UOAA Discussion Board

Are they necessary? Advisable? Seems like irrigation could possibly be flushing out a lot of the good bacteria. What have you been told and what are you doing/using?

I never worried about probiotics, really do not even know what they are. I try to eat a well balanced diet, light on the red meat. Been working for me for ten years.

Probiotics go into your stomach and then to small intestine. That is where they work and do good for you. Once absorbed, the waste goes into the colon, and the probiotics have already done their job. I don't take them, but certainly would if my health required it. They help MUCH in the gut and help get rid of any bad stuff down there.

I used to take probiotics a lot when I had gut pains from antibiotics I took for bowel infections. Live-culture yogurt didn't do much for me, I like the capsules. I usually go for Culturelle in the yellow box, but it's probably a good idea to use different ones with different bacteria.
They're also good if you have diarrhea or some digestive problems.

Since I got my colostomy, I don't get the bowel infections any more. No more pain, no more antibiotics. Yay!

I've been taking probiotics for two years. I asked my surgeon first what he thought and he said since they aid digestion, it certainly couldn't hurt. I irrigate first thing in the morning before I take any meds, including the probiotics, so I'm not flushing anything away.