Anyone in the know about probiotics?

[Caslon]

I know this isn't a health forum but here goes anyways. I recently have an irritation of my stomach lining that causes stomach discomfort after eating a meal. Decreased appetite too. No gas, no bloating, no diarrhea, no constipation. Just some discomfort after eating and reduced appetite . I'm staying off fried foods etc. Eating more yogurt.

I Googled which is the recommended probiotic by brand name for this condition and just get a lot of scientific mumbo jumbo research with little in the way of actually naming a particular brand name for stomach lining irritation.

Can anyone name a probiotic by brand name for my condition so I can net order some or look to see if it's at my supermarket?

A long shot maybe, but I thought I'd ask you people here.

 

[Linda0818]

Not sure about probiotics (although I take one because I heard it was good for fatty liver, which I have) but have you seen your doctor yet to perhaps rule out an ulcer or maybe even a bacterial infection? I had stomach discomfort at one time after eating. Just a small meal felt like I'd just eaten 7 courses. And when I hadn't eaten in a while, I had a burning sensation in my gut.

Turns out I had H. Pylori bacteria running rampant in my digestive tract and had to be put on antibiotics.

 

[Cheryl J]

Hi Caslon. Like Linda mentioned, you should see a doctor for advice. Google isn't the best way to go. I'm sorry you're not feeling well after eating.

 

[caseydog]

Probiotics are the new fad. Maybe good, maybe not. Been there, done that... then did some research.

I have some of the same problems. What I have discovered is that... GASP... I'm getting old.

From what I have read, from scientific research, is that we don't need to add beneficial bacteria to our intestines. It's there.

What we need to do is find out what our "guts" are rebelling against. It may be something we were able to eat the first fifty years of our lives. It may also be a matter of volume. You may just be throwing too much at your digestive system at one time than it can deal with at this point in your life.

I would suggest (legal disclaimer: not a doctor) that you keep some kind of notes on what you eat, and when you feel more discomfort than other times. Don't forget to note how much you ate at one sitting.

It can be complicated. I have noticed that I can eat a salad one day and be fine, and another day and have gastrointestinal pain. Turns out, it depends on what else I eat. As part of a meal, the salad and dressing is fine, but by itself, it hurts. None of the salad ingredients or the dressing hurt me, but with nothing else, it hurts. But, if the salad and dressing are 1/3 of a full meal, no problem.

Same thing with milk. Milk alone gives me terrible heartburn, but milk with food (cookies), not problem. Go figure.

None of this mattered when I was 27, but matters now that I am 57. My gastrointestinal system seems to be, as I get older, like that old man who yells, "Get off my Lawn" at kids.

CD

 

[Linda0818]

Probiotics are the new fad. Maybe good, maybe not. Been there, done that... then did some research.

I have some of the same problems. What I have discovered is that... GASP... I'm getting old.

From what I have read, from scientific research, is that we don't need to add beneficial bacteria to our intestines. It's there.

What we need to do is find out what our "guts" are rebelling against. It may be something we were able to eat the first fifty years of our lives. It may also be a matter of volume. You may just be throwing too much at your digestive system at one time than it can deal with at this point in your life.

I would suggest (legal disclaimer: not a doctor) that you keep some kind of notes on what you eat, and when you feel more discomfort than other times. Don't forget to note how much you ate at one sitting.

It can be complicated. I have noticed that I can eat a salad one day and be fine, and another day and have gastrointestinal pain. Turns out, it depends on what else I eat. As part of a meal, the salad and dressing is fine, but by itself, it hurts. None of the salad ingredients or the dressing hurt me, but with nothing else, it hurts. But, if the salad and dressing are 1/3 of a full meal, no problem.

Same thing with milk. Milk alone gives me terrible heartburn, but milk with food (cookies), not problem. Go figure.

None of this mattered when I was 27, but matters now that I am 57. My gastrointestinal system seems to be, as I get older, like that old man who yells, "Get off my Lawn" at kids.

CD

Excellent idea. Sometimes it's all about process of elimination and weeding out the foods that bother your gut. And, like Casey said, as we age, we can't tolerate the things we used to be able to.

Again, I'd make an appointment with your doc to rule out any medical gastrointestinal issues and then go from there.

