# SIBO test after 15 years of struggle



## Maryinaustin (Oct 29, 2011)

I have had a couple of weeks without stomach pain, gas, bloating or constipation and I just wanted to add my two cents worth in case it might help someone else.I have been living with IBS C for over 15 years. After the horrendous past year, I decided to take matters into my own hands.I had been following the standard low fat, soluble fiber diet with fiber supplements with no luck at all. I went through hypnosis. And I exercized regularly.I finally started doing some reading and I decided I would ask my doctor for a SIBO test.He has treated me for 5 years and never suggested the test.Of course, I tested positive. He put me on Xifaxin and I improved immediately. After about 5 days with with the antibiotic and the high carb soluble fiber diet I had been on forever, I started having problems again. At this point, I had been doing a lot of reading and found out about the FODMAP diet. If I had ever taken the time to think about the diet I had been on, I would have realized that it was high carbs and high carbs feed bacteria. Bacteria causes gas and there I was.My doctor did suggest I see a nutritionist and she turned out to be very knowledgable about IBS and FODMAP. There are other more restrictive diets but she said she thought FODMAP would be enough to help. I had already given up my diet that wasn't working by the time I saw her and she confirmed what I was doing. She steered me in a direction that I probably wouldn't have discovered on my own as I was going down the road of a much more restrictive low carb diet. Wheat is probably the biggest no,no with FODMAP. I am not gluten intolerant.All that to say that I have had almost no symptoms for two weeks. I have become regular, as well. I know I could be very happy on this diet - but I have read that one may tend to heal and be able to eat a more varied diet after some time. I had a small glass of wine on Friday and I had a small cup of coffee on Saturday morning and I was ecstatic.So for what it's worth - you might consider giving it a try! Good luck!


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## Moises (May 20, 2000)

Maryinaustin said:


> I have had a couple of weeks without stomach pain, gas, bloating or constipation and I just wanted to add my two cents worth in case it might help someone else.I have been living with IBS C for over 15 years. After the horrendous past year, I decided to take matters into my own hands.I had been following the standard low fat, soluble fiber diet with fiber supplements with no luck at all. I went through hypnosis. And I exercized regularly.I finally started doing some reading and I decided I would ask my doctor for a SIBO test.He has treated me for 5 years and never suggested the test.Of course, I tested positive. He put me on Xifaxin and I improved immediately. After about 5 days with with the antibiotic and the high carb soluble fiber diet I had been on forever, I started having problems again. At this point, I had been doing a lot of reading and found out about the FODMAP diet. If I had ever taken the time to think about the diet I had been on, I would have realized that it was high carbs and high carbs feed bacteria. Bacteria causes gas and there I was.My doctor did suggest I see a nutritionist and she turned out to be very knowledgable about IBS and FODMAP. There are other more restrictive diets but she said she thought FODMAP would be enough to help. I had already given up my diet that wasn't working by the time I saw her and she confirmed what I was doing. She steered me in a direction that I probably wouldn't have discovered on my own as I was going down the road of a much more restrictive low carb diet. Wheat is probably the biggest no,no with FODMAP. I am not gluten intolerant.All that to say that I have had almost no symptoms for two weeks. I have become regular, as well. I know I could be very happy on this diet - but I have read that one may tend to heal and be able to eat a more varied diet after some time. I had a small glass of wine on Friday and I had a small cup of coffee on Saturday morning and I was ecstatic.So for what it's worth - you might consider giving it a try! Good luck!


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## Moises (May 20, 2000)

Congratulations on finding something that worked. Consider yourself lucky to have found some open-minded health professionals.


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## Kylepa (Mar 5, 2011)

See Baking Soda. Kylepa


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## kittybeth (Sep 6, 2012)

Mary, I live in Austin as well and am wondering who the nutritionist is you saw. I would like to find one who can help me figure out what to eat.Are you still doing well with your symptoms?I'm not yet diagnosed but a dozen different tests coming back normal/negative, my doctor said he will most likely call it IBS. I only just started having symptoms this summer. I asked my doctor about SIBO because my primary symptom is burping all the time and upper abdominal pain that becomes chest pain when it gets really bad, which is daily. I've also begun to develop constipation. I had been doing some online research and discovered the SIBO possibility. My doctor doesn't think the tests for it are very accurate so he skips that step and jumps straight to treatment with antibiotics. He said if they help, then it's SIBO. But we're running into a problem with insurance. They don't want to pay for the antibiotic the doctor considers to be the best one to use.In the meantime, I want to go after this issue with diet. I've read so many different suggestions online, that I'm pretty confused about which one to try. I'm feeling pretty desperate to find something to help my symptoms. They're having a very bad impact on my ability to work and live my life! - KittyBeth (in Austin)


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