Probiotics and Thrush

[janet]

How do you know if a probiotic is doing you good and that is the one you should be taking or whether or not you should be taking something else- what should you be looking out for..

Also the one I've been taking for the last two weeks seems to have given me thrush - do you continue to take it, should you stop till thrush clears up or does it mean that you need to take a different probiotic because it's not agreeing with you.

If anyone can help me with this I'd be grateful

[janet]

Whilst I'm on - are there strains of probiotics that target under the navel bloating like you've swallowed a balloon. Just wondering if certain strains target certain problems and areas.

[Cascara]

Hi, Sorry you sounds in a bit of a pickle there. I would have thought that the thrush was there underlying anyway. Probiotics are usually taken after antibiotics etc to get rid of thrush! not cause it. The bloating can be as the probioitics cause more gut products to be digested fully releasing gas or it could be the opposite as more food is undigested and fermenting, depending on how fast your gut eliminates.

I would stop the probiotics if I was you. Were they in one of those yogurt or drinks as of you arent used to the yoghurt that can cause bloating from all the extra lactose.

[janet]

No Udo's and other makes - I've tried a few but probably had better results with Udo's super strain one. I have stopped them but my stomach is still bloated - I don't do the drink probiotics but I do take a couple of spoons of natural live youghurt fat free - I have a problem with sugar and the drinks are full of them.

I'm just totally fed up with the bloating plus now since I started the probiotics my weight seems to be all over the place - but mostly on the up which I'm hating. Feel like in a way they've totally messed my system up because I've still got the bloating - but before I didn't have thrush!

[Cascara]

Do you keep a food diary? I find that very helpful for finding out what causes what and what doesn't. Just jot down roughly what you eat and drink and how you feel any symtoms, then I am sure you will find what is the cause. Weight does vary throughout the day and the week and the month. Most people can put on a few pounds at the weekend then they are gone by the end of the week and so on, we arent constant but in a constant range of weight. I'm sure you weigh yourself the same time and day each week but dont do it daily as that can be very depressing I find lol! In fact it is far better to go by size, a pair of jeans that are comfortable one week then snug or hard to do up mean weight gain, hmm or bloated tummy, ok scratch that for you. I know it is so hard. I ended up taking course on nutrition trying to sort out my own and my son's problems, and that really helped, but the diary is good evidence to use.

Maybe the diary then, note when your stomach feels flat and calm and see why

[janet]

Thanks for that - I don't keep a diary but my diet has to be within a certain limit of food - it doesn't vary much yet I still seem to vary from day to day even though my diet hasn't changed much. I'm having a sensitivity test done in a week or so hopefully that will help but think I need to go see a homeopath again. I'm not sure probiotics help or not and even though digestive enzymes help a bit - it's not a cure all - I wonder if I need a colonoscopy to see what else is going on in there - what would your views be on that?

Appreciate your comments though - and how did your course help you and your son - what were you suffering?

[janet]

I've also found green tea helped but after about 4 days it bloats me up really bad - why is that - should I ride the storm and perservere and hopefully hope it would settle down.

Also I do have to say I am under tremendous stress and pressure at the moment and I mean tremendous - both home and work - you really don't want to know - that could be contributing at the moment as it is really bad.

[Cascara]

Originally Posted by janet

Thanks for that - I don't keep a diary but my diet has to be within a certain limit of food - it doesn't vary much yet I still seem to vary from day to day even though my diet hasn't changed much. I'm having a sensitivity test done in a week or so hopefully that will help but think I need to go see a homeopath again. I'm not sure probiotics help or not and even though digestive enzymes help a bit - it's not a cure all - I wonder if I need a colonoscopy to see what else is going on in there - what would your views be on that?

Appreciate your comments though - and how did your course help you and your son - what were you suffering?

I would still suggest a basic diary, especially if your food doesnt vary much, it may be one of those foods being the problem, and writing it all down for a couple of weeks should show what triggers the symptoms. My son was diagnosed with Coeliac disease and wheat and milk intolerance. He is fully recoverd now as long as he steers strictly and completely clear of all gluten (wheat, rye, barley and oats) and milk/dairy. Sadly though the avoidance seems to make him react even worse when he does inadvertantly get glutened.

Have you talked to your gp? Maybe you have something like IBS that reacts to stress? I know my gp wasn't very helpful, she didnt seem to believe that food could make us ill, and even the gastroenterologist dismissed the bloating saying everyone bloats sometimes lol, Great help. If you feel you may need a colonoscopy then you must go see your gp, as it sounds like something else may be concerning you. Maybe they can help you expand your diet too. It's no fun being on a restricted diet. What kind of foods do you eat?

[janet]

Hi again
I was told I had candida albicans a couple of years ago so did the very strict no sugar, yeast diet and cut out wheat at the same time. After about a year I was then told Id cleared it - I saw a lot of homeopaths at the time who said to me they didn't think I had candida because I was too fit, too much energy and although showing some signs not showing a lot of the classic symptoms.

Prior to that my GP did suggest a colonoscopy but I kept putting it off and when I did the elimination diet the bloating improved considerably. However although I still restrict my diet as much as I can a little bit of sugar has crept in again i.e. odd biscuits, odd chocolate but I don't indulge in any shape or form - I mean something like two Thorntons chocs on a Saturday night - I never eat cake, no sauces on my food or cook with sauces - plain food.
Breakfast porridge with two ryvita, lunch two spoons of yoghurt (too much yoghurt bloats and puffs my face but Im OK with no more than a couple) with some seeds or nuts - again not too many, dinner fish or meat with veg - I've seen two different kiniesologists (never mentioned the problem with sugar) and they both said to me I had a problem with sugar - cane and beet but OK with demerara and OK with honey. I do have a teaspoon of honey on porridge. So a plain no fancy diet.

Another kiniesologist told me just before Christmas that she thought perhaps I could become celiac and I could be possible border line and was something I'd have to watch out for. I'm at the stage now where I don't enjoy food.

I've cut the probiotics out and my tummy isn't so bloated and I've had the last two mornings oat bran as opposed to porridge and that seems to have helped.

I too feel its a waste of time going to your GP - they don't want to know so I end up going down an alternative route i.e. homeopaths, acupuncture, kiniesologists.

But I must admit when you can't enjoy a piece of choccy or a biccy or a piece of gateau life is boring - I've not ate cake for about 40 years!

[janet]

A few years ago a homeopath gave me this mix to take morning and night and that cured my bloating but she would only give me one bottle and said I needed to go through the mora test before any other remedies could be given. But whatever was in that first bottle sure cured it!