HI James – yes while it is less common, SIBO can cause constipation as well. Our best suggestion is herbal antimicrobials and diet to get rid of the SIBO – also there is the SIBO summit! You can check it out here: http://smpl.ro/al/8kNgDkZ29Sqs1Mmgzr3oaGHH/10357-SCDLifestyle

HI Sandy – no problem! You can try zucchini instead:)

Wow Katrina – I’m so sorry to hear what you’re going through. It sounds like this could all have a root cause like a gut infection or parasite – especially because it all came on so suddenly. We want to encourage you to see your doctor – you don’t have to take his or her word as law, but they may be able to help you. We also highly suggest you find a functional medicine practitioner who can help you heal and get more foods back in your diet ASAP. You shouldn’t have to feel this way and you need to reach out to someone who can help you one-on-one, even if it is your regular MD as a starting place.

Info on practitioners: http://www.functionalmedicine.org or a Kalish-certifed practitioner here: http://kalishinstitute.com/practitioner-directory/

Hi Julie – you’re right! Today Rifaximin/Xifaxan is one of the more expensive antibiotics (especially as its use has skyrocketed!!)

You quote Xifaxan as being cheap, but this is definitely not the case… check out this website with prices… http://www.goodrx.com/xifaxan?gclid=CjwKEAjwrvq9BRD5gLyrufTqg0YSJACcuF81ncpNmdFIdMpQ3VGQvy6RebZe_VIKPGGE4dvi2E_q8BoCNWLw_wcB

There is an agency that helps pay for this but I forgot name now. I kept appealing with my insurance they finally agreed to cover the Xifaxin.

Ask your GI dr they know the resource for help.

Hi Rob – we’re really glad to hear you’re working with a practitioner and we agree dealing with your adrenals will be an important step in healing your gut. Our Gut-hormone program might be able to help: http://energyhelp.scdlifestyle.com/

many thanks

rob

As said some probitics are not a good idea for several reasons. vsl#3 would be my first line of defense plus a fodmap diet. This means you have to hand prepare ALL your meals. Throw out everything that comes in a box jar or can except olive oil, salt. Best of luck. This is a good start. You sound like you at the end of your road.

I know it’s past the date of your test but your doctor should’ve given you a big list of what not to eat. I just had the test done last month. Basically, the only thing I could eat the day before was white rice, broiled chicken, turkey, and some kind of fish (I don’t like so I can’t remember what it was).

Hello Christina I have all the symptoms you have. Had all kinds of test on my gall bladder. They found nothing I have recently been put on Xifaxan I hope it helps, this pain in my side have been going on for years along with heartburn , headaches, and joint pain

Hi Reine – thanks so much for reaching out to us!

Foods like honey, apple and pear sauce are SCD legal (but shouldn’t be used on the intro diet, which only lasts 2-5 days – they can be introduced later on in Phase 1)

Steve and Jordan warn that too much sugar even in SCD legal foods is one of the four horsemen of SCD and can stall your progress – read more about that here: https://healthygut.com/what-to-do-when-the-scd-diet-isnt-working/

The best place to start is by reading this article to best understand the ins and outs of SIBO: https://healthygut.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-sibo-small-intestinal-bacterial-overgrowth/

From there I recommend this podcast on how to modify SCD for a low-FODMAP plan: https://healthygut.com/dr-siebecker-explains-the-art-and-science-of-the-fodmap-diet-podcast-45/

Both our SCD Lifestyle eBook and our Solving Leaky Gut program can help with SIBO, but the Solving Leaky Gut program also contains a Gut Infection supplement protcol shown to be effective in treating SIBO – a great option aside from antibitoics like Xifaxan. Because we aren’t doctors, we really can’t comment on the effectiveness of doxycycline as a treatment for SIBO.

You might be able to find out more about that over at Dr. Siebecker’s site – siboinfo.com

We highly encourage you to sign up for one of our free webinars on Solving Leaky Gut, as this will help you understand the product and how it can treat SIBO on a whole new level: http://solvingleakygut.com/webinar/live/

I hope this information helps! If you have more questions you can reach out to us at support@scdlifestyle.com

1. In the SCD intro phase I am eating meat, homemade pear and apple sauce and pureed carrots along with coconut oil and creamed coconut and honey. I just read another article by Dr. Gerard Mullen that specifically says to avoid honey, pears and apples with SIBO. Is it better to try another diet until the SIBO is under control?

2. The doctor prescribed Xifaxin and I just found out yesterday that my insurance denied it stating that it isn’t “shown to be a safe an effective in the treatment of SIBO”. It costs $700, and I can’t purchase it on my own so the doctor prescribed Doxycycline instead. Do you have any insights into whether that is as effective as Xifaxin?

Thank you for your insight 🙂

Hi Marisa – thanks for asking!

Both digestive enzymes are good and the best way to know which one is right for you is to try them each out and see how you respond.

