# Fibro, SIBO & IBS



## Susan Purry (Nov 6, 2001)

Posted to the Co-Cure email list.


> quote:*A link between irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia may be related tofindings on lactulose breath testing.*Ann Rheum Dis. 2004 Apr;63(4):450-452.Pimentel M, Wallace D, Hallegua D, Chow E, Kong Y, Park S, Lin HC.GI Motility Program, Divisions of Gastroenterology and Rheumatology,Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, CSMC Burns & AllenResearch Institute, Los Angeles, California 90048, School of Medicine,University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA.PMID: 15020342*BACKGROUND*: An association between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and smallintestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) has been found.*OBJECTIVE*: To compare the prevalence and test results for bacterialovergrowth between IBS and fibromyalgia.*METHODS*: Subjects with independent fibromyalgia and IBS were compared withcontrols in a double blind study. Participants completed a questionnaire,and a lactulose hydrogen breath test was used to determine the presence ofSIBO. The prevalence of an abnormal breath test was compared between studyparticipants. Hydrogen production on the breath test was compared betweensubjects with IBS and fibromyalgia. The somatic pain visual analogue scoreof subjects with fibromyalgia was compared with their degree of hydrogenproduction.*RESULTS*: 3/15 (20%) controls had an abnormal breath test compared with93/111 (84%) subjects with IBS (p less than 0.01) and *42/42 (100%) with fibromyalgia*(p less than 0.0001 v controls, p less than 0.05 v IBS). Subjects with fibromyalgia had higherhydrogen profiles (p less than 0.01), peak hydrogen (p less than 0.0001), and area under thecurve (p less than 0.01) than subjects with IBS. This was not dependent on the higherprevalence of an abnormal breath test. The degree of somatic pain infibromyalgia correlated significantly with the hydrogen level seen on thebreath test(r = 0.42, p less than 0.01).*CONCLUSIONS: An abnormal lactulose breath test is more common infibromyalgia than IBS. In contrast with IBS, the degree of abnormality onbreath test is greater in subjects with fibromyalgia and correlates withsomatic pain.*


Interesting!


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## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

That is interesting Susan. Really unexpected. I think I may suggest that I have one of those bacterial overgrowth tests. I had thought of having one in the past. I have been having a lot of GI symptoms recently. Lots of gas and rumbling. I'm wondering what the treatment is. Is it just to stay away from lactose? I'm hoping it's not some antibiotic therapy. That's what started a lot of my increased symptoms in the first place. I'll have to check that out again.Okay, I checked. It does involve antibiotic therapy. I'm wondering if this is the same antibiotic used for those found to have Micoplasma which was discussed here in the past: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.f...t_uids=14653830 ThanksM.


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## faze action (Aug 6, 2009)

Forgive me for bumping an age-old thread, but this came up when I did a Google search... and I've been experiencing increasing somatic pain over the last 6 months (and I am diagnosed SIBO).Firgures there's a connection... intersting, but painful!I really hope I don't have fibromyalgia.


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