[frantic1980]

I have finally cured my SIBO, after relapsing 5 times in the past. This is basically a dump of all my info and research (with citations), and details of how I finally beat it. Hopefully this is my last post, I've been on and off the board for 3 years and it has helped me a lot. But rather than disappearing I wanted to share what I have learned. The method I used uses antibiotics to intitially get rid of the SIBO. Ginger and Grapefruit seed extract to keep your SIBO at bay whilst Glutamine repairs your gut until it can defend itself again. I believe probiotics were the biggest cause of my relapses and I will explain why.The facts you need to know to help you cure SIBOImmune System60% of your body's immune system is in the intestines. Antibodies that fight infection live in the fragile lining of your intestines. This lining becomes damaged by the bad bacteria that triggered your SIBO, and therefore the intestine's ability to protect itself is diminished.http://ajpgi.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/291/1/G82http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastrointesti...Immune_functionProbioticsTelevision, Marketing & advertising for yoghurts, actimel, yakult....etc.etc. Lead us to believe that 'Friendly bacteria', 'probiotics', 'yoghurt', 'probiotic drinks', 'probiotic supplements' are essential for digestion. The truth is that bacteria actually play a minor role in the digestive process. The first 24 feet of the intestines (the small intestine)contains no bacteria (or only a very small amount - less than 1000 bacteria per ml of fluid; digestion in the first 24 feet uses bile, acid and enzymes. Anything more than 1000 bacteria per ml in the small intestine is classed as SIBO). The final 6 feet of the colon is where all your digestive bacteria live (1 Billion per ml of fluid), the bacteria here basically feed on the small amount that is left over after the small intestines.http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/anatomy/digestive/What causes SIBOE-Coli, Samonelia and other bad bacteria are biologically similar to any other type of bacteria but have a nasty side-effect: They produce toxins when they feed. These toxins damage the sensitive lining of the gut, inflaming it and wearing it down to the extent that your small intestine's ability to cleanse and protect itself is reduced. With this protection diminished. Bacteria: (good or bad) is able to overgrow in your small intestines.If there was one piece of advice that I can give you to prevent your SIBO from relapsing it is this: THROW AWAY YOUR PROBIOTICS. If your problem has the words "Small intestine" in it - then bacteria are not part of the equation because bacteria are not part of the digestive process in the small intestine. If your problem has the words "Bacterial Overgrowth" in it, then you have too much bacteria - adding more bacteria won't help you!! With your intestine's ability to cleanse and protect itself diminished, good bacteria can overgrow just as much as bad.To quote "A new IBS Solution" by Dr. Mark PimentelPage 93: Chapter 7: "Another problem with probiotic supplementation is that the cleansing waves in the small intestines of IBS patients are inadequate. It's possible that a person with diminished cleansing wave capacity who takes probiotic supplements could find his or her situation worse, as the probiotics accumulate in the small intestine where they don't belong"I blame probiotics as the biggest culprit in my 5 relapses. My poor understanding of how the human digestive process works, and blindly absorbing in the yoghurt companys' "friendly bacteria" marketing cr&p led me to believe that bacteria and probiotics would help me when in fact they were re-triggering my SIBO."But probiotics alleviate my IBS symptoms!"A lot of people get relief from Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth by taking loads and loads of probitics. Flooding the small intestine with good bacteria temporarily 'overruns' the bad bacteria. The good bacteria don't produce the toxins so things improve. But bacteria aren't supposed to digest food in the small intestine - so although things are somewhat improved (no toxins) you still get the bloating (bacteria produce gas) and you still get hungry all the time (the bacteria are eating your food, not you). This isn't how the small intestine is supposed to work!! Yes it gives relief but its not solving the problem.To quote "A new IBS Solution" by Dr. Mark PimentelPage 93: Chapter 7: "While a reduction in IBS Symtoms is certainly a good outcome, it is not the same as elimination if the IBS itself. According to current scientific study probiotics have not been found to eliminate IBS"Once again, to stress this point. THROW AWAY YOU PROBIOTICS.

