Some of the most striking research done on IBS in the past few years has focused on the idea of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). The basic idea behind this theory is that IBS symptoms are caused by an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine. The bacteria produce high levels of hydrogen or methane gas, and these gases in turn produce the symptoms of IBS.
This particular theory is so promising because not only is there an easy way to tesy for bacterial overgrowth (a lactulose breath test), there is also an easy way to treat it (antibiotics). Clinical studies have already shown that IBS sufferers often produce abnormal breath test results, but even more significantly they have shown that when the breath results can be returned to normal, through the use of antibiotics, the IBS symptoms usually disappear as well.
The only slight problem with this theory is that, as with any new theory on IBS, it’s a bit controversial at the moment – but I for one think that it’s got some real potential.
If you want to get hold of more info about this research then I’d highly recommend getting a copy of Dr Mark Pimentel’s book, A New IBS Solution, which thoroughly explains how the theory was developed and gives advice about what to do if you would like to take a breath test.
Hiya,
This does sound interesting, but a quick word of caution – my therapist suggests that some people’s IBS symptoms are brought on by the presence of candida. Antibiotics feed the candida and make things a lot worse, so a proper diagnosis should be made.
Hi Jo – yep, quite apart from the candida angle there are lots of people who date their IBS back to antibiotics, and they’re certainly not something to be used lightly. But for people who are diagnosed with SIBO they have been shown to be very successful.
I was just looking at this book. I’ve heard a few horror stories about antibiotics which also has me concerned but it does sound like it has some merit. The colon cleanse(Not recommended) that I took a few weeks ago had a couple of long strands of bacteria coming out I believe. My biggest problem now is finding a doctor who I can trust. Since I seem to be an IBS guinea pig, I’ll probably give this one a shot as well. I mean, if the breath test shows that I have excessive bacterial overgrowth, I want to give this a try.
My husband has been suffering with IBS and bacterial overgrowth for 18 months. Just this March 2006 he had the breath test and it came out positive for Bacteria overgrowth, dr put him on Tetracycline 250 mg for 2 weeks. 10 days later symptoms came back. They waited and did breath test again, once again came out positive, dr put him on xifaxan for 30 days w/ 1 refill, between 2-3 weeks on that, symptoms came back again, still stayed on xifaxan and no better. Dr now put him on Cipro 1 week on, 1 week off. He is going out of his mind with being in bed all the time. No energy, always weak, stomach pains, constipation and diarrhea, hot and cold, etc. NEED HELP!
First, there is no proven scientific fact that candida exists. Dr. Weil, a well-known ‘healthnut doctr in the USA also suggests that candida does not exist. Also bashing doctors. Remember Doctors can only do so much for you. You as a patient must be involved. I have probably one of the best GI Doctors. He has been 100 supportive on my treatment. He never once, push me to do the drug treatment until I did the alternative treatments which I did (changing of the diet, adding fiber, cutting off caffine, etc., which none helped) so I am on drug program and I am finally glad I did drugs. The have lessen my symptoms dramatically. I can now jump on a plane and fly for hours (I love to travel) and not worry about having ‘accidents.)
Hi Steve. I am also sceptical about Candida, and certainly about its role in IBS, but I think it’s important to say that it’s not a question of whether Candida exists or not – it does exist, it’s Candida that causes things like thrush. It also exists naturally in the intestines, and in unnatural quantities in people such as AIDS patients who have compromised immune systems.
What doctors argue about is whether IBS sufferers have a similar Candida overgrowth in their intestines, and also whether such a growth could possibly cause IBS symptoms. There was a study in the European Journal of Gastroenterology in January 2005 which concluded:
“Even if the involvement of yeasts in the aetiology of IBS still remains unclear, there is increasing evidence for yeasts being able to cause IBS-symptoms in sensitized patients via Candida products, antigens and cross-antigens.”
On the doctor front, I agree totally that IBS sufferers need to get involved in their own treatment. The only thing I really object to from doctors is the kind of dismissive, uninformative treatment I received from my own GI specialist, who told me to take milk of magnesia. And go away.
Hi All
I have been suffering with stomach complaints for about 18 months now. It all started when I had an awful bad egg taste when I burped. This then developed into chronic stomach cramps and very bad diarhea and vomiting. After numerous tests at hospital, including Hydrogen breath test (slightly raised) and radiation trace through my system, the doctor came up with the diagnosis of IBS. I still believe that I have some form of Bacterial Overgrowth, as when I now get the egg taste again I take antibiotics (usually Ciprofloxin for about 1 week) and the taste will disappear within 12 hours. Has anybody had a similar experience to me, if so what was the diagnosis.
Sophie, from 2006, this is old, but I also have suffered the EXACT sypmtons as yourself!! The doctors look at me like I am crazy when I tell them I burp an”egg taste”. Email me if you read this or if anyone has the same medical issues. ccrn1969@aol.com
I belive whole heartly that its not the antibiotics that cause a candida problem, the problem is low probiotics. If you take inulin you can rebuild this.
Also SIBO competes with b12 absorbtion. B12 is what the body uses to clean out bad bacteria. B12 deficiencey (not to be confuses with anemia) causes candida symtoms as well.
if you up your b12 with shots and intrinsic factor supplements, take probiotics and the corrrect prebiotics along with the antibiotics you should be fine.
Although results may differ from person to person
Adrian, Carolyn – have you been tested for giardia? I believe sulfur/rotten egg burps can be a symptom of this.
i have been diagnosed with bacteria overgrowth and treated with flagyl, it worked for 6 months then treated with bactrim worked again for aprox. 6 months and now treated with xifaxan worked for 4 months. each time i took drugs for aprox. 7 days then off for 7 days. now i am waiting for the next treatment
I had the sulfur burps for over a year before I found the solution.Take ACIDOPHILUS.Its a buildup of bad bacetria in the upper intestines.The acidophilus will replace the bad bacteria with good.Take 2 with every meal(4 billion + bacteria) and the burps will be gone within a week.Acidophilus is available at CVS,GNC,and most other vitamin and grocery stores.
Please help me! I am in so much all the time that I can’t stand it, I cry everyday either out of pain or frustration. I started with the rotten burps on 12/24….lovely Christmas gift. The next day I couldn’t even get out of bed I had the diarreah that smelled just like the burps. I called my GI., and took 10 days of xiflaxan bid.
