Hi, I’m new here, and have a bee in my bonnet about Ibs and sibo, does anyone actually get routinely tested to discount sibo in England?

[Mutleyforever]

Any sibo diagnosis out there,?

[Maureen1958]

Hi, I too have a bee in my bonnet about SIBO, I'm not really convinced that it exists. See link below:

youtube.com/watch?v=2jLkeX6...(Not working as expected?)

It certainly makes a lot of people a lot or money but I have spoken to various people on line who have been told they have it and have been given rifaximin but it hasn't work, well not in the long run anyway!

[Gardenlover2020 in reply to Maureen1958]

It definitely exists, my consultant is referring me for a Sibo test

[Maureen1958 in reply to Gardenlover2020]

I'm not convinced. Let us know how you get on with it!

[Gardenlover2020 in reply to Maureen1958]

I will

[Maureen1958 in reply to Gardenlover2020]

Cheers!

[Meleber]

Hi, I'm living in the Netherlands. Next Friday after two years and a lot of examinations and even surgery (Meckel's diverticulum) I finally will be tested for bacterial overgrowth using a hydrogen breath test (SIBO). Not sure if it is a bacteria or an other organism in my gastrointestinal tract that's causing problems, creating dysbiosis. The hospital can't test for methane overgrowth but at least they can say if there's too much hydrogen in my breath or not. If hydrogen is okay it still can be a methane producing organism causing my intestinal problems. I think this is called intestinal methane overgrowth (IMO). Since I didn't experience any improval after a course of rifaximin (tageting hydrogen producing organisms) I think it could be IMO in my case. The only way to find out is using a better test (not available in the hospital) or a course of antibiotics that targets methane producing organisms like neomicyn or augmentin.

[Gardenlover2020]

I’ve asked my consultant about getting a Sibo test , he’s referring me to a colleague to get one done

[userotc]

There seems to be some uncertainty with the test. I had the SIBO (hydrogen) test ~2y ago.

After being "diagnosed" positive, I challenged the result after my research and the result was effectively over-turned by the test provider. My more recent research indicates it could indicate Ileocaecal valve dysfunction (related to a structural dysfunction, poor migrating motor complex functioning, etc) with potential treatment visceral manipulation of the valve.

[juniepoonie]

I did but l had a very good gastroenterologist

[Maureen1958 in reply to juniepoonie]

I don't see how you can say that when 4 days ago you posted that you needed more rifaximin!

[juniepoonie in reply to Maureen1958]

Hello Maureen yes l had a test for sibo an l have been treated with rifaximin it gives good results for a few months does that answer your question?

[Maureen1958 in reply to juniepoonie]

It does, but surely it can't be good taking antibiotics like that on a regular basis. We are always being told that it's not a good thing to take repeated doses of these drugs by Health Professionals.

[juniepoonie in reply to juniepoonie]

I also should point out l did not test positive my gastro prescribed rifaximin anyway an l had excellent results just for few months though

[Maureen1958 in reply to juniepoonie]

So is this on NHS or private?

[juniepoonie in reply to Maureen1958]

What are you referring to Maureen

[juniepoonie in reply to Maureen1958]

Do you mean the prescription for rifaximin

[juniepoonie in reply to Maureen1958]

Sorry but l don't understand this comment can you elaborate please Maureen

[Maureen1958 in reply to juniepoonie]

I am asking if you had to pay for anything ie the gastro or prescription?

[juniepoonie in reply to Maureen1958]

No this was all on nhs

[Maureen1958 in reply to juniepoonie]

That was good then.

[xjrs]

Worth checking out my answer on this here (see the xjrs post):

healthunlocked.com/theibsne...

In short, SIBO does exist but very rarely and not as often as non medically trained practitioners make out. If you are diagnosed incorrectly (and more often than not it is the case), the treatment regime can be brutal, make you more ill (which it did in my case) and a complete waste of time and money. It has a distinct set of causes which are worth investigating in the first instance (listed in the post). If you don't have any of these it is almost certain you don't have it.

[Iesgobdafydd]

My NHS gastroenterology specialist said she couldn't do a reliable test for SIBO, and although she acknowledged the condition exists, it was extremely unlikely I had it based on what she knew about my medical history. I was adamant I wanted to rule it out as a possibility, and what she was willing to agree to do was give me the antibiotics she would have prescribed to treat it if I had it. It was just a very short course of them, and it made absolutely no difference to my symptoms.

[Maureen1958 in reply to Iesgobdafydd]

Hi lesgobdafydd, so was this a course of rifaximin? How long was the course?

[Iesgobdafydd in reply to Maureen1958]

Sorry, I can't remember which antibiotic it was, it was a few years ago now, and I don't think it's in my online patient record where I can check, because it was a specialist not my GP. I think it was something like a 1-2 day course? Quite short.

[Maureen1958 in reply to Iesgobdafydd]

Okay thanks.