SIBO

HI everyone, I've recently been diagnosed with SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth) I've spoken to my dietician about a low FODMAP diet. Whatever that is, I'm slowly learning. I'm taking 14 days xifaxan antibiotic. Does SIBO go away? For more than 8 months now Ive complained to my drs, pa's, pcp, gi dr, of severe stomach pains, flatulence, belching, bloating just feeling awful, right after I start eating or drinking, then all the time, day and night. VSG 3/2018 RNY 7/2018 the SIBO breath test was just ordered this month and of course it was positive. I had every SIBO symptom but no one thought of it for over 8 months. Oh well. Will that stuff get any better? Just hearing others advice or experiences re: SIBO would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

H.A.L.A.B. has had a lot of experience with SIBO - hopefully she'll see this...

Thank you catwoman7. I hope so too!

Post op WLS, specially RNY our insides can be a perfect conditions for SIBO.

Low acid, no buffering between the small intestine and food we eat.

As far as I know, I can control it, but it is close to imposible to eliminate.

The small intestine is supposed to be bacteria free. The bacteria should be present in the large intestine, the colon. Once the bacteria colonize the small intestine, they often form colonies that have many layers. The layer close to the small intestine surface are often protected. Taking antibiotics can kill the top layers, and after antibiotics we may have a remission of symptoms. Unfortunately that only helps temporarily.

Small amount of bacteria may not cause major issues, but when they grow out of control, the symptoms get worse.

The bacteria in the small intestine don't need to be "bad bacteria", but bacteria that are useful to us as long as they stay in the colon.

The more of small intestine are affected - the worste symptoms.

Unfortunately the antibiotics kills all it could reach. That creates imbalances in our gut Flora, perfect condition for things like Candida, or strong bacteria that survived the antibiotics.

I know I have both, SIBO and Candida. When the situation become very difficult to handle, not only I have to take antibiotics but also Rx meds for CANDIDA.

Often after the 2 weeks treatment I still may have a lot f bloating and pain. Once "I kill "w I could in my gut, I need to take very strong probiotics, not only things like VSL #3, but also things like florastor. Florastor has different type of probiotics, fungi type, that are critical to proper balance and digestion.

There are different type of bacteria that can colonize our guts. A lot if times person would end up with constipation, or runs. IBS-C, IBS-D, or IBS-Mix.

I personally have IBS-C. I have to take a lot of magnesium, and miralax. And drink a lot if water.

Having proper BM is critical for me.

To help with my symptoms, I started following IF- intermittent fasting. Where I start eating at around 1-2 pm, and only drink non caloric beverages between 6 am - till my first meal. In a way I am trying to "rinse" my small intestine, and remove as much leftovers foods from small intestine. That really helps a lot.

I try to follow low FODMAP diet. I avoid any items that has any type of sugar alcohols. Even things like erythritol, safe for most people, is really not good for me.

I identify "safe diet staple" for me. In my case it is chicken or turkey thick soup, cooked in a pressure cooker, and I use bone broth as base for the soups. When my gut is really sensitive, I may eat that soups 2-3 times daily. I use chicken or turkey, carrots, celery, leak, and some zucchini or yellow squash. To get more calories when I am below my goal, I also add things like sweet potatoes, or butter nut squash to add carbs.

The white veriaty of sweet potatoes are actually not very sweet. They are very starchy, and can taste as if I am eating potatoes. Not a lot, because the bacteria loves my starches. I avoid raw veggies, beans, any veggies high in fiber like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli. No matter how well I cook it, the gas and pain can be horrible.

At one time I often make 4-5 quarts of the chicken soup, portion in small containers and freeze or pack in glass jars and "semi can" them. (Put in a very clean jar when soup if extremely hot, Putin a lid, turn it upside, and let cool. That I can storein a fridge for up to 2 months without it going bad.

I know that my body tolerated Avocado. I often add 1/3 -1/2 avocado to my soup just before serving. A juice from 1/2 lemon help digestion. Chopped green dill is wonderful addition. The soup has consistency of a thick stew, but when I have gut issues,I add more liquids, to allow me to eat more. In this case, slider foods can be really beneficial to increase calories I get. (Like now - I am 10 lbs below my goal)

Cooking the soup in a pressure cooker, at least 30 min on high pressure, helps the veggies to become more bioavailable to my body, not the bacteria. Adding a capsule of digestive enzymes with s first tbs of soup also helps breaking down the stuff absorb as much as my body can, not leaving much for the bacteria to feed on.

