Tuesday, November 8, 2011

More About Me



           I was diagnosed with Celiac Sprue 7 years ago. But even with a strict diet, I just did not feel any better. After awhile I left the diet and thought I could endure the ups and downs well enough. After a few years of feeling good, while eating wheat, I knew I must have been mis diagnosed. Just starting last year my symptoms started up again in full force. I went to a different GI doctor and revisited this whole issue.

         Maybe some of you know what I mean by not feeling good. I was bloated, I felt awful after every meal and decided I didn't need food, it was the enemy. I never starved myself but some days I just felt yuck. So I learned a little more about the digestive track and about those special little bacteria that are the first line of defense for the body. I watched a special on PBS by, Brenda Watson. What she said was fascinating, and seemed to really apply to my situation. I never could find a replay of that show or much else that was helpful from her online, but it was the push in the right direction I needed.

      My GI doctor is great, he really probes into all of my issues, not just the felling of being bloated. After another biopsy and such he completely freed me from the formal diagnosis of Celiac Sprue. We began to look at the idea I might have 'Small bowel bacterial overgrowth syndrome' or (SIBO). I took a series of breath tests, and concluded that I had the highest score on the charts positive for SIBO.

     Treatment is pretty straight forward, this bacteria feeds on carbohydrates and produces methane gas, so to combat the bacteria; I've taken antibiotics to kill it off and also starving it by not consuming carbs, or as low carb as I can go.

       Over the last 4 months I have felt so much better. Life functions the way it should. I really fell so blessed, to feel good. I have till December to eat carb free, and now instead of the antibiotics I'm taking probiotics. I'm willing to do it because if how good I feel.

    Maybe this was to much information, but I wanted to give others hope and explain some of the quirks I have.