IBS-C Gas Bloating Probiotics Success Story
#321291 - 12/29/07 06:29 AM
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I suffer from IBS-C with terrible gas and bloating. I feel like I have tried every possible diet and every possible supplement, all to no avail. I have tried lot so of different probiotics too, but never experienced any real improvement. Recently someone on another forum who suffers from colitis and severe D told me that she had been helped tremendously by taking a probiotic called VLS#3. It is really expensive so I thought twice about wasting my money yet again. But I was so desperate and so miserable I felt that I didn't have much to lose. I have been taking it for about 2 weeks now. The gas and bloating were almost completely gone after the first 3 days. And slowly I feel the C is getting much better as well. I had a normal complete movement this morning. I had almost forgotten what that felt like. I know that a supplement that costs 75.00 a month may be impossible for some people to afford. But if you have tried everything else and haven't found a solution it could be worth a try.
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Thank you for the information - wow $75 YIKES, but it's a small price to pay when you actually get some relief. Just out of curiousty, had you ever tried Ultima? I just spoke with a gal at our co-op and she recommends that for the first month then to move on to Natures Way Reuteri.
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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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Nope I haven't tried Ultima. The VSL#3 has a much higher organism count than most probiotics (450 billion-that is 100 times more than some supplements). It comes shipped in cold packs and must be refrigerated. I am sure there are other good probiotics out there. One sign of quality is refrigeration which preserves viability.
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Have you ever had a fecal fat test? If not, you definitely should! While doing some research on probiotics for you, I ran into some very helpful information for myself... I had the 24 hour fecal fat test done several months ago. The level of fat in my stool was double that of a normal person - this finding was an indicator of the following:
1. Celiac - both the blood test and endoscopy ruled this out.
2. pancreas insufficiency - CAT scan ruled this out.
3. Chron's - colonoscopy ruled out the possibility of this in my large bowel, but the camera pill will rule out the possibility in my small bowel (which I'm scheduled for next month)
4. Infection, Giardia, small bowel overgrowth (SIBO) - I was tested for giardia but not SIBO. I didn't even ask my doc about SIBO because the way he wrote it down, I thought these 3 were all one in the same - It wasn't until researching for you tonight that I ran across info on this. So, I'm now very angry with my doc (but that's ok b/c I had already planned on firing him).
Anyway, typical symptoms of SIBO are: excess gas, bloating, diarrhea and abdominal pain. But, they do say that a small number of people have chronic constipation.
Also, very interesting note (here's a quote from the link below):
"There is a striking similarity between the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and SIBO. It has been theorized that SIBO may be responsible for the symptoms of at least some patients with irritable bowel syndrome. The estimates run as high as 50% of patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Support for the SIBO theory of IBS comes from the observation that many patients with irritable bowel syndrome are found to have an abnormal hydrogen breath test, and some patients with irritable bowel syndrome have improvement of their symptoms after treatment with antibiotics".
And another quote:
"The most popular theory is that patients with irritable bowel syndrome have a subtle abnormality in the function of their intestinal muscles that allows SIBO to occur."
It may be worth checking out...
http://www.medicinenet.com/small_intestinal_bacterial_overgrowth/article.htm
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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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Yep! I have indeed heard of SIBO. I have been tested for celiac (negative) and had a sigmoidoscopy (negative). I have a hunch that my problems are indeed related to some kind of bacterial overgrowth/imbalance. My first clue came when I was on mega-doses of a powerful antibiotic for a sinus infection. Mysteriously, when I was on the drugs, all IBS symptoms disappeared as if by magic. I don't believe that treating this condition with drugs is the answer however. And I no longer engage in seeking help from the medical community. I do believe it is possible to restore balanced flora naturally, without drugs. I will think long and hard before EVER taking a prescription drug again. BTW, Couldn't high fecal fat levels be indicative of a gallbladder problem?
