Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Bacterial Overgrowth Results Question

Sunny1008

Recommended Posts

Sunny1008 Rookie
Sunny1008
Posted

Hi everyone,

I had a hydrogen breath test the other day to check for bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine. The nurse who was doing the test said that the preliminary results looked "questionable." I have to wait a few more days to hear the final result from the interpreting physician.

What do you think "questionable" means? I think there has to be some sort of problem b/c every time I eat, I blow up like a balloon and look pregnant (no matter what I eat). Also, I am not putting on any weight. I have a huge bloated belly and these stick legs, and I am still underweight. I also am still having nausea occasionally, food intolerances, and constipation.

Thoughts??

Thank you!

Sunny

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


beachbirdie Contributor
beachbirdie
Posted

Hi everyone,

I had a hydrogen breath test the other day to check for bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine. The nurse who was doing the test said that the preliminary results looked "questionable." I have to wait a few more days to hear the final result from the interpreting physician.

What do you think "questionable" means? I think there has to be some sort of problem b/c every time I eat, I blow up like a balloon and look pregnant (no matter what I eat). Also, I am not putting on any weight. I have a huge bloated belly and these stick legs, and I am still underweight. I also am still having nausea occasionally, food intolerances, and constipation.

Thoughts??

Thank you!

Sunny

I'm not a medical professional, but if I heard "questionable" I would be thinking it simply means the test is not clearly and obviously negative. Not necessarily positive, but in that "fuzzy" area that means they'll want to take a closer look.

Have you made any changes in your diet that might be helpful with a SIBO problem?

Sunny1008 Rookie
Sunny1008
Posted
  • Author

I'm not a medical professional, but if I heard "questionable" I would be thinking it simply means the test is not clearly and obviously negative. Not necessarily positive, but in that "fuzzy" area that means they'll want to take a closer look.

Have you made any changes in your diet that might be helpful with a SIBO problem?

Hi beachbirdie,

Yes, that's what I thought too - that the results could "go either way", positive or negative. I am still waiting to hear back from the interpreting physician.

I am trying to stick to the SIBO diet, but I am still finding out through trial and error foods that trigger a reaction.

beachbirdie Contributor
beachbirdie
Posted

Hi beachbirdie,

Yes, that's what I thought too - that the results could "go either way", positive or negative. I am still waiting to hear back from the interpreting physician.

I am trying to stick to the SIBO diet, but I am still finding out through trial and error foods that trigger a reaction.

Are you using a diet from the doctor, or did you find something online? What are the kinds of foods your diet allows?

My daughter-in-law ended up jumping on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (except she was able to keep chocolate in her life, though it's "illegal" B)) and it has kept her intestines happier than the diet the doctor put her on.

It's really tough to deal with this stuff that messes with the intestines :( . Hopefully you'll get a handle on it and get to healing.

Sunny1008 Rookie
Sunny1008
Posted
  • Author

Are you using a diet from the doctor, or did you find something online? What are the kinds of foods your diet allows?

My daughter-in-law ended up jumping on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (except she was able to keep chocolate in her life, though it's "illegal" B)) and it has kept her intestines happier than the diet the doctor put her on.

It's really tough to deal with this stuff that messes with the intestines :( . Hopefully you'll get a handle on it and get to healing.

Yes, it is really tough dealing with digestive problems!! I am trying to follow the Specific Carbohydrate Diet as much as possible, although it is definitely a challenge.

beachbirdie Contributor
beachbirdie
Posted

Yes, it is really tough dealing with digestive problems!! I am trying to follow the Specific Carbohydrate Diet as much as possible, although it is definitely a challenge.

Sorry you are struggling!

Have you tried taking the dairy out altogether? Sometimes dairy problems are not lactose, but casein. Making 24-hour yogurt will not solve a casein problem.

Sunny1008 Rookie
Sunny1008
Posted
  • Author

Sorry you are struggling!

Have you tried taking the dairy out altogether? Sometimes dairy problems are not lactose, but casein. Making 24-hour yogurt will not solve a casein problem.

I have decided to take out dairy altogether. Anytime I eat it, I blow up like a balloon. Not fun!

