(Part 3) Reddit mentions: The best probiotic nutritional supplements

Laundry list of thoughts:

• I went ahead & ordered all three to try. RIP $90. 9,000 calories here I come! lol
  
• A penny per calorie, that's something to think about! Although for $1 a pop, that's not too bad, in the perspective of shelf-stable convenience...that's what a Snickers bars goes for from the vending machine.
  
• The website says "Soylent Squared is best enjoyed with water or your favorite beverage"...curious if it's going to need some liquid to choke it down, haha (packaging also says "best enjoyed with water"...sounds...dense)
  
• I wonder what the shelf life is
  
• I was kinda shocked at no variety pack & a 30-pack minimum, but it is a new product, and I mean, I keep like a 36-count variety pack of candy bars from Sam's Club in my desk for snack emergencies (I'm a low-tech prepper! lol), so these will probably be a better grab & go option straight out of a drawer, lol
  
• Corn syrup is a curious choice for a nutrition product; I'm not against it (and in fact use corn syrup in my baking on a regular basis), and it's not HFCS, but still...interesting choice for a sweetener (plus 5g beet sugar?)
  
  Macros for all three flavors: (chocolate brownie, salted caramel, citrus berry)
  
  
• 100 calories
  
• 5g protein
  
• 12g carbs
  
• 4.5g fats
  
  I'm a big fan of snack foods & typically do a savory snack in the morning & a sweet snack in the afternoon (I mostly follow the IIFYM WoE). I have a pretty decent rotation of sweet afternoon snack foods, including snacks from a variety of genres:
  
  
• Raw vegan stuff, like Brenden Brazier's excellent chocolate-blueberry energy bars
  
• Pretty much anything from the ProteinPOW recipe archives, especially the protein chocolates
  
• Certain keto desserts, although I'm not a big fan of fake sweeteners in general (I prefer sugar)
  
• Energy bites, bliss balls, and fat bombs (energy bites in particular have a zillion flavors & typically freeze well)
  
• Homemade granola bars (pretty easy to do no-bake, or food-processor, or a stovetop syrup that hardens them up)
  
• Random mass-produced crap - I love trying new flavors from those crazy food-lab scientists, like the new Thai Coconut M&M's (not bad), Hazelnut-spread M&M's (super disappointing, not only do they not taste like Nutella, but they just taste like sickly-sweet regular M&M's), all of the random new Oreo flavors (most are gross, but some, like the new Dark Chocolate Oreos, are brilliant)
  
  In a typical year, with one sweet snack in the afternoon, that means I need to come up with 365 snack-attack options, so this order takes care of about a third of my year, haha. Hope they're good! The addition of probiotics is interesting...I'd be curious to know more about how they work in relation to shelf-stable packaging vs. say the fresher stuff like yogurt (started with a bit of reading on that here).
  
  I make homemade yogurt sometimes using my Instant Pot (half-gallon bulk) & Sous Vide appliances (individual mason jars), to which I add a starter & will somtimes mix up different snack-sized cups from various vendors to mix in a bunch of a different probiotic bacteria strains (just for fun!). ProteinPOW actually released their own protein bars, which feature prebiotic fiber (Isomalto-oligosaccharide):
  
  https://shop.proteinpow.com/products/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough
  
  A quick search on Amazon shows plenty of bar products filled with probiotics. There's a brand of fruit bar I kinda like called "That's It" that has a probiotic option out now too:
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Thats-Probiotic-Digestion-Ingredients-Compliant/dp/B07H9CB4C8
  
  The macros don't really compare to Soylent Squares tho, as it's more of a fiber-treat type of snack:
  
  
• 100 calories
  
• 1g protein
  
• 26g carbs
  
• 0g fat
  
  Although the ingredient label is fairly sparse:
  
  
• Mangoes
  
• Active cultures (bacillus coagulans GBI-30 6086, which is a patented probiotic, which is pretty resilient to various cooking & storage processes)
  
  Soylent contains GBI-30 6086 as well ("500 million CFUs Probiotics" vs. the That's It bar's count of 2 billion cultures, which is 4x the amount in the same calorie offering), so that explains how they're doing the shelf-stable trick for it. Interesting. Might be a nice amuse-bouche for my Vite-Ramen lunches, haha!

Hi Julie,

It took me over a year to alleviate most of my constipation but all the above definitely helped.

