# Why I Am Going Through Antibitotic Treatment



## surfboar (Oct 3, 2002)

I am moving this from another thread on the main IBS forum.-------------------------About 4 years ago, I was in a bad stretch and had dropped about 20% of my body weight. I looked like a skeleton. I hurt 24/7 and even had exploratory laproscopic surgery (which found nothing of course). I didn't want to do anything except curl up in a ball. My doctor was beside himself trying to help but was not really up to speed on IBS.He suggested a psychologist (waste of time) and seeing a urologist. The urologist found a prostate infection and while he said that wouldn't be causing all of my symptoms, I should treat it. So he put me on a 3 month course of antibiotics...... doxycycline in my case. Anyways, I started feeling better all over and regained all of my weight and the IBS symptoms stopped completely after 8 years of this terror. It was almost a year of bliss before the IBS came back. The point is that after meeting Dr. Pimentel in Los Angeles and participating in one of his breath analysis studies for diagnosed IBS patients, I began to see the connection between bacteria and IBS. I actually chatted with him for about 15 minutes and related my experience with the treatment for the prostate infection. He told me that he hears that constantly from his patients that their IBS symptoms improved during periods of taking antibiotics for other ailments.I know that there are people here that attribute their problems to antibitoics, and I can see the connection between a previous episode of antibiotics causing the initial problem. In my case, I think I picked up food poisoning somewhere and that was my initial trigger. This past summer, I showed my doctor the breath test results from my participation in the clinical trial and he decided to try me on flagyl. I did three 10 day courses of flagyl and each time, the IBS went away completely but would come back a few days later. What I think was lacking was the follow up treatment with zelnorm or some other pro-motilty agent that would restore the wave functions of the small intestine. Without that, the normal bacteria in the colon was somehow backing up or refluxing into the small intestine and recolonizing it. I have since moved from SoCal to Florida and am now taking Neomycin as suggested by Dr. Pimentel in his book. I am on day 5 and I already feel so much better. This time though, I will start on Zelnorm after I finish the Neomycin. It will be a low dosage, 2 - 3 mg at night before going to bed to restore the small intestine cleansing wave function to avoid the contents of the colon from backing up and messing up the small intestine again. I honestly believe that IBS will go the way of ulcers after the medical community finally accepted that H-Pylori was the cause and not stress. IBS will be routinely diagnosed from a small intestional bacterial overgrowth and treated succesfully with gastro-specific antibiotics such as Rifaximin and Neomycin. There is, of course, the underlying condition that allows SIBO to happen and that may be the role of Zelnorm or other drugs that promote the wave function of the small intestine. Perhaps there is an underlying anatomical reason that some people are prone to SIBO while others don't have the problem. Or perhaps the SIBO was caused by exposure to a nasty bug that took up residence in the small intestine. You don't have to agree with my theory, but I think everyone would agree that lactulose breath testing should be part of the battery of tests that doctors should be using when dealing with IBS patients. It is a hell of a lot easier and less expensive than colonoscopies. Good luck to everyone, I have faith that we will all beat this and it will be sooner rather than later!!!!!!!


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## gilly (Feb 5, 2001)

Thanks SurfboarYes Pimentels book is fantastic I think and certainly makes a lot of sense eg why my daughter has always been made worse by probiotics and why the very bland diet she lives on helps her.Did you take rifamixin,and were you c.? sorry if youre repeating yourself.Sounds as if youre definately on the right track.Thanks gilly


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## surfboar (Oct 3, 2002)

Hi Gilly







I am IBS-C so I am taking the Neomycin instead of the Rifaximin. The problem with Neomycin is that it is listed in the PDR (Physcians Desk Reference book) as being for suppression of gastric flora pre-bowel surgery, so most doctors will think you are crazy to ask for it unless they are up on Dr. Pimentel's research. There aren't many here in the US that are familiar with it. From what I understand though, doctors in Australia seem to be way ahead of US doctors in cutting edge medical theory. After all, your fellow Aussies, Drs Barry Marshall and J Robin Warren pioneered the research and discovery of H-Pylori as the cause of ulcers. I actually took Dr. Pimentel's book with me to my doctor to get the Neomycin prescription. Even then, he was skeptical. My advice would be to find a younger doctor, in my expereince, they are more likely to be up on recent developments and research and also more willing to listen to your ideas and theories. Good luck to your daughter. If they have ruled out any serious causes of her symptoms, then try to get her a lactulose breath test. The results will be fairly obvious if she has a SIBO.


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## gilly (Feb 5, 2001)

Hi Surfboar thanks for your reply Yes there certainly are some great researchers in Australia and Dr Borody seems to be doing some great things too.Trouble is if the're not close to home it very difficult because you want to try to continue with a normal life,uni etc.We have found the 4 doctors in the state we're in have been incredibly behind the times(know less about IBS than us)and seem only to want to cover their own a...s rather than help their patients.Take probiotics etc.is the advice.It takes a long time before the doctors take new ideas on.Anyway taking the book to them is a good idea.She had a breath test for another purpose for a study on fructose intolerance,which they said she had.I have looked at the results and according to Pimentel's criteria I think it is bacterial overgrowth.So we'll possibly import rifamixin(have done with lotronex before) Anyway hope you're improvement continues Gilly


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## surfboar (Oct 3, 2002)

Gilly, I am 1000% better today than I was 2 weeks ago







It would seem to me that fructose would cause the same reaction to a breath test as lactulose, but then I am not an expert. Pimentel says that fructose is a big no no for IBS'ers. The important thing is to rule out any serious issues first. None of those tests are pleasant, but they are neccesary. There are other causes of SIBO and of positive breath testing that need serious care. You didn't say how old she is, so I don't know if they would do colonoscopy, but you really need to make sure it isn't something else before embarking on antibiotic treatment. I have had YEARS of testing and God knows how much in medical bills (thank God for insurance) , but at least I am confident that I don's have Crohn's or UC or even an anatomical abnormality that could cause a blockage.


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## gilly (Feb 5, 2001)

Sorry I havent posted all the details since its repetitious,but she is 22 and has had all tests 2 colonoscopies,4 gastros etc.Shes tried many drugs probioticsetc etcShe has put up with it for years,but new things like Pimentels book seem to offer hope.Gilly


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## surfboar (Oct 3, 2002)

Good luck to her. LOL, I thought she was a child. You are far too young sounding to have a 22 year old. It sounds like she has had plenty of testing done. The good side is that it isn't anything life threatening.... but I certainly know the downside. Noone knows what it is and you are miserable almost 24/7. I have noticed that I have built up a tolerance to pain and can generally function on most days. But I am very hopeful now that there is light at the end of the tunnel.


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## gilly (Feb 5, 2001)

She was a child (teenager) when it started.i suppose they're always your child when they're in pain.I've continued reading these boards for advice,wouldn't have known anything about IBS without them really.I agree about battling on through pain,sometimes I have thought this isnt Ã¯rritable"bowel when I see her pain.Good luck Gilly


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## 20941 (May 20, 2006)

Hi folks,What dosage of Neomycin helped cure your symptoms? And did your symptoms include constipation? I've read that SIBO with constipation -- not diarrhea -- is treated better with neomycin than rifaximin.Thanks!


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## 19767 (Mar 28, 2006)

I am just placing myself on this thread, as I want to read all future entries.


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## gilly (Feb 5, 2001)

Surfboar You appear to be cured,since you havent posted again.Have symtoms returned Please give us all hope!!Gilly


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