Bad Gut and Probiotics.

[wonderoushope]

Hi there,

I need some advice on what I should do to try and tackle my gut.

I have always had gut issues since a teenager. In my teen years I mainly noticed rich cheese like camembert and beer. I was diagnosed with IBS at the time. But now I seem to have more and more issues with food. I actually suspect I had undiagnosed gastritis as a teen.

Anyway, when I got sick four years ago with CFS like symptoms, I was taking probiotics and I believe it was thing that tipped me over the edge. I was instructed by gastrologist to take a probiotics because of my IBS issues (note I had no CFS symtoms before this) and I took

Inner Health Plus Dairy Free
Each capsule contains:
25 billion good bacteria:
Lactobacillus acidophilus (NCFM®) 12.5 Billion Live Bacteria
Bifidobacterium lactis (Bi-07) 12.5 Billion Live Bacteria

Not long after I got really sick taking the probiotics (classic CFS symtoms, fatigue, brain fog, migraines, nausea, weight gain, bloated stomach, aches and pains, flu like symptoms, chemical and sensitivities) and became more intolerant to most foods. I didn't put two and two together that probiotics were the issue for a good few months. Meanwhile, my health deteriorated and I was barely eating anything but putting on weight. I finally switched on to the fact that the probiotics were the issue and two weeks later after taking them out of my diet my symptoms improved dramatically, so much so that I could travel overseas for a holiday. Now/today I just have periods of crashes, but no where near what it was like.

Rewind a few years beforehand, I had been diagnosed with gastritis, and I suspect the gastritis never healed up and so I am not sure if it was good thing to add probiotics to a stomach with gastritis.

I also think I have reoccurring gastritis because I got diagnosed with it 6 months ago and took Nexium and felt better but lately, I have been having the same symptoms I get when I have gastritis (reflux, beltching). Oh and yes had a biopsy for helicobacter pylori and previous to that stool sample and all came back negative.

Anyway, I was reading up on this forum on what to do to heal the gut and I saw @Hip post on taking prebiotics and I tend to have a lot of issues with prebiotics, like pickled things, but I saw it was suggested to take psyllium husk. Well my stomach did not react too well to that at all, and I was had chronic cramping, bloated stomach, wind and terrible stool (note before taking the husk my stomach hadn't been that great all week, lots of foods were giving me gas and cramps, but the psyllium husk sort of tipped me over). Again remember I probably have gastritis at the moment at, so I am wondering if psyllium husk would aggravate the stomach?

My stool is also all over the place. But tends to float and has undigested food and looks fibrous.

I'm back to eating pretty boring foods and my stomach is a lot better. I have done elimination diets in the past, but the results are all over the place.

So I am lost on what to do. Should I try and take a probiotic? I did take a some about 9 months ago again (different brand) and seemed okay, but I do tend to go through waves where my stomach settles down, so if I tried it again now, it could play up.

I also went to a naturopath about 6 months ago, but the herbs always gave me gut issues, so I had to stop.

I don't quite understand different strains of probiotics and wondering if anyone knows why the above probiotc would have been an issue for me? I am thinking of taking prescript assist.

 

[Hip]

If you have undigested food in your stool, have you tried supplements that boost stomach acid such as betaine hydrochloride? A good betaine supplement will also contain digestive enzymes as well. Betaine is taken with meals to boost digestion.

(Note: I have found that betaine hydrochloride tablets make me depressed, probably because betaine is a methyl donor which can increase interferon production, which in turn can cause depression (ref here); so when I want to boost stomach acid levels after a meal, I instead use one or two tablespoons of vinegar, or else 600 mg of citric acid in a capsule).



A lot of ME/CFS patients do seem to have problems with probiotics and prebiotic; but for others like myself, they can be helpful.

What you can consider is different forms of probiotic. Many probiotics are lactic acid producing bacteria (which perhaps may be the problem for ME/CFS patients, as lots of ME/CFS patients produce high amounts of lactic acid when they perform physical exercise, and thus get this lactic acid build-up); however, some probiotics like Clostridium butyricum do not produce lactic acid.

Also, the yeast probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii does not produce lactic acid, and works very differently to the usual bacterial probiotics (Saccharomyces boulardii is a beneficial yeast which stimulates secretory IgA in the gut).

 

[Hip]

Have you considered taking one or two heaped teaspoons of L-glutamine powder? This can be effective for IBS-D, and I certainly find it very helpful for my IBS-D.

However, glutamine may be less beneficial for IBS-C, because glutamine can increase constipation.

A warning though: some ME/CFS patients find even small amounts of glutamine have negative effects.

 

[wonderoushope]

Have you considered taking one or two heaped teaspoons of L-glutamine powder? This can be effective for IBS-D, and I certainly find it very helpful for my IBS-D.

However, glutamine may be less beneficial for IBS-C, because glutamine can increase constipation.

A warning though: some ME/CFS patients find even small amounts of glutamine have negative effects.

Thanks @Hip I have a mixture of IBS-C and sort of IBS-D. It chops and changes, but probably more IBS-C. I don't have proper IBS-D, just sometimes my stool comes out very fast (painful), but forms a lot of small separate globs that float. It's odd.

I haven't taken glutamine. However, I have been drinking bone broth soup and seems okay. I thought I was having issues with it (as sometimes I noticed I got woozy but seems to have dissipated).

I'm a bit worried about taking vinegar, as it tends to cause me reflux or nausea and that could be because I have gastritis. I did take some this morning after my breakfast and got a bit of burping and a bit of reflux. Anyway, I guess I will see how it goes.

I seem to be effected a lot by histamine forming foods, preserved/smoked meats, beans, nuts, yeast and seems like vinegar is included in that.

What do you think of Prescript Assist as a probiotic?

 

[Hip]

I seem to be effected a lot by histamine forming foods, preserved/smoked meats, beans, nuts, yeast and seems like vinegar is included in that.

Maybe you would be better off, then, with citric acid. You can buy this in some grocery stores, as it is used a meat tenderizer.

What do you think of Prescript Assist as a probiotic?

I have read good reports, but have not yet tried it myself.

 

[wonderoushope]

Maybe you would be better off, then, with citric acid. You can buy this in some grocery stores, as it is used a meat tenderizer.


I have read good reports, but have not yet tried it myself.

Yes I think I have citric acid in the cupboard as it's the thing suggested to use in the RPAH elimination diet handbook . I will try that instead if vinegar becomes an issue.

Thank you.

 

[Hip]

Yes I think I have citric acid in the cupboard as it's the thing suggested to use in the RPAH elimination diet handbook .

If you use citric acid in the long term, you might want to encapsulate it to avoid contact with your teeth, because citric acid is particularly good at eroding tooth enable. Nothing to worry about if you are just taking it a few times, but for long term use, encapsulating would be better. Or use some ready made citric acid supplements.

You can also use malic acid supplements instead, which have the added benefit of providing an energy boost to some ME/CFS patients.