SIBO diet

Oh my gosh, I can relate so much about being scared to eat anything. I've lost a lot of weight unintentionally because not eating is just so much easier than eating a lot of the time. Funny you mention the journal because I was actually keeping one recently, where I recorded everything I ate and how I felt after (and even included bloat pictures). It definitely helped identify some of the foods that are more troublesome for me, but it also showed me that sometimes there's really no rhyme or reason to it and my gut just decides to flare up regardless of what I eat (which I'm guessing is just the result of somewhat random and uncontrollable bacterial overgrowth because of the missing valve). I tend to stick to the same foods every day too. Once in a blue moon I'll get adventurous...but hardly ever since it's scary and usually not worth it! Anyways, thankfully the Xifaxan at least keeps it manageable. Thanks for sharing and for the support 🙂 !

@tiss it was back in 2012. I was trying to manage symptoms for a really long time by myself because I thought it was just food intolerances. I didn't start working with a GI doc or dietitian until last year.

I agree with tiss that the doctors don't seem to really know the best diet when it comes to missing the ileocecal valve (unfortunately), but I've been working with a GI dietitian for about a year and she has been really helpful regarding diet. Even though she doesn't know the perfect diet for people like me, she does attend lots and lots of GI conferences where they go over the latest research on SIBO and other tricky gut issues. Because of that, she's super well informed so I usually trust her to at least tell me what is and isn't backed well by current scientific research. She said that right now the best evidence-based approach for treating SIBO is still the low FODMAP diet, plus antibiotics and meal spacing. That's what I've been doing lately, and it actually seems to be working pretty well so far (thanks to @tiss for the info about going back on Rifaxamin indefinitely, which I think is a big part of why it's working).

At one point, I asked her about the Specific Carbohydrate Diet since I read a lot about it and it sounded really promising to me, but she said it wasn't based on good evidence. I tried it anyways and it didn't work, so I'm guessing she was probably right. I also asked her about the medicine Atrantil since it sounded really promising too, but she said the research wasn't good on that either so I didn't get it. It can be really hard to figure out what's a fraud or not sometimes...I've definitely spent money on some things out of desperation that ended up being totally bogus.

I also asked her who is the best, most trusted person in the field right now in terms of research on all this stuff, and she said it's Dr. Mark Pimentel, out in California. It looks like his lab has been doing a lot of groundbreaking research in these areas: https://www.cedars-sinai.edu/Research/Research-Labs/Pimentel-Lab/ He also has a Twitter page, where I saw some pretty interesting success stories of people with weird/unique gut issues that he was able to help. If the Rifaxamin and low FODMAP diet stop working for me, I may try to see if I can find a way to go see him someday, though I'm not sure how seeing a doctor out of state would work. Unfortunately there don't seem to be many doctors in general who are well-versed in SIBO or missing ileocecal valves at all. I asked my GI doc here if there were any local SIBO specialists or anything he said no 🙁

Anyways, sorry, long post, but just thought I would shared what I've learned so far 🙂 !

Has anyone tried these supplements: from Biotics Research: Dysbiocide & FC-Cidal and/or CandiBactin-BR from Metagenics?

That is pretty shocking that your surgeon or primary didn't refer you to a GI after your surgery. It's a very hard surgery with some not so pleasant issues after. I'm sorry you suffered for so long. I am 62 and learned long ago to advocate for myself in health matters but didn't have the knowledge or bravery when I was young. So I commend you for taking control of things and finding a good doctor who will work with you. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Is probiotics good for sibo and which one is good

I second that motion... Sometimes getting a referral from your local GP helps...

I have been reading about the diet and I'm more confused than ever. There are a few SIBO diets and they contradict each other. How do I know which is the best one? Has anyone else been on this diet?? So far the only part I'm looking forward to is going to my butcher to ask for a bone. *~*

I have been reading about the diet and I'm more confused than ever. There are a few SIBO diets and they contradict each other. How do I know which is the best one? Has anyone else been on this diet?? So far the only part I'm looking forward to is going to my butcher to ask for a bone. *~*