Small bowel bacterial overgrowth?
Anyone have small bowel bacterial overgrowth? It seems to happen to people who are around 5 years out. The new WLS doc I saw yesterday thinks I may have that. It can cause bloating, abdominal pain, gas, worse than the norm malabsorbtion. Not too many docs know about it. It can also be in any person who has had stomach or intestinal surgery, especially if it causes any blind sections of intestine like RNYer's have. That was something I hadn't heard about before and wonder if anyone else has heard of it or has it.
Lyn W
Lyn W
Hi Lyn!!
I've never been diagnosed with it, but I know how to treat it. I work for a Vitamin Shoppe here in California and we sell a supplement called probiotics. (no, thats not a brand name, thats what they are...) There are many different brands in different strengths, so here's the skinny on picking a right one.
Probiotics are "good bacteria" that help get rid of "bad bacteria". The good ones actually eat up all the free radicals, germs, and other bad things, that can give you LOTS of different symptoms. All of these can cause diarrhea, yeast infections, constipation and lots of other yucky stuff. Probiotics is the same stuff thats in yogurt, but are strong enough to do the job. The few million that are in a canister of yogurt are virtually useless. Not enough of them. You'd have to eat 50 containers of yogurt a day! You know how women get a yeast infection after taking antibiotics? And the doctor says eat yogurt? This is why. Probiotics restore the proper "flora and fauna" to your digestive tract.
Now, when you choose one, make sure it says 10 to 30 BILLION, yes thats a B, as in billions, not millions and take it faithfully every morning. They are living organisms, so you must keep them refrigerated, after opening the bottle. I currently am taking PB-8, (14 billion per dose, 2 capsules) bit there are many other good brands as well. Try to find one that as 12 to 14 different "strains" inside each dose, because each different strain of probiotics, goes after a different type of bad bacteria.
I've been taking these for a couple of years and it has helped tremendously, no more yucky yeast infections, even after a series of antibiotic shots!
Hope this helps! See ya around the boards!
PS- Most docs don't know too much about it, cause its a more of thing that nutritionists would probably know.
I've never been diagnosed with it, but I know how to treat it. I work for a Vitamin Shoppe here in California and we sell a supplement called probiotics. (no, thats not a brand name, thats what they are...) There are many different brands in different strengths, so here's the skinny on picking a right one.
Probiotics are "good bacteria" that help get rid of "bad bacteria". The good ones actually eat up all the free radicals, germs, and other bad things, that can give you LOTS of different symptoms. All of these can cause diarrhea, yeast infections, constipation and lots of other yucky stuff. Probiotics is the same stuff thats in yogurt, but are strong enough to do the job. The few million that are in a canister of yogurt are virtually useless. Not enough of them. You'd have to eat 50 containers of yogurt a day! You know how women get a yeast infection after taking antibiotics? And the doctor says eat yogurt? This is why. Probiotics restore the proper "flora and fauna" to your digestive tract.
Now, when you choose one, make sure it says 10 to 30 BILLION, yes thats a B, as in billions, not millions and take it faithfully every morning. They are living organisms, so you must keep them refrigerated, after opening the bottle. I currently am taking PB-8, (14 billion per dose, 2 capsules) bit there are many other good brands as well. Try to find one that as 12 to 14 different "strains" inside each dose, because each different strain of probiotics, goes after a different type of bad bacteria.
I've been taking these for a couple of years and it has helped tremendously, no more yucky yeast infections, even after a series of antibiotic shots!
Hope this helps! See ya around the boards!
PS- Most docs don't know too much about it, cause its a more of thing that nutritionists would probably know.
Here's what the bottle looks like. It has a great blend of the different strains and it's a reasonabe price, about 15 bucks, for 120 capsules, two months worth. You can find it at any reputable vitamin supplement store. Don't forget to keep it in the frig! Very important! They die at room tempature. Have a great day! BTW- Is it snowing in Iowa? Brrrr...... Come on, summer!!! No snow today but we have had a bunch. I think it's about the 4th snowest winter already. And we thought last year was bad. This year we've had lots of snow and some really cold temps, like 19 below. That's actual temperature, with wind chill, it was around 50 below. Too danged cold for me. BRRRRR! Summer can't get here too soon. Yesterday it was 49. Tonight it's going to be 1 below. Psycho weather.
On January 23, 2009 at 10:13 AM Pacific Time, LynW wrote:
No snow today but we have had a bunch. I think it's about the 4th snowest winter already. And we thought last year was bad. This year we've had lots of snow and some really cold temps, like 19 below. That's actual temperature, with wind chill, it was around 50 below. Too danged cold for me. BRRRRR! Summer can't get here too soon. Yesterday it was 49. Tonight it's going to be 1 below. Psycho weather. 
Yup, I had that. Went to a gastroenterologist because I was gassy and bloated ALL. THE. TIME. And it was the most foul-smelling gas ever.... SOOO embarrassing.
Anyhoo, after an endoscopy and colonoscopy and ultrasound to rule out anything serious, he decided I had bacterial overgrowth. He actually prescribed me an antibiotic called Xifaxan. It's the same thing they give you if you have E. coli. So I took that for a while and started supplementing with probiotics, and it seemed to get much better. I'm off the antibiotics now, but I still try to remember the probiotics. I notice that the symptoms come back when I eat too much refined food - sugar, white flour, etc.
Hope this helps!
C
Anyhoo, after an endoscopy and colonoscopy and ultrasound to rule out anything serious, he decided I had bacterial overgrowth. He actually prescribed me an antibiotic called Xifaxan. It's the same thing they give you if you have E. coli. So I took that for a while and started supplementing with probiotics, and it seemed to get much better. I'm off the antibiotics now, but I still try to remember the probiotics. I notice that the symptoms come back when I eat too much refined food - sugar, white flour, etc.
Hope this helps!
C
I totally agree and suggest the probiotics! They changed my grumpy pouch into a MUCH happier / more calm feeling inside. Sugar and simple carbs aggravate bad bacteria and cause them to take over (over growth) So Even with probiotics I have to watch my sugar and simple carb intake! I swear by probiotics on so many levels of being healthy!
I gotta try the one that was suggested above! I was looking for a new one since Costco stopped carrying the one I was using!
Good luck
I gotta try the one that was suggested above! I was looking for a new one since Costco stopped carrying the one I was using!
Good luck
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