After a serious downfall in the GI area and worsening health, (all probably due to the antibiotic the dentist had me take - I'll NEVER take clyndamicin again) I saw a GI doc - who wanted me back on gluten (I'd been gluten free for close to a year by then - on my own) to test for celiac. It was fun eating things I hadn't been able to eat prior to that. My test (a full endoscopy and colonoscopy with biopsies) showed no celiac, but the biopsies did find microscopic lymphocytic colitis so I was treated with budesonide for about three weeks, and then another 5 weeks tapering off the steroid. Since I was still experiencing difficulties, I had a breath test for SIBO in January and it came back positive. I'd been eating low or no FODMAPS on my own, again, based on my own research and found that helped me enourmously. The SIBO treatment that was recommended was another antibiotic, but after my last experience, I was reluctant - plus the red tape of getting it approved created almost a 6 week delay - I research non pharmaceutical treatments for SIBO and found the Amy Myers MD program. I've been following that for two weeks now, and I can tell my body is doing what it should - getting rid of the unwanted bacteria in places it doesn't belong. There are some uncomfortable (aches and pains and headaches mostly - no diarrhea which was important to me, since I've already lost a lot of weight ) symptoms from the bacterial "die-off" but over all, I'm hopeful that this treatment is going to work and I can avoid the rounds of antibiotic. The other incentive was that this antibiotic treatment apparently often needs to be repeated every 6 to 9 months, and with the cost factor - I figured I had nothing to lose by trying this other program. Just so you know also, I'd figured out I was significantly nutritionally deprived WAY back, so have been taking some very comprehensive vitamin supplements for about 6 months prior to starting the SIBO program. I'm really starting to feel better, even if my energy level is not totally back, I start some general strength and conditioning PT next month, and my husband says he thinks I'm feeling better - a little better each day. So there is hope at the end of the tunnel - I just wanted to share the rest of the outcome of my going back on the gluten diet so the doctor could test for celiac. Good luck!

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