Bloated but trying probiotics

[bloatedbeyondbelief]

Can probiotics cause bloating? I have IBS with a tendency towards diarrhea, so I started taking some probiotics as recommended by my GP.
However my bloating is just as bad during the day, I genuinely look 6 months pregnant. I eat well, exercise, drink enough water…
Are there any better probiotics I can take for uk bloating? And any other considerations with things like multivitamins, supplements to avoid etc?

Probiotics made my IBS worse, hard to believe but the increased bloating, increased burping, gave he awful stomach pain and diarrhea. I stopped them and waited until things settled down after 3months I tried them again with the same results. I found peppermint tea and capsules made the biggest difference

yes they made me worse too and the smell! 😬

yes definitely

Yeah probiotics can definitely cause bloating initially, especially if you've got IBS-D. It sometimes settles after a couple of weeks but if it's making things worse it might just not be the right strain for you.

For IBS specifically, Lactobacillus plantarum 299v has the strongest evidence — multiple trials showing it actually reduces bloating and improves symptoms. Look for DSM 9843 on the label to make sure you're getting the studied strain. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG is another well-researched one worth considering.

On the multivitamin question, nothing major to avoid but taking probiotics away from hot drinks is worth remembering.

Might be worth chatting to an integrative GP if things don't shift.