I had a hysterectomy in January, and was fine until March. It started again. Once again the doc put me on Xiflaxan. I felt fine as long as I took the antibiotics. It went once again, and I chalked it up to this was what my life was going to be like. The last of April, I contacted my GI and my PCP. My whole family started with diareaah, and my 2 yr old stopped gaining weight. He put us all on Flagyl. It has helped everyone but me. I took 17 days worth of Flagyl, and I was fine for 2 weeks. I felt better than ever. I then in the course of 4 days, I felt like I had been in a car wreck. I have researched this, and thought it was giardia.
I am once again on Flagyl. I did a Fleets laxative, wonderful tasting stuff…..and I had loads of acid come out. Along with some funky black stuff…not blood though. I have also taken Diflucan for the thrush, yeast, etc., antifungal stuff. I am also taking Protonix.
I have suffered from Chrone’s disease for 20 years, 10 in remission, and everyone is willing to blame that first. It’s not that I know it. THey almost killed me and my daughter when I was pregnant blaming Chrone’s when it was my gallbladder, and after I had it removed, I was well.
There has to be something that can be done. I am ready to just give up on everything. It has affected my life beyond my wildest imagination. Please someone help me, stear me in the right direction. Help!
hi all i have had candida thrush over and over again my gp at the time sent me for a hiv test and no hiv some poeple with cancer and aids get candida i had it so many time lost count but the gps put it down to ibs . i am glad of this site i hope i can be of help to others having ibs 22 years to ill to work. all the best to every one out there who has ibs its a long hard fight that just keeps coming back for more martin.
been suffering from severe constipation, horrid gas and exhaustion since Feb. i was put on Xifaxan 3 days ago at 2 200mg pills three times a day and I am still feeling terrible. Should they be working by now?
Sorry William, I don’t know the answer to that one – I would check in with your doctor.
I have experienced similiar symptoms from this disease for more years than I have good markers in life to remember the years by. I know in 2005 my son got married & I was referred to Cedars Sinai for testing & was given Xifaxan after the breath test. While taking the drug you feel worse than you did before, but after, have some relief from the symptoms…for a while, but just as I was told by Dr. Marks there, the bacteria causing the problem will probably come back & will need to repeat 3 to 4 times per year. I don’t recomend or not this website but the science behind it seems to make more sense to me than anything else I’ve been able to read–the Marshall Protocol from the Autoimunity Research Foundation. Having had a procession of chronic diseases that the medical community couldn’t figure out why, I started reading science studys & publications and ran across this. Again, since I haven’t found a doctor that will agree to even try the above I can’t say it works, but it seems to explain why I feel so rotten & hurt while taking the antibiotic(because this bacteria dying off causes inflamation & not just capable of existing in the gut but can imbed the tissue and killing them causes inflamation and pain)…hope it helps.
I had my gallbladder finally taken out in Sept. of 07 and in October I tested positive for bacteria overgrowth. I was given a round of xifaxan for 3x daily for 7 days. It never got rid of my symptoms- I belch all the time and have gas pressure that sometimes causes my chest to hurt. I am full of gas- both ends!! I rarely have diarrea I have since failed the test 2 more times and have taken 1 week of xifaxan 4x daily for a week and when I stop taking it symptoms return within 2 days so I got a maintance dose of 1 tablet a day for 30 days.(and failed the test again while on the maintance dose.) so I got 2 more weeks 4x daily for 2 weeks then I have gone to 2x daily for 2 weeks. By day 4 on the twice a day the symptoms are back. I am awaiting a x-ray test of my small intestine (which I think is a waste of time) and then I start 2 more weeks of xifaxan 4x daily then my gi suggest flora q to help add back goog bacteria. Has anyone not been else not been cured after several rounds of xifaxan? Have you tried another antibotic that worked? My gi has suggested a round on neomycicyn?
Hello I am new here. 37 yr old female, I am in my 10th month of all this. Mostly upper left abdominal pain, cramping, presented with/after viral symptoms, tender at the ribs and all over when bad, lower back pain, joint pain, flu-like symptoms all the time, swollen lymph nodes all over, depression, anxiety, insomnia, the list goes on… Diagnosed with SIBO, treated with Flagyl twice; it came back (will not do more antibiotics). Also diagnosed with fructose malabsorption (both a nutritionist and chinese dr. think this is “secondary” and not the root cause), “subclinical” hypothyroid (TSH 6.9, then 3.9, then 3.45…), and after an elimination diet my nutritionist thinks I am sensitive to corn, wheat, and dairy. I am now seeing a chinese dr. twice per week. He is doing accupuncture, has me on probiotics and digestive enzymes. He doesn’t agree with the nutritionist that I have food sensitivities, and encouraged me to eat anything and everything. She warned that not many are familiar with food sensitivites, so to listen to your body. I am so confused and don’t know what to do. The chinese dr. said it will take 6 mos to a year to get me back to “normal” but 2 months in I don’t feel much better. When I go in and tell him of my continuing symptoms, he always says it’s “detox” that my body is getting rid of toxins because of his treatment, but I wonder if it’s just a continuation of my 10 months of symptoms, and if anything is really changing for the better. One of my main concerns is: whether I should be doing a yeast protocol. I test off the charts on Crooks questionairre, but the chinese dr. doesn’t think it is my problem (how does he know), and the GI doctors I have seen are clueless about that (I saw one 2 days ago who prescribed Klonopin and told me to take Benefiber. Idiot). I just don’t want to waste any more time, but I’d also like to have faith in my chinese dr. and trust that he knows… I am not on any anti-fungals, or natural herbal remedies for yeast overgrowth. It seems that many of my symptoms could be related to systemic yeast overgrowth. So, I have tested pos. for bacterial overgrowth, but how do I know if it is yeast or other? I am so frustrated and want/need to get better as I am often non/low functioning. Does anyone else have similar concerns or experiences? I feel like I am digging around in the dark. I want to do what would be the best treatment for me, but I don’t know what that is… I think half the battle is finding the right people to help you…
Hi
all those symtons i have. back pain,pain in left side, sleep problems,anxiety,musle tightness.breathing tightens up.
trying not to take medicine,doing yoga,taking vitamins.
kathy
Hi renee faucher
I just rememebered some other things that helped me. this is good book recipes for IBS by Ashley Koff,r.d. its hard to find some of the ingrediants new seasons was a good store.
