Hi Darryl,
I'm sorry to hear about your experience, particularly given the time, expense and effort involved in getting Active Enzymes shipped to the UK, and that your symptoms became so severe.
I do wish you had contacted me directly when this reaction happened. Had you reached out, we could have discussed your symptoms, your diet, the dosage you were taking and when the bloating and gas started. As you can see from my reviews - I'm always open to talking to people and answer any questions if and when they have them. That information would have helped us investigate possible explanations rather than leaving you to work it out on your own.
We usually receive five-star reviews from customers who use Active Enzymes, and I take feedback like yours seriously. However, everyone's digestive situation is different, and I would never dismiss someone's experience simply because it differs from those of other customers.
You mentioned Bacillus coagulans as a possible cause. Interestingly, this probiotic strain has been studied for its potential to actually help reduce gas and bloating in people. It isn't generally accurate to conclude that Active Enzymes alone was mainly responsible for your reaction based on the symptoms alone, and that Bacillus coagulans may have been the culprit though. Individual responses can vary, and we would need a lot more information to understand what may have happened in your particular case before jumping to conclusions.
You haven't mentioned what foods you were eating at the time, if you had made a diet change at the same time, how many Active Enzyme capsules you were taking and for how long, whether you introduced anything other supplements into your routine, or how quickly your symptoms developed. All of these details all really matter when investigating any kind of digestive reaction, and I wouldn't want to speculate about the actual real cause without them.
If the symptoms were severe enough to keep you off work for a week, that is certainly something worth discussing with a healthcare professional, particularly if you are still experiencing problems. It makes me wonder how many capsules you started with, and what other underlying gut dysfunction may have been going on.
I'm sorry the experience was so unpleasant. My intention has always been to help people understand and improve their digestive health, and I would have welcomed the opportunity to discuss your situation with you directly.
Kindest regards,
Eric Bakker N.D.
Yeastrix