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This is not about the "McDougalling". I have a family member 78 years old who had knee surgery about a year ago. Problems with infection ever since. They went back in to look around, gave him an antibiotic which did no good. So one doctor suggested they go back in and REMOVE all the hardware till it heals but the surgeon said lets put him on massive antibiotics and if that doesn't work then we'll see.

He just finished 6 weeks of 2 hour infusions of Vancomycin (a very potent antibiotic) twice a day!!!! - that is 4 hours a day spaced 12 hours apart. Ughhh! As I expected there are now other complications appearing (bloody urine for one indicating kidney problems.

I realize he's caught up in the medical system now and there's not much any of us can do but I mentioned probiotics to him - told him to ask his doctor - he hasn't done it (so many other problems and worries) and even if he does I don't know if they would even know what he's talking about.

The reason for writing this is to ask which type of probiotic (if he chooses to take it of course with his doctor's permission) would be the most effective. I would gladly send it to him to save him the trouble.

I have looked at Dr. McDougall's newsletter about this: http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2005nl/ ... 800pro.htm
He could make a printout of it and give it to his doctor.

I know this is a long shot especially for an elderly person - we don't heal as easily as young people do. So sad, he used to be quite vibrant and energetic. Who would've thought a 'simple' knee operation would come to this

That is why Pete Egoscue, in his excellent book Pain Free, strongly recommends against surgery unless all efforts at physical therapy (perfect posture and daily posture exercises) have failed.

P. S. -- the probiotic I use is a tablet that can be broken (for smaller dosages) and chewed:

"Chewable Priobiotic, Acidophilus," Nature's Bounty, 100 count.

I ordered mine online from RiteAid (none of their stores are within walking distance of where I live).

I take one or half of one per meal to help counter the effects of medication I am taking (Metoprolol).

This nearly exact scenario happened to a neighbor of mine a few years ago. Eventually the infection was gone, but she never walked properly or pain free again. You might try consumerlab.com--I believe they do independent testing/reviews of supplements. There's a subscription fee.

I advocate switching brands. I started taking probiotics after a heavy duty course of antibiotics to clear up pneumonia, and I switch brands after each bottle, because they tend to have different combinations of bacteria. Read the label carefully to see how many and what strains are included. So far I've used Whole Foods house brand, Jarrow, and now New Chapter. They are all formulated slightly differently.

No! I don't need to know that as I am only 3 days away from knee surgery. Granted I am not 78 but 42 years old, but I always have some concern when I go for a surgery. Even the last surgery I had on my right knee did not come off well. I still can't feel my knee some 3 years later. Hopefully things turn around for your family member and they get out of the nasty medical system and back to health.