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I have seen some of you mention taking probiotics. Is there any particular brand that is better? Is it ok with chemo?
thanks
jeanie
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Probiotics?
- By jeaniet
- Posted November 6, 2009 at 11:27 pm · 5 replies
- In Side effects of treatment
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Explore topics in this discussion:
Cancer Surgery Probiotics Constipation Yeast infections Diarrhea Cellulitis
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- By momanderson920
- Posted November 7, 2009 at 8:26 am
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I stayed away from them during chemo but after I take lacto bacillus regularly and occasionally drink Kefir which is a probiotic milk product. I think it helps the immune system and keeps away the yeast infections for sure. I was on alot of antibiotics so needed to restore my good bacterial flora.
- By wright2fight
- Posted November 7, 2009 at 9:47 am
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My cancer crew of doctors didn't have a problem with me taking probiotics during chemo. I have had some very ugly intestinal issues, so I am a big believer. As you already know, chemo really does a number to your entire g.i. track! My suggestion is to go to any nutritional store and ask them. There are different levels that you can take! I don't really know if one brand is better than another. I do know that a good probiotic should be kept at frig temperature. So, if you going to buy a probiotic and they don't have it refrigerated, they don't know squat!
- By lifeisgrand
- Posted November 7, 2009 at 9:52 am
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I don't believe there is any contraindication of taking probiotics during chemo but I would double check with your doctor to be sure he doesn't have a problem with it. We all have "good" bacteria in our body which aid in the digestion of our food. When we take antibiotics just like with the chemo the good gets killed off with the bad leaving us out of balance. Yogurt with live cultures like Activa can help restore that balance but the probiotic pills seem to help faster.
After my port was placed I had a bad reaction to it, not so much an infection but more like cellulitis where half my chest was inflammed. I ended up in the hospital with tons of antibiotics. About a week later I started having severe GI problems... cramping, mucus, blood... all things not normal. Since I had a bowel resection the doctors were all assuming that this was just a result of the surgery. It got to the point I was in the bathroom 20 or more times a day! Mind you I had been eating my yogurt for the probiotics. Eventually I took the matter into my own hands and tried some probiotic pills just to see if they would help. Within literally one day I went from 20+ times a day to 3, by the second day I was back to normal. So I have stuck with them.
Will they eliminate all our problems with diarrhea or constipation associated with chemo... no... but I think they do help reduce them.
- By Tisha2
- Posted November 7, 2009 at 4:37 pm
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Lifeisgrand, I am currently in the 11th month of second remission. I am still having the wonderful bowel problems due to a kink caused by scar tissue. What is the name of the probiotic pills that you are taking and where do I get them and how much are they? (very important questions!) Don't you think? :D
Thanks in advance for your help, Tisha
- By lifeisgrand
- Posted November 7, 2009 at 4:46 pm
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I went to GNC vitamin store and just picked one. It's the GNC chewable probiotic complex (1.5 billion organisms... lol... how do they get so many in that little pill :)). If I remember correctly it was about $7
It's a pity to have to worry so much about whether you'll go every day, isn't it. I had so many adhesions after my surgery they couldn't put a port in for chemo but amazingly I haven't had much trouble from them... i'm knocking on wood right now.
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