Re: Six Weeks post esophagectomy

[Guest guest]

Hi Jeff, I heard this on TV recently and looked it up on the net. Probiotics

only address one third of the digestive system.

I take DigestGold enzymes to help with food digestion in the stomach with intake

of Activia. I use to take a Probiotic, but don't use them much anymore.

Probiotics alone are too puny to address it all!

Why? Because, first of all, your digestive system is enormous. If you unwound

the whole thing, it would measure an astounding 30 feet in length. And it's

equally complex. Consider what happens after every swallow...

FIRST, your stomach receives your food and mixes it with digestive juices (acids

and enzymes) to help break that food down...

SECOND, your small intestine sends in " friendly bacteria " to further digest the

food, then absorbs the results and delivers them into your bloodstream...

THIRD, your colon (large intestine) removes water and salts from the your food

and supplies many more friendly bacteria to break down any undigested

materials...

Smooth digestion depends upon all 3 parts working together in perfect harmony...

But most probiotics only work to comfort

ONE THIRD of your digestive system...

Which leaves the other two-thirds of that 30-foot system still in need!

>

> Hello All,

> Returned to work part time this week 6 weeks post-op from esophagectomy. Been

only going into the office for about 4 hours each day and then heading back home

at noon. Really wish I could have taken some more time off before going back

even part time but financially I had no choice. I guess it is good to get out of

the house but man I am tired when I get home. Still having a lot of tightness in

the incision sites but I think getting up and going to work has helped with

making me move more than I would just being at home. Doing pretty well on the

eating front as well but am having trouble putting any weight back on yet. I

know it has only been six weeks but I got down to 146lbs and really am impatient

to get some weight back on. I am sure that will come in more time. I have eaten

a few things I wish I wouldn't have but am starting to slowly figure out the

foods that cause me digestion problems.

>

> Anyway, I did have a question for everyone about helping to maintain a

healthly digestive system. I want to start to take a daily probiotic to see if

it will help with my digestive system overall. Does anyone have any

recommendations for a good one. I have tried to research on the internet but

there are so many on the market. Also are they really effective in helping

maintain a health digestive system or is it a waste of money to take daily.

> Thanks,

> Jeff S.

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Jeff,

Bet you don't know me yet, I've been a frequent visitor and writer on this site

a few years ago - had my -ectomy done about 2,5 years ago now. Sure you're

having difficulty at this point to gain some weight! Your body needs to adjust

to your new digestive system and you need to work out what you can and cannot

eat, plus you need to figure out how much you can eat. Right now I can tell you

that I believe that I have recovered from all completely, but it took me

veeeeery long - don't rush! It takes at least a year before getting back to

" normal " .

Recently I gained 10 kgs, that was 2 years after surgery - nevertheless stress

played a huge part in my life the last few years and that must have stopped my

body from gaining weight as well.

Your question about probiotics... Do you think about taking them because of the

digestive problems you are having difficulties with now? Since I don't believe

probiotics can help you on that one. Have to say that I never tried them, yet I

just think it won't work. For me it worked to try try try... I couldn't have

dairy products nor sugar in combination with warm products (say coffee with

sugar, or cake with coffee/tea). I still sometimes have difficulties while

taking that, but time works miracles and I try those things every once in a

while - I notice that works and my digestive system can handle these things

better and better.

Personally I wouldn't waste my money on expensive things like probiotics, but

rather find out what works and what doesn't...

Good luck and don't work too hard just yet, your body has been through the mill

and cannot take that right now!!

Isabella

________________________________

From: jp_shaw1 <jp_shaw1@...>

achalasia

Sent: Fri, December 3, 2010 7:15:55 PM

Subject: Six Weeks post esophagectomy

 

Hello All,

Returned to work part time this week 6 weeks post-op from esophagectomy. Been

only going into the office for about 4 hours each day and then heading back home

at noon. Really wish I could have taken some more time off before going back

even part time but financially I had no choice. I guess it is good to get out of

the house but man I am tired when I get home. Still having a lot of tightness in

the incision sites but I think getting up and going to work has helped with

making me move more than I would just being at home. Doing pretty well on the

eating front as well but am having trouble putting any weight back on yet. I

know it has only been six weeks but I got down to 146lbs and really am impatient

to get some weight back on. I am sure that will come in more time. I have eaten

a few things I wish I wouldn't have but am starting to slowly figure out the

foods that cause me digestion problems.

