Reply to "quick question"

Hi, Cindy. I use VSL, but I agree that it’s expensive. I managed to get my insurance company to cover it after extensive appeals. Other folks can suggest their favorite probiotic.

I’d like to suggest that you reconsider two assumptions in your post. The first is that formed stool is a necessary or even desirable goal. Most J-pouchers do best with fairly soft stool. This minimizes the amount of straining needed to empty the pouch. The second assumption is about bacteria in the pouch. Since a J-pouch isn’t a natural structure, it’s hard to say what the “purpose” of the bacteria is. I suggest a more pragmatic approach: if you feel fine without antibiotics, that’s great, but if you only feel well when on antibiotics, listen to your body rather than your assumptions.