Bacterial intestinal overgrowth
- Thread starter Justinsmama
- Start date
My son had this issue when he was first diagnosed at age 3 (he's 13 now and one round of this has been our only experience thus far). It took a while to diagnose because we thought it was an enzyme issue. Anyhow, the bottom line is that you need to kill the overgrown bacteria and replace it with the healthy bacteria that's supposed to be there (we use culturelle). While he's on the flagyll, he should take 1-2 tablets of probiotic daily. Then continue the probiotic daily once he's off the flagyll.... A month or so. He can stay on the probiotic permanently. If you decide to take him off the probiotic, remember to start him back on whenever he's on antibiotic. If the issue truly is bacterial overgrowth, then this should work. If it doesn't work, I would question the flagyll (dosage, time used, or use a different antibiotic) OR look at other possibilities.
Keep in kind that enzymes help your son digest fats and proteins. However, it's the HEALTHY gut bacteria that help digest the carbs/sugars. The bacterial overgrowth will replace the healthy bacteria with bad bacteria... Carbs and sugars aren't properly processed and leads to problems of gas, pain, and loose stools.
i hope he is no longer having this issue since it's been several months since your post. Good luck! I really feel for him and it hurts my heart to hear he's afraid to go to school because he doesn't want to be embarrassed.
Also, it wouldn't hurt to see a GI specialist (perhaps your cf doctor can recommend). We get yearly checkups and have had issues that weren't resolved to our satisfaction with our CF doc (like the bacterial overgrowth... She ruled out a few things like gluten tolerance). The GI doc was able to test for all sorts of things and rule things out to my satisfaction. You could also consult an allergist to test for food allergies.
Keep in kind that enzymes help your son digest fats and proteins. However, it's the HEALTHY gut bacteria that help digest the carbs/sugars. The bacterial overgrowth will replace the healthy bacteria with bad bacteria... Carbs and sugars aren't properly processed and leads to problems of gas, pain, and loose stools.
i hope he is no longer having this issue since it's been several months since your post. Good luck! I really feel for him and it hurts my heart to hear he's afraid to go to school because he doesn't want to be embarrassed.
Also, it wouldn't hurt to see a GI specialist (perhaps your cf doctor can recommend). We get yearly checkups and have had issues that weren't resolved to our satisfaction with our CF doc (like the bacterial overgrowth... She ruled out a few things like gluten tolerance). The GI doc was able to test for all sorts of things and rule things out to my satisfaction. You could also consult an allergist to test for food allergies.
I know it's been a while since the original post, but I wanted to add my two cents. Recently there's been a flurry of information in the media regarding SIBO, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. I found studies on PubMed showing that cystic fibrosis patients are much more likely to get it because of our impaired digestion. Because of years of bloating and digestive discomfort after seemingly random meals, I figured this might be what I have. I started the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (you should absolutely look at this if you're having digestive / IBS-like issues) and stopped dairy as well as nut butters, which I usually eat in abundance (I was already paleo+ dairy). While I'm certainly not perfect, there have been great improvements. I'm no longer doing the strict SCD, but I'm trying a low FODMAP diet with success. I have a GI appointment in August and am going to request the lactalose breath test, which can diagnose SIBO. This is a great website: http://www.siboinfo.com. The tendency for CF doctors is to put patients on meds like Miralax or Zantac or Prevacid (all of which have been found in my medicine cabinet at one point), but I really believe that monitoring and altering diet should be the first line of defense.
Justinsmama
New member
Thank you everyone. I have not posted in several months. We got on a schedule of 10 days on and 4 off. Not sure why Justin is still has so much nausea. He did an in-patient clean out for a partial obstruction which ruled out constipation being the cause. He is lactose intolerant but was told that we need to keep milk in his diet (he has many allergies) to keep his weight up. He has been getting dizzy lately and we think it may be related to neruo reasons (autonomic) as well as the nausea. He sees a GI every 3 months. Thank you again!!!
L
LindaJ
Guest
My 28 year old daughter has this. She has perfect lung functions but has always had digestive issues. She has been on Miralax for years to just try to keep from getting backed up. But in the last couple of years was hospitalized 3 or 4 times for obstruction. After 2 gallons of Golitely and several enemas finally would get cleared out. Her CF center here in Arkansas did not have a clue how to keep this from happening. I looked up GI/CF specialists on line and found Dr Steven Freedman in Boston. Also, Bill, on this site sang his praises so I got her in to see him. Bacterial overgrowth. He started her on a regimen of 1/4 Golitley every other day along with Phillips Milk of Mag every day. This is keeping her going well but she still has pain, so he is starting her on one of the antibiotics to treat this. Something so simple. The CF center here was very excited to learn this. If needed Dr Freedman will consult with her doctors here. He is so kind and we were very blessed to meet him. In his words, "we all need to work together".
Simba15
Member
I had a bad bout of SIBO last month. Xifaxan is the med of choice for this condition. I will spare the details but was in the bathroom 50x a day, literally, if not more for three weeks before I was diagnosed. I now follow a SIBO diet. I feel much better. If I eat one thing I shouldn't I feel bad. My GI doctor was negligent and this went on for three weeks. I found a new doctor locally but it was Dr Freedman who prescribed the xifaxan - thank God - and in 5 days I was feeling better. I don't remember ever being so sick.
There is a great app called The Monarch University ow FODMAP diet" to help with food choices.
Sme docs say not to take any probiotics. I always have. My GI now say yes to take them. Even now, after eating my stomach blows up. I look so fat, even though I exercise. Does anyone know a natural way to kill the bad bacteria besides not feeding it (by watching your diet).
There is a great app called The Monarch University ow FODMAP diet" to help with food choices.
Sme docs say not to take any probiotics. I always have. My GI now say yes to take them. Even now, after eating my stomach blows up. I look so fat, even though I exercise. Does anyone know a natural way to kill the bad bacteria besides not feeding it (by watching your diet).
Simba15
Member
Simba15
Member
For anyone taking xifaxan, it is VERY expensive. Go to www.xifaxan.com and look around for the coupon. download it and bring it in. You wll have a $0 copay