Struggling to Find Gut Health. What's the Next Step?

[BabyMonkey]

Hi there =)

 

Due to struggles finding results with my gut health, I'm reaching out for some direction.

 

After just completing a round of antimicrobial herbs in an attempt to treat a Hydrogen dominant SIBO, I've found myself experiencing some excruciating pain. The gut pain I've been struggling with during the past 4-5 days have at times left me completely debilitated(laying in bed in a cold dark room attempting to breathe/rest/sleep through it). 

 

I've been dealing with chronic gut issues for the past decade roughly, with ups and downs through the journey. Over the decade I've learned quite a lot about health, the gut microbiome, and my own body/mind. I understand this human system is far more connected than I'm able to wrap my head around, and do my best to implement a holistic approach to my life and health. Despite the many angles I attempt to come at these chronic gut issues from, sustained health has not been found.

 

I feel as though my next step is to take a Stool Test, as treating this gut through herbs, elimination diets, exercise, sleep, and a healthy environment hasn't been enough. 

 

Does a Stool Test seem like the next reasonable step to be taking? 

 

I'm also open to and would like to hear any other suggestions,

Thanks

[Opo]

Maybe stool transplantation? 

[Michael569]

Hi welcome to the forum.

Has gastroenterologist done any tests? Has something like IBD been considered?

Also, the SIBO you mentioned was that diagnosed based on a breath test?

See what tests you can get done medically before going down the functional road ad those are often not as accurate or specific.

[BabyMonkey]

Hey Michael, thanks for the thoughtful response.

I haven't seen a gastroenterologist, this is a clear lapse in my judgement and I appreciate the suggestion. If I'm understand you correctly, you are saying a GI-MAP Stool Test falls under the functional medicine category and is not as accurate or specific. Where as something like an endoscopy or colonoscopy IS more accurate and specific. 

As for the SIBO, in trying to save myself money I did not get a breathe test done. I did a 6 week treatment with Oregano, Neem, and Goldenseal. I experienced symptoms of a die off around 18 days into the protocol, and got some relief, but nothing substantial. 

To clarify your message, are you suggesting I get in contact with a gastroenterologist and work with them prior to having a GI-MAP Stool test done? 

[BabyMonkey]

14 hours ago, Opo said:

Maybe stool transplantation? 

Maybe stool transplantation... but not yet. 

[Michael569]

@BabyMonkey i don't know where you live but in countries where medical tests are paid from your taxes (most EU countries) it is a good idea to exhaust those first to save yourself money. 

What I would do is to start there and see what i could get without extra payment for functional tests and ideally I'd want to get a diagnosis or at least some stool tests, I'd also want to rule put things like coeliac disease. Medical tests are generally more accurate but can be harder to get because doctors have to prioritise. 

so yah speaking to gastroenterologist would be a good first step.

If they fail you then GI Map is not bad but if you think it is SIBO you might go for methane hydrogen breath tests, the 3 hour one but do it in a clinic it is easy to mess it up at home.

I'd just be cautious with doing massive antibac protols without knowing what you're up against first. 

Hope that helps

Good luck

 

 

 

 

[Ora]

On 7/6/2021 at 9:32 PM, BabyMonkey said:

Hi there =)

 

Due to struggles finding results with my gut health, I'm reaching out for some direction.

 

After just completing a round of antimicrobial herbs in an attempt to treat a Hydrogen dominant SIBO, I've found myself experiencing some excruciating pain. The gut pain I've been struggling with during the past 4-5 days have at times left me completely debilitated(laying in bed in a cold dark room attempting to breathe/rest/sleep through it). 

 

I've been dealing with chronic gut issues for the past decade roughly, with ups and downs through the journey. Over the decade I've learned quite a lot about health, the gut microbiome, and my own body/mind. I understand this human system is far more connected than I'm able to wrap my head around, and do my best to implement a holistic approach to my life and health. Despite the many angles I attempt to come at these chronic gut issues from, sustained health has not been found.

 

I feel as though my next step is to take a Stool Test, as treating this gut through herbs, elimination diets, exercise, sleep, and a healthy environment hasn't been enough. 

 

Does a Stool Test seem like the next reasonable step to be taking? 