I looked at alot of books on ibs that was the best for helping my symtons. lots of ginger good for Ibs. plus another thing was no caffine or alcohol that brought on anxiety. i read in this one book female hormones helped. I’m on 50mg propgesterone, low dose estrogen (bioideticals) through a natural path,that helped me the most over viatamins. You get all your nutrients from your intestines.
the vitamins get depleted from anxeity. Alcohol brings on depression. I take Jarrows same. plus uber rest thrptonphan ,helps with sleep. once i got on hormones my sleep go better. castor oil rubbed on your back and 30 min on heating pad helped inflamation on my back. by doing all this it just made my ISBS manageable so i don’t take drugs from drs. maybe down the road i will have to but its ok now. I’m going to work everyday. I hope this helps. one more thing getting away from added junk in foods. shop trader joes,new seasons.organic food. take fiber and i’m free of constapation diarea. gotta go katht
Ask your gi doc about flora-q2 . Its worth it!
I was diagnosed with bacterial overgrowth a few months ago, i had a antibiotics cure for a week, it didnt help. I still need a checkup to see how i react to the followup with lactulose. I have been home for a year now, weak and losing faith in the doctors. Has anybody experienced jointpain, skin burning and sore eyes? Sleeping bad is also sucking out my energy. My stool is soft and foul smelling, gas is terrible and the feeling keeps me constant under stress. Can anybody give me some advice??
I don’t have near the extreme problems indicated here, but this is the first night I’ve heard of SIBO which I need to do some further digging on. My story is I had a cold which rolled into a sinus infection which brought the antibiotics which triggered searing heartburn in March 2 years ago. I ended up on Prilosec and in that September started having lots of upper intestinal rumbling and discomfort such that I couldn’t sleep. The docs gave me the same ‘ol same ‘ol – I ended up spending a bit of time and money on tests which I didn’t have much of either at the time. I ended up at the bookstore to treat myself and came across No More Heartburn by Sherry Rogers. Highly recommend this book. Although the book is titled heartburn she addresses many intestinal disorders and lists many supplements and basic approaches. She bashes all the heartburn meds, gets into gut permeability, and does talk about candida which I wonder about. Based on the book I threw Prilosec in the trash immediately and got on DGL and gritted my teeth with the heartburn. I eliminated dairy from the diet and was better after 3-4 days and then ended up removing wheat/gluten from my diet – it took 3 one week cycles as I’d revert back to old habits when I started feeling better. 4 weeks after starting DGL the heartburn was gone and I haven’t had substantial issues since. I’ve essentially been gluten free for 2 years but still have some sensitivities which result in my small intestine getting tight and sometimes incomplete digestion which I can’t find anything about on the web. Their seems to be a link with SIBO and post gluten free issues. I can tolerate dairy, but sometimes need to back off of it. One thing I did have prior was Hashimotos (hypothyroid) which is an autoimmune disorder. Very few sites make the link, but celiac is also an autoimmune disorder and it is my opinion that the gluten is a root cause of many of the autoimmune disorders such as Hashimotos, arthritis, etc. If you have substantial symptoms/disease and eat gluten I would recommend cross referencing a search with your disorder with autoimmune and see what pops up. A prior post mentions Benefiber – lo and behold that is based on wheat germ and although may be listed as gluten free the jury is out. Lost a night’s sleep on that one… Hope the narrative helps. It seems people miss what’s right under their nose: I had a guide last year that came down with diverticulosis. I asked him if he was on any heartburn meds and he said he started Prilosec 3 months before the diverticulosis started and was still using it. Neither he nor the docs made a connection and probably neither would I before I read Rogers.
HELP.
Are any of you British?
I only ask because you all talk of being “diagnosed” with SIBO, yet I cannot find a doctor here in the UK willing to entertain the idea, let alone do the breath test.
I am at the stage where I am ready to travel anywhere in the UK for a second opinion. Can anyone help?
Cheers
ALAN
Martin et al,
I have managed to control my SIBO (?) through diet alone, as here in the UK the doctors won’t listen.
You can read all about it in the long running blog – “A classic conversation with a doctor” here in IBStales.
I hope this helps. If any of it sounds familiar please feel free to email me for further details (alanandhilary@hotmail.com).
Cheers
ALAN
Just an update on my SIBO. I am still taking antibotics for it. My doctor gave me a heavy dose of xifixan 2 tablets 4x daily (1600mg daily) and it made a difference for a while. The Xifixan controlls my syptoms but does not cure it. I have been doing research on the Mayo Clinic website and they have used this dosage in several studies. I have also, added flora Q to help add good bacteria back and started taking amiteza to keep things moving!! I am now on a dose of augminten/flagyl for a week and my doctor wants to continue a round of antibotics 1 week out of each month for 6 months and retest. The augminten/flagyl combo is making me feel Yuky but my 10 days are almost over. I dont think SIBO will ever go away. Im afraid that once you have it you always will. In a few months if things don’t get better I’m headed for the Mayo Clinic. Has anyone else tried this combo of medicne??
Hi have read all the above and I an so pleased to see that I do not live alone. I have had scopes and have been told I have IBS, Diver- Loops in intestines. I have been on many antibotics to help but the pain rules-have severe adhesions in the intestines. from previous surgeries- The pain is extreme and after a “lapro” I was told that the scar tissue had grown through the intestines like a tree branch.
There was some cutting done and for a month I felt better then symptoms hit again. There is so much infection in me that I can take an ice pack put in on the spot (right side) and it will melt in less than 5 minutes. I am bloated and have gained weight. I am a sparodic eater and I think this has alot to do with my condition. I have started to take supplements (natural) and I feel a little better I also have acid reflux and I have to be careful with what I eat (medication provided)
And I thought I was alone. My Dr. is very good and tries to help but
I am a believer that you have to live with it. I think I have massive overgrowth of bacteria and take “apro” etc to help. The pain is very real
Hello,
I have been having symptoms of really bad gas especially from my stomach, fatige, some diarreha, alot of nausea, losing weight,body aches, ect. I have been diagnosed with SIBO,I am on an antibiotic, I would suggest you go to a holistic doctor and be tested for parasites. Ifound out I had two different kinds, still working on getting rid of the second one. This has been going on for over two months now. I have ok days and some really bad days. I have been out of work for several weeks. It has given me anxiety and frustration.It makes me fell better knowing there are others out there with bad intestinal problems. Gos Bless to all of you.
