Bacterial Overgrowth Anyone?

Hi all! I'm almost 9 years out from RNY and have been really struggling for the last 8 months with bacteria in the SI. At least that is what they think is going on. I have been very "good" about staying on the prescribed vitamin regimin and have maintained my 130lb weight loss for the last nine years. I could write a book about all that has happened in the last 3 years that doctors are saying is "newly discovered" post op complications of the RNY. This is all scary stuff and would love to know if someone has been down this road. We are still in the "investigative phase" of understanding why blood sugars drop out without warning (no sugar, carbs, or other food instigators related) and why folic acid, zinc, ferritin, and copper are 4x the levels they should be.
At present, I am on a regular cycle of Flagyl and Doxycycline every 5 weeks to keep the bacteria under control. Blood test results are expected tomorrow to see if the last round of treatment brought blood levels down.
Again, I don't want to freak anyone out or sound like a complainer, but this is scary stuff that seems to have taken over my focus in life in the last 8 months.
Anyone else have these issues? Would love to hear your thoughts, feelings, or experiences.

I haven't had any problems. I'm of the opinion we are guinea pigs of long term statics of RNY.

Do you eat yogurt? I can tell a difference in my gut when I make it a point to include it in my daily diet.

I've found the further out I am bloating happens much more, carbs or no carbs (although I rarely have gas issues). Yogurt seems to keep me more in balance.

Thanks for your reply! Yes, I think we are guinea pigs too! YIKES!  I started eating yogurt (Activia light) once in the morning and one in the evening. Don't think it's made a difference, but I'm trying everything :) Yes, another interesting thing I found out was that the Nexium they gave me post op was only supposed to be taken for TWO WEEKS, I've been on it for 9 years and no one ever told me to come off of it, until last visit with GI. He said I shouldn't be on it unless I have an ulcer, which I don't and never did. So I've been weaning off of it and boy oh boy, I look like I'm 6 months pregnant some night, so crazy! I never had issues with that until I'm weaning off of the medicine, ever wonder what they heck we did to our bodies?? ug :)

Ask ur gastro doctOR for xyfaxin   - i take that for bacterial overgrowth.

Thanks! Mind if I ask you a few questions? 

1. How often do you have to take it (the antibiotics)?

2. What are your symptoms that alert you that "it's back"? Are they all GI symptoms or do you have others like headaches, joint aches, dizziness, chills/tingling?

3. How long have you been dealing with it?

4. What surgery did you have? When?

5. Do you use probiotics or anything like that?

THANKS again, I am on a fact finding mission with fellow SIBO'ers :)

Glori

Have they recommended a pro biotic? I see lots of recurrent c diff that are treated with vancomycin and flagyl. The docs I work with are recommending a good pro biotic daily to help restore and maintain healthy levels of good bacteria which helps overgrowth of the bad bacteria. Unfortunately yogurt just can't provide enough probiotics for this situation, although it is helpful for maintaining healthy levels in most healthy people. C Diff, which is what I'm guessing you are being treated for, can be particularly stubborn to treat.

So sorry for what you are going through!  Redreaper is right.  See if you doctor can put you on Xyfaxin.  It's crazy expensive if your insurance doesn't cover it, but it's more effective than other antibiotics AND it acts only in the intestinal tract, unlike other antibiotics.  

My endocrinologist had me tested for SIBO before my surgery to see if it was the cause of my hypoglycemia.  After one round of Xyfaxin, my gastrointestinal symptoms disappeared but they came back and I went on another round for (I think it was) 10 days just before my surgery and they went away.  My endo eventually ruled out SIBO as the cause of my hypoglycemia and eventually determined it was either caused by the consumption of too much sugar in relation to protein (not an option since surgery) or by a particular sensitivity to insulin.  I.e., my insulin levels were always in the normal range, but my blood sugar would be low.  

Since surgery I have been struggling with lightheadness and sleepiness, but have food that by eating frequently (every 2 - 3 hours) and eating a mixture of protein and slow releasing carbs like beans, I'm not symptomatic.  Incidentally, my endo is doing research with her husband who is a gastroenterologist about the relationship between SIBO and obesity - something about the bacteria "stealing" food in the intestine, causing the person to eat more - but it is in the early stages.

I asked my gastroenterologist about SIBO after surgery b/c I had read that it is a potential complication.  All he could tell me is that it could come back, which is true with or without surgery.  I hope they figure this out and you are feeling better soon!

Oh one more thing.  I have a friend with SIBO as well and her doctor told her commercial yogurt is basically useless for the purpose of SIBO b/c the way they process it removes it probiotic properties.  He has her making her own yogurt to get her probiotics and she says it's delicious.

I had chronic SIBO before my revision, in fact that was pretty much the main reason for my revision.  It's a long story but I originally had a DS and I had problems from the beginning.  I even had reactive arthritis and dermatitis from the toxins in my intestines.  I was advised to reverse my surgery in the first year but I refused and by 8 years I was begging for a reversal.  I wasn't reversed but revised so my common channel was made longer.  Whatever they did did the trick because it hasn't been an issue since my revision, thank God.  It was explained to me but I didn't really understand it, only about having a blind loop that kept the bacteria trapped, if I remember correctly.  

I hope they find the problem and are able to fix it.  I know it is no way to live.