 

I'm also open to and would like to hear any other suggestions,

Thanks

what i did for my sibo is something similar to the healthy gut healthy you book protocol. begin with fasting 5 days, or bone broth fast, this starves down all gut bacteria, good and bad, so when you start your killing herbs it has much more effectiveness rather than trying to kill a healthy and hale army of bacteria. then when you start eating again, eat low fiber that exacerbates sibo and start taking your antibac herbs. i like formulas like fc cidal/dysbiocide combo, or gi synergy by apex energetics. Dr ruscio of healthy gut healthy you has sup formulas too according to his protocol. you need to switch formulas every couple months and not take the same one all the time. What a functional doctor told me was basically you wont kill it all at one time. Each treatment will reduce the population of sibo by X percent. not even the prescription one they use riflaxamin or something is successful on the first treatment. So you have to usually do this for 4-6 months. You can take some probiotics which usually work in conjunction with the antibac herbs. Restore Flora by microbiome labs is a good one, or the one Dr. Ruscio has. 

To reduce some of the die off you can take activated charcoal. itll bind to the toxins being released.

also helps to reduce inflammation in the gut so some type of gut mucosa powder usually with aloe, slippery elm, glutamine, etc to help heal intestinal lining. something like colostrum helps with that also.

id read dr ruscios book to get a general outline, then go on his webstore to see his supps so you can get a general idea of how to attack the problem. If you have the money its easier to just get his supps, or you can piece together a regimen with various brands to get the lowest cost. I use this persons fullscrip account to get 25% off of supps. https://www.maybeitsmercury.com/supplements sometimes its a lot better than normal cost, sometimes its almost the same, you just gotta compare prices. 

Id say the 5day fast before starting a killing regimen is key to get those exponential gains which will save you money also. Like every 1-2 months take a break from supps and just fast. then start supps again after the fast is over.

[Opo]

53 minutes ago, Ora said:

what i did for my sibo is something similar to the healthy gut healthy you book protocol. begin with fasting 5 days, or bone broth fast, 

When I fasted the die off symptoms started at day 6, so 5 days is nothing. 

[Ora]

10 hours ago, Opo said:

When I fasted the die off symptoms started at day 6, so 5 days is nothing. 

Oh yeah if you can go longer it's probably better. It's just 5 days is for a lot of people is difficult. You could add activated charcoal when you start getting the die off symptoms and enemas. But I think fasting is just an adjunct to the treatment, it won't give full resolution to sibo. Unless maybe you do an intensive 3 weeks or something like that. But it's easier to just fast for a short period then take the antibacs and spore probiotics and gut lining powders

[Goldzilla]

Raw egg and colloidal silver if nothing works. 

[BabyMonkey]

Thanks for the responses. Over the past months I've gotten some relief through, and feel like things are progressing. Reading Dr. Ruscio's book has been helpful. 

I do have another question.. while the elemental diet appears to be an effective later stage resort, if one were to omit the elemental diet and just do a 14-21 day water fast would that be even more effective? Does a water only fast create a re-balancing and healing within the gut microbiome?

[Ora]

the elemental diet is the easy way where you can still have some energy and go about your daily business, it just costs more money. fasting is the more do it yourself way, that may be more tiring, but its free. i think 4-7 days water fast is fine, you can do more i guess but i dont know if its more efficient, but theres benefits of water fasting itself of course. i think doing 4-7 day fasts every once in a while is better than longer fasts for sibo just because you still need the antibacterial herbs and good population of gut biome to get well. MAYBE fasting can cure everything but i hardly see success stories doing it that way.

so the point of elemental diet and short fasts is just to starve BOTH good and bad bacteria down to a lower level, then when you start on herbs and stuff its easier to target those bad bacteria. its like throwing a grenade into a huge army vs a single platoon. youll get more success if theyre not as full and strong and breeding like animals, well bacteria.

personally i did a 5 day liver flush protocol instead of water fasting. drank 1/2 cup olive oil + 1/2 cup grapefruit juice shaken in the morning and evening. then did enemas 1hr before each time to help move the bile/stones out.

[Ora]

edit: didnt mean to double post but w/e

oh yeah it helps to take some bile moving/producing herbs if your going to do this. usually can just get a supplement meant for "liver cleansing." itll usually have herbs to open the bile ducts which will help move everything out and reduce any discomfort the olive oil/grapefruit juice potion may create.

Edited August 24, 2021 by Ora