Cyndy
intestinal overgrowth
I have’nt been officially diagnosed with intestinal overgrowth but i have all the symtons. I have been taking symbion (super Probiotic). Its been working well but was still having issues. I started to take ultimate ph balnace.(perfect alkalinity for life) I think my body was too acidic. my ph was 6.5. Anything over 7 is better. the combo of these 2 products are really good. I can’t always be on a good diet so these products help. I don’t want to get on drugs. the anxeity is almost cleared up. im going to purchase the natural product for anxeity recomened on this sight and see if it helps even more. Just wanted to share what i have been learning and doing. this site has helped me out so much. thanks sophie
After reading all the comments on this subject I wanted to tell my “journey” on this issue. I had been suffering chronic digestive issues for about 2 years. I initially got food poisoning and was treated with Flagyl. The Flagyl worked in treating the immediate sypmptoms, but cramping, bloating,gerd, weight loss, and fatigue continued. Tried antacids, pepcid, protonix..all didn’t work…will never use them again. It got to the point where it started to affect my social life. I started to do research on the subject and found an amazing GI. I took the breath teast for SIBO and the results where off the chart. It was a relief to finally have an answer. My GI put me on neomycin for two weeks and it was amazing difference. I don’t think drugs on their own work. I started taking probiotics and fiber pills. I also cut out wheat and started yoga. I have been symptom free for 6 months. Everybody is different so these steps may not work for everyone… I just know that there is no “magic bullet”, the solution needs to be a change in lifestyle.
I also have been diagnosed with bacterial overgrowth which antibiotics did not help much so I am trying peppermint oil and I feel that it is helping me abit, not recommended for everyone. Look up natural help for bacterial overgrowth in small intestine or peppermint oil for bacterial overgrowth. Always check with your Doctor before trying anything new!
My husband has been suffering from severe gastro disorder for 3 years now. Its completely ruined our lives. He has bad bloating, constant fatigue and bad brainfog. He has not been diagnosed with SIBO but I suspect that is what he has. He had a fructose intolerance test which was off the scale this measures the hydrogen in your breath after ingesting glucose I think – is this the same test? We are off to see a very good dr in QLD in 2 weeks who thinks he might have a systematic yeast infection. He has also started the SCD and taking a yoghurt product called progurt (very expensive) since starting these things his fatigue has been worse than ever I think he is having severe die off. It all really sucks but we wont stop till we have an answer for this.
Having suffered many if not all of the symptoms described as well as SIBO diagnosis and at this point 6 rounds of antibiotics in one year – I have decided to try the diet described in the book called Stop the Vicious Cycle. It is called the specific carbohydrate diet – you can search the web and there are many sites. The theory is based on eliminating from the diet all of the goodies that the bacteria love – thereby starving them. It isn’t easy, as absolutely no grains are allowed. I have friends who are completely controlling their Chron’s disease through diet. Check it out – as this antibiotic merry-go-round just doesn’t seem to be a cure. Good luck to all of you.
Nancy keep us posted on the new diet you are trying out. I was diagnosed with SIBO over a year ago. I had a severe abdominal and went to the emergency room. I was so bloated – I looked like I was pregnant. I lost about 10lbs because my stomach hurt everytime I ate. GI doctor ran about a month of test and diagnosed SIBO. After a year of 4 rounds of antibiotics the symptoms always come back. I will look into this diet as well. Thanks for the suggestion.
I have been struggling with the sibo/ibs also. I went on the round of antibiotics and it made me worse and my candida got way worse. I am now trying the scd diet from the book. There is also a legal and illegal food site that helps you to stay on track. This is very hard to do I would love to have my life back. I found some of the the things on the diet made my symptoms worse ie nuts and cheese also red dry wine was allowed but i can not tollerate any sugar or molds or nuts.
All comments seem to suggest varying degrees of success and varying levels of symptom.
When ever taking medication to “redress the balance” of Gut flora one would be very wise to review diet very carefully.
High sugar diets can cause high levels of yeast growth and the acidity / alkalinity level will influence growths of various bacterium.
I would like to suggest / encourage consideration of reduction of processed foods and increase fresh, preferably as raw as possible food regime.
Not necessarily to go wholly Raw however to incorporate it for up to 40% of meals if possible and reduce processed food down to a minimal as possible. Also to remove as much as possible the sweet / carbonated drinks and sugared coffee / tea etc.
There are a lot of RAW food diet information sites on the web that can give guidance to variety.
Steve R on Nov 3, 2008 said you found a great GI. Do you have his name and details of where he can be contacted please?
I have been having allot of health problems after being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia,adrenal,thyroid problems and went to a new Doctor.who tested my Vitamin B’s levels and found my Feritin(iron storage level,was very low.Also did a Comprehensive Panel Study….(from Metametrix out of Duluth,Ga.). This test showed so much in addition to nutrient deficiencies.It showed, I had high bacterial overgrowth in the intestines,which could account for my low Feritin level, plus my other malasorption problems of B vistamins., I’m now on weekly iron shots, Antibiotics and Diflucin and Organic Vinegar,and Digestive enzymes. I wish,I had known about this Metemetrix panel test,years ago,before I got so sick.
Keep looking up and always seek new Doctor’s,when you don’t improve.
Meg
I was diagnosed with idiopancreatitus about 4years ago . I have been hospitized so many times I lost count. Always iv fluids and pain
meds till I literaly can’t see straight. Given too much stuff at the same time I could have stopped breathing. I have lost weeks of memory at a time. I have been to so many drs and sent to Mayo clinic where the drs shook their head and said sorry. I have done the diets and the drug therepies and had so much blood taken I look like a walking bruise! The diarrea and vomiting,nausea,dehydration and fatigue have stopped my life. I dont know where else to turn. I have been to the brink of suicide from the pain,illness, and frustration of being told no one knows what’s wrong with me or how to help me. I am in St. Louis and have been to 6 hospitals and had so many tests I don’t know what else to do. Family and friends are great, but everyone is tired of me being sick and not being able to do or go anywhere except to the dr. or hospital. Last week ER dr told me pain meds would only make pain worse and refused to admit me even though severely dehydrated! Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thankx Peggy Sue
I have been fighting with SIBO/or-candida, incredibly excessive gas and burping the last 6 weeks. Combined with leaky gut (worse form of IBS), it’s really painful. No egg smell. I’ve done 2 rounds of Flagyl from the GI who hasn’t been terribly helpful. I’m not sure it did anything. I lost 30 pounds in a month or two from cutting out carbohydrates. Now I’m to the point where I have to eat some since starvation is worse.
What has really helped is reducing worry and strengthening my intestines.
Magnesium/Zinc helped tremendously on the pain and mood, and strengthening the intestines. Anxiety apparently burns Mg stores.