• SMALL INTESTINE BACTERIAL OVERGROWTH - THINK ABOUT IT....
• If your problem has the words "Small intestine" in it then bacteria can't help you because digestion in the small intestine doesn't work with bacteria.
• If your problem has the words "bacterial overgrowth" in it bacteria can't help because you've got TOO MUCH bacteria - adding more to an already overgrowing population won't help!!!

Any notion of "replacing the bad bacteria with good bacteria" as some people are suggesting on these forums is cr&p. You are trying to eradicate all bacteria from your small intestine. To quote Pimentel again (Page 91) "When it comes to the gastrointestinal tract, the concept of "good" bacteria is a misnomer...very few of the 400 strains of bacteria are in fact "bad" or "good" rather they simply represent the various strains of bacteria that are normally found in the colon (or large intestines). It is when these strains of bacteria leave the areas of the gastro-intestinal tract in which they properly belong the problems occur."ANY bacteria in the small intestine is bad - THROW AWAY YOUR PROBIOTICS!!!Here are the items you need to buy help you beat SIBO:Rifaximin/NeomycinThese antibiotics act only in the small intestines and are not absorbed into the blood stream. There is plenty of info in the forums about these antibiotics. I would suggest at 400 - 600mg Rifaximin 3 times per day. It might help to have a systemic antibiotic as well e.g. Ciproflaxin. If you can, get a few extra rifaximin and take 400mg once every couple of days for another 10 days after that as a maintenance dose just to keep your SIBO from coming back.Glutamine - to repair the lining of your gut and allow it to defend itself again(get it on ebay - search for "glutamine powder" - you'll need about 1kg)http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksi...-All-CategoriesGlutamine is one of the 20 amino acids encoded by the human genetic code - these are the building blocks of proteins from which your body is constructed and are essential for repair.quote"Glutamine is the preferred 'fuel' for the cells lining the mucosa of the small intestine (enterocytes). These cells have the ability to take up glutamine directly rather than waiting for it to be supplied through the blood. Glutamine is also required for the production of both intestinal mucus and Secretary Immunoglobulin Type A (SIgA) antibodies. As a result of these functions, a generous supply of glutamine will help repair and maintain a healthy small intestinal lining. These functions, as well as glutamine's ability to prevent translocation of bacteria from the gut to the bloodstream, have been established in a substantial number of clinical studies both in animals and in human patients with diseases involving impaired intestinal permeability" Citation: http://www.ei-resource.org/treatment-optio...rome-treatment/Grapefruit Seed Extract and Fresh Ginger - to keep the SIBO away while your gut is being repaired by GlutamineGet grapefruit seed extract drops on ebay -not capsules. http://shop.ebay.com/items/?_nkw=grapefrui...r&_osacat=0These are natural anti-microbial supplements, so like antibiotics they kill bacteria. Take these during your course of antibiotics and for at least 1 month after. These will keep the bacteria from overgrowing while the glutamine is repairing your gut so that it can defend itself again.I use the ready grated ginger in vinegar that you get in a jar for cooking with (in the condiments aisle). It tastes really sharp at first but I actually learned to enjoy it. You could buy root ginger and grate it yourself if you don't mind. Fresh garlic does the same if you can stomach it (I can't!), but I don't think 'odourless' garlic tablets do anything.Putting the whole thing together.Antibiotics for 10 daysTake the antibiotics with food as the antibiotics only work when the bacteria are feeding/reproducing (Pimentel page 