Probiotics recommendation

[xh1688]

Dear all,

My DS 15 has been on Klaire Labs probiotics for five years. We switched to Renew Life couple months ago and noticed his OCD reduced and softer stool.

However, I just found out Renew Life Formulas has been cited for Prop 65 violations.

Please share good probiotics with other brands. My son needs to take 200 billion each day as he is on two antibiotics.

Thank you in advance!

[MomWithOCDSon]

Hmmm.  Perhaps the improved results (in terms of OCD) on Renew Life had less to do with the brand and more to do with the strains of bacteria in the supplement?  I know there is literature out there that reports on at least one study with respect to different strains being more and/or less beneficial for various issues, but I can't seem to lay my hands on it right now.

I know Klaire Labs is highly respected, so I wonder if you could "match" your former Renew Life formula with one of their products?

We also like Jarrow Sachromycces Boulardi (same strain as is in Florastor but less expensive than the Florastor brand name) and, believe it or not, Culturelle, which is readily accessible and affordable via most drug stores.  It's purely lactobacillus GG, which is supposed to be good for combatting anxiety and depression (and hence tends to be pretty good for addressing OCD, also).

Good luck!

[Gpookie]

Klaire Factor 6

VSL#3

and Vitamin Shoppe has just releases it's own brand ProBio 200.

 

These are the ones we rotate.  Kids on year 4 of 2 antibiotics...no gut issues.

Edited December 22, 2017 by gpookie

[NYCMom]

Yum Yum Dophilus is the favorite in our house. We tried Klaire labs, but it really all comes down to taste for our kid. He really likes Yum Yum.

[xh1688]

Thanks for all of your sharing!

Happy Holidays!

[Sirena]

Visbiome, florastor, VSL3 in our rotation...

[LordChallen]

What is meant by "rotation."

How do you rotate antibiotics? 

[MomWithOCDSon]

Lordchallen -- I think the rotation that's being referred to here is with respect to probiotics, rather than antibiotics.  Meanwhile, giving different versions/strains in the interest of keeping the gut flora varied and strong.

As for rotating antibiotics, I'm not sure if there are some protocols that actually call for rotation as opposed to "pulsing," but I believe these specialized antibiotic protocols are most common to Lyme treatment, rather than PANDAS in a general sense.  You might search the forum for "Lyme antibiotics," and that may render some responses along those lines.

[LordChallen]

MomWithOCDSon, my 11y DD has PANDAS. We checked for Lyme came up negative.

The OCD has been there for years, but it has gotten really bad in the last year.  

I was looking at the VSL#3, the 115 Billion. What you think?

[MomWithOCDSon]

I think that probiotic supplementation can be almost as individual as antibiotic treatment.  Some people don't respond well to some strains, others respond especially well to others.  And as for how much?  I think that's individual, too.  When my DS was on antibiotics, we gradually brought him up to a probiotic regimen that was right around 200 billion per day.  Any more and he got gassy or bloated and uncomfortable, but at about 200 billion of a variety of strains (we did Culturelle which is lactobacillus gg, sach b and a high-potency mixed strain via Renew Life), his gut seemed to do well and tolerate the antibiotics reasonably well, too.

As with almost everything in this PANDAS journey, I would probably start low and maybe with a mixed strain that has a good chance of surviving the antibiotics and repopulating the gut with healthy microbes.  Then build up and/or switch out as you see how your child responds.  Good luck!

[LordChallen]

So.....

I got the Renew Life 30 billion capsule. I had started my DD with the Culturelle 5 billion powder about a week ago. She was also taking the Luvox 50mg. We had just increased her to 75mg and I witnessed her in school and it scared me. She was like someone possessed, shrinking back in fear as someone walked by, asking me if she would get sick.

I called the doc and we moved her back to 50mg. That is when I got her on the Culturelle. I noticed almost instant improvement. She started playing with friends again. But she also had couple extra bad episodes, saying she hated us, etc.

I gave her the Renew Life 30 billion capsule 3 days ago. Again, almost instant improvement. A lot of improvement. She would wake and not mention throwing up (her obsession) but then retreat later in the day. I will give her one capsule in the morning and one at night and see how she does. 

[bobh]

One thing you want to watch out for, is whether the child's symptoms (including in the future, whenever things change) are at least in part caused by SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth).  I have a suspicion that some of those that get worse on many different probiotics (and there are lots) may have SIBO.  We never tested for SIBO, but we definitely got worse on a number of probiotics, including gutpro and culturelle, for what its worth. 
 

[LordChallen]

We have been on Culturelle for couple of weeks. She started getting better, but we also ended 6 weeks azithromycin. So I wasn't sure what to attribute improves Behavior to. She has been on the renewed life for about 4 days. She is getting much better, but still has some anxiety attacks. Today was one of her best days in a long time. She was actually able to befriend someone who is bullying her at school. They apologized to each other for the mean things I have done to each other. But later in the day she had to panic attacks while trying to get to two events she was obligated to be at. I could cut out first one if necessary, because I want to try another one, the Pro 15.