I was doing glutamine/N-Acetyl Glutamine, but cabbage is better. Eating a good chunk of cabbage a day and chewing it well really helps the IBS/leaky gut repair, which has helped my immune system as well. If your gut is permeable, and bacteria and strange foods keep getting in, it takes a a ton of energy to deal with that. Also, I could feel the toxins from whatever’s living in there.
Mastic gum is very helpful if you have ulcery or heartburn symptoms and it feels like acid is going straight into you. I would get this in the morning a lot or late at night. The mastic cuts it fast.
Omega-3′s also help tremendously on acid or inflammation, they coat the system and reduce inflammation.
Probiotics seem to help. Apparently I haven’t been taking enough, thanks for the advice here of 2/per meal!
Digestive enzymes definitely help. They weren’t cheap, but having amylase, pancrealipase, ox bile, papain, HCl etc, work on the food does two things.
1) improving digestion means you get more of your food, they get less.
2) those protein-cutting enzymes attack the beasties, too.
These were hard to take when my intestines were fragile and permeable, but now that the cabbage and Mg/Zn have helped, I’m taking more and feeling better.
Eating more fibre to help strengthen intestines and shunt food through faster has helped. It makes some gas, yes, but that’s reduced due to enzymes, and getting the food through fast and cleaning out bacteria entrenched in the mucous helps a lot. I have psylium husks, but I prefer oats.
5HTP/Valerian really helped me sleep some nights from worrying. Not eating 3+ hours before bed is important so gas doesn’t build up. I have had health issues the last six months, this was caused from recovering from liver issues, being ill and feeling pain inside gets old as a prison. Just being able to rest and forget is priceless. After awhile the anxiety, and the energy depletion and immune system flare-ups it causes are worse than the bacteria. You can stress yourself to the point where your body just attacks itself.
Count victories. They may be small, but count them instead of worrying. How is today better than 5 days ago? There still may be pain, but is there less of it, is it shorter, is it more manageable?
It’s not gone, but I’m finally improving.
SBowel overgrowth here. Do not be fooled by the breath test. My Dr says 50 percent of the time its not accurate..I failed it. Have had all the tests necesary other tests and I am being treated with 250 mg daily with flagyl. for diarreah, bad gas and bloating with great sucess.
My problem –small bowel resection in three places. Cancer–bacteria gettign stuck in the scar tissue prooved by Small bowel Ct enterography. .
Moral of story. 250 Mg of Flagyl every day–but yes, after I stop its back in about 5 days. I will be a long term user. Find dr that will treat you like this.
Why does it seem that no one can possibly fathom that we may have caused our own IBS by eating an unnatural diet? Look at Bonobo Chimps, fruit and veggies make up 95% of the diet and 5% comes from bugs, bark, seeds, and rarely raw meat. Our diestive tract is identical to that of the Bonobo Chimp to the point that Dr’s cannot distinguish man from chimp during a colonoscopy. If we ate this type of diet as almost all apes do to some variety we would be unlikely to have many of the dis’ ease (meaning the body is not at ease. Doctors love to create names for general conditions and due to allopathic treating only of symptoms they fail to ever look at the cause.
SIBO is very real as is Candida, ask any microbiologist. If we continue eating foods we weren;t meant to like grains or any foods that has to be heated as it becomes dead, without enzymes, etc…
Every carnivore on eart sweats through the tongue, eat live whole animals including the blood, bone and guts raw. They have intestinal tracts the length of their bodies. Do the research and you will see we are genetically herbivores, fruits and greens with small amounts of other foods sources like the Bonobo Chimp. While just eating fruit might cause bacterial proliferation, all apes follow it up with eating leafy greens which act as a nutural scrub brush pushing out bacteria. The fruit provides needed calories as the body will convert even a complete atkins style diet into glucose as without it, you will die. Cooking food is the same as sticking your hand in boiling water see how that goes. Eat lots of meat and you deal with putrefaction or bacteria that cause decomposition. If you keep taking in no fiber with that, those bacteria won’t be going anywhere.
What doctor is going to tell me that fruits and veggies are not essential for optimum health?? We can control symptoms by eating just meat but that does not by itself solve the dysbiosis that exists.
No other animal is foolish enough to drink milk after infancy, let alone another animals milk and then to pasteurize it killing anything good it may have. The arrogance of man is unreal. We keep tampering with nature and wonder why we are ill.
Now before anyone gets super offended, I did an Atkins style diet for 10 years to avoid drugs after over 35 hospital visits in my life. I have suffered from IBS/Crohns since the age of 5 and am now 38. I have often followed doctors advice like gospel without ever doing enough of my own due diligence. I know how I am supposed to have been eating and what I need to work on getting back to which is a fruit and veggie diet with small amounts of protein and fats. Most people are unaware that fruits and veggies have protein and fats and you will not find heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure in natural animals.
Now onto the second topic which is what do people like me do when we were raised on food that harmed us, made us ill, often are treated with antibiotics which while effective at kiling off good and bad flora, if we go back to eating the wrong foods like grains (I dare anyone to try and eat raw uncooked grains in nature) we get a recurrence of the symptoms often worse than it started.
What do they call it when you do the same thing over and over expecting a different result???
The real key is how to create remission and clean out as many negative microforms as possible, then create a transitional diet until we can make our way back to nature’s intended foods. Fruits need no sauces, no artificial sweetener and we all crave sugars, its natural and our hands and its lack on needed preparation makes it the ideal food. For many including me, I want to know how to get my intestinal flora to be balanced enough to eat a banana without feeling intoxicated and getting bloody or mucous in my stools.
While it is true we can live on meat alone, we are not nearly as vibrant as we should be. We are forcing our bodies to be overly acidic non stop which is definitely not optimum health. I did it and while yes I was functional and appeared healthy for a while, my health was eroding slowly and I was aging quickly due to an accelerated level of oxidation in my body.
We assume our ancestors hunted but did they all really hunt that often, or only when they couldn’t find enough fruit for calories to sustain themselves? Do we think nature intended us to need to create tools to hunt, factories to process grains? Why do we need to eat grains with sauces, toppings, and why would nature want us to be able to overeat them so easily?? Would you have chased wild cattle before farms to milk them in the wild?? Are we all chronically dehydrated no matter how much water we force ourselves to drink unlike people or apes that eat a fruit rich diet? Are there any fructose intolerant apes?? I am pretty certain we would see health problems arise with many years of taking apes and making them eat meat, dairy from cows, you get the idea and it shows us how silly we can be. It is pretty hard to overeat a diet made up of 90-95% fruits and veggies. Fruits have energy, vitamins and minerals, are water rich and are great sources of calories. Veggies are even more nutrient dense and serve to mineralize and alkalize our bodies as our blood is slightly alkaline, eating all acidic foods like meats will force the body to leach minerals to maintain the blood Ph. This is why supplementing calcium has not solved osteoporosis.