76).Each morning eat 1 large dessert spoonful of Glutamine in a bowl of porridge oats with lactose free milk. Glutamine is highly soluble so drinking in water alone will mean that it gets absorbed early in the digestive tract. The oats transport it through the whole length of your small intestines. Drink grapefruit seed extract in water (approx 15 drops in half a pint of water - I usually put a few extra drops more than on the instructions.... enough to taste the sharp taste of grapefruit) 3 times per day and also with your lunch and dinner (drinking it with food helps attack the bacteria when they are feeding and also helps transport the liquid through your intestines rather letting it absorb early). Eat some fresh grated ginger before and after each meal including breakfast - about as much as you can pinch between your thumb and finger (this has a very very strong effect on SIBO. I take ginger root supplements as well for good measure - but I don't think they're as good as fresh ginger.Take some more glutamine in the evening 2 heaped teaspoons in a non-probiotic dessert - I used non-probiotic Alpro soya desserts (beware of probiotic Alpro - with added bacteria). Remember bacteria /probiotics are bad - I tried the glutamine in normal bio-yoghurt but my symptoms got worse again.Continue the glutamine/ginger/grapefruit seed extract for 1 month after stopping the antibiotics. This will keep the SIBO at bay while the glutamine works to repair your gut, and allows your digestion to defend itself. Avoid sweetners and sugars as much as possible, during this month.Right now I am off the ginger and grapefruit seed extract and my bowl movements have been solid and daily for 3 weeks. I'm going to keep taking the glutamine in my oats until my supply runs out, but I'm pretty sure I'm cured now.I am personally staying off the probiotics forever (I don't think taking bacteria in that form and numbering in their billions is either healthy or necessary). I am also going to stay off the yoghurt for at least 6 months. If you take anything away from reading this its that the small intestine doesn't work with bacteria and a bacterial overgrowth can't be fixed with more bacteria! I can't stress this enough! Throw away your probiotics!That's it. Hope this helps somebody.Good luckKevin.Added 20/6/09Here are details of my 5 failed attempts at beating SIBO:1. Rifaximin 400mg 3 times per day for 7 days probiotics immediately afterInitial good results, got solid regular bowel movements by about day 3. IBS-D symptoms came back 2 days after stopping.2. Rifaximin 400mg 3 times per day for 10 days probiotics immeidately afterInitial good results, got solid regular bowel movements by about day 3. IBS-D symptoms came back 2 days after stopping.4. Rifaximin 600mg 3 times per day for 14 days + LOTS of probiotics, Yackhult, natural yoghurtNo change - the rifaximin was totally ineffective5. Rifaximin 400mg + Neymycin 1000mg Co-amoxiclav (Augmentin) 500/125mg 3 times per day- probiotics immediately afterGood results whilst on the medication, symptoms returned almost immediately6. Ciproflaxin 500mg, Rifaximin 600mg, Neomycin 1000mg, all 3 times per day for 12 days Plus grapefruit seed extract, fresh ginger, glutamine.Very watery diareeha started about 3 days into the treatment. I persisted because allthough it was very watery, it was perfectly digested (no traces of food). I also felt a lot better, and had a lot more energy and could sleep better, so I stuck with it. The watery diareeha continued for over a week after the end of treatment. I continued to take the grapefruit seed extract, ginger and glutamine. I assumed that I had "antibiotic associated diareeha" due to the amount of antibiotics I had taken, so I took 500mg of Flagyl (Metronizodole) 3 times a day. The diareeha stopped after 2 days, continued with Flagyl for 7 days. Had perfect, regular digestion since. Did not take any probiotics.