-Slippery Elm - 1 Capsule 2x a day - taken between meals. Good for calming inflammation in stomach and helps repair and coat the stomach lining. Also helps with constipation and diarrhea. Makes a big difference on settling down stomach and soothing stomach pains. It can lower blood pressure.
https://www.amazon.com/Foods-Slippery-400mg-Capsules-100-Count/dp/B010VOZ2MK/ref=sr_1_6_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1529628232&sr=1-6&keywords=slippery+elm

-Psyllium Husk - 1 Capsule 2x a day (for moderate to severe constipation) - taken between meals. A gentle insoluble fiber and really does a good job of moving things along.
https://www.amazon.com/NOW-Psyllium-Husk-500-Capsules/dp/B0013OW2KS/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1542294329&sr=1-4&keywords=psylium%2Bhusk&th=1

-Marshmallow Root - 1 capsule 2x a day - taken between meals. Similar to Slippery Elm benefits. Very good for stomach lining. It can lower blood pressure.
https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Way-Marshmallow-Root-Capsules/dp/B001E10JKU/ref=sr_1_5_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1529628409&sr=8-5&keywords=marshmallow%2Broot&th=1

-Magnesium Oil Spray - Good for calming the body and for aiding digestion. I do 6-8 sprays on my stomach and chest before bed. Helps constipation and aid digestion.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CKEBFSE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

-Triphala - Generally good for digestion. Helps fight H Pylori and helps with Detoxification. I take 1/8 to 1/4th tsp every night. Mixes in water.
https://www.amazon.com/Banyan-Botanicals-Triphala-Powder-Detoxification/dp/B005EIK9Z4/ref=sr_1_7_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1529707176&sr=1-7&keywords=triphala&th=1

-Tulsi (Holy Basil) - Good for all around health and promote energy and sleep. I take 1/8 tsp every night. Mixes in water.
https://www.amazon.com/Banyan-Botanicals-Tulsi-Powder-Pound/dp/B0058AASOA/ref=sr_1_28_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1529707224&sr=1-28&keywords=holy%2Bbasil&th=1

Probiotics

-----------------

They've been pivotal in restoring more balance to my stomach, digestion, and overall health.

I've resolved on taking three different probiotic products because variety can help crowd out H Pylori and heal your stomach overall.

-Custom Probiotics - 11 Strain Probiotic Powder - 100 Gram
It seems expensive but it's super cost efficient and lasted me about year which is amazing.
For dosage, I only use the small plastic spoon that it comes with because the standard dosage of "260 billion" per day seems a little too intense to me.
I started with taking 25 billion (one small plastic spoonful) per day mixed in water. Stomach upset and gas is normal at the beginning stages so starting small helps your stomach get acclimated to the new strains.
I'm up to 100 billion per day (4 small plastic spoonful) now, 30 minutes to 1 hour before a meal.
https://www.customprobiotics.com/custom-probiotics-11-strain.htm

-Renew Life Extra Care Probiotic - Ultimate Flora - 150 billion - 30 Capsules
This probiotic is amazing for adding tremendous amount of variety to the strains in your stomach. It also contains "L Reuteri" which is effective in reducing and suppressing H Pylori.
Whenever I start a new bottle, I start with approximately 1/4 capsule (I open up the capsule and pour some it's contents in water) for the first week and move up to 1/2 capsule till the end of the bottle. Makes it last longer and because I'm already supplementing with another probiotic.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IN7867Q/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

-Bronson Saccharomyces Boulardii - 20 Billion - 180 capsules
Good for restoring balance to gut biome. I start out with half a capsule (approx 5 billion) in water at mealtime, once per day.
https://www.amazon.com/Bronson-Saccharomyces-Boulardii-Clinically-Vegetarian/dp/B01DWMC794/ref=sr_1_5_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1529676374&sr=8-5&keywords=bronson+saccharomyces+boulardii+probiotic


--------------------------------

Timing of Probiotics

-----------------

This was a super tricky thing to figure out. A lot of conflicting reports on what time you should take it, with food, without food, at bedtime, or first thing in the morning.

Here's the best two times that have worked for me. I go back and forth to accommodate schedule changes if need be:

1. 30 Minutes Before Breakfast - Custom Probiotics and Renew Life mixed in water.
   Take S Boulardii with other food enzymes. Make sure to take herbal antibiotics at another meal time.
   
   
2. 30 Minutes Before Dinner - Custom Probiotics and Renew Life mixed in water.
   S Boulardii with other food enzymes. Make sure to take herbal antibiotics at another meal time.

I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this :( I’m in a similar place where I have itching and everything so far has come up negative. Go back to your gyno and demand tests for a FULL SPECTRUM yeast test (not just candida albicans, there are other types of candida and yeasts that can cause problems and they can test for). Also demand a test for mycoplasma and ureaplasma. I just did this and have results coming in sometime today. Hopefully something comes up that I can treat!

Be pushy. Don’t be polite or shy. And if they refuse tell them to make a note on your chart that they refused testing, then go see a different doctor that will give you these tests.


