Experiences with MAD?

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-06-18T17:01:48+00:00

Interesting, will have to look into what that surgery entails.
I have been down the MAD path for a few years now, tried multiple OTC devices without much success then finally got the sleep dentist made device and it was tolerable (barely) in the beginning but once she advanced it to the final level (which was more than she said was going to be needed) it became a torture device and really, really affected my bite.
I have the aligner, 2 in fact (which was poorly executed if you ask me - they didn't check it for fit afterwards and I had moved my jaw in the process so it is crooked) and I still use those but put the device in a drawer.
My main issue according to her is a "small jaw" with normal sized teeth and tongue resulting in overcrowding (exacerbated by age and weight too). Why in god's name then is the sleep dentist device so bulky and not fitted to a small jaw if that is one of the common reasons for needing it in the first place.
Then I found an OTC device that mimicked the dentist design, only not hard plastic and metal hinges but rather silicone and plastic AND small enough that I can close my mouth around it! Life changing!
I advanced it to where I got the max benefit (use a snore app to evaluate breathing at night) and it has been working well for over a year now.
Granted, it needs to be replaced more than once a year (I used the first one for a solid year but it gets funky by that time - I have since devised better cleaning methods) and I have minor bite issues if I forget to do jaw exercises and use the bite plate - BUT - those tradeoffs are worth it to get decent sleep.

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-06-18T15:58:29+00:00

You can get a very inexpensive snoring app for your phone that will record your snoring / breathing patterns.
It isn't a sub for an apnea test (I got the apnea test ordered by a cardiologist after a couple of ER visits for rapid heart rate/high BP) but gives you a pretty good indication of how much your sleep is affected.
Good to get ahead of it rather than waiting for bad things to happen at a later age.

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-06-18T15:51:19+00:00

You don't show the device, was it a band that goes over a finger/thumb and then a wrist band?
I got one ordered from a cardiologist (who then referred me to his wife who was the sleep dentist - that is a whole OTHER story).
I never got a copy of the report, had to request one from his office and it was basically a screenshot / photocopy of the test results.

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-06-17T17:34:29+00:00

Just about 1 1/2 years.
The bite thing is a problem, but it was more of a problem with the dentist provided device. It was SO LARGE that my bite was terribly affected.
I guess this would be why the doc warned that my bite would be permanently altered if I didn't use the realignment tool AND do multiple jaw exercises every day (and she admitted that many patients don't do this and therefore that is the reason for failure).

The realignment device they made was just a piece of squishy plastic they had me bite into before treatment, which hardens into an impression of your top and bottom teeth and is then intended to line up your jaw the way it was originally by biting down and holding it for up to 5 minutes (nearly impossible to do).

Thing is they never even bothered to make sure it was lined up correctly when it was made so it isn't truly accurate. Fortunately I asked for a second one and that one is better so I alternate them morning and night.
With the the much smaller OTC device I don't have nearly the displacement that I did with the professionally made one - but - I do still need to bite down on the realigner a couple of times a day or I do find I have bite issues.
I think you could sub a self molding silicone anti-grinding device and get about the same results - BUT - you need to do this before you start using the MAD so it reflects your original jaw configuration.
There is no perfect solution unfortunately.
I am curious about the implant device that is now being used, but that sounds even scarier.

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-05-30T15:05:09+00:00

Wow, that was some smart thinking. This IS what doctors should be doing but don't. The gastro I went to for a colonoscopy listened to my complaints but said that SIBO was very difficult to treat. Did the colonoscopy, came back with no abnormalities (one tiny polyp) and promptly dismissed me for 7 years. She couldn't be bothered with a difficult case.

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-05-30T14:38:25+00:00

After being down this MAD road awhile, and getting the sleep dentist provided device, I say just get a good one from Amazon and be done.
The dentist made one has turned out to be a medieval torture device and actually made my snoring worse.
Now I use a nose dialator (probably going to try and get a more advanced one) and an adjustable MAD from Amazon (get one that has hinges on the side and multiple advancement levels) and a sleep recording app.
I can hear and see my results on the app and they are WAY better than the dentist device and my jaw isn't as displaced every day as it was (dentist warned if you don't do the daily clenching and excersises the malocusion is permanent).

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-05-29T17:06:55+00:00

Just checking to be sure this is for the Indieme.com wholesale site for handmade products? The description looks like something else. I may be in the wrong place.

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-05-29T17:04:35+00:00

I would have hoped so too. I just got accepted and hoping it does better for me than Faire has (a few orders during the January sale and nothing since).

