After having a set back with SIBO last month due to eating out more and allowing a few foods back into my diet, I felt like I could not go back to start from scratch with the diet again. So I decided to try the harsh drugs… a strong, multi-pronged dose of antibiotics. My SIBO test results tested positive for both hydrogen and methane, so my GI prescribed Xifaxan (3 x a day) for 10 days AND Neomycin (2 x day) for seven days.
I waited until my son was almost one year old and I stopped breastfeeding so that he would not get the Neomycin through my milk. My spirits were high because I thought the drugs would help me immediately feel better. I was very optimistic but I stuck to my “normal” SIBO specific diet for the most part. A few times my stomach hurt after taking the anitbiotics, which I always took with food, but otherwise I felt the same as I had before the drugs. Actually, I felt a bit worse because I was engorged from weaning and sad that we no longer had that long, sweet time together first thing and last thing for his day.
My expectations about seeing my inflated belly bloat diminished to reveal chiseled abs were definitely not met. It felt like the bloated patch high on my stomach (small intestine) had moved south more towards the lower belly where normal water bloat would occur. I have read that antibiotics can increase bloating because the bad bacteria as well as good bacteria are gone, so your gut is still a bit inflamed. More post infectious IBS…
Some propose probiotics to add good flora back in to the gut but I am going to proceed very, very cautiously with that. I think I may try some Kombucha that doesn’t have any sugar or additives to see if it helps the bloat. Once again, I’d rather go the natural, food route versus try probiotic pills and risk getting too many bacteria in the small intestine again.
Now a few days after finishing the course of antibiotics, I do think my brain is less foggy and I am feeling pretty strong, ready to increase my exercise regime that has been scaled way down. I think if I can rid myself of the bloat I will be A LOT happier. I will also adhere to the diet and slowly introduce some complex, gluten free carbs if I am feeling much better. It seems the next step beyond banishing the bloat is preventing SIBO from striking back. Prevention is key, so that I can avoid having a relapse!
Having read this I believed it was extremely enlightening.
I appreciate you taking the time and effort to put this
information together. I once again find myself personally spending way too much time both reading
and commenting. But so what, it was still worth it!