Here is more info on mycoplasma/ureaplasma

https://www.google.com/amp/s/jezebel.com/the-vaginal-infection-that-lasted-for-a-year-it-was-ur-1665396569/amp

What my gyno recommended I do for now is the following:

Take probiotics. These ones specifically

https://www.metagenics.com/ultraflora-women-s

These are good too


https://www.amazon.com/Jarrow-Formulas-Fem-Dophilus-Billion-Organisms/dp/B00CAM5ZOM

She also said do a boric acid suppository once a night for two weeks. These have had great reviews and i am using them now.

https://lovewellness.com/products/new-the-killer-boric-acid-suppositories

She also said i can put probiotics in my vagina. I go on my back and put my pelvis in the air like a shoulder stand, and then my boyfriend helps me by opening up the capsule and putting it into ny vagina lol. God bless him. My gyno said i can do it at same time as boric acid but i did it in the morning. Definitely wear a panty liner and bring extra with you to change throughout the day.


To soothe itching externally I mix aloe vera gel with lavender and tea tree essential oils. 1tbsp aloe vera, 8 drops lavender, 8 drops teatree. Make sure that the oils are high quality and you are not sensitive to them. They work well for me, and are antimicrobial.

This product is similar if you don’t want to make your own, and it gas helped me in the past.

https://momotaroapotheca.com/products/salve

This is what I’m doing for the time being and I think it it helping. I am on day 5 right now and itching has gone down a bit.

Also, I know this sucks, try to avoid sex while you are treating it and at least two weeks after. I am in a 4 year long relationship and we haven’t had sex in about two months. It is very hard but we still are sexually intimate with clitoral stimulation and blowjobs etc. this will help you heal faster. Weirdly, through all of this, our relationship has been more loving and supportive than ever, though we did have some dark moments earlier in my problems.


The following products have been recommended from different women’s healthcare practitioners as well.


More for soothing dry irritated labia
https://vmagicnow.com/collections/products-for-sale/products/vmagic-skincare-jar

Also Yin Care Wash is supposed to be good. You can use it as an external wash in the shower or put on a cotton pad as a toner. It is quite soothing for itch.

I have used this wash a few times and i think it is pretty good. I use it maybe 1 or 2 times a week. Please dont overdo it with washes.


https://lovewellness.com/collections/shopall/products/ph-balancing-cleanser

These vitamins are supposed to be good for vagina also


https://lovewellness.com/collections/shopall/products/new-perfect-condition-vitamin

Best of luck to you! I have been dealing with this since July :( we will get through this!!

I can't reply directly to your post, but I recommend going low fodmap. (And going to see a doctor who specializes in functional medicine or a naturopath). I have had the same issue of being intolerant to many different fruits and vegetables. If low fodmap works for you, you can probably tolerate controlled amounts of certain fruits and vegetables. The Monash University app is a great resource too. It lists amounts in grams for tolerance thresholds for many fruits, vegetables and other food groups

For more info: https://www.monashfodmap.com/

Recipes: https://alittlebityummy.com/

Hypoallergenic multivitamin I use, recommended by my doc:
Pure Encapsulations - Nutrient 950 - Hypoallergenic Multi-Vitamin/Mineral Formula for Optimal Health* - 180 Capsules https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VYVUF4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_HnBoDbKXN2PW1

Doc also recommend this probiotic:
Garden of Life - RAW Probiotics 5-Day Max Care - Powder Banana Flavor - Acidophilus Probiotic Support for Digestive and Immune System - Gluten, Soy, GMO-Free, Certified Organic - 2.4 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AR0FREW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GjBoDbC8VJXWG

I had my gallbladder removed about 2 years ago. I agree with the recommendation to reduce fat in your diet, initially, but I would also recommend reducing some known irritants like tomatoes, hot peppers and acidic fruit juices (except lemon) while your body is trying to heal.

It took me a few months for my digestive system to get back to normal, and I think I helped it along by doing a few things. I took a good digestive enzyme with every meal, which helped to break down the food and fats I was consuming. Also, if you're not taking a probiotic supplement currently, I'd suggest you start with this one. If you already take one regularly, trying bumping up the count. I still take this one daily.

Your liver is working harder right now, because it's missing a partner in the digestive process. Try drinking Dandelion Root Tea in the morning on an empty stomach to support it. You don't have to do this every morning--even a few times a week is beneficial. Also, drink water with lemon throughout the day.

Your digestive system needs healthy fats to function properly, so when your body stabilizes a bit with the digestive support, start to slowly add in some healthy fats like olive or coconut oil, or even a spoon of Udo's over a salad or with some oatmeal in the morning. I still try to avoid fatty fried foods (the results can be horrifying), but I find I can still have French Fries if I pair it with a salad.

Go easy on yourself. Get lots of sleep and return gradually to your normal fitness routine. Let us know how things are going.

For those recommending Taste of the Wild, please read up on the company. They're owned by Blue Diamond and they've had many, many issues in the past. I would steer clear. Victor Grain Free is a great choice and is made in the USA with zero by-products and zero glutens. I've had my pibble on it for two months now and her skin is flawless.

