Hello!
I wrote this post a while ago and I’ve gotten better since then. I ended up going to the Mayo Clinic, where I was diagnosed with Bile Acid Malabsorption. It turns out I also have SIBO and I’m lactose intolerant (I took the lactose test). Bile Acid Malabsorption is underdiagnosed But relatively common.
I got better initially by taking Nortryptyline and Gabapentin to reduce nerve sensitivity in my gut. Nortryptyline had truly awful side effects but that’s not the case for everyone who takes it. There is a medication for bile acid malabsorption, but I can’t take it because it causes esophageal burns. It’s a big bummer because the medication worked very well. I took VSL#3 for years because my insurance covered it but I don’t think it made a difference.
Now I’m off Nortryptyline and just on Gabapentin at night. I take Cipro periodically for SIBO. I changed my diet to eat less dairy, garlic, onion, fat, and sugar. That helped a lot. I’ve slowly been able to figure out what triggers the bile acid malabsorption. Stress is also a factor so I changed jobs. I know I’m having BAM symptoms when my stool is green or yellow and I have significantly more gas.
My nights are still not what they used to be, but I only have to lie down for 1-2 hours instead of 5. My GI explained that gas builds up in the body when we lie down and is processed better when we are upright or moving around during the day. So underlying conditions that cause gas are worse when we lie down.
As for scar tissue, it’s a frequent concern. I drink SO much water and cut out all fruits and vegetables from my diet. I have had much fewer issues since the change.
Let me know if you have any more questions! Hope you feel better!