# Vivonex Diary



## Rick (never give up) (Oct 7, 2005)

Hi,I decided to start today my Vivonex diet, for good or bad. So this will be day 1 for me.For the record, I want to write a small background that explains the flow of events which eventually led me to try this.My IBS started in august 2004, a little bit more that 2 years ago now.Before that I struggled about 2 years with a chronic prostatitis which the doctors were never able to explain, and only treat with antibiotics, which by the way, only helped for a while. So I was introduced to chronic conditions before IBS.Somehow, in the mid 2003, my defenses started to go down so I catch a lot of colds, but eventually I got bronchitis and finally pneumonia by the end of 2003 (this is why I later got concerned about Candida)I got off of pneumonia 4 months later not before talking large amounts of antibiotics (in this case I consider them a life saver), but then the prostatitis came back and again, I was given, this time, a 3 week course of antibiotics (Floxstat).It was after this antibiotic course that my IBS symptoms started to evolve, until august 2004 where I finally went to a hospital because of the bloating, pain, etc.Colitis it was called by then, but now I know it is a case of Post Infectious IBS.So I started the long journey. First change was the diet, you know, more fiber, water, less fat, etc, etc. But I got worse and worse over time.So I did all the tests, colonoscopy, gastroscopy, u-sound, etc, even the AIDS test. Fortunately (ironically I would say) all my tests showed no organic problem.The only good thing is that shortly after the diet change, more exercise, etc, my chronic prostatitis slowly vanished, but I was left with IBS.So I read a lot of books, tried the regular therapies (Zelnorm, Levsin, calming pills, etc)Six months went by and I decided to try the SCD diet, but I found that the nuts were just to irritating for me and only did it for one month.My symptoms were in average 7 to 8 in a 1 to 10 scale, being 10 the worst.I went more that an year with a lot of pain and disconfort, but suddenly, on May this year, there were 3 major milestones:1. I discovered the liver flushes. After doing 4 of them my symptoms went down to an average of 6 to 7, and nearly 5 shortly after doing them.2. I read a book about new ideas on IBS diets, which suggested that fiber was not good and that fructose, maltitol, sorbitol, etc, were bad. In short the book introduced me to SIBO and also suggested that controlling it could improve IBS symptoms. After changing my diet to follow those recommendations, my symptom went down to 4-5 on average. Thatâ€™s when I started to feel that I was getting close to something.3. My 3rd milestone is a little controversial, but I have to mention it. I went to a ND and tried homeopathy, but also tried what was new to me at that time which is called Bach Flowers Therapy. Combined, the Bach Flowers Therapy and the homeopathy bring down my symptoms to an average 3, but the best part is not that. Before Bach Flowers, I was most of the time very depressed and very anxious (who wont having a chronic condition and feeling helpless), but after trying them, even though my physical symptoms only went down from 4 to 3, my optimism came back, my depression slowly went away an I felt psychologically 100% better. Again, this may sound controversial, I am an engineer and Iâ€™m more inclined into proven science, but I can swear the Bach Therapy help me cope with the psychological factor of IBS like no other pill or therapy (which I tried) ever did.Finally, I found out about Dr. Pimentel, bought and read his book (3 times already).It was then I started to figure out that perhaps there are 2 parts which need to be addressed by IBS sufferers. The psychological and the physical. Bach Therapy seems to help me a great lot with the psycological part. The reason I think homeopathy and other things I tried didnâ€™t stop my IBS is because there is an underlying physical perpetuating factor that keeps the condition alive.My guess right now is SIBO, cause it seems to cause a vicious cycle, although Iâ€™m still concerned about intestinal motility. And yet still it can be something else.So thatâ€™s it, I went for a breath test and BINGO, SIBO was the result. I finally got scientific evidence that supports (although never proves it 100% for sure) SIBO as a problem.But antibiotics, no thanks. I decided that I had enough (at least for now).So I bought the Vivonex, and here I am.Iâ€™m also planning several support activities while on the diet.1. To ease the detox cause by the dying bacteria and not having solid bowel movements, once a week Iâ€™ll take bentonite clay for one day, and the following morning Iâ€™ll do a salt water flush. I know this will ease the toxic burden in the bowels, but perhaps irritate a little my intestinal lining.2. Although my last post in this section of the Forum ease my fear of getting candidiasis while on the Vivonex, I spoke with my doctor and he said it is ok, even if it is only for mi mindâ€™s sake, to take 200000 UI of Nistatin daily and 200mg of Fluconazole (Diflucan) twice a week.3. After ending the Vivonex diet, Iâ€™ll do a liver flush to wash away all the toxins accumulated in my liver.Hope this helps.For the moment being, I can only tell you that the Vivonex tastes bad, but is not as bad as I though. However, Iâ€™ll start adding to it Stevia, which is a natural sweetener (herb) and safe for this protocol. I just hate the aspartame that comes with the Flavor packets, in fact Iâ€™ve been avoiding aspartame long before I even got IBS.Iâ€™ll keep you posted, wish me luck.


