Do probiotics really help after a course of antibiotics?

It could save your life. I contracted clostridium difficile from antibiotics and if I had been taking probiotics, it most likely wouldn't have happened. C.diff (for short) is a nasty infection that is difficult to get rid of and I almost died from it as many people do. In Japan, they give everyone probiotics and they have way fewer cases of c.diff. I also have a condition in my intestines that has been diagnosed as non-specific colitis. I couldn't handle the nasty steroid drugs my doctor put me on so I started doing my own research in alternative medicine. When I take my probiotics daily, I don't have symptoms. I was told my colitis would be a lifelong disease I just had to live with and that's not the case. Western medicine focuses very little on things that are natural and can't be patented because the pharmaceutical companies rule everything and are out for profit. I'm the healthiest I've ever been thanks to natural health care after 30+years of doing everything my doctor told me and suffering. My very well meaning doctor has said numerous times about things I wanted to try that were natural, "well go ahead, it can't hurt although I doubt it will do any good". Go to www.earthclinic.com for wonderful advice and lots of user feedback. Real people rate these remedies and whether or not they worked. My twins take probiotics for their reflux after western medicine failed them over and over and it's made a huge difference. But make sure to get a quality brand that must be stored in the refrigerator. A brand that doesn't require refrigeration isn't going to be half as potent as one that does. Jarrow, Now, Nature's Way, Metagenics, all are good brands to start with. Health food stores are the best places to find these. Grocery stores typically don't carry good brands like these. Good luck to you. For scientific studies, look outside the US where the drug companies aren't controlling everything.

Absolutely. When you take an antibiotic, it kills the "bad" bacteria that you wanted to get rid of, but it also kills the "good" bacteria that help you digest your food and things. This can lead to some pretty uncomfortable bathroom visits. So taking probiotics during or after your round of antibiotics puts the good bacteria back in your system. Eating yogurt with live cultures will do the same thing as the probiotics.

Bactrim is an antibiotic. Not a probiotic.

Absolutely, .... .................. Also note that many people develop yeast infection conditions as a result of too much prescribed antibiotics as well. Probiotics help protect against such adverse effects of antibiotics.

Make sure you take the correct type of probiotic. The three forms that are effective options which work in response to antibiotic use are either;

'Sustenex' ... 'Florastor' ... or 'Culturelle'

Also note that certain 'fermented' foods such as pickles, tempe or miso are also a good source of healthy bacteria.

Amy M Welcome ... has shared a very common scenario that literally millions experience every day. ... and in spite of the many skepties running around shouting the idiotic claims of "placebo effect!" ... or ..."anecdotal evidence!". ..... Amy is a perfect example of the fact that the proof is in the pudding.

probiotics antibiotics