[lwptoc titleFontWeight=”thin”]

In 2013, about a year after my son was born, I knew something was wrong. I was experiencing unexplained weight loss, a change in stool, and abdominal bloating that had me looking like Bubba J’s twin.

This was concerning. And not just for the obvious reasons. I knew these were all classic symptoms of colon cancer—the same cancer my Mama had.

I went to the doctor. We did a colonoscopy and thankfully it came back clear. They even checked for Celiac Disease which came back negative too (yay because I’m guessing ZERO gluten is not easy for a girl like me).

Of course, I was incredibly relieved and grateful I didn’t have colon cancer, but the mystery continued.

Why was I still losing weight? And why was my poop looser than a promiscuous sixties hippie? After consulting Dr. Google and seeing the symptoms of other types of cancers I decided an Endoscopy might be in order.

My amazing Gastroenterologist appeased me. We did the endoscopy but that came back clear too. We were stumped but then he said the magic words: let’s do a breath test to check for SIBO.

These words were divine because at the time, SIBO was not widely known. In case you don’t already know, SIBO stands for Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth and was often just given the catch-all diagnosis of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).

My SIBO Diagnosis

My doc sent me to a clinic to have the breath test done (I do home tests now but if you ever have to go to a clinic for this 3 hour test, bring a good book) and the test came back POSITIVE. Yes!!

It’s not often I do a happy dance when testing positive but the not-knowing was taking its emotional and physical toll.

I happily skipped to the nearest pharmacy, Rifaximin prescription in hand. The pharmacist took one look and said, “Oh yeah. We’re going to need insurance approval for this”. Turns out Rifaximin is pretty darn pricey.

While I was waiting for the insurance approval, I started researching Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and read about a study that showed herbal antibiotics were just as effective and had a lower recurrence rate. (not to mention cheaper and over-the-counter).

Back then, I was already leaning towards holistic, natural remedies so this felt like the right path for me.

What caused my SIBO?

We all have “good” bacteria in our gut that help us digest food but when it can’t keep up with the “bad” bacteria we can end up with overgrowth in the wrong places (like the small intestine). That’s when we have a problem.

What I love about functional medicine doctors is that they don’t just treat the symptoms. They dig around for the root causes and other things that help our bodies heal.

My ND had me take the IBSchek test. It confirmed that I have antibodies related to incidences of food poisoning—which happens to be one of the leading causes of SIBO. (Ah yes, that trip to Mexico sure did create lasting memories). It also meant my SIBO may be more of a chronic condition.

Given the timing, I’m pretty sure my high-risk pregnancy (another story for another time) had a lot to do with it. My hospital staycation was life-saving but I’m guessing all the IV drugs and surgery wreaked havoc on my gut and microbiome.

Our gut is packed with 70% of our immune system cells so having a healthy gut is super important when it comes to health and cancer prevention.

My SIBO Treatment

So, how have I been treating it? I’ve spent countless hours and $$ on testing and treatment and here’s a quick run-down of what I believe helped me go from a severe (100+ ppm) to moderate/mild (50 ppm) and nearly symptom-free.

One-Time

• Organix Comprehensive Testing + Custom Supplement
• IBSchek (testing positive meant I’m more likely to relapse so prevention is important)
• Abdominal Adhesions Treatment (Once with chiropractor in California. I can’t tell if it helped but it sure didn’t hurt.)

Herbal Antibiotics

• Allimed (2 capsules 3 x / day)
• Neem (2 capsules 3x /day)
• Oregano oil (1 capsule / day)
• For 30 Days
• Retested (home lactulose breath test) and repeated treatment as needed.

Ongoing

While I still haven’t hit the holy grail of getting negative SIBO breath test results (partly because testing is not as readily available here in Puerto Rico), here are just some of the things I regularly use to help prevent the bad bacteria from having a frat party in my gut again.

• Prokinetic (ginger supplement)
• Celery Juice (7 oz in the am on an empty stomach)
• Low FODMAP diet

Of course, we’re all different and SIBO is a tricky condition so if you’re struggling with SIBO it helps to work with a specialist to figure out what’s best for you. Even if you’re flying solo through treatment, know that you’re not alone.

If you have Q’s about my personal SIBO journey or there’s anything you want to share, comment below or reach out anytime.