 

[IanRamsay]

HiI am afraid i TOTALLY disagree, I have been working with bacteria for more than 12 years in a professional capacity and know from first hand experiance that reintroduction of targeted bacteria in to the GI tract as a whole is vital for the efficient treatment and recovery in the long term for SIBO of all kinds. telling people not to take probiotics and other suppliments is extremely narrow minded and may prevent people from finding some relief.Ian

 

[frantic1980]

Ian I know you're a big advocate of probiotics for SIBO - you've been recommending them to everyone! As I mentioned in the post, yes probiotics do provide "relief" for IBS/SIBO. I experienced this first hand myself; for 2 years I took high-count multi-strain probiotics. Yes it provides relief (this I acknowledge), but it prevents a complete cure.I've provided citations from Dr. Pimentel's book and various web sites to support what I have said. Pimentel is probably the leading GI Doctor in the world when it comes to IBS and SIBO and he recommends NOT taking probiotics. I would suggest reading his book and confirming this - also do some research into the human digestive system and you will confirm that a healthy small intestine does not contain bacteria! I was also brainwashed by the "friendly bacteria" marketing cr&p to make you buy more yoghurt and probiotics and believed that bacteria were the main component of human digestion - they are not.*SMALL*INTESTINE*BACTERIAL*OVERGROWTH - think about it... it makes perfect sense. Small Intestine (should have no bacteria) Bacterial Overgrowth (Too much bacteria: don't add more!). Its so logical. Yet it goes against everything that the yoghurt companies make us believe.If you want "relief" but to never get rid of your IBS, keep taking your probiotics. If you want to be cured completely, get Pimmentel's book - confirm the quotations above about not taking Probiotics. Reseach the human digestive system and confirm that bacteria are not part of digestion in the small intestine. And then go throw away your probiotics.I'm sorry but I don't think i'm being narrow minded. I tried the probiotic/bacteria thing for 2 years. After 2 years I still had IBS so I considered other approaches, looked at other possibilities, read the work of the worlds leading IBS/GI doctor and adjusted my approach accordingly.

 

[frantic1980]

This probiotic research you've done, Ian.... I can't find any of your publications on google. Maybe you could tell us why exactly why "reintroduction of targeted bacteria in to the GI tract as a whole is vital for the efficient treatment and recovery in the long term for SIBO of all kinds". And back your claim with supporting evidence like I did?I spent over 4 hours writing this post and providing supporting links and quotations before I leave the site to try and help people get over SIBO/IBS like I have.... and I am actually very upset that the first reponse I got is completely knocking down my efforts to try and help people whilst providing no factual evidence to support your theory!

 

[Kathleen M.]

I've seen the theory that all bacteria must always be bad for SIBO, but haven't seem much data that probiotics can only make SIBO worse and must be avoided at all costs.That being said, different things work for different people and if this works for you, thank you for sharing. I see there is a paper with some data in humans that says probiotics may work. When this first came up on the board most of what I could find about probiotics actually helping to lower the bacteria in the small intestine were in animals like Pigs where they used probiotics to reduce the small intestinal bacteria that can slow weight gain.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1876328...Pubmed_RVDocSum is the link for a recent paper in people.

 

[IanRamsay]

Im not talking about taking a yogurt or two every day, im talking about targeted strain specific gram positive bacteria in controlled doses based on a count of bacterial colonisation in teh Stomach, Intestines and bowel. its a bit different to a pot of activia on a whim.no offence, there are so many different strains of probiotic, you may not have found teh right one. over the course of 12 years i tried so many that i lost count at one point. i have used my self as a test subject, and, on occasion, suffered as a consequence. I despise blowing my own trumpet so i never claim that any research i have done can change the world, and untill i am sure that my research is 110% accurate, i wont publish it. I am developing a test for SIBO and IBS/IBD that will identify the specific bacteria that is in too much abundance an dthe bacteria that is in too little abundance that can be done at home in a few minutes. sadly it is about 4 years away. but it will be free and available to anyone who wants it. I dont promise a cure, sadly a cure may never happen. But i have been free of symptoms of GERD, GASTRITIS, IBS for almost a year now by exact bacterial (probiotic) therapy. (Given, the dosage has at times been scary and the help i have had from friends who are biologists, doctors and scientists has been invaluable) not to mention the use of a lab to culture my bacterial strains. If you take a antibiotic for sibo, you need to start off teh repopulation process with gram positive bacteria in numbers. I know some natural substances do have results where bacteria elimination is concerned, especially olive leaf and GSE, but there is very little research done in to these substances and teh effect that they have on Both Negative and Positive bacteria. the only way to suppliment the bacterial balance in teh GI tract is by adding to it. Its not just teh intestines that benifit form them, teh stomach, bowel, lungs etc all benifit from positive bacteria in teh correct amounts.i have read the good drs book. several times. i assume you have read other books on the subject?denying your intestines probiotics in any form is insanity. IanP.S. Im glad that you have found something that works for you and i hope that it continues to work, but telling people not to take probiotics is unnessesary. especially as some people who read these posts are desperate and confused and will try anything. (No offence to any one who is desperate, confused and willing to try anything.)