 

[GotGarlic]

You really need to see a doctor and find out what is causing the problem. None of us can diagnose and treat your condition through the Internet. Also, there is no scientific consensus that probiotics work to help any condition, other than depleted body bacteria from taking antibiotics. However, there is a study that showed a connection between taking probiotics and brain fog caused by overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine. So this is something that should be monitored by your doctor.

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Probiotic use can result in a significant accumulation of bacteria in the small intestine that can result in disorienting brain fogginess as well as rapid, significant belly bloating, investigators report.

In a published study of 38 patients, the 30 who reported problems like confusion and difficulty concentrating, in addition to their gas and bloating, were all taking probiotics, some several varieties.

When investigators looked further, they found large colonies of bacteria breeding in the patients’ small intestines, and high levels of D-lactic acid being produced by the bacteria lactobacillus’ fermentation of sugars in their food, says Dr. Satish S.C. Rao, director of neurogastroenterology/motility and the Digestive Health Clinical Research Center at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.

https://jagwire.augusta.edu/archives/55393

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I remember back in 1977 my brother decided to buy this new milk called Sweet Acidophilus. One of the first probiotics being offered. I ended up trading 3 days of work for 3 days on the throne!

If you're eating yoghurt anyway, why not try Activa? It has the probiotics you are looking for and should be less intrusive than a straight probiotic.

 

[JustJoel]

If you're eating yoghurt anyway, why not try Activa? It has the probiotics you are looking for and should be less intrusive than a straight probiotic.

Most yogurts contain probiotics. And most of them have info listed on the label about the probiotics they contain. Also, if you’re checking the label for that info, may I suggest that you check the sugar content as well.

 

[jennyema]

From the sound of your symptoms and the sound of your non-symptoms, Id start with Prilosec or another over the counter stomach acid inhibitor. I had some discomfort like you describe and my doctor put me on an acid inhibitor.

Probiotics, as I understand, are about encouraging good gut flora which help in digestion.


An easy way to experiment with probiotics would be to eat yogurt or drink Kombucha

 

[Caslon]

Suggesting I see my doctor is one thing, getting to see a specialist is another.
With my Medi-cal insurance it takes 7 to 10 days to see the primary doctor for a referral to a gastroentermologist. Another 7-10 days to get approval. Then another 10 days to schedule an appointment and see him. Once being seen by one and perhaps being recommended for a scope exam of my stomach, that takes another 7-10 days to get approved. Once approved, it's another 7-10 days to schedule an appointment for the procedure. That's about 40 days in all.

Until then, it's up to me to treat myself as best as I know how. I'm going to buy some probiotics along with continuing to eat yogurt and watch what I eat and drink (no alcohol). I'm taking over the counter Ranitdine pills to suppress acid production. Drinking lots of water seems to help a little too (waters down the acid?).

 

[JustJoel]

Suggesting I see my doctor is one thing, getting to see a specialist is another.
With my Medi-cal insurance it takes 7 to 10 days to see the primary doctor for a referral to a gastroentermologist. Another 7-10 days to get approval. Then another 10 days to schedule an appointment and see him. Once being seen by one and perhaps being recommended for a scope exam of my stomach, that takes another 7-10 days to get approved. Once approved, it's another 7-10 days to schedule an appointment for the procedure. That's about 40 days in all.

Until then, it's up to me to treat myself as best as I know how. I'm going to buy some probiotics along with continuing to eat yogurt and watch what I eat and drink (no alcohol). I'm taking over the counter Ranitdine pills to suppress acid production. Drinking lots of water seems to help a little too (waters down the acid?).

Mark has GERD. He tried Ranitidine, but it was mostly ineffective. He uses Nexium now; he gets an Rx for it because the copay is about 60% cheaper than the OTC medicine (even the generic stuff)!

 

[Caslon]

Noted and thanks. I had stomach bleeding and anemia 9 years ago due to taking baby aspirin. After a couple of days in the hospital and a colonoscopy, I was prescribed Protonix. Wish I had some now. I'm hoping this condition clears up by itself. If it persists, I'll make an appointment with my primary physician to see a gastroentermologist. I may even possibly be prescribed antibiotics used for this condition if it persists.

