that's pretty common in IBDs. I have taken S. Boulardi too, for several weeks, and never notice anything, good or bad. It's hard not to notice the changes caused by Prescript Assist. It's certainly not a placebo!
