Hopefully your doctor also did a methane breathe test. Your doctor checked for SIBO with the hydrogen breath test but it's important they also check for methane. SIBO with methane producing constipation causes severe constipation. It's harder to treat they should check for it. Increasing motility regardless is really important or you will only have more issues. I suffer from constipation and a couple of months ago was treated Candida with herbs, allicin, and sacchromyes boulardi per my naturopathic doctor. I still have GI issues though and suffer from constipation. My doctor started me on Amitiza and is checking me for SIBO again, have tested positive before,and is doing a hydrogen/methane breathe test. He suspects methane producing SIBO. But I have slow motility regardless though and will have more overgrowths in general if I don't keep things moving. My primary care doctor had me try LDN (low dose naltrexone) but I couldn't tolerate it. It's a really good option for a lot of people though as increases GI motility in the small intestine at night, the cleaning sweep at night, helps constipation, helps those prone to SIBO, and also helps autoimmune diseases as well. I am hoping to tolerate it at all later point. I had Candida when I tried it, which can cause some issues.
I have the same **** going on been to all of this drs and nothing I go to a colon Dr next week my colon is not working at all the last Dr I seen put me on amitiza
Just curious what u have found out about your stomach issues? And yes overgrowth of candida is a very real problem!
Good, I hope that helps you figure out what is going on.
urogynocologist confirmed that the rectocele is not to blame for my digestive issues. I convinvced my GI doctor to order me to have a hydrogen breath test. He said I should do the glucose hydrogen breath test. I am scheduled for this on June 15th.
My doctor put me on Hyoscyamine for every day cramping and upset stomach. I dissolve 2 tablets under my tongue every morning. And then I am allowed up to 2 more later in the day if I need it. It doesnt do much for the way you feel from a laxative forcing you to go.. that makes me feel like my body is losing its insides and I feel like barfing
I get the cramping, too. I haven't found anything to relieve this (IBS-C). Drinking more water (sort of) reduces the cramping a tiny bit if I have used a laxative. I like the natural laxative called TAM. You can take it in the day time, if you follow the directions, or at night time when taking all the tablets at one time. Sometimes I take just two of the tablets during the day time and that will work a bit more like a stool softener rather than too much stimulation as a laxative.
I often get a lot of cramping prior to having a bowel movement, but the type of laxative doesn't really seem to change this.
There is evidence that Candida overgrowth is real. I've been on a Candida diet myself for a different reason. The diet has been the only thing truly effective for the problem. It may not resolve every last digestive issue, or at least not quickly by itself, but it's been the only way I could kill the yeast infection I definitely had. My doctors haven't wanted to prescribe the oral antifungals that can speed up the kill off, but as I am quite sensitive to pharmaceuticals, this is clearly best for me. But, they did recognize that I had the yeast infection I'm talking about.
Be sure to use a probiotic while on the diet. The idea is to bring the gut flora back into balance.
I agree about the loopholes. I researched a lot before starting and noticed that many sites say some things are allowed in phase one and others say that those things should not be included during phase one. But, I'll certainly check out the link you provided. I'm familiar with that site. They have information on adrenals and thyroid, too.
Does it make you really sick leading up to going and during and after you go to the bathroom. Laxatives that force me to go make me terribly ill. Miralax is the only one that doesn't but it doesn't make me go more .. just makes it easier to go.
Well after further researching my own claims, I realized that only oral magnesium (or magnesium through my J tube) functions as a laxative. IV magnesium doesn't function as a laxative.
I meant NOT go overboard :)
I am going to go overboard beccause there are so many loop holes to Candida diets. But I am going to use this http://www.womentowomen.com/digestionandgihealth/guidelinesforfollowingayeastfreediet.pdf as a guide to replace certain things in my diet with better choices and avoid what I can. Candida might not be the cause of my issues but it might be a side effect of my issues since I do not go regularly and that is a lot of bacteria sitting in my intestines etc. for 2 - 3 weeks at a time. I am sure its probably why I have so many other issues (rashes and other skin issues and recurring infections). I am also going to talk to the urogynocologist about my birth control and how that is effecting my health too.
My reaction to Amitiza was definitely a well known side effect.. I also get sick if I try laxatives.. I get aweful sick because its forcing my colon to do something it can't keep up with or do.
Yep, my GI docs have said they could remove my entire colon (for colonic inertia, not a tortuous colon), but they wouldn't be able to connect it to my rectum as my rectum doesn't function well. They are also very hesitant to do this because my small intestine doesn't function well either (CIP) along with my stomach (GP).
The reaction you had to amitiza sounds like side effects and it doesn't sound at all like Herxheimers or die-off. Some people (like you) get these severe side effects to Amitiza and there is no reason to think this is something else than just a side effect.
I am on large amounts of magnesium for hypomagnesemia (4 g of magnesium gluconate through my J tube every day and 6 g of IV magnesium through my tunneled IJ line every day) and this has actually helped my constipation more than anything else. Magnesium is known to be a laxative and many laxatives are based off of this (magnesium citrate, milk of magnesia). However, I don't recommend IV magnesium as a laxative because the risks are much much greater than the possible benefits (and no doctor would agree to it). Just telling you my story.
The side effects you mentioned with Amitiza actually sound like a reaction which is called Herxheimers or die-off.
This and your overall sympyoms lead me to the thought you have either bacterial overgrowth (the gas causes the constipation), candida (ditto) or even parasites (they can block the colon completey, but cannot be seen with barium or ct scan or whatever).
To see if any of this is actually the case, I suggest to go onto the intro diet of the special carbohydrate diet and after that try the SCD diet for three weeks. SCD was developed for crohns, but since you remove most sugars and starches completely and add fibre instead, bacteri, fungi and parasites have nothing left to eat and starve. You will have a few very horrible days with flu-like symptoms once your start, so start on a weekend.
I have parasites, and I was able to control my symptoms with this diet until the diagnosis was made. look up scd lifestyle, they have awesome tipps and motivational podcasts, as well as a great, free download for the intro diet. After that, read your way around the pages of pecanbread and reintroduce stuff according their stages. Also, if you have problem with bugs, avoid honey, yoghurt and nuts for the first few weeks.
Good luck!
I have cut out gas causing foods and take Heather's Tummy Tamers, Medicinal Eaters Digest Tea, Gas X when needed.
Have they told you they could resection your colon? One surgeon told me resectioning my colon would be pointless if the colon itself is not working. I had the sitz marker test that showed my small intestine was fine but the large intestine wasn't moving along the way it should be. He said it was colonic inertia and that they could remove the large intestine and then connect it to my rectum. However now I have the rectocele which means they can't do that. I believe the rectocele was caused from the constipation as well.
In my opinion, candida overgrowth is mostly bogus. If you have questions about this, I would recommend posting in the alternative medicine community. The tortuous colon is not causing your gas and a rectocele is not causing all of your problems. I have both of these conditions too. The rectocele is most likely due to chronic constipation. The problem with a tortuous colon is that it makes it difficult for gas and stool to move throughout the colon which can cause pain, bloating, and constipation. What things have you tried to try to cut down the amount of gas you are having?
this has been a total of 6 doctors and 13 procedures. The urogynoclogist I see on May 9th will be my 7th opinion. This has been going on for the last 6 years.. which I realize.. this started during my 7 year life change as well. Just some added information