Anyway, I did have a question for everyone about helping to maintain a healthly

digestive system. I want to start to take a daily probiotic to see if it will

help with my digestive system overall. Does anyone have any recommendations for

a good one. I have tried to research on the internet but there are so many on

the market. Also are they really effective in helping maintain a health

digestive system or is it a waste of money to take daily.

Thanks,

Jeff S.

[Guest guest]

Jeff wrote:

> ... I want to start to take a daily probiotic to see if it will help with my

digestive system overall. ... Also are they really effective in helping

maintain a health digestive system or is it a waste of money to take daily.

Interesting topic. This is probably more complicated than most people

think it is. It can be good, bad or make no difference. It can be money

well spent or a waste. It all depends on the situations and needs. In

talking about probiotics we are talking about bacteria and yeast for the

gut. Some of them are normally found in the gut. Some, like yeast are

only found while the yeast is in the diet. Intestinal microbiota do a

number of things including digesting some things that we would otherwise

not digest. They also help protect us from harmful microbes. There is

evidence that the appendix may play a part in protecting the good

microbiota from being flushed away in diarrhea. (See the following

article:)

Appendix Isn't Useless At All: It's A Safe House For Good Bacteria

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071008102334.htm

The appendix can not protect against all antibiotics. Antibiotics will

change the ratio of different types of bacteria and completely kill off

others. Oxalobacter formigenes eats and metabolizes oxalate. You are not

born with Oxalobacter formigenes. It colonizes the gut sometime in

childhood. If you lose it as an adult it is hard to get it to

recolonize. Antibiotics can kill it off. People without Oxalobacter

formigenes seem to be at a higher risk of getting recurrent calcium

oxalate kidney stones, as are certain groups of patients that commonly

receive antibiotics. (See the following two PubMed entries:)

A critical analysis of the role of gut Oxalobacter formigenes in oxalate

stone disease.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19021605

Oxalobacter formigenes May Reduce the Risk of Calcium Oxalate Kidney Stones

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2396938/

You probably won't get any Oxalobacter formigenes in the probiotics you

buy. You may find some E. (Escherichia) coli in what you buy. There are

different types of E. coli, these would not be the deadly types. They

may be of some help. (See the following:)

Probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 inhibits leaky gut by enhancing

mucosal integrity.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18074031

But even E.coli Nissle 1917 can possibly cause problems. (See the

following:)

Safety of probiotic Escherichia coli strain Nissle 1917 depends on

intestinal microbiota and adaptive immunity of the host.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20421387

If there is any injury to the gut, such as one would have after surgery

or a feeding tube, or if one has an ongoing infection such as

pancreatitis then one should consider not taking probiotics because the

microbes may pass through the gut and cause or worsen infection and in

some cases lead to death. (See the following:)

Probiotic prophylaxis in predicted severe acute pancreatitis: a

randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18279948

As you can see not all probiotics serve the same functions. Which

microbes are contained in the product and how good is the science that

they actually do what you need should be considered. Some products may

not have the type of microbes that would help for what you want.

Sometimes there is good science behind the use of a certain microbe and

other time there is no good science to support it. Also, are the

microbes even going to be alive when you use it. Just because they were

alive when they went in does not mean they stay that way. Some are

sensitive to sugar and some products have a lot of sugar. Some will die

in the fridge yet the product may go bad otherwise. If you take a yogurt

product daily watch the calories. There is an argument that these yogurt

products are one of the reasons for the increase in obesity in the last

20 years. Also, will the microbes colonize or do you need to take them

forever? Some do some don't.

You may be interested in prebiotics instead of probiotics. If you are

really in deep doo doo (so to speak) there is Fecal bacteriotherapy.

(That is a topic that hasn't been discussed in a long time. Probably for

good reason!)

