SIBO tests

[Edgar77]

has anyone been tested for SIBO and if so.what does it involve. Please.

[IB15]

Hi,

I have had a SIBO test, it's nothing to worry about!

You will be asked to follow a diet the day/evening before the test and you will not be allowed to eat before the test.

The test involves drinking a sugary solution and then blowing into a tube every 15/20 minutes for around 2 to 3 hours to measure your hydrogen levels. Take a good book as it's a long time and quite boring but easy peasy!

Hope it goes well!

[Edgar77 in reply to IB15]

that don't sound too bad. Thanks for the

[grumpyold]

Like IB15 says, except if you are constipated you have to follow the restrictive diet for 2 days, not just one.

[xjrs]

Please be aware that SIBO tests are not accurate. If you get anything done, it's best to do this under a fully qualified medical professional such as a gastroenterologist. It is very easy to get misdiagnosed which is what happened to me. I didn't have it (even though I tested 'positive' from the breath test) and I know since none of the treatments worked. All I ended up doing was completely destroying my microbiome by taking antibiotics and antimicrobials Plus I ended up on a low fibre, low carb, high protein diet. I lost loads of weight, found it very difficult to gain weight even though I increased calories and went from being a fairly confident person to being a shadow of myself, that I didn't recognise. All my friends and family were really worried about me and so was I since I felt I couldn't get myself out of the situation. The best thing I did was to cut ties with the nutritional therapists who diagnosed me. As far as I am concerned their practices were negligent. My calprotectin levels went through the roof (due to the diet) and I ended up having a colonoscopy because of it. By that time, I was under the NHS and got diagnosed with IBS (which I'd already had) with visceral hypersensitivity. It was this diagnosis that got me back on the road to recovery.

[Edgar77 in reply to xjrs]

I was just going to ask my gastroenterologist about it, believe me I know were your coming from. A nutritionist nearly Killed me too. She put me on herbal antibiotics (my Dr refused to give them) and told me that to starve the bacteria I had to starve myself. At the time I would have done anything. I lost 2 and he stone. In the end my Dr had her struck off. Nutritionist can advise you on a healthy diet but are NOT trained to treat the sick.

[MyStar86 in reply to xjrs]

did they give you any medication to help get you back on the road to recovery? Did they use anything to treat the visceral hypersensitivity? Hope you are doing much better now do you still suffer with ibs?x

[Edgar77 in reply to MyStar86]

i don't know what visceral hypersensitivity is? and no I was given nothing. Just needed to start eating again. I am celiac so glutenfree but also follow low fodmap diet and lactose free has helped. Anxiety has a lot to answer for too.

[xjrs in reply to MyStar86]

They tried me on amitriptyline, which is a nerve pain agent at low doses. I couldn't tolerate this. Since I also have IBS-C, I was recommended Linaclotide which additionally calms intestinal nerves. That reduced the pain by 50%-60%. Subsequently, I took Alflorex probiotic which has been studied for IBS. That reduced the pain to zero. This is because visceral hypersensitivity can be due to a gut bacterial imbalance with a dominance of bad bugs oversensitising nerves in the gut. I would say that I still suffer from IBS-C and I manage the constipation with a very high fibre diet and ginger extract in a little water at night for motility. However, I can eat more foods now, but there are still some that cause me pain and I need to avoid them. Previously, I had pain, no matter what I ate.

[cj20uk]

The diet before it is very strict so make sure you prepare well in advance to get enough food in that you can eat or you will be hungry! You do need to need to stick to it otherwise the test won't give a valid reading. The actual test is fine - just blowing into tubes after taking the drink. I had no side effects from the solution despite getting a very high positive reading.