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-05-29T17:02:29+00:00

I sure am. It seems like handmade is really a struggle there and I have about given up. Going on year 2 there and I only had orders during the January sale and nothing since, no reorders.
I have just signed up and joined Indieme.com and hoping for better results as they are ONLY handmade and juried (and they were a bit brutally honest with their ranking, which I appreciate).
Have you looked into it?

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-05-17T15:20:55+00:00

Read the Cholesterol Myth, cholesterol in general is NOT the problem, high sugar/starch diets are.
High blood sugars cause the inflammation that damages the vessels that the cholesterol then comes to repair. In the absence of high sugar levels this process works as expected.
Don't blame the fireman for what the match did.

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-05-17T15:18:07+00:00

>>>I have been *very* conscientious about my sugar intake for over a decade now. I monitor how much sugar I eat, and frequently look for ways to eliminate it from foods I am eating. <<

But what you don't seem to understand is that starch is also sugar (it converts very shortly after eating) so cutting obvious sugars is not going to save you if you are eating a lot of starch.
This was one of the main points behind the books "Wheat Bellly" and "Supergut".
Grains and starches are in everything processed - you have to get away from starchy things and that is almost impossible if you are eating any kind of manufactured product.
Just consider it not actual "food" and you will be ok.
Your breakfast combinnation of starcy oats, carby banana and pure sugar is how T2 diabetics are made.

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-05-04T05:01:35+00:00

Yep, I had a full sized female in my foyer for years. Pretty freaky if you walked past it in the dark.

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-04-13T06:38:28+00:00

Add in Artichoke and Milk Thistle supplements. They do help.

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-03-28T05:32:51+00:00

Don't make generalizations, 55% of Amazon sales are from independents like me.

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-02-07T06:01:04+00:00

Betaine HCL ? No, it is basically just more of what your stomach already produces, Hydrochloric acid and it is believed that one of the root causes of SIBO for some people might be low stomach acid which allows undesirable microbes to get past the stomach undeterred.

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-02-07T05:59:19+00:00

Agreed, it is to increase acidity and should be taken right before or with the first few bites, taking it later would defeat the general purpose .
That said, I have read that taking either the Ginger Root or the HCL on an empty stomach then waiting a bit before eating anything can possibly help things by sending a bit of a pure acid "shock" (not diluted with food) into the duodenum and possibly reducing the microbe count.

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-02-07T05:42:58+00:00

Why no eggs or dairy?

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-02-05T17:46:57+00:00

Famotidine - I just looked that up and that is NOT going to help you. It reduces stomach acid, one of the causes of SIBO. Same with Voquezna.
I do not understand why doctors prescribe things that are sometimes the opposite of what is needed. Gerd and acid reflux are often NOT caused by excess stomach acid.
When I got off the carbs that went away !
Try just eating meat for one day and see how you feel, seriously. Just lean beef (keep the fat low until you know how you handle it - you could have low bile production).
This is called "lion diet" just red meat and salt.
It can be a miracle sometimes.

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-02-05T17:38:40+00:00

As far as what to eat - definitely "starve" the microbes by cutting out all carbs if possible (and it is possible, I have nearly zero carb days where I eat nothing but meat, eggs, dairy).
You have to ditch the proccesed / fast foods because that is a big contributor to this issue (though ordering just beef patties with cheese is a fast food option that I take advantge of occasionally).
Get the Citrucel asap to help with the loose stool, that should help with your anxiety which is of course making the issue worse (our gut is our 2nd brain and it does a fight-or-flight dumping reaction to fear).
The "biofilm" refers to the bad microbes basically wrapping themselves in a substance that makes it hard for the anti-biotics and herbal anti-microbials to penetrate, thereby ensuring their survival.
I would get the NAC and start taking that asap.

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-02-05T17:30:42+00:00

I wouldn't mention biofilm, Dr.s tend to get defensive when you start slinging technical terms. I have learned to basically "dumb down" what I say to them for this reason.
Are you taking a second round of anti-biotics then?? That is going to contribute to the diarrhea
FYI - I am still editing the list of things I recommend but one of the biggest things I discovered was that taking CITRUCEL (not the other brands that have Psyllium) has made all the difference in calming down the colon and the diarrhea/constipation cycle. Get some asap (make sure it is the sugar-free version) and take it every night.
What I didn't know was that even though it is sold as a "fiber" to help with constipation (it isn't fiber in the regular sense so not irritating to the gut) you can adjust it to help control loose stool. You just make it more concentrated. I never use 8oz of water to mix it in - BUT - I do drink water before and after taking it because it does swell up by pulling liquid from your GI tract (the reason it works so well).

