@hoopsnest17897 , thank you for the well wishes. Yes, it makes me wonder how many people have these types of symptoms and just chalk it up to indigestion, etc… I learned that SIBO is more common as we age and our digestive system slows down. It really does take a gastroenterologist and good testing to pinpoint it. It can be a lengthy process to rule out all possibilities.

There is a very popular alternative to the med, which involves dosing multiple times a day with oregano oil and berberine. That is sometimes more effective; however, those herbs, when taken in the required amounts, can be caustic and very irritating, and they can have systemic effects. The med that is prescribed is unique in that it is activated to act only in the gut. It does not have the systemic effects that other drugs have (such as metronidazole, which is another option).

After the treatment, there is a phase of gut restoration and then slow introduction of higher FODMAP foods. Gut motility is critical. It is tricky because all those healthy foods, such as beans, etc.. are also high FODMAP.