The best digestive enzymes are the ones that provide symptom relief for you. We don’t recommend a specific type for SIBO.

Hi Eric, thanks so much for reaching out!

After reading your history, it sounds like you’ve made great progress but may need some more support on your healing journey.

The best place to start is by taking the personalized quiz, which will help you sort through some of your issues and give you direction: http://solvingleakygut.com/myquiz/

We also highly recommend you register for one of our free Solving Leaky Gut Webinars, where the following will be addressed and much more:

-Why your digestion is often the root cause behind problems like brain fog, bad skin, hormone problems, food sensitivities, autoimmunity, and more

-Your top digestive risk factor – what it means and how to fix it

-The 19 triggers that poke holes in your gut wall

-The 3 step process to rebuilding your gut

-Specific anti-inflammatory foods to eat (and not eat) to stop suffering

-2 game-changing supplements that can fix your digestive complaints tomorrow

Link to register: http://solvingleakygut.com/webinar/live/

i developed severe nausea, diarrhea and bad pains in my lower right side a week or so after taking some antibiotics for a uti. i was tested for c diff, had a ct scan, multiple stool samples, endoscopy and colonoscopy. they didnt find anything and told me it was just irritable bowel and would go away on its own?

two months later i knew it wasn’t going away, i tried Seibeker’s herbal antibiotics for a month (3x a day of oregano, allicin and oregon grape) and stayed with a strict SCD diet.

after a month my diarrhea is totally gone (i have two regular bowel movements everyday) however i get night time nausea pretty bad and still have shooting pains in my side occasionally (usually followed by bad gas). is this normal and should it go away with time if I stay on the SCD diet? should i have kept on Seibeker’s herbal antibiotics longer? any advice would be helpful, thanks!

Hi Veri, I’m o sorry you’re still feeling bad even after trying the elemental diet.

Infections can re-occur sometimes. A practitioner can help you make sure you’re other body systems (like your adrenals, detox systems, etc.) are also in good shape so that your body can fight off re-infections once you treat your SIBO.

We have two recommended practitioners, if you’re looking for someone to guide you on your journey to better health. Learn more here: https://healthygut.com/practitioners/

Hi Kayla – for SIBO Steve and Jordan recommend the 3-hour Lactulose-Mannitol breath test (must be ordered by a doctor) as it’s the most reliable test for SIBO.

Our Solving Leaky Gut program has a specific Gut Infection protocol designed to treat SIBO and other gut infections and heal the digestive symptoms of IBS – you can learn more about the program here if you’re interested: http://solvingleakygut.com/webinar/live

In this free webinar, Steve and Jordan will discuss all the testing they recommend (and it’s limitations) and their suggestions for how to treat SIBO.

Hope this helps, Kayla!!

I first realized SIBO might be an issue when I read a very interesting article by an ND in Vancouver, BC (http://yaletownnaturopathic.com/what-is-sibo/) Dr. Dinsmore says that the antibiotics for SIBO can be quite costly but you mentioned that it is cheap. Are there different kinds of antibiotics that work for SIBO?

I was told I have IBS 2 years ago and have had digestive issues for many years prior (about ten now).. I now think that it is SIBO as I have some very typical symptoms – bloating, anxiety, asthma, eczema (very recent) I found your article very interesting. I was wondering what specific Organic Acids are picked up in the urine to tell for SIBO as I have been curious about having one done but wasn’t sure if I needed to test for SIBO separately or not.

Hi Kim , thanks so much for commenting. I’m so sorry you’re struggling so much with CFS. We have seen many people with your same symptoms do incredibly well and improve their overall health by healing leaky gut (and its underlying causes like SIBO). Not everyone (or even most people) with leaky gut have overt digestive issues like diarrhea, gas, or bloating. Many people’s symptoms are things like fatigue, joint pain, rashes, irritability, and autoimmune disorders.

We recommend our Solving Leaky Gut program for those with SIBO – it includes a gut infection supplement protocol to eradicate the infection as well as a Masterclass hour-long interview with Dr. Siebecker. It teaches you how to eat and what to do (and avoid) for life so that the infection doesn’t come back when you stop medicating.

You can learn more by signing up for a free webinar here: http://solvingleakygut.com/webinar/live/

Let me know if you have other questions 🙂

I have severe Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; it was recently moderate-to-severe until I had a flu from which I am unable to recover.

I’m being seen by Dr. Kaufman at the Open Medicine Institute. He believes that Leaky Gut could possibly be the cause of CFS, and treats his patients based on that notion. I took the Lactulose Hydrogen Breath Test (even though it gives false positives and I would have rather had the Glucose test). My baseline was 10 ppm (it should be 20 ppm, correct?) and within 75 minutes I was at 128 ppm. The test was stopped at that time. So, I don’t know if I have SIBO. Even though I’m incredibly ill with CFS, I have no gut symptoms. I suspect my CFS is not related to SIBO, but to other factors (which I won’t go into here for your sake…)

Regardless, I’ve started taking Rifaxamin and Neomycin.