My quandry is how do we transition from being very ill individuals to the omnivores that all our natural bretheren are??
We know we need to kill off bacteria where it doesn’t belong and try to swing back the balance towards the proper microbes that should co-exist. I would think it would be a combination of using antibiotics first, then using a slow transitional diet that over time would allow us to get to our best natural diet.
Perhaps antibiotics with a protein and fat diet to start? Then add in leafy greens? Then add in one piece of fruit, then two, until we convert out diet to one where we look and feel great and all these issues, IBS, lupus, and tons of others that all have the leaky gut in common.
What we have done in the past has not solved it, prhaps its time for a new approach, a combination of modern day medicine and a transition to a healthy diet over time.
I have no moral dilemma with eating meats as I would eat cow dung if I knew it would allow me to feel good. In nature animals eat based first on desire, second on availability of food supply.
Animals don’t have to worry about things like food combining as they don’t mix and match as we do, nor do they cook and kill the essential enzymes necessary for life. Cooked food is dead food. Apes, monkees and chimps will eat meat if and when they have to, as we all have a survival instinct, but this does not mean we were intended to eat this way. I don’t want to be a frozen eskimo and go study and you will find out they have very short lifespans.
We need to fix those of us who are already broken and help those who are just starting out to avoid the same mistakes we made.
I welcome any and all feedback
Hi. I know that these posts are very old now, but I need desperate help. I have bacterial overgrowth and am losing alot of faith with my doctors because it seems that they don’t believe that I still have it. I really need some advice. I live in the US and just wondering if anyone else is going through the pain that I am. I went through two courses of antibiotics, which didn’t work. That is why the doctors dont believe me. But I still have all the symptoms plus the daily pain. Plus a real nasty rotten egg smell and taste. Do I have this from the bad bacteria?? Is there a probiotic that will help me?? I am taking the breath test over again on tuesday. After they gave me the wrong test yesterday. I am about to give up on everything. I can’t take this anymore. Please someone help me.
Patrice,
Google the hell out of “candida” and see if that seems to match what is going on with you. It is a yeast overgrowth that gives IBS and severe digestive problems. It can be triggered or worsened by large doses of antibiotics.
Keep searching and searching online for your symptoms and see what you find.
Sorry I can’t help more but I am sure there other folks out there just like you who can share what they were able to do to get themselves back to normal!
Does anyone know about vivonex drink recommended by mark Pimentel through his book A new IBS solution. Instead of taking antibiotics for bacterial overgrowth take this drink for 2 weeks and it starves the bacteria. I wonder if this would help for candida.
Does anyone know if you add lactobacillus
or acidophillus or probiotics
Is the problem made better or does it cause more overgrowth?
It sounds like Umsan is right and you’ve all got a yeast overgrowth so no wonder all those anti-biotics don’t work! There’s plenty of help online for cadida sufferers.
I’m currently starving the yeast with an anti-candida diet, more or less according to Erica White’s advise, but substituting virgin coconut oil for the caprylic acid capsules to kill the yeast organisms.
Check out Bruce Fife’s Coconut Research Center website and have look at Candida Free website too.
By the way in about 1993 I was diagnosed with IBS but it was actually the beginning of bowel cancer which became evident in 2000, fortunately in time to operate successfully!
Has ANYONE been completely cured of SIBO? I have suffered since July 2009 & tested positive on Hydrogen Breath Test in January 2010. No Candida. I’m on my 3rd round of Xifaxan 500mg (2xday). First two round were for 10 days, this round for 14 days. I’m still “pooping mud” (sorry so blunt!). It feels & sounds like a volcano/lion in my stomach & small intestine. Don’t feel good as you can imagine. I’ve cut my food to follow Specific Carb Diet. I continue to be very sick with only a day of feeling good when on Xifaxan. Started 1st round Mar 29 thru April 7, 2010. 2nd round Apr 15 thru 24th. This last round #3 started May 3 thru May 16. My GI doc has given up & is outsourcing me to UCSF to see if they can help me. This has destroyed my quality of life. I feel sick inside the core of my body & I’ve been telling the doctors this since last July 2010. Ended up in ER from severe dehydration & potassium levels crashing due to chronic water diarrhea pouring out of me. Now, it has slowed to mud. I took Ciphro & Flagyl last year with no change. It feels like a monster living inside of me … that monster is SIBO!!! I’m also taking 2 x 80 Billion probiotics a day along with many vitamins to keep my strength up. But, I’m bruising all over my body lately. What is the cure for this monster?
Correction to the above, this all started in July 2010 & was diagnosed with SIBO with Hydrogen Breath Test in January 2011. July 2011 will be a year for me of being ill.
My experience is that food sensitivities can play a big role in GI disorders (especially IBS and Crohn’s disease). A blood test called MRT (Mediator Release Testing) has helped a lot of people. If you are having an immune reaction to food (most likely the foods you consume on a daily basis) it can definately cause GI and whole body symptoms such as joint pain, throat congestion, back pain – these were some of the symptoms I had and that are now gone.
kim, they gave you the test. what did they give you?
I have had some stomach issues, went to doctor put me on ranitidine. Then I started having constipation issues and reflux. Stomach went back to normal, then symptoms reoccurred. Went back on ranitidine, but constipation is worse than ever, never like this before. Had hydrogen breath test in April, 2011, came back positive (slow transit in small intestine). I was on xifanan(not sure of spelling) made me more constipated. I do not know where to turn, my diet is perfect, so I do not know why I am so constipated. This sibo is devastating. Any comments from anyone dealing with this? Thank you
Bernadette,I’m not a Dr. so i would’nt advise this its hard to do and i have 1bs/chrohns but i have batttield with constapation all my life. I was diagnosed with candida. I bought Dr.Pimentel book on bacteria the missing link in treating ibs. He recommended vivonex for two weeks,only that. It the hardest thing to do. It tastes horrible. wash it down with mouth wash. You will think about food the whole time. I did this cause i can’t take antibiotics its painful for chrohns. I have been going once a day since than. It helped kill the bacteria. Now i have to control it for the rest of my life. It feeds on carbs and suger. So i limit them. plus i take gastro fiber everyday. Take a probiotic too. Its taken me a coulple of years to really start feeling better. It was’nt good for chrohns because i almost passed out a couple of times. plus a couple of weeks after on valintines week end, i had a couple of shots of alcohol,bailys,kahlua,2 hrs later i passed out hiking, probably the alcohol. I was tired of the way i felt. some times you have to let the fear go and see what happenes. The first week you feel pretty bad because of the die off. The 2nd week you start feeling good. Everyone has different issues,Its best too talk to your Dr. If he listens. I just did’nt want to spend any more money. I wish you good luck. kathy
To TERRY etc. I’m new at figuring out SIBO: ie. XX bloating and +++ carb intolerance; Will start experimenting.