 

[frantic1980]

That's an interesting paper Kathleen, I have tried Yackult and like most probiotics it did alleviate my symptoms but never actually improved things beyond a certain point. Thanks for replying its good to know that the effort I put in to share my experiences is appreciated. I have learned a lot from this board and I didn't want to leave without passing on what I have learned.

denying your intestines probiotics in any form is insanity.

Humans and animals have survived for 100 Million years without probiotics. Once again I urge you to forget the 'brainwashing' of the yackult marketing-man that a daily supply of bacteria is vital for a healthy digestion and do your own reading into the role of bacteria in the digestion of a healthy non-IBS person. I would also encourage you to back up your assertions with factual evidence like both Kathleen and myself have. Subjective and emotive comments like "denying your intestines probiotics in any form is insanity" does nothing for your credibility.At the end of the day we are only trying to help each other get over a debilitating disease that our doctors can't do much to help with. I have learned a lot on here and I wanted to give something back.

 

[Kathleen M.]

I don't think we survived millions of years without a single probiotic bacteria ever living inside any of us. They are part of the normal flora that likes to live in you. Even if you don't specifically try to take them you probably get some every once in awhile just because they are in the environment. A lot of them also commonly ferment food items and before refrigeration I suspect a lot of the food supply even if you collected it fresh every day and never tried to store anything was going to end up with some partially fermented foods.People often don't get enough on their own to effect things like gas volume, so for some people bumping up the concentration of probitoics will change their symptoms over whatever the usual background amount of probiotic species they normally wander around with.

 

[frantic1980]

If you take a antibiotic for sibo, you need to start off teh repopulation process with gram positive bacteria in numbers.

Re-population process??? The bacteria population is the problem. There should be NO Bacteria in the small intestine. I strongly encourage you to go do some research into how the small intestine works. In a healthy person it should have no population of bacteria. You're talking about wiping out your SIBO then reintroducing it. Bacteria should pass through your Small intestine on the way to the colon, but you seem to be under the impression that they take up residence in the small intestine; yet they do not. That's not how the small intestine works in a healthy person - it does not contain bacteria!

 

[frantic1980]

I don't think we survived millions of years without a single probiotic bacteria ever living inside any of us.

Quite right Kathleen, what I meant to say was "....survived without probiotic supplements"

 

[IanRamsay]

Humans and animals have survived for 100 Million years without probiotics?do you know where probiotics come from? there in teh earth, on rotting fruit and veg, basically they are everywhere. you cant avoid them if you tried. the only time you are free of abdominal bacteria is when you are born, and even then it is only brief. these are some of the 1000`s of papers that i have used in my research over more than a decade. as you askedO'Mahony L, McCarthy J, Kelly P, Hurley G, Luo F, Chen K, O'Sullivan GC, Kiely B, Collins JK, Shanahan F, Quigley EM. Lactobacillus and bifidobacterium in irritable bowel syndrome: symptom responses and relationship to cytokine profiles. Gastroenterology. 2005 Mar;128(3):783-5. Nat Clin Pract Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2005 Jul;2(7):304-5.Caitlin O'Mahony, Paul Scully, David O'Mahony, Sharon Murphy, Frances O'Brien, Anne Lyons, Graham Sherlock, John MacSharry, Barry Kiely, Fergus Shanahan, and Liam O'Mahony. Commensal-Induced Regulatory T Cells Mediate Protection against Pathogen-Stimulated NF-?B Activation. PLoS Pathog. 2008 August; 4(8): e1000112. Published online 2008 August 1. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1000112.Huffnagle, Gary. The Probiotics Revolution. Bantam Books 2007.