This is what I feed her - https://victorpetfood.com/product-items/active-dog-puppy/

I also supplement with this fish oil - https://www.amazon.com/Native-Pet-Salmon-Dogs-Cats/dp/B074MPML6N/ref=sr_1_11?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1510933886&sr=1-11&keywords=native+pet It's wild caught and the company is US-based.

Don't forget a good probiotic. Pits are notorious for immune deficiencies and this is why we see the skin issues. Over 70% of the immune system is in the gut, so making sure the flora is healthy goes a long way. I use - https://www.amazon.com/VetriScience-Laboratories-Mega-Probiotic-Capsules/dp/B002GIVC4C/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1510933999&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=vetriscience+probiotics+for+dogs&psc=1

So far, on this combination, I've had zero skin issues with my pibble.

Good luck finding a solution. I know what it's like to see your pupper suffer and it's a really crap place to be.

It is safe and healthy. If GABAergics help you then it will as well. Personally I think Ashwagandha is a better supplement overall because it is an adaoptogen.

My recommendation regarding lithium orotate was not that you should stop. I said you should only use it with medical supervision. To be clearer (as I realize I was not) - get a blood test to determine your lithium levels. Even if you don't currently have side effects from it, it would be very prudent.

That being said, if you have good reason to believe your issues are caused by nerve damage, then raising nerve growth factor would make sense.

Most cost effective way to do this is with near-infrared light therapy.
https://selfhacked.com/blog/my-review-of-lllt/

Probiotics are also useful (especially if you have digestive issues). I recommend a fiber supplement with this as well.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AH3RT9Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I really love to eat so I've always eaten mostly what I want, but the main trigger food for me was anything that was really spicy, like buffalo wings, one of my favorite foods of all time. I started taking this probiotic little over a month ago: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007IQMVG

^This probiotic changed my life completely. I'm still taking my pharmaceutical medication (Lialda, 1.2 gm 3x) and an over-the-counter (Imodium, 2 mg 3x) and one of these capsules every night before I go to bed. I've posted this in the Crohns subreddit but they've informed me that probiotics have a much more profound effect on Ulcerative Colitis victims. Please, please, please try this stuff if you have UC and you're not getting the help you deserve. I wish I would have tried this years ago. I'm sorry for going off on a tangent but the point I'm trying to make is with this probiotic I can eat literally whatever I want and I'm completely normal every day now.

VSL#3 is very expensive, they do offer a printable coupon on their website that's about 30% off.

The one you linked to seems to make no claims on number of bacteria from the images posted, just 300mg of "probiotic blend". This is a red flag to me. The Amazon description does give a number, but it's 1 billion, which is childs play. The double strength vsl is 900 billion.

You might as well get something [like this] (https://www.amazon.com/Garden-Life-Organic-Probiotic-Supplement/dp/B00AR0FREW) and just not take full doses (it's a powder you scoop out). The bacteria per dollar is about a factor of 10 greater than the one you posted.

Another note, the probiotics that need refrigeration generally work better.

I eat a lot of protein, which gives me horrible smelling gas and shit. Since changing my diet is not an option, I've come up with a few work arounds. Hope they help.

I use a product called Devrom, which is advertised as an "internal deodorant". Works great when you take it with food.

Also, consider taking probiotics like this. They can help with odor, too.

Good luck and happy shitting!!

/u/jaimacho is right about the burping. Preventing the bubbles from making their way through their delicate little tract is the way to go since an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure...

On the other hand, priobiotics were an absolute lifesaver for our little gassy & reflux-prone boy. Check with your pediatrician, but the Mommy's Bliss Baby Probiotic Drops pretty much permanently eliminated all of his discomfort after a few days. Apparently babies don't have the bacterial colonization necessary to prevent most of that gaseous discomfort, so introducing it with probiotics helps to get the colony going a bit earlier. Our little guy is 9 months old now, and eats everything in sight without issue. His favorite is mango curry w/ brown rice if that tells you anything :)

I’ve never had BV so I can’t be much help there but as far as the probiotic I would definitely recommend trying a better one. I use a women’s probiotic that is physician formulated. It’s in a pink and white bottle and I get it on amazon. Kinda expensive (about $25 a bottle) but it works for me

https://www.amazon.com/Garden-Life-Formulated-Probiotics-Guaranteed/dp/B00Y8MP4G6/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_pd_title&th=1

Has she ever tried a change in diet (low carb/low sugar) and/or probiotics?