 

[GotGarlic]

Noted and thanks. I had stomach bleeding and anemia 9 years ago due to taking baby aspirin. After a couple of days in the hospital and a colonoscopy, I was prescribed Protonix. Wish I had some now. I'm hoping this condition clears up by itself. If it persists, I'll make an appointment with my primary physician to see a gastroentermologist. I may even possibly be prescribed antibiotics used for this condition if it persists.

Since it takes you so long to get an appointment, I would start the process now. If it clears up by itself, you can always cancel it.

Maybe it's just because I've been with my doctors for so long, but I can call them and speak with a nurse who will convey my questions to them. If they think I need a test, they'll order it without necessarily seeing me first.

 

[Caslon]

I may just do that GG. The combination of taking an acid reducer and mild foods seems to be working somewhat. For breakfast this morning I had "Smart Ones" brand Breakfast Wraps and water (no orange juice). They're like rolled flour tacos with egg white scrambled eggs, turkey sausage bits and low fat cheese. No discomfort! (that is, until my stomach empties out). I'm going to the store today and buying all kinds of fruits and vegetables recommended for this condition. They sell plastic containers of shredded roasted chicken too. I erred last night and had a cheeseburger, bad idea. No more of those kinds of food. No red meats either. Ensure Plus nutritional drinks seem to do OK with me. I may lose five pounds due to eating lighter meals (I have a very fast metabolism). Whatever it takes.

 

[GotGarlic]

I'm going to the store today and buying all kinds of fruits and vegetables recommended for this condition.

What condition do you think you have?

 

[Linda0818]

I may just do that GG. The combination of taking an acid reducer and mild foods seems to be working somewhat. For breakfast this morning I had "Smart Ones" brand Breakfast Wraps and water (no orange juice). They're like rolled flour tacos with egg white scrambled eggs, turkey sausage bits and low fat cheese. No discomfort! (that is, until my stomach empties out). I'm going to the store today and buying all kinds of fruits and vegetables recommended for this condition. They sell plastic containers of shredded roasted chicken too. I erred last night and had a cheeseburger, bad idea. No more of those kinds of food. No red meats either. Ensure Plus nutritional drinks seem to do OK with me. I may lose five pounds due to eating lighter meals (I have a very fast metabolism). Whatever it takes.

What "discomfort" are you feeling? You're saying you have discomfort when your stomach is empty? What, exactly, does it feel like? Nausea? A burning sensation?

 

[Caslon]

What condition do you think you have?

I meant symptoms. The condition seems to be an irritation of the stomach lining, possibly brought on by too much indulgence of alcohol and a less than healthy diet. I've now put a stop to that as of a week ago. Time will tell.

 

[Linda0818]

I meant symptoms. The condition seems to be an irritation of the stomach lining, possibly brought on by too much indulgence of alcohol and a less than healthy diet. I've now put a stop to that as of a week ago. Time will tell.

That's possible. Sounds like you may have a sensitive stomach, since you mentioned you had stomach bleeding from taking baby aspirin. Stomach bleeding can happen to anyone from taking OTC pain meds, but from taking baby aspirin seems a little odd, for lack of a better word.

However, I agree with GG that you may want to get the ball rolling with getting in to be seen.

 

[Caslon]

Linda, "Overt bleeding associated with low dose aspirin (LDA) is well-recognized, little attention is given to the possibility of association between LDA and occult bleeding, although this is known to occur in healthy volunteers. LDA is used increasingly in primary and secondary prevention of a number of medical conditions, many of which are common in older people".


I just got home from the store. Bought some probiotics (1 billion, not 10 billion). It has the bacteria for stomach ailments. Also, I didn't buy a bunch of fruits and vegetables because many are either acidic or fiberous (fiber harder to digest). I bought a plastic container of melon chunks instead. Just made myself a chicken sandwich with saltine crackers on the side instead of chips. I'm avoiding milk and sodas too. Rice and chicken is what's for dinner. I'm drinking only water with my meals. I believe I'm slowly improving by sticking to a bland diet, using an acid inhibitor and taking probiotics. Thanks for all the input.

 

[buckytom]

Cas, do not try to treat this by yourself. Get to a doc as soon as time allows.

If it's a bacterial ulcer (the H. Pylori thing aforementioned) the cure is as simple as an anti-biotic.

If you must self diagnose (my mother is the same way. She's hardly been to a doctor in her life and is going strong at 93. Go figure, those Norwegians), try some green tea. If that helps, go see a doctor anyway.