My SIBO Treatment and Routine

This is a follow up post from my original SIBO story here. This post is for those who are curious about more of the specifics of the overgrowth, or for those who are suffering and what to know what my process looks like.

After finally being diagnosed with SIBO, I truly think I can say that I found relief by finding the right doctor. Without her I would probably still be suffering, and have never heard about this thing. I’ve also referred others to her who have said the same thing. So my biggest piece of advice would be to seek out a naturopathic doctor or a doctor who specializes in digestion if you’re having problems with SIBO.

My treatment ended up as two rounds of Rifaximin, one round with Flagyl, one without. Both times my insurance denied the medication, and both times I fought it and ended up having it covered. Don’t give up if you hear no the first time. Following the antibiotics, I did about a combined total of four months of the low FODMAP diet.

Following this I did the re-introduction phase which took about 8 weeks. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t feel 100%. You’ll later be able to determine what your threshold for different foods is, not just a straight up yes or no.

If you’re currently doing low FODMAP, here are some things that really helped me.

• This cookbook
• Trader Joe’s garlic infused olive oil. The garlic doesn’t break down in oil, just water, so you can use this without worry!
• Since I love Mexican food, this was super hard with all things garlic and onion. I got through with this hot sauce that only contains vinegar, red jalapenos, and water. And this low FODMAP enchilada sauce recipe.
• Green onion tops to get that onion-y flavor. Just don’t use the white part
• Joining a FB support group. This was major. I felt so alone because no one I knew had this thing. This group has almost 25k members to vent to or get suggestions from.
• Pinterest for all the swaps for my favorite foods. You can see my low FODMAP board here.

What does my routine look like now?

• Morning:
  • B12 and iron (SIBO can leave you vitamin deficient, this will depend on your own make-up, this is just what my labs showed)
  • Ginger capsule
  • Breakfast of smoothie or eggs for something high in protein low in carbs
  • Usually I do tea, but can tolerate coffee if it’s done bulletproof style
• Mid-day:
  • I usually do a salad or bowl of some sort for lunch
  • Ginger or peppermint tea in the afternoon
• Dinners
  • Pretty much back to normal except for onion and gluten
  • While garlic seems to be okay for now, I try not to go overboard and use it in everything I cook (even if I’d like to)
  • Do find adding large portions of some of the high FODMAP vegetables (broccoli, sweet potatoes, etc.) affects me, so I try not to eat a huge helping, or try to not eat a bunch in multiple days in a row.
  • Supplements: Magnesium  (don’t take this if you are SIBO D)
• Anytime
  • Activated charcoal if feeling bloated etc. Always take outside of 2 hours of other medication because it can render them ineffective. Also can create C if you use it too often.
  • Low carb/low sugar in general seems to help my symptoms
• Peppermint and frankincense essential oils topically for upset stomach – not sure if this is the placebo effect or just the use of massage, but it works for me.
• Stress reduction!
  • Change what you can in your life that is adding to your stress
  • Deep breathing techniques
  • Yoga

How Acupuncture Healed My Chronic Pain

From a young age, I’ve had a sensitive system that is easily thrown out of flux. It’s also a system that hasn’t always responded well to many things, including Western methods of medicine. When I was in elementary school I started getting crushing headaches every so often that would last for hours or days. These headaches would wax and wane throughout my adolescence, to eventually build through high school. By my freshman year college they had become a daily affliction.

After many tests over many months, doctors ruled these as tension headaches. While I was glad to hear it wasn’t something more serious, I had golf-ball sized knots in my shoulders that were leading to these headaches, and I was being told to only treat them with over the counter pain medicine. I was taking so much ibuprofen that my liver enzymes were completely out of wack, and I was getting stomach aches from the amount of medicine in my system. I eventually ended up at a pain specialist who worked with me on physical therapy, and eventually suggested I get cortisone shot into my neck to relax the muscles. My mom had come over for the procedure since I had to be sedated. When I woke up hazy from the drug induced nap a few hours later with no relief, she let me cry on her shoulder in my college apartment. After 2 years straight with a headache, spending a small fortune on appointments, and no relief, I had reached the end of my rope. It was following this last defeat that I started seeking out alternative methods. My parents had always leaned on the side of all things natural growing up, and suggested finding an acupuncturist that specialized in pain.

In conjunction with acupuncture, I began practicing yoga 3 times a week or more to help retrain my body and open spaces that had been crunched in the wrong direction for 2 years. It became a cherished activity that not only saved my sanity, but has become one of my favorite passions. I also started taking certain medicinal herbs to help with muscle relaxation, sleep and stress. Many acupuncturists will do combined therapies like this.

This combination of treatments has been one of the best decisions of my life. To some, acupuncture can seem strange – and downright unnerving to those with fears of needles. It’s not an overnight fix. It definitely takes some time, a great acupuncturist, and commitment – but it’s possible to find relief for SO many different ailments. Within six months I had longer and longer stretches without headaches from a combination of acupuncture, yoga, and medicinal herbs suggested by my acupuncturist. A year later, I was sleeping soundly, was nearly headache free, and had so much more energy.

This isn’t just some witch doctor treatment. Acupuncture has been approved by the FDA, National Institutes of Health has studies on acupuncture’s effectiveness for chronic pain. The treatment is also often recommended now by doctors for patients undergoing chemotherapy to help with the painful and sometimes debilitating side effects.

So how does it work? In layman’s terms, acupuncture works by using tiny needles to open up blocked energy flow in your system with corresponding access points under the skin. The practice came from Chinese medicine dating back to 100 B.C. You quickly learn that different acupuncture or acupressure points correspond to different ailments. Stress, tension, and headaches are often treated with points in your hands and feet. Digestive health issues correspond to points near your knee joints and wrists. etc. etc. Since I started acupuncture 7 years ago I have gotten relief from the treatment for many different things including: chronic pain, stress and anxiety, sleep disruption, hormonal changes/imbalances and digestive issues. I know people personally who have also gone for (and have had help with) injuries, pain relief, menopause, migraines, and fertility.

I’m not going to sit here and say it’s a cure-all, but in a combination with other things I’ve tried it’s truly changed my quality of life. I’d like to continue to share my story and the different things I’ve tried that have worked personally for me, in the hopes that my trials of various naturopathic medicines could perhaps open some doors for you and lead you down a path to healing.