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## Moises (May 20, 2000)

Rick,I wish you the best of luck.I have done the nystatin and the Diflucan. It was of no help to me. If you really believed that candidiasis was your problem, why would you do the Vivonex? You are consuming something like 80% simple carbohydrates. So you are feeding the yeasts their favorite diet.The candidiasis proponents will tell you that your regimen failed because the nystatin and Diflucan couldn't kill the yeasts when you were feeding them. I would test the Vivonex by itself. If it works, good for you. Take some nystatin and Diflucan after the Vivonex course is completed. If the Vivonex doesn't work, try the nystatin and Diflucan after the Vivonex course is completed.As far as the stevia goes, again, I wouldn't fiddle with a tested regimen. If you don't want to consume aspartame, buy glucose at the drug store. PS: you make take everything I say with a grain of salt, or a saltwater flush, if you prefer.I just finished fiddling with the Elemental Diet in a very big way. So I am sympathetic with anyone who wants to customize their Elemental Diet.I tried to implement all the principles of the Elemental Diet as purely as possible but without buying Vivonex. I personally think your best bet is to test the Vivonex as closely as possible to the way it was tested in Pimentel's research.Unlike me, you have had the benefit of a breath test. So far you are the perfect candidate for Pimentel's protocol. Why not follow it to the letter?


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## Rick (never give up) (Oct 7, 2005)

Thanks Moises,Actually, one of the first things I tried one year ago was the Nystatin. I did it for 8 weeks and it really didn't help. Duflucan I tried it once a week for 4 months but rather for a toenail fungus. That one helped a little but not that much I'm afraid.So that's why I turned my attention to SIBO.Finally, I don;t worry that much about using the Stevia in the protocol, I tried it today and it really doesn't make much difference in the flavor, so I guess I won't bother to use it anymore.


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## Rick (never give up) (Oct 7, 2005)

Day 2Well, Vivonex flavor really sucks, and I tried the Stevia but it really didn't make a difference. I won't use it anymore.Only thing I noticed so far is far less bloating, but I feel somehow funny, Perhaps just adjusting.


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## Rick (never give up) (Oct 7, 2005)

Days 3-4These 2 days were not that good, I have to say. I'm getting flu like symptoms, my body and throat ache and I feel tired. I also feel a little paing in my abdomen. I hope this is a die off and passes quicky.


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## Nanobug (Nov 7, 2006)

> quote:I'm getting flu like symptoms


Rick, don't forget that this is the time when many people get the flu!


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## 17908 (Oct 18, 2006)

There's also a small chance that since the Vivonex probably doesn't supply the exact nutrients your body is used to, you may be more prone to catching the flu or a cold.I had some pretty intense stomach problems for about the first week or so when I first took Xifaxan, but it normalized quite nicely eventually.Hang in there. We really need more people speaking up about their experiences with Vivonex. Too many people give up part way through the regimen.


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## Moises (May 20, 2000)

> quote:Originally posted by Rick (never give up)ays 3-4These 2 days were not that good, I have to say. I'm getting flu like symptoms, my body and throat ache and I feel tired. I also feel a little paing in my abdomen. I hope this is a die off and passes quicky.


Ricky,I am sorry to hear that you're having a rough go of it. I've read accounts of others who have had similar difficulties. Only you can determine whether you wish to continue with the Vivonex or not.I wish you the best,moises


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## Rick (never give up) (Oct 7, 2005)

Days 5-6First of all, thanks for all your words and support. I can feel why this kind of forums exist besides research and knowledge.I feel better now, and I can pretty much say that it was not a cold that I had. I never got fever nor bone aches which I usually get while on a flu.







I have to say that 2 years of steady and disciplined changes in diet, exercise and adopting other healthy habits had not cured my IBS, but I experienced the side effects of good health in every other area. Last time I got the flu was 8 months ago and it lasted only for about 4 days, and I didn't even missed work.So I'm pretty sure this was not flu, at least not from my previous experience with them.I missed work yesterday because I felt horrible.







