My SIBO Success Story
Hello!
I just found this sub through r/candida and wanted to share my own success story and information about my treatment so that perhaps it could help someone else!
Bullet point version:
- suspected candida fall 2023
- strict candida diet protocol winter/spring 2024
- April 2024 met with Functional Medicine Doctor regarding symptoms
- Started Low FODMAP diet due to suspected SIBO
- May 2024 took SIBO breath test. Resulted in high hydrogen and elevate methane
- June and August 2024, x2 rounds of Anti-biotics and Biofilm Buster treatments: neomycin, rifimixin, nystatin, biocidin, NAC
- September 2024 Considered "in remission" and could stop treatments; have not had major issues since
Note: I still have "trigger foods": Rice, Runny/Scrambled Eggs
Update 2025: suspected histamine intolerance, ongoing observation
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My situation is a bit unique. In 2018, I began a new job as a flight attendant. Prior to this job, I was a very active person. I went to the gym and did HIIT and strength training 3-5 days per week, and jogged regularly on rest days. I had no obvious or extreme dietary issues besides being allergic to onions.
Between 2018 - 2021 I developed a whole gambit of symptoms, including chronic "tired but wired" fatigue, rapid weight gain, foggy head, random patches of skin rashes, shortness of breath, watery eyes, migraines, a bursar's cyst in my kneecap, fluid sensation in my left ear, and inflammation of my left nasal cavity. To make a longer story short, my flight attendant uniforms were manufactured cheaply, and thusly, riddled with toxic chemicals and heavy metals that would thrust me into this spiral of symptoms and no relief.
After seeing a dozen different doctors and specialists for various potential issues, I was eventually recommended to see a Naturopathic Medicine Doctor. After my first visit and a thorough blood panel, my doctor suspected SIBO might be a primary cause of my issues (rather than candida, as I had informed her that I suspected it might be. I had no idea SIBO was a thing prior to this appointment), as I was also experiencing distention and slow motility.
Somewhat unrelated, but the blood panel also found that my BUN ratio was low, and that my free testosterone levels are severely low (am cis male). I mention this simply to emphasize that the chemicals and heavy metals, some of which are known endocrine disruptors, were likely a factor in developing SIBO. Buy the time I saw my ND, she said there was no way to directly test what exactly the uniforms were doing, but based on the list of chemicals I gave her, she concluded that my body likely had some internal inflammation, which over prolonged exposure, developed into SIBO and my other symptoms. I am emphasizing this to also suggest that there may be environmental factors that could be contributing to your own condition, and recommend you to look at all possible facets as a potential contributor; especially if you have received treatment, but have yet to find relief.
After initial bloodwork, my doctor prescribed me to follow a Low FODMAP diet to get my body into enough of a stasis to prepare for the SIBO breath test; to ensure the test results were as accurate as possible. She also prescribed me to abstain from any and all probiotic foods and supplements (up to this point, I was eating a half cup of yogurt/kefir every morning for breakfast).
I don't remember the exact measurements of my results, but the SIBO breath test came back positive for high hydrogen and elevated methane production. She said based on the results, I likely had SIBO for a few years already (which tracked with my timeline starting my flight attendant job).
For treatment, she had me continue my Low FODMAP diet, as well as cut out refined sugars entirely for the duration of treatment. I want to point out too, that prior to seeing this doctor, I switched from drinking bottled alkaline mineral water to boiled/filtered tap water with lemon juice. I noticed an immediate improvement of mental clarity and less bloating and fatigue the very next day. In addition, she had me take x2 anti-biotics (Neomycin & Rifimixin(Xixifan)), x1 anti-fungal (Nystatin), and x2 supplements (Biocidin as a biofilm buster, & N-Acetyl L-Cysteine for liver and kidney support, as well as to help clear biofilms).
I went through 1 round of medication, and felt major improvements in symptoms. My doctor wanted to be proactive and combat my issues aggressively, so after a 1 month rest period, she had me do a 2nd round of medications. I felt even better after the 2nd round, and my doctor said that I was likely in remission and could slowly re-introduce foods. She also *very specifically* instructed me to continue abstaining from eating probiotic foods for 1 year following treatment; to help my gut repopulate its natural flora.
UPDATE: it's been 2 years since my treatment, and I am still feeling good with little to no symptoms. I say "little" because I still have mild flare ups when I eat too much of my trigger foods; specifically rice, and scrambled or runny eggs (tho oddly enough hard boiled eggs are fine). When I eat these foods, especially together, I experience slow motility and distention, but it does not last after I have passed the foods through my system. I am able to eat small amounts of rice without issue, but not an entire serving (so I don't seem to have issues when eating sushi for example).
UPDATE 2: this past March, I noticed I was crashing shortly after waking (sudden onset of intense fatigue and brain fog). One day, I noticed it happen soon after eating my usual breakfast of plain oatmeal with honey, cinnamon, and banana. I am currently waiting to see a doctor to explore if this is potentially a histamine intolerance or to try and figure out what might be the cause. Regardless, it does not seem to be linked to SIBO.