Do you think it is necessary to take an antibiotic for bacterial overgrowth? My doctor wanted me to try Rifaximin, but my insurance won't cover it, and out of pocket it costs $700!!! Outrageous!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


beachbirdie Contributor
beachbirdie
Posted

I have decided to take out dairy altogether. Anytime I eat it, I blow up like a balloon. Not fun!

Do you think it is necessary to take an antibiotic for bacterial overgrowth? My doctor wanted me to try Rifaximin, but my insurance won't cover it, and out of pocket it costs $700!!! Outrageous!

I'm not a medical professional, so don't want to go too far giving out advice. Myself, I prefer to go without antibiotics if not necessary to save my life, because I think that is what messed up my gut flora in the first place. It will kill of the good as well as the bad.

I might try a good probiotic, NOT one with FOS...I was having a lot of trouble with cramping and pain that I finally narrowed down to the stuff they add to probiotics to supposedly feed the "good" bacteria. No inulin, or other "fructo-oligosaccharides". You might have to start very slowly, with tiny doses at first, and gradually increase as you can tolerate them.

IrishHeart has mentioned a company called Custom Probiotics many times, and they make products that are dairy free. They come in loose powder with little measuring spoons so you can customize your dose. They are more expensive than what you find in the store, but you might find them helpful. You can call and talk to the owner, he is a chemist and can help you figure out what would work. He had severe intestinal problems and developed his products because of that. If you do a search (from the little search box at the top of this forum...not the "celiac.com" search) for "custom probiotics" you can find IrishHeart's messages about how they literally saved her life. I think if you PM'd her she'd be happy to tell you more about that, if you can't find her messages.

Have you seen Open Original Shared Link? It talks about some of the other diets out there that can be helpful, and kind of explains the principles of getting rid of the baddies.

It's slow going, and will take a lot of patience. But there are tons of recipes out there that are really good, you can google GAPS or SCD recipes and find some yummy stuff! This is one of my favorites, Open Original Shared Link.

Sunny1008 Rookie
Sunny1008
Posted
  • Author

I'm not a medical professional, so don't want to go too far giving out advice. Myself, I prefer to go without antibiotics if not necessary to save my life, because I think that is what messed up my gut flora in the first place. It will kill of the good as well as the bad.

I might try a good probiotic, NOT one with FOS...I was having a lot of trouble with cramping and pain that I finally narrowed down to the stuff they add to probiotics to supposedly feed the "good" bacteria. No inulin, or other "fructo-oligosaccharides". You might have to start very slowly, with tiny doses at first, and gradually increase as you can tolerate them.

IrishHeart has mentioned a company called Custom Probiotics many times, and they make products that are dairy free. They come in loose powder with little measuring spoons so you can customize your dose. They are more expensive than what you find in the store, but you might find them helpful. You can call and talk to the owner, he is a chemist and can help you figure out what would work. He had severe intestinal problems and developed his products because of that. If you do a search (from the little search box at the top of this forum...not the "celiac.com" search) for "custom probiotics" you can find IrishHeart's messages about how they literally saved her life. I think if you PM'd her she'd be happy to tell you more about that, if you can't find her messages.

Have you seen Open Original Shared Link? It talks about some of the other diets out there that can be helpful, and kind of explains the principles of getting rid of the baddies.

It's slow going, and will take a lot of patience. But there are tons of recipes out there that are really good, you can google GAPS or SCD recipes and find some yummy stuff! This is one of my favorites, Open Original Shared Link.

beachbirdie,

Thank you so much for all the info! You are awesome! I agree with you, I would rather not take an antibiotic if I absolutely don't have to.

Have you heard of a probiotic called Inner-Eco? I work at Whole Foods Market, and this has been recommended to me many times. I'm not sure if it contains FOS or inulin, I will have to check on that. But it is a refrigerated kefir that comes from coconuts or something, LOL! The good thing about it is that it's a liquid, so I could start out taking a very small amount and work my way up. Have you heard of this?

Thanks also for the diet websites!