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Yes, it could but my gallbladder checked out fine also. Here's something very interesting... I was referred to another GI doc by my current GI doc b/c my GI doesn't do the camera pills. Well, I decided that before I spend another dime on a doc, I will first interview him/her.. So I called and chatted with the new GI's nurse. Her first question was what are your symptoms. She immediately said you probably need probiotics and xifaxan - Not knowing anything about SIBO, I just continued on with the conversation. At some point, I told her that I am just not comfortable with the single diagnosis of IBS b/c IBS is NOT supposed to lead to any other physical problems so I am concerned about the fat test and the fact that I've had a polyp removed. She said "indeed, it sounds like there's something going on in your small intestine". What I can't understand is why my GI whom I've been seeing all year, who has run every test known to man, has not done this fairly simple test???? I'm so frustrated right now I could scream!! I'm calling the new GI first thing Monday and see if I can get in for the breath test - After reading up on SIBO, this is the only thing that has made any sense to me through all of this. I did find another link that you may find helpful (Heather's book is even mentioned here).
http://www.irritable-bowel-syndrome.ws/sibo-breath-test.htm
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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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SIBO and IBS
#321331 - 12/30/07 06:44 AM
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Syl
Reged: 03/13/05
Posts: 5499
Loc: SK, CANADA
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There have been a lot of posting about SIBO and IBS on the message board. You may want to do a search of the board and see what others have reported. Also here is a link to a recent article for clinicians Uninvited Guests: The Impact of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth on Nutritional Status
However, a recent study of SIBO and IBS concluded "The data do not support an important role for SIBO according to commonly used clinical definitions, in IBS. However, mildly increased counts of small-bowel bacteria seem to be more common in IBS, and needs further investigation. Motility alterations could not reliably predict altered small-bowel bacterial flora."
Also the value of the latulose breath test for detecting SIBO is in question. Another recent study concluded "While interest in small bowel bacterial overgrowth in IBS continues, the utility and specificity of lactulose hydrogen breath testing is yet again called into question. Methane appears to slow intestinal transit and constipation appears more common among methane-positive patients."
In summary the role of SIBO in IBS is controversial and there is little substantive evidence yet to show it plays a significant role in IBS. However, a link has been shown between individuals with fructose malabsorption and possible SIBO. You can read about in this article
Good luck 
References
Bratten, J. R. and M. P. Jones, 2007: Small intestinal motility. Current Opinion in Gastroenterology, 23, 127-133.
Posserud, I., P. O. Stotzer, E. S. Bjornsson, H. Abrahamsson, and M. Simren, 2007: Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Gut, 56, 802-808.
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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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Thanks Syl, but neither of the pdf links you posted will open.. I tried over and over again, it appears that Virginia needs to update their servers! I did search the posts and found another pdf link you posted regarding fructose malabsorption.
Anyway, this is so frustrating, you site a study that shows little conclusive evidence of the link, I site another study that shows significant evidence of a link. Bottom line for me is, I don't care if there is a link or not - all I care about is do I have it and if so I want treatment.
I'm certainly not going to get too hung up on scientific evidence when I'm dealing with an illness/syndrome that has absolutely NO scientific diagnosis! The lack of scientific evidence only indicates to me that we lack the tests to identify the cause. When they can't "see" a problem, what does that leave? BACTERIA!!!
The more I learn about all of this, the more frustrated I become... I completely change my diet (following Heather's diet for 3 weeks now), my D is much better but my G is much worse and I'm starting to experience some C. So I make sure to eat apples (either applesauce or peeled) every day to keep things moving and now I'm hearing that may be a problem, not to mention all the pasta, rice, potatoes that I've been choking down dry. I feel like I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't!! Like PUD said in an earlier thread - "what does this leave us chicken and fish"?
Sorry, I'm not frustrated with you, I'm just frustrated with the condition and the lack of medical attention!!
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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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Sorry, Gigi - I didn't mean to hi-jack your thread and turn your success story into a blathering of frustration.. Thanks for the post, I'm definitely going to check out the VLS#3. I'll try the ultima first though (because I need relief quick and I can get it at our local co-op) It is refrigerated so I'm hoping it will do the trick!
Will you continue to use the VLS#3? Or will you just take it for a month then go a maintenance type probiotic? I hope this continues to work for you - and I'd love to hear how it's going!
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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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for Gigi
#321341 - 12/30/07 02:25 PM
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Zara
Reged: 06/07/06
Posts: 883
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Gigi, how much are you taking per day? I checked out their website and it said that for IBS they recommned 0.5-1 packet per day. That's still so much more bacteria then in the regular probiotics I've been taking so far  . So if we could get away with 30 packets for 2 months it wouldn't be as pricey!
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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
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