As for probiotics, a cheaper option are these two (they are the same brand--the difference is the first one does not have to be refigerated):

http://www.amazon.com/Natures-Way-Primadophilus-Reuteri-Pearls/dp/B000O3GCSW/ref=sr_1_11?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1414977958&sr=1-11&keywords=natures+way+probiotics

http://www.amazon.com/Natures-Way-Primadophilus-Reuteri-Vcaps/dp/B000FL9EAG/ref=sr_1_10?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1414977958&sr=1-10&keywords=natures+way+probiotics

and more expensive ones that are popular:

http://www.amazon.com/Renew-Life-Ultimate-Vaginal-Formula/dp/B0042KULCG/ref=sr_1_6?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1414978305&sr=1-6&keywords=ultimate+flora+probiotics

http://www.amazon.com/Renew-Life-Ultimate-Complete-Capsules/dp/B00CCCNISU/ref=sr_1_7?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1414978305&sr=1-7&keywords=ultimate+flora+probiotics

There are reviews there that say it cured their yeast problems.

If she is willing to try the probiotics, you should couch PIV sex for maybe a month or two and see how she is feeling on the probiotics.

If she is able to receive oral or be stimulated with your fingers (not in her vagina) without pain, then maybe ask her if you both can concentrate on each other through oral and manual stimulation while hopefully the probiotics help start to keep the yeast at bay (hopefully it will work).

The fact she can't enjoy PIV probably lowers her sex drive so maybe if you can both concentrate on pleasing each other in other ways, her libido might start coming back again.

But in the end, you would be justified in ending the relationship so that you can find a partner you can have sex with.

yes, since you already have your diet sorted, I'd supplement with probiotics to help recolonize your digestive tract. as /u/TheColonWars said, lactic acid bacteria is what's supposed to be there, so I'd be making your own 24hr yogurt (or other fermented foods), drinking kombucha, maybe adding in some lactobacillus supplements like this? also, keep us/me updated!! I'm going to get tested for SIBO, as I'm pretty sure my gluten intolerance caused it..and want to know how you feel after stopping the antibiotics.

BioGaia Osfortis, Women's Probiotic for Strong Bones, GI Wellness, Hormone and Immune Balance, Contains L. reuteri 6475, 60 Capsules, 1 Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T751F26/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_uQzuDb78YX8YN

Lactobacillus reuteri strain ATCC PTA 6475 increases oxytocin and survives oral ingestion. It's naturally found commonly in breast milk but can get easily out competed by other bacteria in the digestive system since it isn't as aggressive at colonizing the gut. Just this year a probiotic with it was finally released. Looks like a potentially very useful supplement to consider.

https://examine.com/supplements/lactobacillus-reuteri/

https://www.amazon.com/BioGaia-Osfortis-Probiotic-Wellness-Contains/dp/B07T751F26/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1I80HZ991F8AF&keywords=biogaia+osfortis&qid=1567291889&s=gateway&sprefix=biogaia+o%2Caps%2C194&sr=8-2

Pretty display!

Not that you asked, but I was getting a lot of UTIs at one point, and they stopped when I started taking Fem-dophilus Probiotics. My 96yo aunt also had good luck with it.

Hey, Have you tried probiotics? I haven't gotten a yeast infection in 4 years and the only corrolation I can think of is that I've been more diligent with my gut health. I take 'Ultimate flora' by renew life ( https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000CMKC5Y/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A88P3ECUQ97WW&psc=1 ) also lots of fermented foods like kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut. I really really love probiotics.

Y'know, I don't know all the science behind it, but my probiotics help a lot with my fat-digestion. I started out taking them just because I had a sample of Align laying around, and noticed it helped a lot with my bulletproof (coconut oil) coffee in the morning. Moved on to this one, I like it a lot and they often send coupons. :)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N1G17GG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

I posted this in the other IBS AMA, hopefully it will help people:

I have IBS and it used to make me hesitant to even go outside at times and these pills:

http://www.amazon.com/Digestive-Advantage-IBS-Irritable-Syndrome/dp/B0007IQMVG/

have given me a new life. I take one every night before bed and I rarely have any problems now or even a cramped stomach. They are sold at all CVSs and other places like that and for the relief they give they are dirt cheap. They take about a week to start working though and you have to take it once a day or it will wear off after a few days.

Interesting!

I would suggest trying to ferment these (bacteria found in breast milk) in a resistant starch like beans, lentils, or uncooked oats: Reuteri Pearls, plus culturelle , plus align.

I'm experimenting with this currently.

Resistant starch alters intestinal microbiota: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0146406

Breast milk contains non-digestible oligosaccharides that bacteria like b.infantis feed on: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2866150/

Digestive advantage on amazon. Recommended by GI and definitely helps.

I've been taking these Healthy Origins 30 Billion CFU probiotics for a couple of years. Great balance of quality and price.

Get yourself some of these Make sure to get that brand because it's the best IMO. I've had stomach issues for as long as I can remember and these have helped more than anything else I've tried.

Call your vet and relay these concerns. Did the veterinarian prescribe Reglan to stimulate appetite? My piggies always had Reglan after any surgery. I mix banana pumpkin baby food puree, probiotics and Oxbow critical care and use an oral syringe to feed. Go slowly. Probiotics are important because antibiotics can take away their appetite (i assume your piggy is on antibiotics after surgery?).