Sunny

beachbirdie Contributor
beachbirdie
Posted

beachbirdie,

Thank you so much for all the info! You are awesome! I agree with you, I would rather not take an antibiotic if I absolutely don't have to.

Have you heard of a probiotic called Inner-Eco? I work at Whole Foods Market, and this has been recommended to me many times. I'm not sure if it contains FOS or inulin, I will have to check on that. But it is a refrigerated kefir that comes from coconuts or something, LOL! The good thing about it is that it's a liquid, so I could start out taking a very small amount and work my way up. Have you heard of this?

Thanks also for the diet websites!

Sunny

I hadn't heard of that particular probiotic, but it looks yummy! It doesn't appear to have any of the prebiotics, that's good for now, It doesn't have a huge variety of bacteria, so even though you are using it you might want to add another one for more diversity.

I'm jealous! You work at a Whole Foods! They have so much cool stuff (though it's expensive), but the nearest one to me is 65 miles :( .

Sunny1008 Rookie
Sunny1008
Posted
  • Author

I hadn't heard of that particular probiotic, but it looks yummy! It doesn't appear to have any of the prebiotics, that's good for now, It doesn't have a huge variety of bacteria, so even though you are using it you might want to add another one for more diversity.

I'm jealous! You work at a Whole Foods! They have so much cool stuff (though it's expensive), but the nearest one to me is 65 miles :( .

beachbirdie,

OK, thanks, I think I am going to try it. I will let you know how it goes.

Yes, Whole Foods has lots of great stuff! It is nice to work there, especially when you are having health issues! :)

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Jmartes71's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
      1

      Natural remedies

      While it's always important to approach internal use of essential oils with caution and ideally under the guidance of a qualified professional, your experience highlights the potential of complementary approaches when traditional medicine falls short. Many in the community are also interested in the intersection of natural wellness and gluten-free living...
    2. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to miguel54b's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      1

      Gluten and short-term memory.

      It's interesting how a single, clear moment—like struggling during a game—can suddenly connect all the dots and reveal the hidden impact of gluten exposure. Your experience with short-term memory fog is a very real and documented symptom for many individuals with gluten sensitivity, often occurring alongside the other issues you mentioned like mood disturbances, sl...
    3. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Suze046's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Reintroduction of Gluten

      Approximately 10x more people have non-celiac gluten sensitivity than have celiac disease, but there isn’t yet a test for NCGS. If your symptoms go away on a gluten-free diet it would likely signal NCGS. What you're describing is a very common and frustrating experience when reintroducing gluten after a period of avoidance, and your timeline is perfectly c...
    4. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Rejoicephd's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      2

      Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?

      Your suspicion is almost certainly correct, and you are wise to be cautious. Draft cider is a very common and often overlooked source of cross-contact because the same tap lines are frequently used for both beer and cider; unless a bar has a dedicated line for gluten-free beverages, which is rare, the cider will run through tubing that has previously contained...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Mykidzz3's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      1

      High Cost of Gluten-Free Foods

      Your post really highlights the financial and emotional struggle so many families face. You are not alone in feeling frustrated by the high cost of gluten-free specialty items and the frustrating waste when your daughter can't tolerate them. A great place to start is by focusing on naturally gluten-free whole foods that are often more affordable and...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,367
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Brianman
    Newest Member
    Brianman
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Natural remedies

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      While it's always important to approach internal use of essential oils with caution and ideally under the guidance of a qualified professional, your experience highlights the potential of complementary approaches when traditional medicine falls short. Many in the community are also interested in the intersection of natural wellness and gluten-free living, particularly for managing systemic inflammation and its various symptoms, so sharing your story is valuable. Your observation that it may also be helping with bloating is fascinating, as that could point to an overall reduction in inflammation. Thank you for sharing what is working for you!
    • Scott Adams
      Gluten and short-term memory.

