Small Intestine Bacteria Overgrowth (SIBO)

Hello all,
I have not been on in many months because my mental health is very bad.
A little back story, I diagnosed myself with slipping rib syndrome and drove 8hrs to have official diagnosis and surgery. It alleviated a lot of my debilitating pain, internal vibrations, back burning etc.
Fast forward and I still have intense abdominal pain and finally after asking for tests I have SIBO. There is so much contradicting information I'm driving myself mad. I started antibiotics yesterday and still have abdominal pain. I know it can take time.
I also continue to get a lump near my belly button and when its palpitated you can feel the abdominal aorta. PT is very confused if its intestine or muscle spasm. My doctors do not listen when I say I have pain there, but something feels off and creates pain. At this point I don't know if its a has bubble or muscle. I've had scans last summer and there is nothing to show, but what is the lump? And why does it hurt?
I posted this in hopes to find someone with successful treatments of SIBO?? I just want to feel better 🙁

Hi @brayimee, welcome back. I am sorry to hear that your mental health is bad. I sincerely hope you are speaking with your medical care team and ensuring that gets resolved.
You will notice that I moved your inquiry to an ongoing discussion about SIBO so that you can connect with people that are having similar issues and perhaps find a member with successful treatment. I see that you are having some pain associated with a lump near your belly button too. Have you requested for the physician to check for a hernia? Is the lump always there or does it come and go?

Hi, welcome, I also had a lump above my bellybutton and when I worked out it popped out!! It was a Hernia and when I had LYNX surgery they fixed it.

Hello Amanda,

Thank you for for moving my inquiry. I'm happy to get any advice I can. This SIBO is debilitating.
I am currently seeing a therapist during treatment.
The lump is typically always there, sometimes large and sometimes small. My PT thinks I may have motility issues from SIBO and surgery. I see the GI again next week and hope the lump is prominent so we can schedule an ultrasound. Nothing ever showed on CT, but.. That spot was in very bad pain last year that sent me to ER. ER doctor said muscle, but I feel that is not the case. I guess I'm just not sure.

Aimee

I would love to know how you are doing. I was just diagnosis with SIBO. Its debilitating. My doctor started me on amoxcicilin as xifaxan is not covered by insurance and I'm nervous to take CIPRO because my grandma used it and her tendons tore in her feet. I feel stuck and sick. I lost 30lbs in 2 months last year. I want my life back. I want to work and be a mom. I believe my underlying cause was slipping rib syndrome because my GI issue started after the injury.
Thank you! So happy you are doing well!

I, too, have battled SIBO. Before I had a breath test to confirm SIBO from a very skilled gastroenterologist, I was treated with a rotation of all kinds of antibiotics that did me no good at all. In fact, I think I got worse. When I'd had enough of the rotation of useless antibiotics, I changed doctors, he ordered a breath test for SIBO which confirmed that I did have it. I took Xifaxan for about a month. It worked. The SIBO was gone. But I have to work to keep it at bay. I also went on a very strict diet to reduce the growth of bacteria in my small intestine. All of this was about 5 years ago, and I remain on the diet to this day. Once you get rid of SIBO, you have to work to prevent its return. My diet: as little sugar as possible--this is so important, no sugar substitutes, no gum, no mints, nothing carbonated at all--includes soda, beer, or fizzy alcoholic drinks--all that does is encourage the bad bacteria growth in the small intestine. I eat reasonably--a healthy diet, LOTS of water every day. I don't cheat on the sugar with desserts. I haven't had cake, pie, cookies, ice cream, etc. since I got the SIBO under control. I do eat fruit in moderation and not frequently. I hope this helps you. Sounds like you have some other medical issues. Don't neglect them either. I wish you the best.

I've wrote about this a few times. Diet is very important!! You will have to find out what you have an intolerance to. Mine was fructose! I had surgery and was still on meds until I read about it. Once I cut it out including fruits and most vegetables I was finally able to get off meds and feel much better. You can look up elimination diets and see if a particular food is causing it. Didn't realize how many of my aliments were related to foods!

Facebook has so many different herbal remedies that can work. I was just diagnosed and put on amoxcicilin and so far after 3 doses, I'm still miserable. I see my GI PA next week and hope he can put me on xifaxan. They said my insurance likely won't cover, but didn't even try. I'm so so miserable and will probably see a naturopath for further help. Everytime I eat and drink my abdomen is lump, ropey, pins and needles, burning, numbing, back back hurts, pressure under ribs, intestinal spasms, my legs feel the same and I think its malobsorption and pressure on nerves. I'm so disappointed that in 2021 this is a hard thing to cure. I'm praying you get answers. Keep searching.
Aimee

Antibiotics kill the good and bad bacteria and from what I've read taking antibiotics is what causes SIBO in the first place!! I am not a doctor but I've had stomach problems since the 90's so read everything I can about it. Like Braylmee above said you have to be very strict with your diet. It's often easier to take meds and that's usually all doctors know how to do but once you figure out your diet and feel better it will be worth it! Also lowered my A1C got rid of leg cramps UTI's and more. If your eating foods your body can't tolerate it's like poison!

Dr Gundry has an excellent book, Plant Paradox and also Fast Track Digestion, there is one for heartburn and one for IBS but works for SIBO also.