# Align vs. VSL#3 & SIBO



## feellikegivingup (Feb 14, 2009)

I have SIBO and have been taking VSL#3, for the most part, continually for 5 months. It has helped me but then if I don't eat well or too much (ie vacation) for a week, horrible bloating and gas come back and I'm miserable. Then, I need the antibiotic rifaxamin to stop cycle and restart VSL#3. My Dr. won't prescribe antibiotics anymore (have been on 3 courses 400mg for 14 days) and VSL isn't helping anymore. He said to try Align (bifidobacterium infantis). My question is: can Align work since VSL#3 contained bifidobacterium infantis as well?I could see another Dr. and start all over again but since I live 3 hours away from any big cities (and specialists) and have 3 little kids to find childcare for-the process seems overwhelming. Does anyone have any suggestions?Thanks so much for any thoughts.


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## Gottafindacure (Dec 1, 2009)

If you haven't already why don't you try a low fermentation diet. Basically avoid all yeast, wheat and sugars. That includes fruits, honey, sugar replacements. Don't eat pasta and rice either. Rice has a lot of starch. Get your carbs from potatoes. You can have cheeses such as Edam and Helvetia, cottage cheese. Just check the sugar content. Be careful with tined foods as well as they nearly always have added sugar. As for alcohol you can only really drink straight vodka or gin. Everything elsed really needs to be avoided. Basically just try avoiding sugars, yeast and wheat stuff. It's worth a try! As for probiotics...I imaginine that if Align has the same Bifantis strain as vsl3 it probably doesn't make a diference. Good luck and keep your chin up....R


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Same species does not necessarily mean the exact same strain.But there isn't a lot of head to head to see if different strains of the same species work differently in the same person or one works better than another.There isn't even much head to head with different species or with a bunch of species like VSL#3 or a single strain like Align. Mostly they are tested by themselves, but at least both of these products have clinical tests with their formulation.A lower starch diet may be worth trying or see if you can get by with a low fructose diet rather than all carbs.


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