Question:
Anyone having problems with intestinal bacterial overgrowth?

I would like to hear from people whose surgery blocks off a portion of the intestine and who are experiencing bacterial overgrowth. Causes irritable bowel syndrome. I would particularly like to hear from people who had the jejuno-ileal bypass that was popular back in the 1970's and no longer done. I had that surgery in 1979 and have never had it revised/reversed...and don't want to. But I would like to hear from folks who are dealing with the same problems I am and the ways they have battled it.    — pmscom (posted on April 29, 2001)

April 29, 2001
So, you actually deal with many of the same problems that we do as very distal RNY. Do you supplement your fat solubles, too? Have you tried the prescriptions flagyl or Cipro? I don't know the recommendation for Cipro, but a good starter for flagyl might be about 250 X 3 per day. They don't trigger a yeast infection. And you can take a course for say, 21 days, then go back off for a few months, then back on. Some do 21 days, then the next time only 14, then 7 every few months after that. I do better taking them daily permanently.
   — vitalady

October 10, 2002
i had this surgery in 1981 and was nearly in a wheelchair because of blind loop syndrome .Intestinal bacteria that spills out into your blood stream and bone marrow. I suffered for about ten years because all your labs are normal except for High white count and high sed rate. Finally I was reversed in Feb this year after arguing with doctors about not wanting to be reversed for ten years and I wouldnt have been reversed then had i not had a major bowel obstruction
   — Delores S.