I’m writing to ask you this: Have you ever heard of anyone with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome improve their energy levels? One often cited paper by Mark Pimentel stated that some symptoms of CFS improved with antibiotic treatment of SIBO. However, fatigue scores DID NOT improve. Fatigue is my primary complaint. It is a relentless, crushing exhaustion that has robbed me of my life.

Please let me know what you think. Any anecdotal stories of people with CFS recovering from fatigue after eradication of SIBO? Thanks so much.

Wow–I guess I’d be a believer too if I were excreting biofilm.

Hi Karen, thanks for reaching out to us. After reading your history and questions, it sounds like you need a comprehensive program that will address diet, lifestyle, supplements, and root causes. Our Solving Leaky Gut program addresses root causes like SIBO with a targeted Gut Infection protocol. While we are not doctors and can not give medical advice, we have seen many do well with this program that are in your same shoes.
The best place to start is by taking the personalized quiz, which will help you sort through some of your issues and give you direction: http://solvingleakygut.com/myquiz/

I just got the price quote from my pharmacy and if my pre-auth doesn’t go through, I’m looking at $1500.00. $389 sounds great to me at the moment!

HI Nancy, please view the replay here: http://www.transformationalnutrition.com/enroll-special/?inf_contact_key=02aa8a1e825a1ece55537a0c0c6ece8a3f4b5822b4ecb1c3ef2dbe07cb024644

Hi Matt, your body is certainly going through alot, so we suggest giving it some time to adjust. We also suggest supplements to go along with the diet part, as diet alone is not enough. https://healthygut.com/recommended-products/ If you have a gut infections, you will need to see a practitioner as well: https://healthygut.com/practitioners/

A fortnight in, and all I have experienced is intensified symptoms that I already have. First week was diarrhoea, that subsided, this week it’d been heavy, constant belching.. One after the other with scarcely a break between them, .. Is this the normal path of starting this diet?

Hi Dara, thanks for reaching out! There are many different approaches to attacking SIBO and each practitioner is different. I highly suggest listening in here with Dr. Siebecker, as she is one of the most well recognized pioneers in this area: https://healthygut.com/dr-siebecker-explains-the-art-and-science-of-the-fodmap-diet-podcast-45/ Also, please read this article here: https://healthygut.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-sibo-small-intestinal-bacterial-overgrowth/

I am currently on GI Microb-X and a slew of other things to treat SIBO. I have heard from several different nutritionists that in order to kill SIBO, it has to be feeding, at least a little bit. I have found that the only diet that works for me right now is eating pretty much only meat, oil, and eggs. I have been incorporating some cooked greens but even too much of that makes my symptoms flare. My question for you is: have you heard of intentionally feeding SIBO (with little bits of things such as white rice or sweet potato) while on an herbal antimicrobial or antibiotic to treat it? Do you think there is any validity to this idea?

Thanks for your opinion,

Dara

Hi Michael, thanks for reaching out! We encourage you to focus on healing your leaky gut by focusing on diet, lifestyle, and supplements. If you would like to learn more, you can go here: solvingleakygut.com

Hi Mel, thanks for reaching out! In general, probiotics are advised to be taken away from meals. However, there are many different protocols out there and we encourage you to not only focus on supplements, but diet and lifestyle as well and working with a trusted practitioner is always a good idea.

Hi Ruth, thank you for reaching out! Attacking SIBO requires a multifaceted approach of diet and lifestyle changes, as well as the addition of supplements. We really suggest getting on a program that addresses all of these three things for the best results. If you are in need of help in this area, please see our Solving leaky gut program which addresses SIBO and other gut infections as well: solvingleakygut.com

Hi Christina, thank you for reaching out! It is very hard to say, but we urge you to be in communication with a trusted practitioner if you have any concerns about the stomach pains and it’s possible causes.

My only symptoms are:

Bad pains above belly button along with some “gallbladder” pain. (Gallblader had been ruled out)
Sometimes they are stabbing or just a dull ache. Do not last long but come off and on.
No C or D
Occasional headaches
Occasional joint pains

This all started with really bad heartburn which would not go away with the prilosec I was taking. Took it for 5 years. Now off of the PPIs and cured my self of heartburn.
Then upper adominal pain started.
Also, just stopped taking birth control.

Basically, I am wondering of anyone has had sharp upper pains from SIBO?
I am on a good diet and have lost 40lbs.

Hi Amarie,

Yes it’s a good idea to do so. Just make sure you take them away from taking the antibiotics by an hour or so.

Hi Michele, thank you for reaching out! It is hard to put a time frame on when a person should feel better, as we are all so different. However, you may have something else going on, in which a case an appointment with a functional medicine practitioner would be a great idea: https://healthygut.com/practitioners/

We also have a program designed to kill gut infections, such as SIBO, and it is called Solving Leaky gut. You can find more here: http://www.fixmygutnow.com