Fecal bacteriotherapy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fecal_bacteriotherapy

Don't poo-poo technique: Fecal transplant can cure superbug, doctors say

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/11/13/fecal-transplant.html?poop=2

Just kidding about that last idea, I'd try the prebiotics first. ;-)

notan

[Guest guest]

Thanks everyone for the replies and thank you notan very much for all of the

great info! -jeff s.

> > ... I want to start to take a daily probiotic to see if it will help with my

digestive system overall. ... Also are they really effective in helping

maintain a health digestive system or is it a waste of money to take daily.

>

>

> Interesting topic. This is probably more complicated than most people

> think it is. It can be good, bad or make no difference. It can be money

> well spent or a waste. It all depends on the situations and needs. In

> talking about probiotics we are talking about bacteria and yeast for the

> gut. Some of them are normally found in the gut. Some, like yeast are

> only found while the yeast is in the diet. Intestinal microbiota do a

> number of things including digesting some things that we would otherwise

> not digest. They also help protect us from harmful microbes. There is

> evidence that the appendix may play a part in protecting the good

> microbiota from being flushed away in diarrhea. (See the following

> article:)

>

> Appendix Isn't Useless At All: It's A Safe House For Good Bacteria

> http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071008102334.htm

>

> The appendix can not protect against all antibiotics. Antibiotics will

> change the ratio of different types of bacteria and completely kill off

> others. Oxalobacter formigenes eats and metabolizes oxalate. You are not

> born with Oxalobacter formigenes. It colonizes the gut sometime in

> childhood. If you lose it as an adult it is hard to get it to

> recolonize. Antibiotics can kill it off. People without Oxalobacter

> formigenes seem to be at a higher risk of getting recurrent calcium

> oxalate kidney stones, as are certain groups of patients that commonly

> receive antibiotics. (See the following two PubMed entries:)

>

> A critical analysis of the role of gut Oxalobacter formigenes in oxalate

> stone disease.

> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19021605

>

> Oxalobacter formigenes May Reduce the Risk of Calcium Oxalate Kidney Stones

> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2396938/

>

> You probably won't get any Oxalobacter formigenes in the probiotics you

> buy. You may find some E. (Escherichia) coli in what you buy. There are

> different types of E. coli, these would not be the deadly types. They

> may be of some help. (See the following:)

>

> Probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 inhibits leaky gut by enhancing

> mucosal integrity.

> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18074031

>

> But even E.coli Nissle 1917 can possibly cause problems. (See the

> following:)

>

> Safety of probiotic Escherichia coli strain Nissle 1917 depends on

> intestinal microbiota and adaptive immunity of the host.

> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20421387

>

> If there is any injury to the gut, such as one would have after surgery

> or a feeding tube, or if one has an ongoing infection such as

> pancreatitis then one should consider not taking probiotics because the

> microbes may pass through the gut and cause or worsen infection and in

> some cases lead to death. (See the following:)

>

> Probiotic prophylaxis in predicted severe acute pancreatitis: a

> randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18279948

>

> As you can see not all probiotics serve the same functions. Which

> microbes are contained in the product and how good is the science that

> they actually do what you need should be considered. Some products may

> not have the type of microbes that would help for what you want.

> Sometimes there is good science behind the use of a certain microbe and

> other time there is no good science to support it. Also, are the

> microbes even going to be alive when you use it. Just because they were

> alive when they went in does not mean they stay that way. Some are

> sensitive to sugar and some products have a lot of sugar. Some will die

> in the fridge yet the product may go bad otherwise. If you take a yogurt

> product daily watch the calories. There is an argument that these yogurt

> products are one of the reasons for the increase in obesity in the last

> 20 years. Also, will the microbes colonize or do you need to take them

> forever? Some do some don't.

>

> You may be interested in prebiotics instead of probiotics. If you are

> really in deep doo doo (so to speak) there is Fecal bacteriotherapy.

> (That is a topic that hasn't been discussed in a long time. Probably for

> good reason!)

>

> Fecal bacteriotherapy

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fecal_bacteriotherapy

>

> Don't poo-poo technique: Fecal transplant can cure superbug, doctors say

> http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/11/13/fecal-transplant.html?poop=2

>

> Just kidding about that last idea, I'd try the prebiotics first. ;-)

>

> notan

>