 

[IanRamsay]

Oh, and FYI, bacteria of all kinds DO take up the entire Digestive tract, from the mouth to the rectum. and i know, in minute detail, how the small intestine works. Ian

 

[freakzilla154l]

Hey all, I'm on day 11 of Xifaxin. For the next 10 days, im taking 2-200mg tablets 3 times a day. The last 10 days were 2-200mg tablets 2 times a day. Anyways, I haven't had any relief at all. I actually think I'm constipated... It's always one way or the other? Never understood it.I'm eating tons of greens and getting my fiber in. Is there any fiber supplements anyone would recommend? I think more is better...frantic1980, I'm also taking glutamine and using the GSE. I will start adding it to oatmeal to see if there is a difference. I also occasionally taking pepperment capsules, but not regularly like I should. After already being on the xifaxin for 11 days now, I was expecting to feel better, but that's not the case at all. My Bowel Movements are actually worse! There's more blood, but not too much and some mucous. The worse is the gas in my colon... Why???? There's only gas there, not in my stomach!I have been using canasa suppositories, but no other meds.... I stopped my Lialda, b/c it was doing zero!I can't believe to this day that I fell victim to this illness, b/c that's what it is. And no one understands til they encounter it. I can't believe it!My three main complaints:1. Fatigue2. Weight Loss - Malabsorption3. Skin Rash (Scalp/Face)Thanks for the postings everyone (frantic1980, Ian)

 

[frantic1980]

hey Freakzilla!The oats are basically to transport the Glutamine through the intestine. Alpro (non-probiotic) also works. Glutamine is very soluble in water and if you don't use something to transport it it gets absorbed early in the digestive tract.Are you saying you've gone from having diareha to taking xifaxan and are now constipated or are now more constipated that you were pervously? My problem was always IBS-D. Dr Pimentel talks a lot about the need to re-start the cleansing waves after treatment with Rifaximin. Its important that things are keep moving down there as poor motility could easily bring your SIBO back - this is why I (and also Dr Pimmentel) believe that probiotics are bad when you have SIBO, with poor motility the probiotics will just pool in your small intestine again.I am not sure what the solution is in your case to be honest, but its important that you keep things moving after your rifaximin. If you can get some low-dose Erythromycin, Zelnorm or some other drug that increases cleansing wave & bowel emptying activity and keeps your bowls moving then your chances of your SIBO recurring will be much lower. Dr Pimentel also says eat low-residue food. I don't think you should be eating all those greens & fiber... surely fiber is bad for constipation, isn't it?I sometimes feel a little constipated now. Takes a good 20 mins to take a dump sometimes but after 8 years of diarrhea its a very very welcome 20 mins.Have you been tested for Celiac or Crohns? The rash sounds like you might have an allergy to something, and the blood/malabsorption sounds like gastroenteritis or something. My workmate had a rash he was going to the doctors about for years and it tuned out he was allergic to eggs!!I really hope you have good results with the Rifaximin.

 

[freakzilla154l]

hey frantic, It's always been back and forth with me, even before the xifaxin. It's still the same... Sometimes it's IBS-D or IBS-C. Always alittle blood and mocous.Do you know why I have so much gas in my rectum, or lower colon?I had a blood test about 3 yrs ago that said I did not have celiac, but is that really accurate? And a year ago I had to swallow the pill with the camera to check for crohns and that was fine. I'll look up gastroenteritis.... I know when I take HCL tablets, I'm less gases but it only lasts a few days!I hate this!!!

 

[frantic1980]

