Jenn123
Yes... and... Yes
And...
CONGRATS on your daughter's improvement!!!
You're doing a fantastic job. Really great to hear
1./
BIOGAIA ProTectis drops:
I can't rave enough about the BioGaia, but please still check with your pharmacist and / or specialist to make sure it's ingredients have not recently been modified.
I mention this because it's always good practice to do so, but more importantly because the company has recently changed it's product from needing to be stored in the fridge to being "shelf stable". Although it has made it infinitely more convenient (I can now take it on vacay with us in case of tummy issues), I wonder what stabilizing ingredient made this now possible. Often, fructose is a go-to to give shelf life to food products or meds. Not always, but... worth looking into.
Always remember that when ANY company changes the look of their product (boxed foods etc) or changes it like this (fridge to shelf stable) ingredients need to be double checked also.
Plus, we are in Canada and I think you are in the US.
Another thing to remember is that countries sometimes have different regulation restrictions on ingredients. Therefore, our ingredients (however minor) may differ (even if in the slightest) than yours. Not always, but just be aware this can happen.
If that is the case with this, and only safe in Canada... you could always look into ordering it from a company from here. I think companies like well.ca may carry it. Or, ask your specialist's hospital pharmacy if they can order it in.
Otherwise, if everything checks out and it's safe and recommended by your daughter's specialist (and also checked by the pharmacist) all our local pharmacies carry it. No prescription required, but it will most likely be stored behind the pharmacist on their shelves, so just ask.
BioGaia is my first choice - by far. But only if it's still a safe formula. It's so easy to just put the drops on chips, a drink or any food. Thankfully less annoying than pills.
And on a side note, even my mother uses it. She probably uses it in increments as: buys the tiny bottle and as it expires w/in 3 mo after opening, she'll use it till it's gone. Obviously, the more people that use it in the family, the faster it goes. In my family, we've all used it occasionally (in increments) to boost our good bacteria. It works. Have a read on both the US and Canada sites as although they are essentially the same, there is a little more info on one than the other. One thing that rings true is if someone is low in good bacteria, you'll see a noticeable improvement in stool etc from 2 days on.
If BioGaia is not an option, look into a similar product called FLORASTOR.
2./
FLORASTOR:
Does the same thing as BioGaia, but is not as convenient. It's granulated and comes in tiny packets (and not fully natural). Same amount of good bacteria per day per packet as Biogaia's 5 drops per day (100 million good bacteria per day). But Florastor is granulated so, if you put it in a drink, you'll want to drink it fast as it is a little gritty.
Clearly though, BioGaia being natural and easier (5 drops) is waaaaaaaay easier (for many reasons).
But again, always have your specialist's approval (and/or confirm ingredients with a pharmacist).
3./
You mentioned a gut bacterial issue:
Is that SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth)? If so, I believe meds are needed to correct it and then perhaps good bacteria (like BioGaia or Florastor) might be recommended either way.
If your daughter has it, she will feel far better when it's corrected. And, it may be that extra link causing her not to fully heal at this point.
It was a question if my son had this also, but after 6mo on a full HFI diet (no cheating or "tolerated" sweets), our Genetic's dr commented that it was a real possibility even if he originally had it, that all the bad bacteria in his Gastro system would have starved / died by the 6mo. Apparently it feeds off fructose/sugar contamination in the wrong areas of digestion. Without it, it can't survive or multiply.
Have you gotten any advice on next steps with the bacterial issue? Or are they just monitoring for now or waiting to intervene if meds are needed to fully overcome it and rebalance?
If it's a total lacking of proper bacteria in the gut, perhaps BioGaia ProTectis (or Floastor) is an option to repopulate healthy bacteria. I'd inquire as good bacterial balance is essential.
4./
Vitamin D3 drops:
Yes. We use the drops. Just make sure your daughter's specialist ok's the dose and that the ingredients are once again checked for fructose contamination. Otherwise, you'll have to try vitamin D in a HFI safe pill form.
Also keep in mind to have a follow-up test to see how your daughter improves. We bounced back and forth whether our son's digestion was malabsorbing vitamins like this, or if it just took time and patience for his system to heal and show proper digestion / absorption.
Or... if the increase in my son's health allowed him to grow which also brought down D. Vitamin D is needed for bone growth so D levels naturally dip during times of growth. Normally this is expected, but when trying to increase already low levels, blood work may show D levels not increasing as fast.
Just be mindful of your daughter's growth compared to D level increase.
It takes time. And truthfully, we went on a couple of warm climate vacays to try and boost it a little faster. Not sure it really helped that much, but it did make us happy, invigorate us and heal our fall / winter blah's (a little sun per day during spring / summer would probably be better for vitamin D production).
Just remember sunscreen is important, but try to strategically use it (like I previously mentioned in a few posts back) so that it doesn't totally block your daughter's skin's ability to convert the sun's rays into vitamin D.
* If vitamin D levels have a slow time increasing, you may want to ask if putting the drops under the tongue bypasses digestion (and easier to blood stream) I don't know. But B12 dissolvable tabs do, so it would be worth a look into it if issues arise.
But always ask before trying something different. And remember to monitor progress with follow up blood tests.
On a side note, I think as your daughter's D increases you will see a HUGE difference in physical and emotional health and wellbeing. Like HUGE.
Low vitamin D causes all kinds of issues like:
Heart issues, respiratory (asthma etc is far more acute when D is low), the colon needs D, lack of D causes sadness (SAD disorder), hair thinning, tiredness (drags down iron), head sweating / rickets (benign or full blown rickets) (sweating alone can bring on dehydration / electrolyte imbalance)... achey bones / achey muscles, incontinence, onset of diabetes. Plus it's needed for healthy growth and bone formation.
It is connected to soooooo many compounding issues that can cloud metabolic issues. Or make metabolic issues worse.
Our biggest help was:
- Vitamin C (in increments through out the day)
- Vitamin D3
- BioGaia (his system was raw & needed healing)
- B12 (*check levels)
5./
Vitamin C:
* You need vitamin C in your system for iron to absorb properly. That means daily... or the iron rich foods will not have the needed benefit. Vitamin C also shows overall better results if given in increments through-out the day (at least to get over the hurdle during the healing / stabilizing period). At this point, my son has it once a day. He could have it twice... but now he is stable and truthfully, there is a laziness factor. Lol... he is a teenager.
6./
How was your daughter's B12?
B12 (very rich in red meat) makes red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen and all the nutrients through-out the body. So if you are trying to stay healthy, but especially if healing a body, you need that to be in a healthy range. It will be the transport system for all the good stuff going where it needs.
There are many issues linked to low B12. Have a look online, if interested:
But as a couple of important points, if it is low a person can faint or organs can be taxed. Red blood cells... they carry oxygen and everything important.
On a happy note, if B12 is lower than it should be... but increases to a healthy range, "brain fog" and memory *GREATLY* improves and tasks (like school work) are completed faster and efficiently -without the slow struggle). And emotions (whether high or low or swinging from one to the other unexpectedly or erratically)..... balance with proper B12 levels in the body.
I't is true. I've seen this with my kids. School wise, if they read something it now "sticks" permanently in memory. And they are quicker and more efficient in doing tasks / homework. Less effort (or struggle) is needed now = better grades / results. Clearly because their brain is now working in a better (or proper) oxygen and nutrient rich environment.
So like with everything in life, a healthy balance leads to a properly functioning body.
FYI: Low levels of B12 are now also linked to dementia and Alzheimer's.