Has anyone tried Flora-Q (now RisaQuad) a unique combo of probiotic strains for Upper gut – advertised on Amazon.com? I just ordered it. What about peppermint oil enteric coated caps?
Oregano oil and or garlic oil? as a form of antibiotic? ALL the best..
Caroline
I wanted to share that in my internet searching, I read 2 interesting anecdotes from other people (this is hearsay!). The first was from someone who went into remission after doing vivonex, but she did antibiotics also and thinks they are critical. However, she did get candida as a result of the program and then had to battle that. Nonetheless she said it was worth it. Second person went into remission after antibiotics, but he said the key was that this time, unless like the first several times he went on antibiotics, he threw out the probiotics. He did get candida, but then they gave him anti-fungal medicine, and he’s been regular ever since. I was intrigued by all this because I think my son actually got worse after excessive probiotics. Apparently, Dr. Pimentel is not normally a huge fan of the probiotics. Secondly, I think that when you start killing off bacteria, the yeast just naturaly move in. This is just my burgeoning, undereducated opinion, but I am starting to think it’s just common sense. You have tissue that’s damaged. It’s gonna get infected. You kill off bacteria, then the yeast or some other fungus, or God help us, antibiotic-resistant bacteria move in. So … it’s very very tough.
On what scenarios can Rifaximin (Xifaxan) not work?
Here I am thinking out loud and I might be wrong but just a few perspectives for people to think about.
1. Studies have shown a combination of Rifaximin and Neomycin work well.
2. If you don’t have a gall bladder (some one above mentioned having gall bladder removed) then chances are bile secretion is hampered if not completely terminated. (Liver creates bile and stores in gall bladder). These two drugs work because they are hydrophobic ,i.e. do not dissolve in water but they do dissove in bile. So if someone is not producing enough bile or is not taking these drugs with food (ingestion of food particularly fatty food triggers bile creation) then the drugs won’t be as effective.
3. If you are taking probiotics during or after treatment then chances are that you will run into SIBO again. Dr Pimentel doesn’t recommend it but yet people go on the drug protocol and then ignore his advice on probiotics. Probiotics ingestion will only add more bacteria to the small bowel. With SIBO people’s gut motility is already weakened and even if they used drugs to get rid of the existing overgrowing bacteria, if you add more bacteria, will it help?
If you want to do probiotics, then a rectal enema might make more sense. Ideally do not do any probiotics. The colon will repopulate itself as long as you follow a proper diet post treatment. The appendix helps repopulate.
4. Another reason is that you didn’t do the treatment for 10-14 days or at proper dosage levels.
5. Another possible reason could be not adding the prokinetic that Pimentel talks about. Folks, if you do the rifaximin protocol, please first read Pimentel’s book, the new IBS solution so that you do the drugs just once, the right way with the right follow up. Blindly doing the drugs without the knowledge of the cedar sinai protocol will only lead you to more relapses!!!
Hope this helps.
PKash, I heard too many unsuccessful stories with people taking rifaximin(Xifamin) for SIBO but their symptoms keeps reoccuring after they come off the antibiotic. I have not read ONE success story of someone CURING their SIBO. This IS scary, because I’ve tested positive for SIBO(HBT), but I will NOT be taking any antibiotics! I believe antibiotics are the main culprit to digestive issues. Therefore, trying to kill SIBO with a drug that could have possibly caused the problem in the first place isn’t the solution. I’m still researching the best solution for SIBO. I heard that Tanalbit is a good anti-fungal supplement and that bacteria doesn’t become prone to it. Tanalbit which is an anti-fungal drug that eradicates bacteria and candida. I have just ordered it online. I will give that a whirl. BUT I’m staying far away from ANTIBIOTICS because I feel they add to the problem! Also, people with SIBO need to heal their LEAKY GUT first before SIBO or candida can be eradicated. If it can be.
As far as the person saying to change your diet. I know vegeterians that eat well, but still suffer from SIBO and candida.
I have IBS and had a lot of bloating and gas. The first few days I took the Lady Soma Candida product, I thought I was going to die. It made me nauseous and have diarrhea, but that was just the detox symptoms. They soon cleared, and I noticed I had less bloat and gas. I did the product 3 times a day for a little over a month and felt great. I have no bloating and have hardly any craving for sweets. I now take the product about one time a day for maintenance. Highly recommend this one.
hi all,
i’ve had sibo for a little over 2 yrs now. i’ve done 1 wk of flagyl, amoxicillan, and clarithromycin for 1 wk/month for 6 months then later switched to a new dr. and did a month of xifaxin. xifaxin helped but i didn’t get a second dose (on for two months) until about 9 months later. i take glutamine powder, fish oil, vitamin d, and probiotics daily and those do seem to help a bit. i changed up my vegetarian diet and started eating more meat which helped a bit and i also have been on the scd since august. i just started vivonex (liquid, elemental diet) and i’m now on day 4 of it. not eating isn’t as hard as i thought it would be, though it’s not easy either. i actually feel a lot better and am burping less which is nice as that is my most annoying symptom that is left. has anyone else tried the vivonex…if so what was your result and did you do it for 2 or 3 weeks?
Results?
Any results?
As an update, I’m now going into day 10 of the vivonex. Strangely although I bought enough for 5 packets a day I’m only getting hungry enough for about 3. I still have some excess gas (burping mostly now) but it is much improved from the constant pressure and constant burping of before. One thing with the vivonex is it really helps to drink lots and lots of water to avoid cramping. I’m not having much in the way of bowel movements so the water helps…but i only had cramping one night. I have a fructose test scheduled for this wed. to see if my fructose is still super high….that’s how i was diagnosed, i had a 200 and anything over 20 is high. my original sibo breath test actually came back negative. whatever the results show, i’ve decided to stick it out for 3 weeks which does mean i’ll do it over christmas…but when you’ve been as sick as me and as limited on food as me, there really are worse things in life. I think it’s helping though I don’t want to get my hopes too high, so I’ll keep this post updated as I think one of the most frustrating things when you’re sick is not finding anyone online who actually finds things that help their condition improve. A little background on my situation is I went to Greece, got food poisoning and engaged and came back and developed symptoms on a particular day….not gradually. I was also planning a wedding so stress was also probably a big factor as my wedding was insanely stressful. hope this helps and i’ll let you know the results of the vivonex.
also, i’m eating the vivonex plain…no aspartame sweetener. when i showed my doctor the diet, she was pretty adamand that aspartame is poison for the body and i read some blogs online where people had candida problems following the diet and it made me question if the aspartame was to blame. the stuff isn’t really that bad…not delicious by far…. but kind of like ground of supplements might taste.
