My son is going to be on antibiotics for the next 21 days and his stomach usually starts to bother him with just 7-10 days. Do any of you use them? What brand do you use and where do I find them? Or will yogurt be enough?
Florastor Kids- Little packets you can put right into any bottle or cup. They work like a charm. My daughter had to be on an antibiotic for most of the first year or her life due to kidney reflux and Florastor made all the difference. It is quite pricey and occassionally difficult to find but it works wonders. I was able to buy it at Eaton Apothocary (on the pharmacy counter).
I use them for myself. I just picked one off the shelf at Walgreens. I think they have capusles that have a powder in them. You bread the capsule open and put the powder on a food. I would ask the pharmacist when you get your prescription filled. I know our pharmacy keeps those behind the counter (not sure why). They're fairly inexpensive and have made a world of difference for me. I've been on really strong antibiotics for the last few weeks.
Hi Rachel,
definitely give him more than just yogurt. There are a few great products out there but I recommend looking at these criteria:
(1) buy products that are kept in the refrigerated section of the supplements department.
(2) buy a product that has both Acidopholus (A.) and Bifidus (B.) strains. These reach different areas of the gut, ensuring that your son's flora will be replenished in both the upper and lower sections of the gut.
(3) Give at least 4 billion parts a day (doctor might recommend a different amount) for a three to four year old...and more if older. Give on a mostly empty stomach 30 mins before eating if possible. Give at a different time from the antibiotic. Give 2 billion twice a day. You may want to start the first few days with 1-2 billion, and work your way up so that he has time to adjust.
I recommend the chewable Flora Bear by ReNew Life. They are 1 billion parts per tablet. I also highly recommend New Chapter's All-Flora...if your son can't take a vegi-cap yet, then you can open the capsule and sprinkle into yogurt or some other medium. I think they are 4 billion per capsule.
I've also had a good experience with Culturelle, but I think that might be only available through practitioners and is a super high count. That was when I was taking it after my son was born and I needed 100 billion a day.
Good luck!
I take a smaller than pea sized probiotic pill every day. It is triple encapsulated to be sure to get the flora to your stomach. I highly recommend it.
http://healinghappens.myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sk...
p.s. I even put it in my dogs food every day. LOL!
you can go to Whole Foods and talk to someone there. That's where I bought mine. I can't remember the name, but it was for toddlers.
I can't hurt to give him probiotics. There is yogurt with extra probiotics that you can give him if you know he is going to have stomach problems. I usually give my son some powdered probiotics (refrigerated that I got from the health food store) when I know he is going to eat something constipating like bananas. I give him about 1/4 of a capsul in his food. and it keeps things nice and regular. I think the refrigerated capsules are better and you can get them at any health food store.
I use powdered AllFlora, I get it in the refrigerated section of Whole Foods Market. I used to give it to my daughter, just mix 1/2 teaspoon in with a little water, and since I take it every day, my daughter wants to take it, too.
doesn't hurt her, and she hardly ever gets sick.
where your son will be on strong antibiotics for 21 days, I would use it at least twice a day, my guess would be 1/4 teaspoon each time, just put in a glass and add some water, mix well. It looks kind of funky, but I like the way it tastes! I agree with other posters, yogurt is great for maintenance, but given his situation, he needs the probiotics. The AllFlora brand has a bunch of different strains (I can't remember them all) but it is good to have different strains.
good luck!
E.
Most probiotics are not shelf stable so should be found in the refrigerated section. Your best bet is Whole Foods or any natural health food store. I use PB8 by Nutrition Now. It's one of the few shelf stable varieties, but I still stick them in the fridge when I get home.
I think yogurt is fine for maintenance, but probiotics is a really good idea during and after antibiotics. I really wish I understood that years ago, because now the yeast in my system is resistant to diflucan. It would also be helpful to understand what foods will feed yeast and throw the gut further out of balance: white sugar, white flour, msg, nitrates, chlorinated water, vinegar (except apple cider vinegar), fruits - especially melons.
There are many herbal antibiotic options. I can't give specific advise, but Stephen Buhner has a great book called Herbal Antibiotics.
HI Rachel,
My family uses a product called Florify. It is a blend of prebiotics and probiotics. Plain yogurt is enough for daily maintenance but not a specific need like this. Also the sugars in some yogurts will nullify the good effects of the probiotics.
There are natural antibiotics that don't cause yeast or stomach upset. I don't know what your son is going through but I'll be glad to suggest some things if you aren't reall happy with the antibiotic route. I have used them on my 92 year old Dad with double pneumonia several times and they have done a wonderful job. The hardest thing is coordination with an MD, lol.
God bless,
M.
M.
I use probiotics both for my son and I. We take Nature's Way Primadophilus. I get it at a health food store in the refrigerated section. My son was on antibiotics a lot when he was a baby. I started giving them to him on a constant basis in August of last year and he was not sick one day in winter. I have a bad digestive system and they work out great for me. Yogurt may be enough for him but I am not sure.
Hi Rachel, You don't mention your son's age -- is he old enough to swallow something the size of a tiny pearl? If so, Shaklee has an all-natural probiotic that would be great for him. If you are interested, go to my website www.emilytaft.com and simply type in "probiotic" in the search box at the top right. It will bring up "Optiflora" -- just click into that and read all about it. I take it regularly, and it is a terrific product. Shaklee's nutritional products are not only all-natural but are also specifically designed by their scientists and doctors to get to where they need to go before dissolving. Please contact me with any questions at ____@____.com or by phone at ###-###-####. I wish you the best with this issue. E. Taft
I would use a probiotic anytime my kids are on antibotics... which hasn't been often. Only about 5% to 10% of the flora in yogurt makes it beyond your stomach acid. I do have a brand (Shaklee) that I use that makes it thru the stomach acid and is small enough for a child to swallow. I also have a business with Shaklee if you don't know anyone who distributes it.
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I would use a probiotic anytime my kids are on antibotics... which hasn't been often. Only about 5% to 10% of the flora in yogurt makes it beyond your stomach acid. I do have a brand (Shaklee) that I use that makes it thru the stomach acid and is small enough for a child to swallow. I also have a business with Shaklee if you don't know anyone who distributes it.
Check with the pharmacist re childrens doses, then slowly bump it up.
Be sure they COME FROM THE REFRIDGERATOR, and keep them cool at home. They are essential with ABX and will doe wonders.
Nikki
