Welcome to the Untangled Gut Blog!
I really wish the title of my very first blog post could have been something like “How I cured My SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) 10 Years Ago and Never Looked Back”. As someone who aspires to help others learn about and overcome their gut issues, I almost feel like an imposter starting this blog just a few weeks after being diagnosed with a relapse of SIBO.
But this is the reality of digestive disorders…they can be chronic and any imbalance in our system can unfortunately bring us right back to what seems like square one.
So here I am, in the beginning stages of treating my SIBO for the second time. I am hopeful that in the near future I will be able to say that I am living SIBO/IBS symptom free again. Until then, maybe being able to write about my real-time recovery process will help both me and my brave readers who are struggling with their own digestive disorders!
Getting Rid of SIBO, Round #1
My first introduction to the world of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and SIBO was almost a decade ago. I was suffering from a strange combination of unrelenting, worrisome symptoms that seemed unconnected. I visited general practitioners and several gastroenterologists complaining of:
- abdominal bloating and distention (no lie… I looked about 6 months pregnant by the end of every day)
- belly pains and cramps
- loss of appetite (my poor, stretched out tummy felt full all the time)
I was also seeing a counselor because I was experiencing neurological and psychological symptoms I had never had before. The list included:
- severe anxiety
- panic attacks
- ‘brain fog’ (my brain just would NOT work)
Feelings of depression set in because I knew I was not physically or mentally ‘myself’.
I searched for relief for the better part of a year using conventional medicine. The only answer I got was that because my tests didn’t show anything else, it was probably IBS. This method of diagnosing by exclusion is typical of ‘functional GI disorders’ such as IBS for which there is no structural abnormality or specific testing.
This did not satisfy my scientific mind that kept asking ‘why?’.
I turned to a functional medicine practitioner to dig deeper for answers. I ended up testing positive for SIBO (which is believed to be one possible cause of IBS) and learned that I most likely had increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut) too. I had never heard of such things and I was skeptical at first. But I was also desperate to feel better.
It was a very difficult process that required drastic changes, but I followed the suggested protocols and also researched everything I could about gut health and wellness. It took between 6 and 12 months, but I eventually got my health back and actually felt better than ever in some ways. I continued feeling great most of the time but did have tiny flare-ups of symptoms (mostly bloating) if I did not eat nutritiously for a while or experienced more than the usual amount of stress in my life.
Getting Rid Of SIBO…AGAIN
Which brings us to the previous few months. I’m pretty sure I was in denial at first, but soon enough there was no mistaking the telltale symptoms:
- bloating after every meal
- severe distention of my belly
- rosacea on my cheeks
- debilitating brain fog (the symptom I dread the most)
A visit to my functional medicine doctor and a positive lactulose breath test confirmed: SIBO was back. Ugh.
Though obviously disappointed and annoyed that I have to struggle with this again, I do have 9 years of researching, learning, experimenting and experience on my side now!
Armed with this knowledge, there are 3 things I will be doing differently this time around:
1. Stressing Less and Controlling My Anxiety More
There is one word that comes to mind when I think back to my first time treating SIBO: overwhelm.
I constantly worried about:
- What I could/should eat
- What each food might do to my symptoms
- How my day would be disrupted by my unpredictable belly issues
- If anything I was trying would actually help heal my body…and when!
It was exhausting and depressing and I let my usual routine of exercise and sleep fall apart.
I will not let this happen again.
I know now how vital stress management is to easing digestive symptoms. Our brains are directly linked to our gut which has its own nervous system (the enteric nervous system). These two systems are in constant communication with each other, and that they ‘talk’ to each other in both directions! Stress and anxiety perceived in our mind can cause alterations to our digestion, and vice versa. It is amazing and crazy to think about.
It also gives us a useful tool to help alleviate digestive upset. Learning to manage our stress and anxiety can have the benefit of calming our belly (among all the other wonderful things that less stress can do for our bodies!).
So…even though it is more difficult when I am not feeling 100%, I am setting aside time to do all the things that reduce my stress levels. I am also relying on techniques to decrease anxiety when I feel it creeping into my life. Personally, I use:
- Consistent fitness (especially weighted exercises and the Yoga Trapeze®)
- Outdoor time in nature
- Yoga (including postures, breath practices and meditation)
- Time with friends, family and pets
I find this so important to gut wellness that I created a guide to provide examples of ways you can lower stress in your own life to improve your digestive symptoms. Click below to learn more about my free guide…
2. Actively seeking out support… and using it
If overwhelm was my #1 feeling while getting rid of SIBO last time, then hopelessness and isolation were a close second and third.
Back then, I knew of nobody else that was experiencing similar problems. I didn’t know who to ask for help and I had a million questions. Plus, it was such a slow process getting my body back to a healthy state that at times I just wanted to give up. Especially at the holidays!
Luckily, since that time I have come across valuable sources of support that I have used over the years and intend to rely on heavily in the upcoming months.
I have joined Facebook groups composed of 1000’s of other people perservering everyday while restoring their digestive health. One that I have found particularly supportive and responsive to questions is Facebook.com/Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS Support. But there are numerous options and group sizes depending on your preference.
Podcasts have also been instrumental in learning more about gut health and IBS and SIBO. Again, a quick search will give you many choices, but I have enjoyed The Shift with Katherine Maslen for an all around explanation of gut wellness (https://katherinemaslen.com/podcast/).
If relying on technology is not your thing, there are tons of books now available about these topics. I have to say, my go-to book about anything gut related is definitely the Gut Health Protocol by John Herron (https://www.theguthealthprotocol.com/wp/). I find myself returning to this book over and over again. It is extensively researched and goes into great depth about the hows and whys of the protocol steps. FYI…there is a Facebook group linked to the book that gets a big thumbs up too!
I plan to use all of these resources to get suggestions and tips and understanding to guide me through my recovery. I also find it hopeful to hear about the successes of others.
3. Focusing More on the Health of My Body and Less on What I Am Giving Up
This one is super hard! Especially since our society is all about:
- quick fixes
- viewing our bodies as separate pieces that have nothing to do with one another
- speed and convenience when it comes to food.
The first time I had to get rid of SIBO, I could not wrap my brain around the fact that there was not a ‘quick fix’ or a medication to get rid of all of my symptoms. That’s just how we are trained to think these days.
Instead it was recommended that I do a complete overhaul of my diet. Gluten free and low sugar to start. Elimination diets. Eventually cutting out my favorite food group ever…DAIRY :(. I was beside myself. I was miserable. I kept thinking…’why do I have to give these things up?’.
Looking back I am so thankful now that I was ‘forced’ into reevaluating the way I was caring for my body. I have a much better relationship with my body since then. In fact, it is this clearer connection to my health that tuned me into recognizing SIBO had returned.
These days I am reminding myself to be grateful that my body can give me signs that it is not well and that I can take steps to help bring it back into balance again.
I will keep you updated on how it goes.
If you have questions or would like to share some of your story, please do so in the comments. I would love to hear from you!
And don’t forget to pick up your copy of my free guide to give you a little support on your own gut health journey.