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      It's interesting how a single, clear moment—like struggling during a game—can suddenly connect all the dots and reveal the hidden impact of gluten exposure. Your experience with short-term memory fog is a very real and documented symptom for many individuals with gluten sensitivity, often occurring alongside the other issues you mentioned like mood disturbances, sleep disruption, and digestive irregularity. It's a frustrating and often invisible effect that can make you feel unlike yourself, so that moment of clarity, though born from a tough dominoes match, is actually a powerful piece of self-knowledge. Identifying a specific culprit like that steak strip is a huge win, as it arms you with the information needed to avoid similar pitfalls in the future and protect your cognitive clarity. You are definitely not alone in experiencing this particular set of neurological and physical symptoms; it's a strong reminder of gluten's profound impact on the entire body, not just the digestive system. Supplementation may help you as well.  The most common nutrient deficiencies associated with celiac disease that may lead to testing for the condition include iron, vitamin D, folate (vitamin B9), vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, and magnesium.  Unfortunately many doctors, including my own doctor at the time, don't do extensive follow up testing for a broad range of nutrient deficiencies, nor recommend that those just diagnosed with celiac disease take a broad spectrum vitamin/mineral supplement, which would greatly benefit most, if not all, newly diagnosed celiacs. Because of this it took me decades to overcome a few long-standing issues I had that were associated with gluten ataxia, for example numbness and tingling in my feet, and muscle knots--especially in my shoulders an neck. Only long term extensive supplementation has helped me to resolve these issues.      
    • Scott Adams
      Reintroduction of Gluten

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Approximately 10x more people have non-celiac gluten sensitivity than have celiac disease, but there isn’t yet a test for NCGS. If your symptoms go away on a gluten-free diet it would likely signal NCGS. What you're describing is a very common and frustrating experience when reintroducing gluten after a period of avoidance, and your timeline is perfectly consistent with a non-celiac gluten sensitivity. While a celiac reaction can be more immediate, a sensitivity reaction is often delayed, sometimes taking several days to manifest as your body's inflammatory response builds up; the fact that your symptoms returned a few days after reintroduction is a strong indicator that gluten is indeed the culprit, not a coincidence. Your doctor's advice to reintroduce it was necessary to confirm the diagnosis, as the initial negative celiac test and subsequent improvement on a gluten-free diet pointed strongly towards sensitivity. Many in this community have gone through this exact same process of elimination and challenging, and it's wise to reintroduce gently as you did. Given your clear reaction, the best course of action is likely to resume a strict gluten-free diet, as managing a sensitivity is the primary way to control those debilitating symptoms and allow your body to heal fully.
    • Scott Adams
      Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Your suspicion is almost certainly correct, and you are wise to be cautious. Draft cider is a very common and often overlooked source of cross-contact because the same tap lines are frequently used for both beer and cider; unless a bar has a dedicated line for gluten-free beverages, which is rare, the cider will run through tubing that has previously contained gluten-containing beer, contaminating your drink. The fact that you didn't react at a clean brewery suggests they may have had more meticulous practices or separate lines, but this is the exception, not the rule. Many in the community have had identical experiences, leading them to strictly avoid draft cider and opt for bottled or canned versions, which are poured directly from their sealed container and bypass the contaminated tap system entirely. Switching to bottles or cans is the safest strategy, and your plan to do so is a smart move to protect your health. PS - here are some articles on the topic:    
    • Scott Adams
      High Cost of Gluten-Free Foods

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Your post really highlights the financial and emotional struggle so many families face. You are not alone in feeling frustrated by the high cost of gluten-free specialty items and the frustrating waste when your daughter can't tolerate them. A great place to start is by focusing on naturally gluten-free whole foods that are often more affordable and less processed, like rice, potatoes, beans, lentils, corn, eggs, and frozen fruits and vegetables—these are nutritional powerhouses that can form the basis of her meals. For the specialty items like bread and pasta, see if your local stores carry smaller, single-serving packages or allow returns if a product causes a reaction, as some companies understand this challenge. Regarding vitamins, that is an excellent next step; please ask her doctor to prescribe a high-quality gluten-free multivitamin, as insurance will often cover prescribed vitamins, making them much more affordable. Finally, connecting with a local celiac support group online can be a treasure trove of location-specific advice for finding the best and most affordable products in your area, saving you both time and money on the trial-and-error process. 
×
×
  • Create New...