- For over a year, I had stomach pains and other gastrointestinal problems.
- Attempts to reduce stress levels did not alleviate symptoms.
- I went to a gastroenterologist and was diagnosed with SIBO, an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine.
I have always had a sensitive stomach. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve known that eating a lot of fried foods, pasta, and dairy causes stomach pains that last almost 24 hours. Then, two years ago, everything I ate made me sick and I started feeling bloated.
For over a year I ignored my symptoms until I also started experiencing diarrhea, weight loss, fatigue and anorexia. Did. I meditated, added workouts to my schedule, and tried to get more sleep.
Finally, after having trouble climbing the stairs in my house eight months ago, I decided to see a gastroenterologist who specializes in digestive diseases and disorders.
A gastroenterologist diagnosed SIBO, a bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine
Sitting in the clinic made me realize how tired I was and how bad I felt every day. After a check-up, the doctor sent me home with a kit to collect a stool culture to test for salmonella. breath test at home Measures fermentation gases (hydrogen, methane, hydrogen sulfide) in the gut.
A stool sample was negative for Salmonella. However, a breath test showed a positive result for SIBO, or bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine. imbalance of bacteria In the small intestine, as a result of slow movement in the intestine.
My gastroenterologist doesn’t know how my SIBO developed, but she said stress could have caused a bowel infection.Mayo Clinic is reporting SIBO can also be the result of surgery or disease that affects the small intestine.
First attempt to treat SIBO failed, but I continued
As soon as I was diagnosed with SIBO, I was desperate to get rid of it.I saw a nutritionist who recommended treating SIBO with antibiotics and expensive powders. doctor’s elemental dietThis involved drinking a mixture of powder and water every 45 minutes for two weeks as my sole source of nutrition.
When I got home and started my diet, I struggled to get the mixture off without feeling nauseous. I watched YouTube videos of people on this diet and tried to convince myself to stick with it, but eventually gave up. I knew getting rid of SIBO would be difficult, but I didn’t want to feel worse than I did.
I called my gastroenterologist and he suggested I temporarily treat my SIBO Low FODMAP dietFODMAP (short for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) is an acronym for certain types of carbohydrates that are particularly difficult to digest. Low FODMAP foods I included eggs, meat, almond milk, oats, rice, zucchini, and oranges in my diet, and avoided wheat, lactose, legumes, apples, avocados, and sweeteners like honey and corn syrup.
My symptoms have eased.After four weeks on this strict diet, we reintroduced foods one at a time over three weeks to determine which foods were causing symptoms. study A study published in October associated a low-FODMAP diet with less symptom severity in people with gastrointestinal disorders, including SIBO. This is because dieting reduces carbohydrate intake, which ferments in the gut and encourages bacterial overgrowth.
I have found that eating large amounts of soft cheeses and gluten can cause stomach discomfort, so I refrain from eating them.
Now I know how to keep my symptoms at bay
Five months after completing the low FODMAP diet and reintroducing foods, I felt like a new person. .
But over the past month, I’ve calmed down by attending holiday get-togethers. My SIBO friendly dietI began to feel sick to my stomach and sometimes had to force myself to eat.
It’s frustrating, but I plan to make an appointment with my gastroenterologist and do another breath test. I know it helps.
