# There is hope



## Flowby Jonas (Aug 14, 2006)

I dont want to lead anyone down the wrong path or give them false hope. I can tell you my story. In my early 20's and through my early 30's I would get an upset stomach and never gave it much thought other than thats all it was. In my middle 30's I would notice an urgency to use the rest room and anytime that happened I would have a loose stool. I complained to a few doctors and they told me "its IBS, nothing to worry about." My mistake was to trust these physicians. They of course had no idea as to what was going on. I recall one day while driving, I experienced some just awful stomach pain I ever experienced to date. I made it home and spent the next 2 hours in the restroom. Sound familiar? These episodes came and went. There were times I thought I was about to pass out on the toilet. Well about 2 or so years later I was invited to have a bowl of menudo with some friends and all was fine. That night I was invited to eat at a Chinese restaurant and by the time I got home I was so sick I thought I was going to be in the hospital! About 4 hours later I was in bed and I woke up a day later. I could only remember the pain! I was glad it was gone. Not thinking I poured me a cup of coffee and in a few minutes I am in the bathroom again and int terrible pain. I did not put 2+2 together yet. I continued on for several months of this terrible stomach ache. I finally took all I could stand and went to the doctors. I had a colonoscopy, and endoscopy, and I had to have the colonoscopy twice because the first time I was not sedated enough. I had warned the doctor but as doctors go most think they know it all, or that is the impression they gave me. After this we had a follow up and I told them of my symptoms and it was like I was talking to people that didnt really care till I told them I had lost about 25 lbs in 2 months. So the pass me on to a nurse practioner that sent me in for a hydrogen breath test, which I passed with flying colors meaning I was saturated with hydrogen. So she put me on a 10 day course of Cipro and told me it usually works. So I am now taking cipro and eating that yogurt that was so popular for probiotics. As long as I was on the cipro I felt good. So 3 after the cipro was gone the symptoms continued. So now she puts me on flaygel (sp). I had trouble tolerating it for 10 days so we made it 7 days and 3 days after the meds were gone back to square one. Now I knew that I was on to something since I felt better while on the antibiotics. I also stopped the yogurt because it made things worse. I thought to myself, what will I do? Will i just suffer this condition or find something that would cure me or at least help. I was at my wits end. I was still losing weight and was actually scared I may die! During this time my mother was suffering from pancreatic cancer and was on her death bed. She actually asked me one day when I was watching her if I wanted some of her morphine for my pain! I said no and thanked her. I know it made it bad for her seeing me suffer in this manner. I finally decided to go to my acupuncturist Dr Liahua Wong. Well she told me much about what I could do to start to make my self better. She gave me a recipe for this fruit and vegetable slurry that had to be cooked and eaten hot! So along with the needles and herbs to build my immune system I started to get better! Little by little I felt better. I was a LONG way from good though. It wasnt till one day I ate something she called dirty, She gave me a different herb mixture. This mixture was mostly from an herb called Coptis Rhizome or the Chinese name Huang Lian. It was mixed with cinnamon, astraligus, and a few other herbs. It was nothing short of amazing! It worked like the antibiotics! I was elated that something really helped. I forgot to take into account of all the time under the needles as well. I finally asked her if I could use it for 3 weeks and would there be and problems with it, she said no so I went on it for three weeks. Now this did not cure me, but it gave me some time without symptoms. I had finally got a break without antibiotics! I notice after 2 weeks my abdomen would ache a bit like there was something stuck in there and it was strange sensation. It was i think that my intestines were sore because they were not used to a normal stool. I have had that happen at times off and on since then and I just get a heating pad and it helps lots. Well about 1 year later I was hooked up with a great G/I doc that got me a free prescription of Raifaxamin and I got sick on it but stuck it out. I have gone back to the bitter herb Coptis Rhizome when I feel bad but I have also worked for years on diet. In the beginning I cut out 90% of foods period! I slowly started to add foods back. If they caused a problem I stopped eating them. I stopped all greens and onions. Garlic was bad and so was cabbage. I know these foods should be very healthy but not much help. ONe day I made some chicken with some very strong hot peppers and it acted like the Coptis Rhizome, and I felt good for a week. I now started to understand that there are MANY factors I mean many! You have to be vigilante about your food all the time! I have been able to drink coffee again on a regular basis. So about 9 months ago a lump appears on my breast next to my nipple! I am freaked! Thanks heavens it was only an infection. The doctor gave me Keflex which wasnt too bad but she also gave my docycycline (sp). My stomach hated it I got so sick for day with that stuff! I will never take it again! i went back to Dr. Wong, got my bitter herb and about 3 months later got somewhat better. Today I live with an episode once every 2 - 3 weeks. considering where I was 5 years ago I am much better off! Things i have found that help is the bitter herb coptis rhizome, extremely hot, peppers, and being careful not too over do stuff. It takes time to get better, it will not happen over night. I suffered many years before learning what to do. I have now started to use BEANO. Yup, BEANO, this will help me digest the food I had trouble with like onions and garlic and I dont get that bloating from it. I tried other digestive enzymes but they worked too well. Since I have concluded i have trouble with complex carbs, BEANO addresses that area only. I am sure other may have problems with other types of enzymes. I I am NOT CURED but life is now much better. Oh yeah I use cannabis as well. I find that when I feel nausea it stops it right now! No waiting. Without the Coptis, the Beano, and the Cannabis, I would be in a world of hurt.

Remember, little steps, it took some time for this to occur, it takes time to deal with it. This is what worked for me, there may be stuff here that works for you! I just dont like the idea of taking antibiotics so much. I did have a script for penicillin for 2 months from some dentist. It was a low level but, my problems i think can be associated with having what I thought was food poisoning about 6 times.

So why did I come back all of a sudden? Well a dear friend of mine has just been diagnosed with this condition and he has this idea he will be cured with antibiotics. I have tried to explain to him about this site and ALL the people that suffer from this condition. The worst part is he is over 70 and he is a doctor.

I will try to respond to questions if anyone has any.

Christine Jonas.


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## skip1000 (Jun 5, 2010)

I'm not fond of antibiotics in general... it kills everything good and bad. Plus it turns my stool yellow, probably from killing whatever probiotics I have left in my guts. I recommend taking extra probiotic whenever antibiotics are taken. I was once prescribed antibiotics for a condition (sort of as a precaution), and it killed the stubborn cyst under my eye that the local topical could not remove. Not a bad side effect.


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## Flowby Jonas (Aug 14, 2006)

I disagree strongly about probiotics! It only made my symptoms worse. I already have all the bacteria I need and then some.. Thats the issue. How did I get the SIBO in the first place. Too much bacteria!


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