any recommendations for probiotics that arn't a capsule?

[snowangels1]

I can't swallow pills and want to buy pre/probiotics to take into hospital with me when I give birth in feb (scheduled to need anti biotics which make my stomach go crazy and I need a little bacterial help!). Problem is, I'm not sure where to find liquid/powdered pre/probiotics. Anyone recommend any?

Pls don't suggest btw drinking actimel/yakult type things - they arn't always strong enoughg, don't always contain prebiotics (studied probiotics a bit at uni - not where to get non capsule stuff sadly ) and I'm thinking I won't have my own fridge to put them in in hospital

Not really sure where to go... any advice v gratefully received - have looked on what I think are the main vitamin type web sites.

Most are sold in capsules that can be open, then sir it into small amount of liguid-y food/drink?

stir I meant

If you studied probiotics at uni can you tell me which capsules are worth buying?

not studied them at uni, but had to look into these for my ds, I have used Biokult (although bought via the internet, they are formulated by a dr who specialised in neurology & nutrition).
However, I would be quite happy to buy something by Biocare, that you can buy in good health food shops. My understading is that the more strains the better and also there are some that you don't have to keep in the fridge. Personally I don't like soya, some seem to use soya, not sure how much tho.

PS. Good luck with the baby :)

Hi, have a look at Optibac probiotics as they're very good. I know that you can also open their capsules and sprinkle the contents into (cold) drinks and food.
They're very helpful on their advice line also.

Good luck!

optibac do sachets of granules already for sprinkling - I have them as similarly can't swalow pills. remember to take your own soluble paracetamol and ibuprofen to hospital as they made a right old fuss when I was in.

www.multipharmacy.com/shop/customer/OptiBac-Probiotic--Prebiotic-For-Your-Childs-Health-30-Sachets-pid-10951.html

Oh, thanks so much for the comments - will look to buy optibac.

haggisfish good plan on bringing my own paracetamol/nurofen in - my GP always tuts and gives me evil eyes when I ask for everything in liquid - don't think I'd want to put up with that all the time in hospital too

nightcat from memory I seem to think that buying probiotic capsule and just 'eating' the innards won't do much good as too much bacteria will be killed my the stomach acid before it gets right into the gut (whereas usually it would take a while for the capsule to be dissolved which would get it further down IYKWIM).

thingone I don't recall learning which capsules were particularly good or bad other than you want one (esp if taking antibiotics) with prebiotics as well as probiotics, and as someone mentioned on here, a number of different strains are good. A dietician told me if you do go for the yoghurty drinks then don't go for yakult (she told me it was a waste of time as I think it only had one type of bacteria in it). Also, if you go the yoghurt route then go for one with enough probiotics in - the cheaper ones that just say 'contains probiotic bacteria' never have enough in them to actually stay alive into the gut - pretty much all/most are killed earlier during digestion so you don't get any good effects in that way from them. Hope that helps (I'm a little rusty and my work was mainly on what they do in the body and market trends of functional foods as opposed to which specific brands are best).

Oh yeah - and in my brain I seem to recall you shouldn't eat/drink anything too hot just before/after eating probiotics as it might lessen their effectiveness/kill some of them, but don't quote me on that, that's just a distant thought I had and not sure where I got it from.

I'm lactose intolerant and used to eat vast quantities of good live yoghurt. Note old fashioned terminology as I've been eating it for years. Not realising it wasn't as good for me as it should be ;).

On the yakult front, I was in hospital once when they gave every patient on ABs one yakult twice a day. It might have been a trial, I suppose, but it didn't look like it - I didn't hear any mutterings around me.

Thanks for tips.

There is evidence that stomach acid destroys many of the probiotics before it gets to where it's needed.

The general advice is to take them in the morning as stomach acid levels are at their lowest. Other than that, I think there are some gastro-resistant pills but that doens't help you as you can't swallow them.

I think probiotics are money for old rope, I used to take them, I never noticed any difference when using them with antibiotics, etc.

A19810 probiotics might not make a difference to you with abs - but, believe me, they do help my tummy (which is very sensitive), maybe it depends on the person as to how effective

Why the face. Is it eally necessary?

make your point but no need for the attitude

didn't think there was any attitude there A1980 - sorry if you thought there was. I only did it as a 'hmmm, pondering about thing being different with different people emoticon'