And, it is more than coincidence that these symptoms started along with the Vivonex diet.My guess is a die off. I was high in the breath test so I imagine millions of bacteria dying and leaving more toxic waste that my body was able to get rid of.Anyway, Iâ€™m still on the diet, and I think I didnâ€™t came this far to quit. And of course, the Vivonex is not that cheap, so I better use it all !!!


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## 17908 (Oct 18, 2006)

That's cool that you're stickin with it. Let us know how long it takes to overcome this "sickness".I was pretty successfully treated with just antibiotics, but now I am following them up with Zelnorm to restore motility. Is this your plan as well after the Vivonex? I feel the Zelnorm is really helping with gas/pain/bloating.


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## Rick (never give up) (Oct 7, 2005)

Days 7-8I'm feeling much better now. The cold symptoms are completly over so at least that's an improvement.As for the IBS symptoms, the good thing is my gut feels quiet and calm most of the day, but at night I get some rumbling. Funny thing, yesterday I had a small (tiny) bowel movement. I thought that while on the Vivonex I wouldn't get any.Besides the good things, I feel less energy than usual, ie, I feel a little tired, a little sleepy perhaps.I also have huge cravings for meat, which is very rare since I'm a carb eater and really do well with a couple of small fish or chicken portions per week.My mood is a little down as well. I'm holding but now I'm counting the days to get over with this.I miss the food.


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## Rick (never give up) (Oct 7, 2005)

Days 9-10Yesterday (day 9) was a great day, and today it looks like its going to be the same. I feel no bloating, no pain and just a little rumbling, but overall greater than Iâ€™ve felt in months







.Now I'm seriously thinking about the nature of all this IBS thing.Getting a little philosophical, I wonder:







I'm still putting stuff into my GI couple of times a day, but finally getting no abrupt reactions. So, I pop the question, is it the solid residue that initiates the reaction (irritation) or is it that the solid residue feeds the bacteria which in turn initiate the reaction because of the metabolic effects of their feeding? Perhaps both?My hypothesis right now is: My gut lining is damaged, most likely because of the toxic waste of an infection (bad bacteria). The damage influenced motility, and altered motility results in SIBO, which causes further damage. Hence a vicious cycle (I know this is Elaine Gottschall's idea







).So my GI lining heals itself every single day, since GI cells are always regenerating. The problem is that SIBO is a perpetuating factor, and yet the gut motility is still altered because the GI lining is not healed yet. SIBO damage rate beats the healing rate.So, what's next, will getting rid of SIBO help my gut heal?. That, my friends, I think is the million dollar question. I read that the gut lining takes aprox. 7 days to regenerate in ideal conditions, i.e., healthy light food, healthy lifestyle (and of course no SIBO). For an average individual, the healing time may be even weeks or months due to variability of the factors.So I figure that once I finish the Vivonex, I should try to let the body heal itself for a couple of weeks, maybe couple of months, by eating healthy foods that will not promote SIBO (remember motility is still bad so SIBO may return).But hey, isn't this the reason perhaps why most of us IBSers don't get cured? A healthy diet for a couple of months? I hope you are getting where I'm going.Hope these ideas may lead to some conclusions someday.In the meantime, thanks for reading.Moises, I hope it may comfort you to know that you can feel very good while on the Vivonex after a couple of days. Hope your case will be like my own. I'm reading your log as well







.PS: I still miss food!!!, which in turn supports my theory (it's hard to be hard)


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## Moises (May 20, 2000)

Hey Rick,That is truly wonderful news. I feel like you are my scout, breaking the trail a few days ahead of me.At the risk of getting overly dramatic, you have put your finger on something almost miraculous about Pimentel's claim: a disease that caused a lifetime of suffering might be eradicated in just a few days.He is the one who has dealt with hundreds of patients, not I. But the message is clear: wipe out the infectious microorganism and the disease is gone. So, don't tell yourself that it's going to take weeks and months of additional therapy to get better. It sounds like you are better!The question now is how you should eat and what motility-modifying substances you should take.As far as diet goes, there is Gottschall and there is Pimentel. Personally, I find Gottschall to be more consistent that Pimentel. But consistent doesn't mean right. The ultimate test is what works empirically. Gottschall, in my opinion, gives a nicer narrative about what's happening in the gut, with the mono-, di-, and polysaccharides. I tried her diet and it didn't help me. But maybe it didn't work because it didn't eradicate the SIBO. Maybe it would work well after the SIBO has been eradicated. But what counts is not who gives the clearer explanation of what is going on; what counts is who gives the dietary recommendations that are most likely to keep the symptoms from returning.As far as drugs, I don't read of anyone taking erythromycin. npearce has been writing about Zelnorm. It seems as if getting the dosing is tricky. I tried to get pediatric drops of erythromycin. I found it listed in a current PDR and got a doc to give me a script. But no pharmacy would fill it because none of them had it.Anyway, it sounds like your gut has healed. Good for you. Once you eat the real food that we are both dreaming of, make sure not to overdo the carbs. In the meantime, please keep us posted.


