Questions for those who've tested positive for Methane on a lactulose Breath Test.
#317858 - 11/02/07 07:39 PM
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MikeE
Reged: 03/31/05
Posts: 60
Loc: Seattle, WA
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I have some questions for those who've tested positive for Methane on a lactulose Breath Test.
What were/are your symptoms? Both physical and mental?
Have any other lab tests shown any abnormalities? Even high or low in range?
What treatment(s) did you recieve and what were the results?
What levels of Methane and Hydrogen did you have during the testing?
Does anyone else in your family have constipation or other GI issues/diseases?
FYI I have been tested and found very high production of Methane and Hydrogen. I've had various treatments, the best I felt was on Neomycin alone. But all treatments have not been lasting as long as I'd hoped. I think that there is some underlying abnormality causing the SIBO that needs to be addressed. And I hoped that talking with others on what's going on with them might help me figure things out.
Thanks,
Mike
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Some researchers think that SIBO is a secondary effect of eating foods that promote the growth of bacteria that produce methane and/or hydrogen gas.
For example, in this article Malabsorption of Fructose and Other Short-chain Carbohydrates there is a discussion of the link between foods and SIBO ( they call it SBBO - small bowel bacterial overgrowth ).They say Quote:
Fructose is like a "fast food" for bacteria and its presence in the lumen of the distal small bowel may itself lead to increased bacterial populations. Furthermore, fructose is converted to fructans by many bacteria and this process promotes adherence of bacteria to teeth in the pathogenesis of dental caries. If such an effect occurs in the small intestinal biofilm, luminal fructose will further enhance the likelihood of SBBO. In other words, FM [fructose malabsorptoin] and SBBO may be interdependent factors and dealing with one might affect the other. Thus, antibiotics reduce FM and an elemental diet (i.e. nutritional formula not requiring digestion, where bacterial substrates are diminished) reduces SBBO. Alternative options exist, therefore, for managing patients with functional gut symptoms and FM with antibiotics or dietary reduction of FODMAPs. Since the problem is chronic, dietary change is a lot more attractive than long term or recurrent antibiotics as therapy.
The general idea is that you have control the consumption of certain foods (particularly certain sugars like fructose, lactose, etc) that are not digested in the small intestine but pass through to the colon and act as food for the unwanted bacteria. While using antibiotics may give temporary relief the unwanted bacteria may multiple and increase their populations to problematic levels again.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Right, I couldn't even tollerate an ounce of fructose or lactose before I had treatment. Now I can. I'm sure that eventually this will come back until I find the underlying issue. I have some ideas, but I'm wanting to hear about other folks who have had similar testing done and found methane to see how off base I am.
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Quote:
I have some questions for those who've tested positive for Methane on a lactulose Breath Test.
What were/are your symptoms? Both physical and mental?
Have any other lab tests shown any abnormalities? Even high or low in range?
What treatment(s) did you recieve and what were the results?
What levels of Methane and Hydrogen did you have during the testing?
Does anyone else in your family have constipation or other GI issues/diseases?
FYI I have been tested and found very high production of Methane and Hydrogen. I've had various treatments, the best I felt was on Neomycin alone. But all treatments have not been lasting as long as I'd hoped. I think that there is some underlying abnormality causing the SIBO that needs to be addressed. And I hoped that talking with others on what's going on with them might help me figure things out.
Thanks,
Mike
Hi Mike, I haven't had the test b/c it's not available in my area but I have had a 24 hour fecal fat test and they found that I have a fat malabosption problem (I had twice the accepted level of fat in my stools). I've seen 2 different GI docs, both say that the breath test is highly unreliable (often produce false negative results). Both suggest taking an antibiotic and if the symptoms go away within a week or 2 most likely the cause is SIBO. Since I'm very apprehensive about antibiotics, the new GI doc I saw today suggested that we re-test the fat malabsorption this time I'm doing a 72 hour test instead of 24 - I'm sitting here now trying to get up the courage to eat my final 10 grams of fat for day 1 (to get my 100 gram total). It's a fat boy ice cream sandwich which I love, but after all this fat today I'm not feeling so well so I'm having to psych myself out to down another 10 grams.
My symptoms before starting Heather's diet (12/9/07) were chronic diarrhea - not the watery kind though. I would have typically 8 BM within 2 hours very forceful and urgent which often led to incontinence (these frequent BM would occur anywhere from 3 to 5 days a week). Lots of flatulence (very foul smelling). Bloating and sometimes extreme abdominal pain that would shoot up my side and back.
Since starting Heather's diet, I still have days with up to 8 BM but they are not as urgent. The pain has dropped significantly (typically have no pain at all), still have lots of flatulence but rarely the foul smelling stuff I used to have.
Mental effects: Well I definitely suffer some psychological effects as anyone experiencing incontinence would - sometimes I'm scared to death to leave the house for fear of accidents. But honestly I'm even very afraid to go out when I have gas b/c I can't control it, and that is just as humiliating. I have absolutely no desire to eat meals with others or in public places b/c I never know how my gut will react.
Family History: My mom died of stomach cancer, my uncle died of colon cancer (my dad's brother), An aunt (my dad's sister) has the same symptoms that I have. My uncle (on mom's side) has had several colon surgeries - I'm not really sure what the root cause was. so I have bad GI genes from both sides.
Now, I'd like to ask you some questions..... What are your symptoms? Are you still receiving treatment? Can you please describe all of the treatments you've received and how you did with each?
Thanks!
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Jeanette IBS-D, then switched to IBS-A, now stable with Udo's Choice Super Bifido Plus Probiotic
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