2 months Iron Re-test Labs are BACK!!!

Hijack!! Hey Kathy!  I have a question for you.  I seem to remember you talking about probiotics on here before so maybe you can help me.  Ever since my gastric bypass I have a problem with reoccurring yeast infections that my doc feels is due to imbalance in my body between the good and bad bacteria.  So, I started taking probiotics and it seemed to help in that instead of every other month having one I went a few months with no infection.  But, now that the weather is hot and I exercise alot I seem to be having issues again.  Is there some probiotics that are better than others?  I have been just buying some over the counter from Walmart.  Should I be getting a specific kind from GNC or some other health food store?  I have tummy issues too with bloating and such.  The doc said the probiotics would help that too and it has some, but I just think maybe I am not taking the best ones out there if it makes a difference.   Thanks, Melissa  

Hey, Melissa! I get my Probiots from vitacost.  I don't really know alot about the different varieties but I picked one that had lots of stuff in it figuring that more was better (???) and it has definitely helped.  The one I'm using is Friendly Fiber made by NSI.  Serving size is 6 so I do 2 with each meal. I think what also seems to help is making sure that things "move" along.  :-)  I added magnesium to help counter the bindingness of the calcium.  So I take 1/2 the mgs of magnesium a day that I take in calcium.  So basically a 2:1 ratio between calcium:magnesium.  I also do 2 stool softeners a day. The probiotics and magnesium have helped clear out my digestive tract and I think that ends up helping the bloating and pain. I've heard that its good to mix your probiotics.  Take one type for a period of time and then switch it up to another.  I did well for one month to 5-6 weeks with the Friendly Fiber and then have minor issues again.  I saw my doctor and she took me off the probiotics for a test. which didn't show anything  Then I went back on probiotics but one I got from Vitamin Shoppe.  That did nothing for me.  So, I reordered the one from vitacost that I was on earlier and I've been on that for a while now.  I'm starting to get minor issues again so I'm wondering if I need to find another to switch too but I need to make sure it is something strong!  (Reminds me of old, old Saturday Night Live - Colon Blow Cereal. LOL!) I also heard that the bad bacteria tend to snack off carbohydrates.  Imagine that?  :-)  They like sugars!!  Bad, bad bacteria.  So technically I think adjusting my diet might help too.  My gastro said to avoid gaseous vegies (especially raw ones).  Go****ried cauliflower one day (cooked) and OMG bad gas.... Good luck! Kathy

Thanks, Kathy.  I have an account with Vitacost.  I get some of my supplements from them.  So, I will check it out tonight and see what I find to order.  I was talking to someone here at work whose nutritionist has them doing two separate things.  They take a Candex (antimicrobial supplement for decreasing yeast) two hours before a meal.  Then they take a probiotic with their meals.  This helps the good bacteria grow more quickly to reestablish balance.  I may do a little research online tonight about that.  Maybe I can get all fixed up.  LOL.  Thanks for all the information. Melissa

We buy alot of vitamins from vitacost.  I'm really enjoying the NSI brand for B100s, Probiotics, Vitamin D, Calcium Citrate, Magnesium, Milk Thistle.  Price definitely matters.  I'm not sure if the NSI is vitacosts own brand or not.  They seem to carry alot of it.   I haven't ventured into their multis - for that we';ve been doing the Twinlabs Daily One w/o iron.  Any vitamin I can get in capsule form is a good thing!  I'm the one that was hospitalized for 3 days with chest pains from a vitamin I added.  Had the pain for 30 days before I figured out it was esophageal spasms from the dang pills.  Doh! All it took was taking my vitamins with hot tea to realize... hey, no pain.  Doh again! Hope you get your pipes all fixed up! Kathy

Thanks Kathy, That Tender Iron is awesome...I cannot believe how fast and well it really works!  And look at you too!  Just amazing... How's your hubby's blood platelets?  Any better?  Does he have iron issues too? Good luck with your surgery!  You must be getting anxious!   Hugs Anita

Hey, Anita! Hubby's blood platelets probably are only going to get worse.  They bounce between 80 and 105.  They should be 150-450. His is in thousands.  Danger happens when the platelets go down into the 20s - you can have spontaenous bleeding. He has a bone marrow disorder called myleofibrosis.  It is a cancer if you consider any abnormal cell growth to be cancer.  He has fibrosis tissue growing in this bone marrow which is choking out his production of platelets.  At some point it may effect white blood cells and yield leukemia.   For now, he is stable.  He just has to go twice a year to the hematologist/oncologist to get his labs checked or if he has an medical issues that might point to the condition.  The doctor says he expects to see him for years to come if not a decade or even decades.  The doc believes he has had this condition a long time already based on ultrasound from 10 years ago and borderline platelets on his labs from the same timeframe that were luckily in the hospital computer! His iron is fine.  He doesn't have issues with red blood cells which I think are the guys that carry iron.  He takes 8 tender iron like me.  We watch our labs and adjust accordingly. Aren't you glad you asked?? LOL! Take care, Kathy

LOL...No...Now I feel sad! :(  Awww.... That really sucks!  You guys are a mess!  It's good you have each other though... I used to go to school with a kid would had low platelet problems too...and if he got cut or scraped or even brusied he could bleed to death because his blood would not clot.  Eventually he stopped coming to school...I always wondered what happened to him.   Wow...we all function or malfunction so differently, eh? Hey at least the three of us can bend over and tie our shoes again, right!? LOL Blessing to both of you! 

Don't feel bad!  Believe me, Rich and I are very grateful for all that we have and all that we are.  We just roll with the punches! Heck with me... 10 surgeries in 3 years with 2 more coming...  I need frequent flyer miles from the hospitals or something. :-)  At least I can laugh, eh?  And believe me I do. As for tieing my shoes... nope, I cannot do that.  ROFLMAO.  That's what the 2 surgeries are for.  Fix my back so I CAN tie my shoes (I wear slipons now...) Take care, Anita!! K

Kathy! It is so good you laugh at these things!  What else can you do?  I'm the same way...I laugh at things or I'd just lose it... Okay so you can't tie your shoes...But at least you can see your feet right?!!!  LOL You can't shoot me down on that! Oh wait...Or is your neck hurt too?  (Mine is! LOL) I'd hug you sweetie, but I might break you!  I'll hug ya anyway!  Just not my normal big bear hugs! :)

Anita, your numbers moved up great for 2 months.  I totally believe in the Tender Iron myself, it has helped so many much quicker than other irons.  As for the ferrous sulfate that stuff doesn't work and it kills my tummy. Now if I would just get to taking my iron faithfully EVER day I'm sure I'll see positive results also.  I can't seem to keep my routine up :(.  Now chewing the Tender Iron I've been afraid to try it due to taste, maybe I'll give it a try, does it taste chalky? BTW, I have all my labs in now.......still researching a couple of things on it.  My T-3 was high, this is a first.  B-6 was high and Vitamin D is high, not significant but a little so I need to research, ask questions, and devise a new plan.