• Our Mission

    Our Mission

    Our mission at PCD Smiles is to bring smiles to hospitalized primary ciliary dyskinesia, no mater their age; through the gift of a cheer package. Currently serving only The United States and Canada.
  • Request Cheer Package

    Request Cheer Package

    Know of a hospitalized primary ciliary dyskinesia patient? Please visit our “Request a Cheer Package” link and fill out our secured form to submit them for a cheer package today!
  • Donations

    Donations

    Our cheer package program runs on donations. To see how you can help PCD Smiles, visit our donations section today!
  • The PCD Artist Project is a collaborative effort by artist to raise awareness for PCD & support the PCD Smiles cheer package program. Visit our exhibits today!

Dear Smile E.

I’m so confused, my PCD team suggested daily probiotics? I was recently admitted to a different hospital facility for surgery and the admitting nurse told me that they don’t do probiotics at that facility. She went on to say they don’t because probiotics are stupid, unproven, and a total waste. I found probiotics extremely helpful to my situation but now I am unsure. What insight can you give me on probiotics and their use in PCD. I mean am I just wasting my time on snake oil?

Signed,

Don’t want to be a fool

 

Dear Don’t want to be a fool,

Probiotics are extremely helpful in PCD care due to the hit antibiotics give our gut. Unfortunately some facilities have yet to grasp that concept yet. Or maybe they just know that by the time you start antibiotics it’s to late to start probiotics, let me explain. In order to be 100% effective at protecting your gut health it’s important to start probiotics days if not a week prior to starting a course of antibiotics. Usually when admitted to the hospital a patient does not have the leeway of a week to plan to start probiotics. Unfortunately most facilities don’t understand that PCD patients are counseled to take probiotics daily. Also in a facility it’s hard to time the probiotics and antibiotics appropriately apart for effectiveness as well. Probiotics should be taken at least two hours prior to taking an antibiotic dose, or two hours after taking an antibiotic dose. Taking a probiotic any closer to an antibiotic dose could render the probiotic useless and the antibiotic destroys the live cultures in the probiotic. Definitely discuss this with your team’s dietitian for more in-depth information.

Yours Truly,

Smile E. Turtle

Do you have a question for Smile E.? 

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And tune in next Sunday to read the latest Ask Smile E.

Join our Facebook group Turtle Talk Café today, click here.

We have several ways that you can donate to PCD Smiles;

- Visit Smile E. Turtle's Amazon Wishlist

- For more information on how you can donate, please visit our "Donation" page to check out our "Do & Don't policies.

- Or sponsor a PCD Smiles cheer package today!

- To shop for your “Official” turtle care ribbon gear today, visit PCD Style or Smile E. Cove

Thank you for your consideration!

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