had my jpouch done in 06..from that point until a week ago i wasantibiotic dependent and have been rotating antibiotics for 5 years..two yearsago dr. shen concluded i did not have antibiotic pouchitis but sibo..small intestine bacteria overgrowth..still however needed to rotate antibiotics to simply not be dead meat!! in all that time since operation i had c-diff two times ..the lastest bout was a little more than two weeks ago..dr. shen told me to take vencomycin for 10 days to deal with c-diff and than suggested i go cold turkey off of antibiotics and just see!!!!! i need to add that approximately 2 months ago at his suggestion i dropped all starchy carbs completely and keep sugar intake low which i decided to do...the thinking being since they feed bad bacteria why not help fight that..
fast forward to fighting off c-diff recently and going cold turkey after that ..no antibiotics..i have never been able to be off antibiotics for even a few days in past..but with latest c-diff again thought my best chance not getting relapse was to give it a try ..that was 8 days ago..its freakin unbelievable first time off antibiotics in 7 years!!each day i marvel at it..i can only conclude if it holds that the strict adhering to diet for past few months has to be the answer to my bacteria overgrowth problem..!!!!! there is no other possibility..i just eleminated for 2 maybe three months now starchy carbs no exception..that is all grains,potatoes,rice bread completely..as for sugar still have fruit and any natural occurring sugar say in veggies etc...now i have to clearify his diagnosis for me was bacteria overgrowth nothing else causing my issues ..i had already been taking culturelle and ss boularii (but was doing that to keep c-diff away) he did say to add align to my probiotics which i did..but those and antibiotics was always needed to keep me going..
i will keep everyone posted as to my progress but if it holds and if your issues are overgrowth bacteria it seems the complete removal of starchy carbs and low sugar(outside of fruits) is only thing keeping me ok..my issues prior to this was frequency in going,not feeling emptied,having to go as soon as i put food to my mouth and the killer issue was feeling of burning and as if broken glass was coming out when it was out of control pain when going..it felt like it was raw skin opened down there..when on antibiotics the severe issues were under control and i could at least function..
now dr. shen suggested i only take lomitol or tincture of opium to slow things down if necessary..have not had to use it but a few times when i like idea of being able to sleep at night without getting up so much..
it feels amazing to not be on antibiotics,pepto bismo and so on..i am keeping my fingers crossed and some day may be happy i had the bout of c-diff or i never would have tried what i did!!!
no problem following the diet when you think its really changing your life trust me!!!
heres hoping any other patients with sibo diagnosis might have same experience..
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