Bile Duct Disease? Another Stone One Year Later?! Walking GI Nightmare.

I am having all sorts of GI problems now that started after my 10th anniversary and have been escalating the past couple of years. I ended up in the hospital for three weeks last year while they tried to prove I didn't have a bile duct stone 11 years post RNY and cholestectomy. I did. They lacerated my spleen, I needed a blood transfusion and ended up with other complications.  Not fun.

I've always had GERD and lactose-intolerance even before the surgery. Now, I have an ulcer, a gastro to gastro fistula and multiple food allergies. In addition, my LFTs are increasing again with a dilated bile duct and right side pain. They like to call me special and the poster child for RNY complications. I am not amused.

I have lost about 30 lbs this year on the allergen elimination diet and am told not to lose more. My iron deficiency anemia is resolved, but now I have hemolytic anemia. The surgeon who opened me up for the ERCP last year is unwilling or unable to do so again. So, they want to put in a g-tube, let it heal for a few weeks in the remnant stomach, then perform the ERCP via the tube and remove it after. I feel like a science experiment.

I've made an appointment at the Mayo Clinic. Can they, will they help me? Is this normal 12 years later? Anyone else going through this? 

Thanks, Shari Roux-en-y 2/2003, 270 lbs lost 

 

 

 

Google SIBO.. It was a challenge to find a doc who takes insurance and knows about that.  Try to find a doc that studied "functional medicine". It it's rather New field.  I was tested for food allergies and once I eliminated foods and spices (i.e. vanilla) from my diet, things got much better. Getting treated for SIBO and Candida helped a lot. 

Being very mindful what I eat, and when, made a huge difference. 

I have been dealing with food allergies, intolerance.  Lots of gut pain, acid, eventually... iBS-C. 

My way to deal with all of that is very strict diet ( strict- not borring), daily Miralax - to make sure my guts are moving. 

I am on Low carb, grain free, low FODMAP diet (Google FODMAP). I don't eat low fat. Fat helps me.  Good fat, bacon, coconut, nuts... Etc. 

Not only my gut pain improved, but since starting that, even my iron got better. And my proteins cold not be better. 

SIBO can affect everything in your body, including inflamation (fibromyalgia, joints ) skin - roseacea, mind - depression, anxiety,  etc... And physical - anemia, low B12. Low minerals, etc. Plus more severe RH (reactive hypoglycemia) - I know I have that. 

There are studies that indicate that post op RNY - long term - we may be prone to get SIBO. That and age... 

I am lucky that I still can eat eggs, fish, meat, nuts. Plus some veggies. 

I try to limit what I eat that can feed the bacteria in my small intestine. I avoid fruits, raw veggies., beans, grains, too much fiber.  I love that food,, but the side effects are too much. ( pain, gas).

I take lots of lots of vit C. Plus l-glutamine. That suppose to help heal inflammation in my gut, reducing leaky gut, and help with food allergies. 

I hope you can find answers. 

 

Thanks for the encouragement! I'm actually already being treated for bacterial overgrowth, but the constant rounds of 30 days of doxycycline seem to make me feel worse. I'm thinking about going the probiotic route rather than the antibiotic one. Which works best for you? Have you worked with essential oils at all? They're helping a little. Sounds like we're on a similar diet.

Are you having any of the sane bile duct issues? Ever heard of this new procedure with the g-tube that they want to try? It seems so strange to me.

Many thanks, Shari 

They have New antibiotics that can treat SIBO. They are expensive and most insurance do not want to pay for that. They helped me. 

I don't have bile issues, but I have been inn rather full fat diet for a while now, so my bile is flowing. 

Problem with probiotics that They can colonize small intestine. 

My best (so far) way to deal with SIBO is Miralax, and making sure my guys get "flashed".  - residue. 

 For 12-14 hrs 24 hour window i only drink non caloric drinks. Coffee, tea, water. That allows my guts get washed, clean... And helps  my gut motility.... This by far helps as much as anything else. Or more. 

Since I need to eat before bed ( to keeps my BS stable), I chose nuts or nut butter (higher fat -low carb nuts, like Brazil, pecans, macadamia, etc). Nuts are very complex, and They do not go bad (spoil) in higher temperatures (our body is a Petri dish).  I notice there of my evening snack, then add 12 -14 hrs, and I make sure I don't eat anything in that time. Most if the time I eat as late as 9 Or 10 pm, then don't eat until lunch (noon or later). 

I have adrenal issues, so I do need a way to keep my BS stable at night... That's why I eat LNS - to avoid hypoglycemia in a middle of the night.

Some call that intermittent fasting.  The window of "not eating" can be 6pm - 8am (or later) the next day. 

 For me 9pm - 12 pm the next day works best. But I was evening eater even before RNY. 

 

 

 

Thanks, that's helpful.  What is the name of the antibiotic that you've found helpful?  I've been using pistachios as my go-to nut lately and that's worked out OK for me.  It seems like RNY triggers other latent disease or event-like autoimmune disease.  It makes me wonder if anyone has done any research into it?

I am not sure autoimmune issue - but SIBO can create leaky gut syndrome, and that may cause food allergies plus overall inflammatory response in the body (fibromyalgia, CFS, even mental issue - including depression)   SIBO can be also responsible for IBS, low iron, low B12, anemia, and more issues that are related to minerals- vitamin absorption.  Since i started treating my SIBO - first time in 7 years my rion show high normal on my labs.  I do get weekly B12 shot (the sublinguals don't work for me). But I am used to that - I get script and give myself a shot in my leg once a week. No big deal.       

1. SIBO Antibiotic 

• Rifaximin may be used for all cases of SIBO. ...
• Neomycin is effective for constipation cases and is used in addition to Rifaximin, as double Abx therapy. ...
• If alternating diarrhea is present with constipation, the use of Rifaximin alone has been suggested.

1. Antibiotics - SIBO- Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth

   www.siboinfo.com/antibiotics.html

Thanks for the info.  Yes, my iron went back to normal once I started the Doxy and an elimination diet, not to mention 2000 units of Venofer, ha!  My CBC actually looks great as for as hemoglobin, RBC, iron, etc.  It's the MCH, MCV that are still problematic. My B12 was great for a time, over 1k, but tanked after my recent hysterectomy, so they're putting me on sublinguals to try to bump it back up.  We'll see.  I'm headed to Mayo next week for a GI and Neuro consult.  It will be interesting to see what they say.  They tried a traditional ERCP this week, just to see if they could avoid doing something more invasive, but it didn't work because I have a very long limb.  I knew it was a long shot.  If it is my bile duct again, that is also contributing to the infection and absorption issues.  Oy!!  Thanks again for the info.  Very helpful!!