# IBS-C with new official SIBO diagnosis



## bsondreal (Feb 28, 2010)

Hi, all!

I have been on these boards a couple times in the past, and always find the peer feedback super helpful!

A brief history:

I have had IBS-C for just over 10 years. Started when I took BCP for a month, and then never really went away (I'm not certain there's a 100% cause/effect there, but something definitely went out of balance that never righted itself.)

I've done a colonoscopy & had a sitz marker test, which diagnosed me as slow motility. Outside of those tests, though, I've mostly tried to self-treat, and have done pretty much every supplement and alternative diet out there!

I had found a reasonable balance using Miralax w/ coffee in the morning, digestive enzymes with meals, and probiotics at night. However, as with most things, this mix would work well for a while, then kind of peter out.

Which leads me to now...

Decided to have official testing done for celiac, dairy intolerance, etc., as well as a SIBO breath test. I did my SIBO test this last week, and wouldn't you know, had pretty high levels of methane in my system even before taking the lactulose!

So, I have now been prescribed the antibiotics neomycin and xiafaxan to take together in order to treat my SIBO. I started them on Wednesday, and didn't feel too bad... fast forward to today, when the nauseau, bloating, and general discomfort is really hard to bear! It has also not yet helped my C - in fact, made it worse.

Has anyone else here on the boards been officially diagnoised with SIBO? I'm especially interested in hearing from folks with IBS-C. If so, did you take antibiotics? What was your experience? I really want to stop taking these antibiotics b/c I was doing better before them, but if it's a matter of "pushing through" for better results down the road, I'd be willing to stick it out.

I know every person/body/case is somewhat different, but I was just curious to hear from any others with IBS-C/SIBO experience.

Thanks so much!


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## Nymue (Apr 2, 2013)

Hi bsondreal. I've been reading these boards for awhile (mostly because these threads always come up in my Google searches for SIBO and tons of other things related to it), but this is my first post. I have most of the SIBO symptoms, but I don't really have "flares", like I hear some people talk about. I am bloated all the time, but it gets worse after I eat and is at its worst at the end of the day. Instead of weight loss, I've had weight gain. Some food items I can feel don't agree with me, but most of the time I don't have the pain and gas that I hear others talk about. Anyway, I had the breath test done back in March, and to my utter disbelief and dismay, it came back negative!

Not too long after that, I was listening to a podcast by Chris Kresser (he's an amazing source of all kinds of health info) and he said that the test he uses for SIBO is a urinalysis by Metametrix called the Organix Dysbiosis Profile. I recently had that test done and it came back with a lot of red flags on it, but what was most important to me was that it showed I had intestinal bacterial overgrowth, and specifically acidophilus, which is pretty classic in people with SIBO according to Dr. Kresser.

I'm currently on my 5th day of 600 mgs Rifaximin (I ordered from an international pharmacy online, and it was surprisingly cheap, much cheaper than what I've seen people say they've been paying for it!) and 250 mgs of Flagyl, 3 times a day. After about 3 days, my constipation improved, but so far that is the only change I've seen. If anything, it seemed like my bloating initially got worse. Not it seems a little bit more normal, at least normal for me. I stopped weighing myself because it was too depressing, I haven't been able to lose weight in almost a year, no matter how low carb or low calorie or whatever that I eat. The bloat persists, unless I completely fast, and that includes from supplements too. I'm starting to lose faith that the antibiotics are going to work. You're the first person I've seen who said that they are getting worse instead of better, which at least makes me feel like I'm not alone. I'm going to keep persisting, because it's the only thing I can do.

There are a few things that I'm doing in conjunction w/the antibiotics. I'm taking a product called ACS 200 which is colloidal silver. I haphazardly came across an article by Dr. Mercola in which he said that antibiotics are much more effective with colloidal silver (a bonus there is that it also supposedly helps kill candida, which I also have an overgrowth of). And I am taking natural biofilm disruptors, as bacteria can hide underneath a layer of biofilm which makes it difficult for antibiotics to get to them. I'm taking N-A-C, Serrapeptase, Nattokinase and a produce by Klaire Labs called Interfase Plus.

I was already eating paleo (have been for almost 2 years, which unfortunately hasn't improved my symtpoms), but I cut out starchy vegetables, sugar, alcohol and high FODMAP foods even prior to beginning the antibiotics. Then I read something here that someone posted saying that Dr. Pimentel says that you need to eat some carbs and sugar during the course of antibiotics, because the bacteria need to be active in order for the antibiotics to kill them. So I started having some carbs with each meal yesterday. Hopefully that will help.

By now you will have been done w/your course of antibiotics for some time, and hopefully you're following this thread. How did things end up turning out for you?


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## laineyk (Jul 3, 2013)

I have/had SIBO. 1st had a endoscopy with biopsy which showed H-pylori, was treated for that with "Triple therapy" Still was sick as ever, had HBT (hydrogen breath test) came back +, so instead of being given Rifaxin, which is the antibiotic that is not absorbed into the blood stream but goes only to the small intestine.

I was given Biaxin which in my opinion did nothing.

that's when I was told I have IBS and probably fibromyalgia too

had to push my new GI to retest me for SIBO, he said that my pain is from IBS and not SIBO...guess that means I've had IBS all this time and the 1st GI never said any such thing

so I am getting retested this Thursday, and I am actually hoping it comes back positive again so I can prove to this GI that SIBO does indeed cause pain.

I have lost a total of 50lbs and have NEVER been this sick in my entire life...been battling this for over a year now

If I can be any help let me know


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## garza5266 (Jun 15, 2014)

I was just diagnosed with that and h pylori. I know it's been almost a year but I hope i can get some advice.


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## Kristi12 (Nov 2, 2013)

I was diagnosed with SIBO in January. I've also had IBS-C for about 10 years now too. I was prescribed Xifaxin and took it differently than the pharmacy recommended. My doctor told me to take it 3x a week for 2 weeks instead of the 30 day regimen. Anyway, all my IBS symptoms went away for 8 months! They returned this past Monday night and my doctor gave me Xifaxin again. I have to get checked for an infection first because my WBC counts are up too but I never had any issues with the Xifaxin. Maybe it's the combo you're taking? I was only on X.


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