Jeff I had a question for you regarding your write up, if you dont mind shooting me an email, as you may be of some help to my serious problem.
My email is swingtrader(underscore)us@yahoo.com
Much appreciated
M
Hey Kim,
thanks for sharing your story! I also tested positive for sibo and my main symptom is burping. im super curious to hear how this turns out for you! I have gone the alternative way and have had some relief. I’m starting on some pretty powerful antimicrobials first instead of trying rifaxamin. Oddly, I found this stuff I was taking instead of nsaids for period cramps called menstrual magic i found lessened my burping. But I am also about to start oreganol. Both have super strong essential oils with antibiotic properties. I’ve also been taking colostrum and seacure among other things!
keep me posted!
thanks!
terry there are 2 guys online that say they can help people cure themselves- Albert Snow and Dr. Dahlman. You may want to check out their protocols. They are different from each other people have claimed to have gotten better. hope this helps and you get better!
yardley,
well i’m still on the vivonex and at day 17, i can honestly say i’m ready for a real meal!
it’s nice to hear another person with the same symptom as i’ve had to fight with doctors a bit since burping isn’t as problematic in their minds as serious weight loss or the pain that i initially experienced. i took the fructose test again and my score was down to a 52 which is 158 points lower although i don’t know if it’s going down due to the earlier medication or the vivonex. i’ve had a lot of symptoms on the vivonex similar to when i was on xifaxin so i think it’s working but it may be difficult to really tell how much until after i finish it up this thursday. i’ve had flatulance, acid reflux, lightheadedness, dizziness, and really minor headaches. at the very least it should give my gut a bit of a break from having to digest food and time to heal. hopefully, it also stops the burping! i’ve tried oregano oil for about a month before, not sure if that is the same as what you are trying, but definately let me know how it works for you. good to know about the menstrual magic too…hey if it works, who cares what it’s for, lol 
i will update after i finish the 21 days and let you know the results….keep your fingers crossed and i hope the antimicrobials start helping your symptoms too.
I just stopped all sugar and carb intake and theres a difference in my pain, so whatever I have feeds on sugar.
just wanted to leave a quick update on the vivonex. i did it for 23 days to finish up my remaining packets and as of today i’m feeling a lot better. not perfect yet, and i’m eating according to the GAPS diet for now to see how my healing progresses….but there is definately a major improvement in burping. i’m not burping often at all anymore and it’s only my second day off the vivonex
i will give a better update in a week or so, but i just wanted to put this out there in case people are considering vivonex to starve the sibo.
I’ve read all through the comments and only one person said they had foul smelling rotten egg gas – I have had 3/4 of my colon removed and have tested positive for SIBO. I thought that without a colon it doesn’t give the food a chance to get rid of the toxins…the odor problem is very bad – but other than that I’m ok – have been on rifaxamin, flagyl – no change – will now go on neomycin. Does anyone else have this odor problem???? Thanks!
Hello everyone I have had reoccurring thrush for 4years recently I have been ok though I have also had bad depression last year and had cbt therapy and counselling I am very stressed now with work and the thrush has returned. I have bad burps after food and bad side pain on the right I am going for ultrasound on Wednesday the docs think it is my kidneys before they thought it was gall stones but that was clear any ideas? M weight has fluctuated I have always been a size 8 until 2years ago and summer 2011 I weighed 11stone and could not fit into any clothes and I lost 3stone and am now back to normal weight but feel so tired and drained any ideas ?
I have SIBO confirmed by HBT (methane type – constipation, breath test was high positive before they even had me drink any lactulose…for those who have hydrogen type the predominant output is diarrhea), IBS, Celiac disease, etc. Gastroenterologist tried several antibiotics but they didn’t make a dent in the SIBO. I suspect I acquired SIBO after a year on the Gluten Free diet, eating lots of GF carbs which feed bacteria in the intestines. I had been eating a comparatively healthy diet, lots of fiber, all natural…and I kept getting sicker. I told my friends, “If you ate as healthy as me, you’d be strong as an ox! But I’m sicker than sick and scared because everything I eat is making me feel like there are knives in my intestines!”
Two months ago I started the SPECIFIC CARBOHYDRATE DIET (SCD) when my GI doc said she didn’t have anything left for treatment and that the diet may be the only way to get relief, but that patients who follow the diet very carefully do tend get much better. It’s been a life-saver. I was so sick, doing 5-8 enemas a day, sometimes more than ten (yes, it’s possible to do that many in a day) before I started to heal on the diet. I’m doing very well now and I WILL NOT be going back to eating my “healthy diet” which may have been healthy for others but wasn’t healthy for MY body.
The diet is known for helping folks who have UC, Crohn’s, SIBO, IBS, and a few other GI diseases. Its also credited with being effective for some children who have Autism, but I haven’t looked into all of that…I just know it works for me.
Some resources for you, if you’re interested in knowing about the diet:
Or shoot me an email gutsygirlsarahbosse at gmail dot com.
* Breaking the Viscious Cycle – Elaine Gottschall – Book (this is the SCD “Bible”)
* SCDLifestyle.com – Jordan and Steve were the guys who taught me how to work through the diet in a practical manner and gave me the bravery to try it. They have some excellent resources here!
* Support groups and info on SCD – http://www.ccccibs.com/scd-support.html
* If you have any questions I can only answer from my experience, but I’m glad to make myself available through my website which is http://naturallygutsy.com.
The diet is hard, but shouldn’t cause any damage if you stick to exactly what Elaine recommends. If you cheat, you’re wasting your time and precious energy. But if you’re desperate like I was and you feel like you don’t have much left to lose, you may just find that this diet is the answer you were praying for.
Gutsy Girl
There is, by the way, another diet that also seems to be effective for some people who have SIBO, and its called FODMAPS.