# Low stomach acid and SIBO



## gkwin (Oct 18, 2012)

After a violent case of food poisoning a few years ago, I have not been the same since.It started with a tight feeling in my throat and feeling terrible pain before a BM. I got the standard diagnosis of reflux and the drugs did not help, although my symptoms were somewhat relieved. A few months ago, along with menopause and osteoarthritis, I got laryngitis that never completely went away, and chronic diarrhea alternating with constipation. Antibiotics and steroids did not help.Further testing, this time with a naturopath, showed a sensitivity to gluten (possibly celiac but unconfirmed), SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), and hypochlorohydria (low stomach acid). I've been off gluten for a few months and it has helped but I'm probably going to start the antibiotic treatments as well as one of the recommended diets which make going off gluten easy. I wonder how many people out there have been misdiagnosed. I will check back in regarding the success of some of this treatment but would be interested to see if anyone with SIBO has had any success with treatment.


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## stargazey (Sep 30, 2012)

Hi GKwinI'll be interested to hear how you get on. I've had stomach probs for ages but really bad for the last 8 months. Went gluten free 3 months ago and the improvement was rapid and dramatic - until two weeks ago when all the symptoms came back. Doctor has now suggested SIBO - I'd never heard of it until today. Anyway he is sending me for a breath test and I'm really hoping it comes back positive because at least it will be something to treat. I was also diagnosed with low stomach acid several years ago but it was never treated. Seems we are in the same area. Let's compare notes and progress.Stargazey


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## chatycady (Oct 22, 2012)

I have very very little to NO stomach acid. I have chronic gastritis (severe case) with pernicious anemia. (autoimmune) My suggestion to you with SIBO is to make salt sole' (google it) from himalayan sea salt. It keeps bacteria at bay. Salt purifies.Starchy foods, protein, sugar, and fats must be broken down in the stomach before absorbed in the small intestine. If digestion in the stomach fails, you may experience all sorts of bad symptoms!


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## gkwin (Oct 18, 2012)

Thanks for the feedback. Just read "A New IBS Solution" by Dr. Mark Pimental. Highly recommend it. as it seems to put some sense into this. Have an appt. with the doctor next week so it will be interesting to see what she says.
I will keep updating--will be interested to see how you do.


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## faze action (Aug 6, 2009)

You guys that were DXed with low stomach acid: how old are you? (if you don't mind me asking)...
I asked my GI doctor about this a couple of years ago and he wouldn't test me for low HCl because he said I was too young for that to be an issue (I was about 38 years old at the time).


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## chatycady (Oct 22, 2012)

I was diagnosed with atrophic gastrics in my early 30's. It's a slow progressive disease - so HCI decreased over years. I am now 56 and have only a very small area of normal folds, etc. in my stomach. I went to the University of Iowa Hospitals and had an upper GI done. Dr. Polyak made the diagnosis. Biopsy's must be taken to determine whether or not the stomach produces HCI. I don't know if there is a simipler or easier test. Not all Dr's understand gastritis - they think it's an Over production of HCI - which is false. It's an under-production. Dr. Polyak told me to NOT take antacids or OTC pain meds, and to avoid antibiotics if at all possible.


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## gkwin (Oct 18, 2012)

Thought I'd update, as it's been a while. My SIBO test showed a high level of hydrogen, low methane so I took 500 mg. Rifaximin twice daily for 10 days. I felt absolutely terrible (I also had a cold at the same time) until a couple days before the medication stopped. During the antibiotics, I also cut out all grains and sugar, following the SCD diet, except that I did not do the cleansing part because I've already lost so much weight. I did lose another 5 pounds just doing SCD, which is a lot because I'm small. Anyway, on day 8, after a horrible bout of diarrhea, I suddenly felt much better.

I couldn't stand not eating grain so I went back to my gluten-free diet, this time taking peppermint tablets at night, a probiotic before every meal, and eating a lot of homemade yogurt. Oddly enough, eating popcorn makes me feel better and I'm more normal when I do eat it.

I went back for a breath test today and will get the results tomorrow. I feel like I've made some progress but suspect I may need to go back on antibiotics, though I'm not sure I can tolerate the grain-free, sugar-free diet again.


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## Moises (May 20, 2000)

gkwin,

Let us know what you find. Norman Robillard's book entitled Fast Tract Digestion explains that low stomach acid can increase the likelihood of SIBO. The stomach acid kills microorganisms before they leave the stomach. Hypochlorhydria means the bugs aren't killed, so they can leave the stomach and make a home in the small intestine.


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