The only raw veggies I eat are seedless cucumbers.

I don't use garlic or onions in my spices. Or too much pepper.

If I need some onions flavor - leek or shallots, or green onions are acceptable in small qty.

There are days I can tolerate more fruits like berries. But I have days that even berries are too much.

I concentrate on what o can eat, not what I can't. It is perspective. After literally crying when I realized that I developed Allergies to dairy proteins, I got over that.

Good luck.

Read read read about SIBO and IBS.

Try things, and you should know rather quickly if you can tolerate some foods or not.

My gastro prescribed hyoceamine sulfate sublingual 125 meds for my gut cramps. They work really fast. I don't leave home without them. Depends on intensity of the cramps and pain, I can take 2-3 of that and that should work for me in 10 min or even less. Wonderful drugs. Rx only.

Oh my goodness Thank you so much for this information. I'm so confused but feel a lot better after reading your response. It is so helpful! I'm going to follow your advice and see what happens. My drs ignored me before I ever knew about SIBO I'd been complaining about all the symptoms associated with SIBO for more than 8 months. The pains the gas and bloating so uncomfortable all the time. Nothing goes in my mouth that doesn't hurt or makes nauseous and pooping. It's no way to live. Another journey I have to go on I guess. That's ok I feel more informed and less scared. Thank you for kindness and taking the time to help me. ?? ANDREA

Danielle Walker has a blog, website, and FB page. I discovered her page where. I was list what I can eat since almost everything caused pain. Her blog and page literally saved my life and sanity. She had Crohn's and is a beautiful fully functional lady, who now have 3 small children. She manages her condition with diet. She now has 3 books published, she travels and have rather normal happy life.

Her page www.againstallgrain.com is amazing. She published her books, but virtually any recipes can be find on her blog, or her FB page. She not only create recipes but often has videos that show step by step what to do.

I bought her books as my way to support het blogging and her website. But until I was sure I could adapt her cooking - I was not planning to.

I can't have grains, or beans, or dairy or soy. Her recipes are 90% compliant to that.

Plus she doesn't use artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols. Part of me wondered how she stayed so thin, but even items made with honey, or maple syrup, if I can eat that, I have to be careful about qty. I.e small amount of coconut flakes are low FODMAP, but large qty - not really.

One more thing: request detailed testing for allergies. But if you already avoid eating some foods - specially for a few months anyway - even if you are allergic, the test may show no response. When we avoid some foods that we are allergic to, eventually our body reduces the amount of antibodies in our system to absolutely minimum.

I.e initially, a few years ago, I show severe Allergies to any dairy proteins, plus very severe allergies to soy. Severe enough to.require epi-pen.

2.5 -3 years later when I eliminated that and grains from my diet, avoiding bc even butter or ghee, of soy oil and soy lecithin (the last 2 seams to be in a lot of products) my repeated allergies testing show "no response". A stupid as I was then, nobody explained that to me. So I happily started eating dairy (I love cheese) and having food with soy sauce (wheat free) once in a while. Why stupid? Because I caused severe damage to my small intestine. Damage that may take me a couple of years to fix.

Last year not only I gained app 30 lbs, but the gut pain camewuth a vengeance, and I started dealing with widespread body pains, joints pain, etc. And. was trying to manage all of that with alcohol.

Ugh. Since September last year I am alcohol free, I am back on a very restricted diet, I lost 40 lbs, and I am slowly healing. But August was a horrible month for me. I had days I was in so much pain, that I wondered if death would be better than what I was going through.

You need to find people who would support you in the journey of healthier you.

If you like most of us, you may do some stupid things, or eat things that you wouldn't know could cause so much pain or discomfort.

I still have days that my gas is so bad, that "it can kill a small animal". I have a great partner, but I had nights that I sleep in another bed, because holding the gas is not good for me, and I need "a freedom to fart my heart desires".

As a funny story: initially, if I accidentally passed gas in public, would start walking faster telling me guy to keep up. Well, since he is a man, he just stopped and asked why, I kept waking faster and faster, and sometimes I would hear, "O my God, honey..." Now, when I tell him just keep walking, he never argues, and he tries to keep at least 1/2 step in front of me...

Having a partner with a great sense of humor is a must.

Thank you so much! You should blog yourself, I'd follow you! Thank you for your guidance I'd be lost without your personal experiences and the "real" that I need to hear and understand. Please keep writing any info is truly welcomed. I'm going to the site you recommended! Have a wonderful weekend! H.A.L.A B.