Hi
Sorry if the spelling is incorrect. I think I saw a post on here saying that Keffir helps protect the stomach when taking Prednisolone. My husband is worried about damaging his stomach and would like to know what form the Keffir comes in as he is interested in trying it. Is it in tablet form or do you need to drink it? Thank you. Jackie
I buy it as a liquid in the grocery store natural foods section (I'm in the U.S). It comes in different flavors depending on your taste. I prefer the strawberry or pomegranate myself. I just take my pred in the morning with a 6 oz. glass of the kefir & it's really helped with the stomach upset.
Kefir is like a yoghurt drink - just different cultures and has yeast in it I believe. Google Kefir - it has a website of its own with a load of the usual "it is a wonder food". It claims to be able to colonise the gut with "good bacteria". You can make your own by buying kefir grains and seeding milk with a culture.
This is from another forum:
"We buy it in Asda for about £1.10 otherwise in Polish food shop - Polska Sklep or Russian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian and maybe Romanian. But we have seen it in 2 or 3 different Asda so it should be available in other Asda either in the Polish food section in the langars or in the dairy section. In any case you could always ask the manager to start ordering it and if enough people ask then they might do it. Maybe Asda online as well?"
Many of us found that yoghurt was enough to prevent gastric problems with pred. Not saying one or the other is better - it'll be a case of taste. I've never tried kefir but if your husband dislikes yoghurt (like a lot of men) then what about trying Greek yoghurt which is more like very thick cream in both texture and flavour.
PS - I'm assuming you are in the UK!
If you use Ocado they have it. I think you can get it on Amazon too, but I am not sure what you get!
I use live yoghurt myself and have found it works well.
I make my own by fortifying fresh skimmed milk with powdered skimmed milk doubling it's "strength" ie. 56 grms powder to 1 pint of milk. I ferment it using Yeo Valley live yoghurt, one small pot doses about 6 mixes and freezes well.
I let it ferment for 12 hours in a thermos flask.
Have to dig it out when done and it makes Greek yoghurt look quite ordinary.
Thanks Vickie. I'll try and get some.
I have started to use the organic yoghurt instead of Emeprazole on your advice and this is entirely satisfactory for me as I don't like more medication than is necessary. Maybe the little probiotic drinks do the same for people who want flavour??
I was just looking for Kifir yesterday at my local grocery, but did not have it. I've seen it at health food stores.
i take probiotic pill form, refrigerated is best, 12 billion active cells. Rheumy recommended when I asked her!!! Otherwise, she told me no to dairy products, apparently they can be inflammatory for some.
Since I've been taking them my bowels are nicer!
Magneseum makes them not so pretty. So I take it every other day.
The regular prednisone still causes me much acid, so probiotic didn't really help that as much.
The Rayos (coated time released/delayed prednisone) has been a life saver for my stomach!!! If he can use that. My doctors didn't seem to care the silent acid reflux from Prednisone was really hurting my stomach and esophagus!!!
This is is my experience. Glad he is concerned and I hope finds relief.
Strawberry and/or pomegranate Kefir taste very good.......but VERY high in sugar. I use the plain Kefir and it is not as tasty, but great for health, stomach lining and intestines.
Thanks Erika. He loves anything sweet so he's bound to want the flavoured one but I'll try and get him to have the plain. He's put on so much weight since taking steroids.
Thanks everyone for your advice and concern. I will try and get the Kefir but, if not, then I'll get live yoghurt. We would prefer a natural solution rather than more pills.
I have had my stomac damaged by pred, but I got the advice here on this site to buy empty gel capsules. I break my pills in two and put i caps. I has helped me very much. Still have some stomac problems, but much less.
I don´t think I can get Rayos here in DK
Stella
You could even make your own Kefir, it is equivalent to making yogurt and you just need a starter. I have been intending to start making yogurt but so far have been too lazy!
The saving thing for me is that I've pretty much elmininated sugar in my diet since PMR arrived, so I figure the amount I get in that 6 oz. daily is okay if it helps me drink the kefir. I'm not a fan of yogurt taste or the consistency of it, but I can at least tolerate the flavored kefir.
You can reduce the sugar content by mixing half flavoured with half plain. We get a plain kind which is "effervescent" and it is delicious on its own, but also very nice with some fruit-flavoured mixed in.
Good idea! I will do this because the plain Kefir does taste a bit on the sauer side.
If you are going to make your own yogurt, the easiest kind is caspian or kaspian yogurt. Different yogurts require different temperatures to fermnent, usually above room temperature. What is unique about kaspian variety is that it ferments at room temperature, so it is very easy to make. You just need a starter, about 6-8 table spoons for 0.5 liters of whole milk. It takes day or so to ferment, and then it should be refrigireted. It has very mild taste, and if you mix it up, it becomes liquid and you can take it as a drink. Here in Japan one can order starter kit online. Since it is made and consumed fresh, it has no preservatives or any added suger or other junk.
Rayos is called Lodotra in Denmark. I believe it was OKed for use with RA in 2013 in Denmark.
Yes ptolemy - you are right - I´ve just checked. How come you know so much about Denmark ?
The pill is expensive thougt, - about £ 1,5 pr.pill. - and it seems, mostly used for people with RA.