# Hydrogen breath test with high methane



## 16943 (Mar 9, 2006)

Hi, My three year old daughter had a hydrogen breath test today and the hydrogen was not elevated but the methane was. The tech said the methane started at 26 and doubled after the first thirty minutes, I don't know what it did after that. She has had chronic constipation since she was just a few months old with no remedy with any meds. She has many other GI problems as well resulting in her having a feeding tube for two years now. Her GI called tonight and said he wasn't sure what the high methane meant, it isn't as common as high hydrogen and he'd have to consult with some other doctors and call me tomorrow. Just wondering what you all thought. I did see someone post a link showing the corrolation between high methane and constipation. Any thoughts on what else it mean. Thanks in advance. Michele


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## surfboar (Oct 3, 2002)

Michele, check out posts from Spasman, CarmelRob and myself for recent discussion of the whole correlation between IBS, SIBO, and methane and hydrogen postive breath tests. Also, check out all of the information on the SIBO forum on this board.Oh.... read Dr. Pimentel's book.


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:The tech said the methane started at 26 and doubled after the first thirty minutes, I don't know what it did after that.


Was this a "standard" breath test in which 10 g lactulose was given?The value is very high and doubling to 52 and in 30 minutes does sound very high and unusual and in someone so young even more so, so there is a possibility of a spurious result. (There is some evidence that high ressting values of breath methane are correlated with slow-transit constipation.)


> quote:IBS, SIBO, and methane and hydrogen postive breath tests


Generally, methane values are not usually related to SIBO.Has she had ever had her fingerprints taken? Do any look like below?


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## 16943 (Mar 9, 2006)

Yes, this was a standard breath test but less of the 10g of lactulose was lowered and the amount was figured based on her weight. They were looking for a high hydrogen level and were surprised with the elevated methane levels.


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## SpAsMaN* (May 11, 2002)

Try children suppositories or/and a stools softener like Colace.


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## lorilou (May 9, 2003)

Have they checked ofr Hirshprungs Disease? that starts at birth and causes terribble constipation. google hirsprungs and check out if you think it fits- it can be fixed. Ill say a prayer. My son who is 7 suffers with constipation issues. its sad to see in little ones.


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## SophieUK (Dec 18, 2000)

Hi Michele - here are some quotes from Dr Pimentel's book:"We examined close to 1,000 IBS patients: in nearly every case, patients whose breath tests showed only higher methane concentrations were constipation predominant." (p.63)"In our most recent study...[we] further demonstrated this by showing that successful treatment of constipation in IBS patients directly depends on the elimination of methane, presumably by eliminating methane-producing bacteria."He concludes that people with diarrhea IBS tend to have more hydrogen, whereas IBS constipation sufferers have more methane.Have your doctors suggested any treatment, such as the antibiotics used by Dr Pimentel?


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## atrain (Jun 22, 2001)

I am very interested in what you guys are discussing. Everytime I get streph throat or the flu and they put me on anti-biotics, I instantly start having loose bowel movements, so sometimes I don't mind getting sick. Do you think this in any way has anything to do with what you guys are discussing? Also, are there people that are actually getting treated for bacterial problems as the source of C? and where is the research going on this topic, are things going to discovered on this issue anytime soon? thanks


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

This happens"they put me on anti-biotics, I instantly start having loose bowel movements,"For most people especially IBSers.Also"Is there a relationship between IBS and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth?"""*The most popular theory is that patients with irritable bowel syndrome have a subtle abnormality in the function of their intestinal muscles that allows SIBO to occur." * http://ibsgroup.org/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/71210261/m/187100912This is a highly controversal topic in IBS these days.


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

PS There maybe abnormalities in IBS and the functioning of the colon that then allows SIBO to occur, which would then make it two problems, IBS and sibo together.SIBO is considered a seperate condition then IBS.


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## surfboar (Oct 3, 2002)

Eric, I gather that is why Dr. Pimentel prescribes zelnorm or erythromycin after the SIBO is eliminated to restore the wave function of the gi tract.


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

It is not clear by anyone yet what relationship IBS has with SIBO yet.The above information is most doctors believe sibo might be caused by IBS in some cases or a person might have both.There is a lot sibo can't explain in IBS as well.Also a person can have sibo and not IBS or IBS and not sibo.


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