Probiotic suggestions

[JaneFBH]

Hello -

 

My DD age 12 has TS, including a screaming tic. Confirmed malabsorption and gut issues. We seem to be having some success with a regimen of 100% Gluten-free, 90% dairy free, moving toward GAPS diet, non-GMO, Young Living essential oils (massage and diffuser), 500 mg of Taurine, Therbiotic Probiotic and digestive enzymes with some meals.

 

My problem is she dislikes taking any supplements - even chewables. The probiotic and enzymes are chewables that she will only take mixed with yogurt - which is dairy and sugar! She will not swallow pills. Does anyone have a probiotic and/or digestive enzyme that they recommend that is either a liquid or some other form? Also I have not explored taking something to combat candida/yeast which she does have. Any recommendations? I have been adding one thing at a time because her anxiety increases with each additional "thing" she must take.

 

Thank you ALL - this forum has been a lifesaver.

 

 

[searching_for_help]

You can get Nystatin prescribed in liquid form to combat the yeast. If you get probiotics and digestives enzymes in capsule form, you can just open them up and mix with applesauce, or some other food. (I would avoid any hot foods...)

 

My son also hates swallowing pills. So I make this "shot" with all kinds of stuff he needs mixed in, and top it off with a bit of pomegranate juice. It's not very good, but when I tell him he would have to take it in pill form, he says he'd rather have the "shot"! (We're not a drinking family, but we joke about it being as bad as whiskey.) Pomegranate juice covers up the taste pretty much - we just like to joke about how bad it is. I mix up liquid lithium drops, vitamin C drops, vitamin D drops, B Complex drops, and we also have cod liver oil, lemon flavor, in liquid form. You could use the drops in just about anything - maybe a smoothie or something. They also make liquid multivitamins, but the brand we tried was really nasty. $45.00 down the tube...

 

You'd be surprised what all is available out there in liquid form. I was even using a mortar and pestle to break up his magnesium pill and mixing it into food. So try and get liquid form, or capsule form that can be mixed into food and see how she does.

 

Another thought, I think there is a powdered form of probiotic made by Ultimate Flora. It's got like 100 billion varied strains. Don't have time to look it up right now, but I'm sure you could find it online.

 

I agree - this forum and the parents on here are awesome! I really don't think I could manage without all of you!

[Chemar]

My son had a bad reaction to Nystatin as an antifungal and also to Culturelle & other supplemental probiotics so we use natural food probiotics only

 

we find Kefir to be the best natural probiotic.

We use the Lifeway brand as it is from A2 beta casein strain of cows. My son is not dairy intolerant but avoids it due to the Crohn's ...but finds this Lifeway kefir a major help to his health. My son likes the plain one, but you can also get blueberry and other totally natural flavored ones. Can be poured on cereal or taken as a drink, smoothie etc.

http://www.lifeway.net

Most supermarkets and health stores in our area carry it

 

One can also get Kefir made from goat's milk as well as coconut milk kefir. Wholefoods has a good selection

 

sauerkraut is also a good probiotic food.

[searching_for_help]

Our Walmart carries the Lifeway kefir. It's great for smoothies - we use the pomegranate flavored kefir with frozen strawberries, banana, a bit of stevia and the ice. It's yummy.

[JaneFBH]

Thank you! I am going to try mixing things all together - I was always afraid it wouldn't be as effective. Aren't you supposed to take the probiotic away from food? Does anyone know if you can overdo the probiotics? For instance if she took a probiotic capsule AND had the Kefir every day?

 

Thank you!!!!

[Chemar]

Our experience is yes, you can have too much probiotic but then my son has Crohn's and so may react differently

 

I have IBS and if I have too much kefir or mix it with other probiotics I do get an upset following.

 

Remember too when you are dealing with candida "yeast" that you want to eradicate slowly as otherwise you can get intense herxing or "die off" .......where probiotics are no anti-fungal, they do increase the balance of good to bad microbes and so one can sometimes get a herx reaction

[philamom]

Some believe probiotics is better absorbed on an empty stomach, but I give my daughter probiotics with and without food. You got to do what works best for you. A probiotic capsule and Kefir everyday definitely would not be over doing it. Another option is Florastor for kids - a small packet of powder that can be mixed with applesauce, etc. You can also just sprinkle it on the tongue, but doesn't sound like your child would like that. It's a good yeast probiotic (Sacchromyces Bou...) that works well on the GI tract. But there are some kids that react to it in a negative way, mine does not. If she can swallow the very small pearl shaped probiotics, we use Integrative Therapeutic Probiotic Pearls.

Edited April 24, 2014 by philamom

[Pilbara]

All of my son's supplements come in power form, Naturopaths normally carry powder lines. Most of his seem to have a citrus flavour, so I mix them with some pineapple juice.

 

I use the Neways probiotic, it has 30 billion strains and it totally dissolves in water with no taste or grit. There will always be products in your country that will be easier to take.

[JaneFBH]

Thank you all! Great suggestions to try. I greatly appreciate your help.