DawnM Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 I am having a horrible bout of IBS, or was. I was eating low carb and ate too much of the alternatives, like flax, oat fiber, etc....I didn't connect the dots as to what was causing such a horrible flare up, until someone told me that might be it (my "duh!" moment!) I have gone off the diet, or that part of it, and it has taken a full 4 days to get back to regular without pain in my gut. But I do know I have digestive issues. The doctor said it is IBS, but that was based on my telling him my issues (2 years ago) and not on any tests. However, the blood work revealed my gut bacteria was very high, higher than it should be. The doctor just said to go on probiotics. I am taking Align and it does help but not enough. I am not sure if just adding enzymes would help, or if I need a new probiotic and a powerful enzyme of some sort. Also, wondering if there is a specific diet that would help. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 There is no test to diagnose IBS. Tests are used to rule out other things, and if nothing is found then GI issues are usually labeled as IBS. IME the low FODMAP diet is very helpful. It really helped me narrow down my triggers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaBearTeacher Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 What blood test did you do exactly to measure your gut bacteria? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share Posted June 15, 2016 (edited) What blood test did you do exactly to measure your gut bacteria? I pulled out my report. I am not sure. It may have been a urine test. But I am looking at this form and have no idea what I am looking for. I did blood and urine. I just know that I had the test, the doctor didn't say anything, then I had the tests forwarded to another doctor who said, "Did they say anything about your gut bacteria? It is really high." Do you know what I should look for on this lab report? Edited June 15, 2016 by DawnM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 There is such thing as a bacterial overgrowth. One of our pediatricians who is very mainstream had that problem. I wish I knew how she treated it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 There is such thing as a bacterial overgrowth. One of our pediatricians who is very mainstream had that problem. I wish I knew how she treated it. Google SIBO: small intestinal bacterial overgrowth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Google SIBO: small intestinal bacterial overgrowth Here's a helpful link. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/212861-overview Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share Posted June 15, 2016 There is no test to diagnose IBS. Tests are used to rule out other things, and if nothing is found then GI issues are usually labeled as IBS. IME the low FODMAP diet is very helpful. It really helped me narrow down my triggers. Oh wow, I have gotten some diet info, but this actually conflicts some of that, but I think this is more doable and possibly makes more sense to me. It says whipped cream is low but doesn't list actual whipping cream???? I am wondering what I could put in my coffee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Oh wow, I have gotten some diet info, but this actually conflicts some of that, but I think this is more doable and possibly makes more sense to me. It says whipped cream is low but doesn't list actual whipping cream???? I am wondering what I could put in my coffee. I use half and half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 There is a school of thought now that says that eating probiotics doesn't help much because the bacteria mostly are killed in the stomach and don't survive into the intestines. That school of thought also holds that the best way to encourage good intestinal bacteria is to provide substrates for them to grow on--vegetables especially. I have no idea whether this is true or not--it's still pretty new, but it might be worth considering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share Posted June 15, 2016 There is a school of thought now that says that eating probiotics doesn't help much because the bacteria mostly are killed in the stomach and don't survive into the intestines. That school of thought also holds that the best way to encourage good intestinal bacteria is to provide substrates for them to grow on--vegetables especially. I have no idea whether this is true or not--it's still pretty new, but it might be worth considering. UGH, and part of my problem is that when I get too much fiber, my gut issues become much more severe. I do find some help with probiotics, and it certainly can't hurt, so I will keep taking them. I really should go back to the doctor and see if I can be retested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Google SIBO: small intestinal bacterial overgrowth My daughter has been dealing with this. Here's the diet section of a website that has been helpful: http://www.siboinfo.com/diet.html In my daughter's case, the low FODMAP diet wasn't enough but her symptoms finally started to improve with the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and GAPS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 One of our pastors had bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine. Dh knows more of exactly how they treated it, but it involved an antibiotic that was specific for the area -- coated to not release until it hit the intestines. It took years for the doctors to figure out this was the problem and this was the treatment that would actually work. He's a totally changed person now that it's taken care of -- so much more relaxed. All the best to you while you try to sort it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshsabes Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 (edited) Hey guys, I've struggled with SIBO as well and had to change my diet for bowel health. I created an awesome resource which might be helpful about all the different diets which can be used for IBS or SIBO: https://sibosurvivor.com/sibo-diet/ I tried to make it the most comprehensive resource out there and also give some advice since I've personally dealt with a severe case of SIBO. Edited November 8, 2017 by joshsabes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 My suggestions . . . I use NOW brand off Amazon . . . Mucho research into these issues, due to my son's probable-IBS-issues for about a year and then my own 3 months of nuclear level antibiotics for Lyme recently . . . (If you search on Amazon with the NOW brand name added, you'll pull these right up. This is just what I take for this purpose. I take a *lot* of supplements as I'm rebuilding my gut and my immune system post-Lyme and post-deadly-level-long-term-antibiotics.) Probiotics: + lactobacillus type mixed probiotic. The one I take is Probiotic10 - 25 Billion (this is the one thing that should live in the fridge except for travel/etc.) + S. Boularrdi "Pre-biotics" -- these feed the probiotics. Take at the same time as the probiotics. + Psyllium Husk + Apple Pectin Enzymes. I get confused about what they do, lol. But, I take them. I think you're supposed to take it with/before meals + Super Enzymes So, anyway, I'd say the top 2 are the first priority, but if money isn't a huge issue, get the pre-biotics, too. Take all 4 together, one each, twice a day. Try the enzymes, too, with meals. Or research them and decide for yourself. A MD friend suggested them for my son, so I'd suggest them for you . . . Not really sure if I need them for my own GI recovery, but I'm not changing anything since it's working, lol. I hope this is helpful to you. It worked perfectly for my son (who'd suffered for a year with terrible diarrhea IBS symptoms), was a near immediate fix, and after a few months, he eventually was able to totally go without them. I've been taking this cocktail for months now, and it has successfully kept me from having an GI issues once I got off the antibiotics themselves. (I was on the supplements the whole time I was on antibiotics, but at the level of drugs I was taking, there was no hope of avoiding the constant diarrhea while I was actually on all those drugs. I was just super happy that my GI tract was able to bounce back so quickly, nearly instantly, once I got off them. I'll stay on these supplements (and other non-GI related ones) for at least a year to support my healing . . . Other ideas of foods to add to your life . . . + home fermented sauerkraut + home fermented kombucha + home made yogurt/kefir 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Agreeing with the suggestions of also adding fermented foods to your intake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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