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## Nanobug (Nov 7, 2006)

> quote:My gut lining is damaged


Glutamine could be your friend here. I know it was for me, at 20g/day. It was the only thing that, until recently, stopped or greatly reduced my IBS-D symptoms.Hit Google for additional info but you may (or may not) be surprised that even Vivonex Plus has Glutamine!Here's something from the University of Maryland:http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsSupplements/Glutaminecs.html


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## Rick (never give up) (Oct 7, 2005)

Days 11-12I have to say that the last 2 days were not that good. Yesterday (day 11) started fine by in the afternoon I started to get bowel cramps. After that I had another small bowel movement (very small again, watery). Within the release I felt a burning sensation, like I was expelling pure acid or something.After that I've been in quite pain, like my gut muscles are strained, kind of rigid. I fact pain has always been my major symptom since I got IBS.I still have 2 more days to go. Right now I can only figure it feels like my body its trying to get rid of something. Perhaps it's another detox reaction.I'm still standing.


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## Rick (never give up) (Oct 7, 2005)

I was waiting for tomorrow to write down my last 2 days of the dairy, as I've been doing since this log started.But something happened today that I think is worth mentioning.Today I had a big bowel movement!. Yes, a big one, well formed and with the right size and consistency. Normally I would have been very happy, not that I'm not, but the weird thing is that I've been talking Vivonex, and only Vivonex for the past 13 days!!!.Where did all that residue come from? I expected no bowel movements, and with more reason near the end of the 2 week period.At least this bowel movement didn't burn like the last 2 tiny ones.Go figure


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## Nanobug (Nov 7, 2006)

> quote:Where did all that residue come from?


Bacteria (probably dead)! In general, roughly 50% of the mass in every bowel movement is composed of bacteria. In this case, I guess it was probably close to 100%!


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## Rick (never give up) (Oct 7, 2005)

You know, my first reaction was to think that bacteria from the stool usually come to be after "eating their food in the colon", but definetly your point of view was something I didn't consider.Thanks nanobug, I'm going to bed now with a smile on my face


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

The lining of your intestines is a lot like your skin. It constantly renews itself and sheds the old cells.So even on a complete fast that shed material will still be produced and get passed out of the body. I remember someone in college who did a probably very unsafe weight loss thing in my dorm. She only took a bunch of these pills for 30 days that had all her vitamins,who know what for suppressing hunger, and water. She still had BM's from the shed lining. K.


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## Rick (never give up) (Oct 7, 2005)

Days 13-14







Today is my last day in the Vivonex protocol.So far I can just say that yesterday I had a big bowel movement, and today I got a little D. Overall I think that except for the first 4 days, I felt better last week than this one.This means I still have some symptoms as I'm writing this, mostly a little pain and discomfort.Let's see what happens in the next few days.For the moment, I'm cooking right now a chicken broth that I intend to eat tomorrow to break the Vivonex "fast". I think I better take it easy on my stomach the first couple of days.Thanks to everybody that followed my post and for your words of encouragement.Iâ€™ll start a new post to follow up my progress after the Vivonex.


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## Moises (May 20, 2000)

Rick,You said that you have tested positive for SIBO on a breath test. Are you planning a followup breath test?Are you considering extending Vivonex for another week, since your symptoms have not abated?


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## Rick (never give up) (Oct 7, 2005)

Well, I don't live in the US so getting the Vivonex in the first place was a very difficult task, no to mention the cost. The main issue is that it takes me 6 weeks to get the product, so I guess its just too late.The breath test I did it with a mail in kit that I'm just about to receive for my second one. Fortunately, a local Lab is ablo to process the results. I can't figure why they can't provide the kit as well


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