ramblings of a wedded wife.

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Growing up, I always just assumed everyone felt awful after eating. Having to run to the bathroom, bloating, gas...on the reg. It wasn't until my mid twenties, when I was put on daily medication for acid reflux and told I had an esophagus of a 70 year old, that I realized that what I was experiencing was not in fact normal. But these days, you can't find someone who isn't restricting their diet in some way (gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar free, fun-free), so I feel like I should at least share my experience in hopes of helping someone through the awful gut game...because this last year has been life changing.

So after I got engaged, I was determined to get my shit (literally) sorted out. Between bachelorette parties, bridal showers and the wedding itself, I was not prepared to feel like death after meals, and deal with my constant bloat. I decided to meet with a naturopath first, since I was pretty exhausted from hearing "just deal with it" from multiple, multiple, conventional doctors. The naturopath specialized in intestinal issues, and I was confident she could at least provide me some direction. After meeting with her, and crying desperate tears, she told me that I suffered from SIBO. I had never heard of SIBO before, but it stands for Small Intestinal Bacteria Overgrowth. If you talk  to a conventional doctor, they will most likely just call this IBS. I had been told I had IBS for years, but to hear a new name for it...and perhaps a new solution...I was hopeful. She gave me a couple of options, which included an elimination diet, a course of probiotics, or go straight to the antibiotics. Because my health insurance didn't cover my visits with her, I decided to take a chance and go back to my doctor with her diagnosis to see what could be done.

Long story long, I was able to convince my doctor to put me on antibiotics. I was prescribed Rifaximin, which is a 10 day course of the antibiotic, with the hope that it would basically eliminate the bad bacteria, but preserve the good (such doctor-y talk.) And guys, it worked. I made sure to begin taking probiotics (the naturopath suggested these) as soon as I was done with the meds, and I can confidently say my food aversions were gone, I didn't look like I was five months pregnant after a meal, and I felt...free.

I'm writing this now because studies show that results can only last about six months in some patients, and I just started another round  today. Because this particular antibiotic stays mainly in the gut, it is pretty easy on the rest of your body, and I was assured by both my doctor and the pharmacist that twice a year shouldn't be a problem. But this time around, I plan on being very serious about my after-care, and I'm hoping I can eradicate my "bad bacteria" for good.

I'm sorry this is long, and rambly, but I know there are more people out there that have decided to just live with stomach issues...and I know how frustrating they can be. I am NOT a doctor, this is NOT for everyone, I know almost nothing. But if you have been dealing with these types of issues, it might worth taking it up with your doctor.

Here are a few links that helped me through the process.