OK... makes sense.When my digestion was really bad that I had really bad gas too. I think this is because carbohydrates are making their way to your colon (and your body's bacteria) where the carbs get fermented producing gas. In the small intestines, the carbs are supposed to be broken down into glucose (before being absorbed into the bloodstream) by acid and enzymes. This process should not involve bacteria and therefore should not produce gas. http://www.annecollins.com/digestive-syste...e-digestion.htm you will notice that bacteria aren't mentioned anywhere there. or here: http://www.google.com/search?q=carbohydrat...tines+digestion As far as I understand, gas happens in the lower part of the digestive tract when carbs aren't fully digested by the small intestine and make their into your colon where the bacteria eat (ferment) them and produce gas. Bacteria produce gasses when they digest - which is why we don't have any in our small intestine.Bacteria can't survive in acid which is why the small intesine is sterile - its very acidic. Bacteria themselves produce an alkaline (opposite of acidic) environment which makes a perfect environement for even more bacteria and the lack of acid makes it difficult for you body to digest carbs, giving food for bacteria and an even less acidic environment. -- its a vicious cycle.... BacteriaThis is just my understanding. I don't claim to be an expert, and i am not a bilologist, I've learned everything i have on these forums and online. Maybe ask Kathleen to confirm this, she's got a ph.d in biology. but the fact that HCL improves things seems to indicate that your intestine is not acidic enough - non acidic environments are perfect for bacteria to accumulate. I think this is why the grapefruit seed extract kills bacteria - like the natural environment of the smal intestine it is very acidic.The celiac test is only accurate if you were regularly eating wheat/barley/rye or other gluten-containing grains at the time of the test. Sometimes people recognise these as triggers for their problems and cut them out.... then when they have the celiac test it comes back negative - the antibodies that they test for when detecting celiac are only there if you have eaten gluten in the last week or so, so its a false negative. if you were eating gluten around the time of your test then it should be an accurate result.I think maybe the fibre needs to be removed from your diet for now.... pimentel says stick to easily-digestible low-residue food that doesn't leave much left over by the time it reaches the colon.

 

[freakzilla154l]

I'm just gonna stick with the regiment I'm on now. I'll wait til I'm done the Xifaxin and see what happens. I need the fiber or my bowel movements will be a mess. Thanks for all the info.

 

[freakzilla154l]

Can you send me a link to the book that you keep quoting? I'm gonna buy it and read it. Thanks

 

[IanRamsay]

Hi FreakTry some high strength bifidus infantatis. just for a few weeks, and see how you feel. here is some general info on taking and getting the best from your probiotics.the following strains have teh most research behind them in IBS studies with good positive outcomes in studies.L. bulgaricus, L. reuteri, L. plantarum, L. casei, B. bifidus, Lactobacillus Plantrum 299V, S. salivarius, and S. thermophilus and the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii. Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 THERE ARE MANY MANY OTHERS though!here is some general info on taking them, if you dont already know it!They are best taken in the morning on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before food. ideally they should be taken for at least 3 weeks as it may take that long to see any results. although some people have a very good reaction in days. after 2 to 3 months they should be stopped for a while. if after a few days you start to notice that you can feel a physical difference or a worsening of your symptoms, start taking them again. other wise, there is no need to continue taking them untill you feel that you do need them. there isnt any harm in taking them as a permanant suppliment if they are taken is small numbers like in actimel or activia yoghurt, but if you are taking 10 billion cultures a day, it is good to give the body a break every now and then.also If at all possible, replace the FOS prebiotic with natural fruit and veg if you can tollerate it. FOS can play hell with the tummy in some people while it dosent bother others.After you start to take the probiotics, you may feel initially worse for a day to a week or so. this is called the herx reaction and unfortunately is perfectly normal. (Google it to get more detailed info). some people are not affected by herx and some are.if it gets too much though, just stopp teh probiotics for a few days and re start them at a half dose for a two weeks, then a three quarter dose for two weeks and then the full dose, and see how you get on with that.CHeersIan

 

[frantic1980]

Hey freakzilla, here are the links to the book... not sure if you are in the USA or not but you can get it at amazon in your local country I got mine at amazon.co.uk as I am in the UK. Its a really great book; changed my life! I found about it on this forum and loads of people on here have read it. Try to finish reading before you finish you rifaximin though.... rifaximin gets less effective each time you use it so if you can nip this on the butt first time then your chances of it never coming back are much better.http://www.anewibssolution.com/http://www.amazon.com/New-IBS-Solution-Mar...6826&sr=8-1http://www.amazon.co.uk/New-IBS-Solution-M...6826&sr=8-1"Another problem with probiotic supplementation is that the cleansing waves in the small intestines of IBS patients are inadequate. It's possible that a person with diminished cleansing wave capacity who takes probiotic supplements could find his or her situation worse, as the probiotics accumulate in the small intestine where they don't belong"