Here's the one i use (it says it's for dogs and cats but it's the same probiotic bacterial stains used in small animals like guinea pigs)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002GIVC4C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_fTf-wbNSTY5J3

Okay, that was my gut instinct (no pun intended) to some of these sites haha.

I'm taking Earth's Pearl's probiotics currently, but before I was taking Ultimate Flora.

Earth's Pearl:
https://www.amazon.com/Day-Supply-Probiotic-Prebiotic-Ingredients/dp/B00N1G17GG/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1519782799&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=earth%27s+pearls+probiotics&psc=1

Ultimate Flora:
https://www.amazon.com/Renew-Life-Ultimate-Probiotic-vegetable/dp/B00H61ZBZU/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1519782774&sr=8-4&keywords=ultimate+flora+probiotics

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I have mild anxiety, and reading the initial reports that antibiotics may cause IBD lead me down a rabbit hole.

I bought a bag of 1000 empty size 0 gel caps on Amazon.
I bought one of THESE to fill it.

I bought THESE tips.

I also bought one of THESE to lay out all of the caps to make them easy to fill.

Having had some practice at this point, I can fill all 100 in like 20 minutes. I probably go through like 150 per month.

I then keep them in the fridge so the coconut oil stays solid and they don't leak or melt.

They will leak if you sit on them, or if you leave them in a hot area (over like 80 degrees).

Using the 3 cup batch (which is the smallest that the magic butter maker will do) I get like 650ml (there is some loss from not getting 100% of the oil out of the cannabis flower). With each cap being 500 microliters exactly, I get 1300 pills from 6 ounces of flower, or almost a year's month worth of caps at the rate I eat them at minus whatever I use for cooking (I didn't turn all of my oil into caps so I could use it in cooking).

I found that emptying the magic butter maker into one of THESE and then squishing the solid remnents in the filter bag helps to get the most oil out of each batch.

The hole in the tip of the pipette's is slightly too small to prevent clogging, so before I use each tip, I open it up a smidge with a dental pick I bought at CVS for this purpose. I just push it in and pull it out once, I found that opening it more than that makes it drip and doesn't help any more to prevent clogging.

I haven't personally done anything with the leftover flower, but I suppose you could bake with it. I figure I have extracted most of the cannabinoids, so I just accept it as some loss.

Also, if you do the squeezing without gloves, don't do it before you have to drive anywhere...just a suggestion.

Hmm. Didn't even realize there was a difference. Thanks.

Found this one
https://www.amazon.com/Biogaia-Gastrus%C2%AE-30-Chewable-Tablets/dp/B01AH3RT9Y/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1505702445&sr=8-2&keywords=biogaia+l+reuteri

BioGaia has a patent on a couple different L. reuteri strains.

Which strain?
My first guess would be Clostridium butyricum, which is a popular probiotic in asian countries. I found this one, which I guess I'll try. Would be nice to know more.

There's only one maker of the oxytocin producing bacteria: https://www.amazon.com/BioGaia-Supplement-Discomfort-Constipation-Regularity/dp/B01AH3RT9Y/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1536355539&sr=8-3&keywords=biogaia+gastrus

If you can get him to spit into a cup, you can get a DNA analysis through 23andme or ancestry.com and then upload the raw data into promethease.com and then treat any underlying genetic problems. Some autists have really easily treatable stuff like MTHFR, OXTR, etc. Some have gene deletions that may never be treatable. To manage non-verbal stuff I used consistent language and charades style communication.

Get a decent glass pipette and one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Size-Capsule-Holding-Tray-Capsuline/dp/B01KKPS812/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1536856371&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=00+capsule+holder&psc=1

Once the oil is ready I take a two bowls. One metal preferably. I fill the lower bowl with ice and place the metal one on top of that. As I complete the caps I toss them in the bowl. This cools them off quicker and reduces the caps sticking together from any minor mishaps you have along the way when filling. After that they go into the freezer and I'll give them a good shake every 10 minutes for 30-60 minutes. AVB caps work great if you take them 40-60 minutes before smoking/vaping. I'm probably sitting on a half pound of AVB but it's all destined for topical use. OH! One big thing I forgot to mention with my caps is I also included about 8-10 (3-6g each) pressed flower bags that I had from rosin pressing.

I've been very happy with these ones which do have digestive enzymes in addition to probiotics.

