Re: Update on my experience with the Triple Therapy

Spoke with the GI doc. Going to finish off the treatment (including 2 extra days of doxy since I started late) and then see how I feel. After that, if I'm not better we're going to look at SIBO. I came across this on-line and find it very interesting given my symptoms:

Well listen up- here is something for you to look into! Recently married, my husband encouraged me to seek more professional help. I reluctantly tried another GI (5th one) who actually took an interest in my first illness years ago and started detailing me about it. Bottom line is he discovered I had all of the symptoms of SIBO - I am currently being treated by Xifaxan. SIBO is bacteria usually found in the large intestine that has somehow ended up overgrowing in the small intestine. This bacteria releases methane gas as soon as food hits it - the gas is produces and reeks havic. Research has discovered this gas can cause paralysis of the colon (ie-constipation) or in other cases diarrhea (neither of which you have) but also causes your other symptoms. Any other Antibiotic will not work on this bacteria - you may get better for a few weeks, but it will come back. (this happened to me). Of course I am in the middle of treatment right now - so I am not sure if it will work on me - but after all of these years finally having someone label my symptoms something other than IBS or allergies etc is just a huge relief.! And it all makes sense when you read about SIBO. Find yourself a GI who is familiar with this diagnosis, and even if it isn't this in your case, this type of DR will be more likely to look further into newest GI discoveries. You may also look at helmuths as a possibility too.
In the mean time - I have found that keeping yourself cleared out helps with the bloating and gas. (Note: no, it will not eliminate it BUT at least you can go a few days at a time without these issues) Either find a colonic center and invest in completely eliminating old built up matter, or at least drink laxitive tea or something and take a lot of a good quality probiotics- these things have made my condition easier to manage.
If you have SIBO - continue to ask questions like - how did it happen - we need to continue to ask questions, or these things may happen again.!

If it's not SIBO, he said he's refer me to the UCLA tropical medicine center.

Cheers,
Brian Tweet