Have ibs, doing colonics-need advice about FLORAMAX??

[Forgiven77]

Hi my names Kira, 15. I have been dealing with health issues for the past year- long story short, had ct scan, blood, stool tests, and scope of both ends, my gastro told me i have ibs-d w/ very sensative spastic colon. I went on levsin, but didnt work now im on donnatal and its working better. It has stopped the dia., but i have to take miralax for me to go to the bathroom. I have done about 10 colonics this far, i started one a week but cut it down to 2 a week b/c of school and b/c 2 days after my colonic are usually painful. I have lost so much weight b/c of my health issues and some people would be happy, but i am not. Im 15, 5'6 i weighed 125 last january and i now weigh 109. I was never fat and i could eat whatever i wanted and wouldnt gain weight now since i eat healthy my body dropped the weight. Anyways im in school and since i have to have enough energy to get through the day, so i found a great all-natural vitamin that helps with the energy and helps me feel better as well(Pure Essence-One and Only). Well eventhought the vitamin is great im still having those groggy sick days when i feel like im going to be sick. I hate this feeling, well my colonist(Shar) has been pushing me to take a probiotic called "FLORAMAX". Anyone heard or tried it? Well im scared to take a probiotic, i know they are good for you and people say it will help me feel even better, but i have also heard they can sometimes make you feel sick and worse??
I need some advice. Has anyone tried this probiotic??? If so what happend and how did you feel? Were you on any prescriptive drugs while taking it?? Did you have a bowel problem while you were taking it?? Do you recommend FloraMax??
I need some advice about Floramax. Anything you know will help, thanks-Kira.

[ncgirl88]

Hi Forgiven77,

I have been sick since May and have developed IBS symptoms as well. I never thought I would ever lose weight without trying...but I have. Luckily I had 10 extra lbs. on me. I feel for you.

About the probiotics, do not worry about taking them. They are only beneficial. I have never heard of anyone feeling badly while taking them. I used to sell supplements in a health food store and none of our clients ever complained. I would be more concerned about taking prescription drugs then probiotics. You can't overdose on probiotics.

I don't know a whole lot about FloraMax. If it is refrigerated and has multiple strains of beneficial bacteria that is good. You always want to go with a refrigerated product since these are live bacteria and only stay that way if kept cold.

I am taking Metagenics UltraFlora Plus right now and it seems to be helping me. I like it in the powder form. You just mix a little with water and drink. You want to take most probiotics about 1/2 hour before your meals. The powder typically is a better buy. I think you can only get Metagenics through a nutritionist or doctor's office.

I would urge you to find a good nutritionist and make an appointment. Someone that can help you with food allergies, supplement recommendations for your condition, and can order lab tests if deemed necessary. I have paid out of my pocket to have a digestive lab work up on my stool done since I have heard that many traditional labs are not good at detecting parasites and bad bacteria. In fact, my nutritionist was helping an AIDs patient that had running diarreah for a year. He almost died...he had been tested for parasites by a leading hospital (a really respected one) and they had told him there were no parasites. He was desparate and came to see my nutritionist. She ordered a test through a lab that she uses (the doctors referred to it as a "boutique lab" - making fun of it) and the lab showed the presence of parasites. He treated himself and was much better.

I also would have my small instestine tested for the presence of bacteria. A gastroentonologist can do this by having you swallow some syrup and then take breath samples over a few hours. There was a recent study that an NIH researcher did that shows that in his sample of people he tested 85% with IBS had the presence of detrimental bacteria in their small intestine. That is huge. Apparently we are not supposed to have bacteria in our small intestine. Stress and other things can cause the secretory IgA that is in our small intestine to not be released as much and this can allow bad bacteria to proliferate.

I, too, had all the expensive and unpleasant tests. I will be going in for the small intestine test this week at my request.

Take care and I hope you feel better soon. Get on the probiotics asap - I think they will help.

-ncgirl88

[mvpgirl]

I know what you are talking about. I took probiotics a couple of times and both times I quit because they did make me feel worse and bloated. I just gave up. I think maybe I need to stay on it for awhile for it to work even thru the unpleasantness of it. You know how herbs and supps can work; you get worse before you get better.

Let me know how you progress. I will be reading on your progress