I use this one from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Y8MP4G6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

No particular reason that I picked this one besides the fact that it had great reviews

Bean-zyme

Beano

Digestive Advantage Once Daily Gas Defense Formula

Activate Charcoal

Search these products for digestive enzymes

Some people rave about the pork clouds.

http://www.amazon.com/Pork-Clouds-Rosemary-Salt-Bags/dp/B00JPPLOB0

Some other ideas:

• coconut flour
  
• coconut oil
  
• Great Lakes Gelatin - Green cannister (search for glycine and gelatin in Keto forum to read about why you might want to eat it) - http://www.amazon.com/Great-Lakes-Collagen-Hydrolysate-Unflavored/dp/B005KG7EDU
  
• The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living by Volek and Phinney
  
• Probiotics - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0082DDQH6 or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GWG8FS
  
• Krill Oil for omega 3 - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004TBCT4G
  
  

Nope! You can get them over the counter or on Amazon.

Here's a summary on the study about probiotics helping infants https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3183958/

Here's the drops we happen to use https://www.amazon.com/Mommys-Bliss-Probiotic-Drops-Flavorless/dp/B00TGHNNES?th=1&psc=1

I have an Amazon Dash button set up for these:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C1C21I4/

They've worked well for me. I used to have the same issues as OP and now I don't!

Is this probiotic any good?
Dr. Ohhira's Probiotics Professional Formula 120 Capsules 72g https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0031BUDLG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2LCqzb97VFCDP

Probiotic that is good for butarate production.

http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Orthomolecular-Research-Probiotic-3-Probiotic/dp/B0082DDQH6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412908551&sr=8-1&keywords=probiotic+3

As a fairly recent probiotic convert, I think they're a major facet of health that people neglect.

iLLyNoiZe has a solid bit of info. I'd also recommend reading the strains within certain probiotics. The approach here is that you can find what in particular you need. Specific strains have specific things they target, and getting a feel for these can help you troubleshoot any problems (or possibly narrow things down if you need to switch brands for any reason). This is more of a longer-term recommendation, of course! Good to make note of stuff that works, I figure.

Just for curiosity's sake, I'm using this stuff:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H61ZBZU

... although, based on Labdoor info, I'm probably going to switch over to this (or Garden of Life) once my bottle runs out:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0050FKPU0

I've tried several and don't have a strong preference. Most recently I've used Healthy Origins (two caps, twice a day... which is probably a lot): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00309S4C4/

You can buy it on amazon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AH3RT9Y

http://www.amazon.com/EVERIDIS-HEALTH-SCIENCES-Biogaia-Gastrus%C2%AE/dp/B01AH3RT9Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1452608339&sr=8-2&keywords=biogaia+gastrus

Now available on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000CMKC5Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_9_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1521868954&sr=8-9&keywords=probiotics&dpPl=1&dpID=61JPwXiF7iL&ref=plSrch

I personally use this one.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00H61ZBZU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_SL-SCb11WJ7D5

I started taking this

I give her these every morning.

Haha I know what you mean we referred to it as “the baby” before knowing the gender. Knowing the gender really makes it so real and the nursery planning becomes more concrete. I love the Garden of Life Doctor formulated they have a prenatal one too but I found that a bit weak.

Try a probiotic made for feminine parts. I prefer Fem-Dophilus (the cold kept kind, not the shelf stable). Anytime I feel off, one every day for a few days does the trick.


Jarrow Formulas Fem-Dophilus, 5 Billion Organisms Per Cap, For Vaginal and Urinary Tract Health, 30 Count (Cool Ship, 3 Pack) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CAM5ZOM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_SQ0.Ab7ZSHJAZ

https://www.amazon.com/Vitamin-Absorption-Natural-Strengthen-Peppermint/dp/B014K3H73A/ref=sr_1_7_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1525037617&sr=8-7&keywords=vitamin+d+with+k2

https://www.amazon.com/Renew-Life-Probiotic-digestive-supplement/dp/B000CMKC5Y/ref=sr_1_14_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1525037700&sr=1-14&keywords=probiotics+50+billion+cfu

I linked both probiotics and vitamin D which I use. For vitamin D, just place 2-4 drops per day under tongue. For probiotics, take one per day 30 minutes before meal. For me, I still think the probiotics was the one that made a difference. Also, I'm trying this new thing with oil pulling with coconut oil. Some people say it has antibacterial properties which can kill bacteria in the mouth and prevents the GI from further infection. I doubt it will make a huge difference, but it's just something else to try.

Yeah, there is evidence that gut bacteria can affect mood. I feel like when I got my gut right, it helped my mood a lot. Maybe just because I wasn't in pain so much or maybe because I had beneficial bacteria, I don't know. I don't think you can do irreversible damage to your gut bacteria. Maybe you're not taking the right probiotic for you. There are a lot of different types of gut bacteria. It also might not be the bacteria making you sick, it could be some other additive in the pill. I think this is really more likely. Probiotics don't act that quickly. And there can be binding agents in some medication that can exacerbate irritable bowel syndrome. Take a look at the label and do some googling on what you find.

But for my mood, I did some research on which bacteria to get and found that (I think) L. rhamnosus and L. reuteri might produce GABA, so I take them daily. I take a combination of Culturelle (which has a good mix) and L. reuteri on it's own:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000O3GCSW/ref=sr_ph_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1492481250&sr=sr-1&keywords=reuteri

I also got a SIBO test and found that I had bacterial overgrowth in my small intestine. I took a specific antibiotic that only works in the small intestine (where you're not supposed to have bacteria) and leaves the rest of the gut alone. Once I did that, my gut health really shot up a notch.

Keep trying. Keep doing research. You're on the right track.

I've been dealing with IBS (self diagnosed) for about 5 years (almost 19 years old). It's been a real pain and has affected me going out to places and school. The best thing I've found is for my morning classes I eat plain oatmeal with a bit of sugar or egg whites. I also take this every morning. If I know I'm going to be some place where IBS flareup would especially suck I also try to eat a small plain dinner. Also try avoiding dairy as much as possible, many suffers are also lactose intolerant. Other than that, drink plenty of water, read up on your type of IBS (D or C) and good luck.

Taking these currently! I don't personally find a big difference from one kind to the other, though, as long as I'm taking something. I do notice a difference if I stop taking them for a few days, though.

Yep, I take one a day, but if I miss a day or 2, it's not a big deal, the ibs issues don't come back or anything. It's a capsule, I just take it with water in the evening. I buy mine on Amazon

Edit to add: no, I've not tried any other probiotics.

I was a bit confused on this as well. From the recommendations section, here's what I'm ordering:

Nature's Way Primadophilus Reuteri Pearls, 60 Count


Culturelle Daily Probiotic Formula, Digestive Health Capsules,30 count


Align Daily Probiotic Supplement, Probiotics Supplement, 42 Capsules


Bi2Muno Prebiotic Food Supplement 30 Sachets


The total order comes to about $75.

Geez! 10 years on a constant antibiotic! I was on a low dose antibiotic for chronic bladder infections for about a year and even that amount of time did serious damage to my gut biome.

If anyone else is having issues with that, here are some probiotics I use that have helped replenish good bacteria:

• Biogaia
  
• Garden of Life (get these in the refrigerated section at Whole Foods)
  
• Reuteri (I also get this is refrigerated section of WF)

I might be giving you advice you already have, but also cut out sugar as much as you can, take a probiotic, and use boric acid suppositories.

I take a probiotic every night (I use this one and double up every time I go overboard on sugar) and boric acid every time i feel a little irritated. I had recurrent yeast infections for 5 years and I'm still convinced it messed me up permanently.

Go back to your GI, ask them to prescribe you Tofranil (Imipramine). Start out at 10mg. You'll notice some side effects, but the worst of it will wear off in about a week.

Purchase these 2 supplements and take 2 per day (morning and night):

http://www.amazon.com/Digestive-Advantage-Intensive-Support-Capsules/dp/B0007IQMVG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1410968014&sr=8-2&keywords=ibs

http://www.amazon.com/Foods-Peppermint-Ginger-Fennel-Softgels/dp/B001F0R7QE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-2&keywords=peppermint+oil+cap

You will get your life back.

My IBS primarily manifests with fatigue / brain fog symptoms - or at least, that's the symptom that's most difficult to manage. For example, where a medium amount of an unsafe food will cause digestive symptoms, a much smaller amount can cause brain fog to an extent that interferes significantly with work and personal life.

I've found the best way for me to manage this is by consuming a very low fiber and near-zero-sugar diet - based originally on the low-FODMAP diet, but much more strict. I am able to eat many complex carbs, most commonly potatoes and rice (white or quick-cook brown). This requires cooking nearly all of my meals, and being extremely careful about what I eat at restaurants - asking a lot of questions.

I depend heavily on lactase enzyme for any dairy-containing foods, as well as alpha-galactosidase for breaking down traces of garlic or onion as well as small amounts of select vegetables.

I do find that I am slightly more able to tolerate fiber and sugar in the evening, but only because the fatigue they generate happens while I am asleep, and thus affects me less. (Too much will still give me fatigue and even hangover-like symptoms the next morning, though.)

Probiotics are hit or miss. While many seem to help with digestion, none seem to have made much difference in terms of brain fog, and a few have made that worse. Currently taking AOR-3 with no negative effect -
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0082DDQH6

I'm thankful to have only mild IBS, but it definitely sucks. I suffer from loose stools rather than constipation, though.

In my particular case, I found a probiotic that I take every morning that ended up decreasing the number of loose stools to a more manageable amount. I had to stick with it for a week or two before I saw any results. Now, I find that as long as I avoid consuming too many milk products or coffee, and as long as I'm not under heavy stress, I am usually OK. I know it doesn't work for everyone, though.

The worst part about IBS for me is traveling, and interacting with a social group while suffering from bloating/cramps/gas. I can't imagine what my life would be like if that probiotic didn't work for me.