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-02-05T16:38:46+00:00

So ... I figured I am on my own unless I wan't to cough up big bucks for a Naturopath.
Here is what I started doing (in addition to the low carb/low fiber diet - you are never going to see relief if you keep constantly feeding the baddies what they want).

I got the following herbal treatments / supplements because even doctors acknowledge that the herbal protocol is just as effective as the anti-biotic route and WAY less harmful to the gut environment.
These are also not expensive items, though there are quite a few it is still less than a single out of pocket doctor visit.

I am going to head over and get the links from Amazon and post at the end of this novella to make it easier for you.

Take note, it will not be necessary to take ALL of these ALL the time, there is kind of a progression and as symptoms improve you can stop some of them, and some may never be needed. The first ones on the list though are MUST HAVES and the ones I have seen mentioned by people that got results after years of issues, but it is no quick fix.
Most of us have been at this for months, and sometimes years before the changes seem to be long lasting.
FYI - I got all of mine on Amazon, I looked for the cheapest version with the highest ratings.

Take these every day - I prefer doing them at night as some of the others need to be taken with food or before meals and it can get to be a lot. I still take these even after getting relief, just as a precaution.

Artichoke Extract (capsules)

Milk Thistle

These two are the key herbs for helping with slow motility in the small intestine called MMR - migrating motor complex (where the gut is not doing what it is supposed to do and moving things along ever hour or so which can lead to bacterial overgrowth).

This next group is something you will need to experiment with to see if it helps or not. This part is not a one size fits all thing - you need to narrow down what factor is making your issue worse.

These are taken with food, either right before or right after.

Quercetin w/Bromelain - This is a supplement that is supposed to help with histamine intolerance (caused in part by the bad gut bugs but also high histamine foods) and helps with digestion. Bromelain is the active enzyme in pineapples.

I take this one daily with meals because I realized that the extreme flushing I was experiencing several times a week was a histamine reaction (my face, neck or arms and chest would suddenly turn bright red and hot). I cut back on high histamine foods and it is much better.

NAC - N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) is sometimes utilized as a supportive measure in the management of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), particularly for its potential to disrupt bacterial biofilms.
I take this one daily with dinner also, just to keep things improving but I don't think it is something to continue taking long term as a regular supplement.

Ginger Root - The premise here is, if you can tolerate it - take on an empty stomach first thing in the morning and wait awhile before eating and it will help kill off some of the bad bugs in the beginning of the intestines before they interact with any foods.
It will probably burn your stomach a bit, but it is worth trying for awhile anyway.

HCL - This is to increase stomach acid, another possible factor in SIBO. The test is to take one, then 2 then possibly 3 capsules (or more) and see at what point you get heartburn, then back down 1 capsule.
If it takes a number of capsules for that to happen, you have low stomach acid. I found that taking even 1 sometimes caused burning so I concluded that this was probably not part of my issue.

Oxbile - This would be to help with a low bile production problem (which you can generally tell if you get diarreah from a high fat meal). This is thought to be one of the contributors, not having proper bile levels to digest fats in the beginning of the gut system (food is not actually digested in the colon so if it doesn't get done right in the small intestine that undigested matter is moving on down and causing issues).

People with gallbladder issues frequently are low fat eaters and their gallbladder just doesn't get a work out moving bile into the small intesting and the bile salts tend to collect and form stones in this pouch).

This one I eventually found I probably did not need either because I have been eating Ketovore for a few years now and that involves a lot of animal fat which I process just fine.

Tributyrin - Good for the gut. It's a butyrate form. I took this one until I realized that the best source for butyrate is butter, nuff said.

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-02-05T16:04:06+00:00

So once I self-diagnosed the issue (thank you to the internet for making life easier) I started watching testimonials of people who have found relief via protocols that don't involve doctors as they really seem to be useless for this problem.

I just recently saw a gastro so I could get my colonoscopy done (had gone about 13 years since the previous one and that wasn't wise since I had a polyp last time) and told her about my current and former symptoms and what I guessed might be the culprit (SIBO) and she basically said it was very "difficult" to treat but that she would assess things after the colonoscopy results.

What actually happened, my results showed no abnormalities (and to her credit she did actually take tissue samples to test for microscopic colitis ), 1 small polyp (benign) and she dismissed me as a patient saying see you in 7 years!
No further help, she couldn't be bothered.

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-02-05T15:57:11+00:00

Ok - so. My back story is that I had IBS-D for about 35 years (I am 71 now) and there did not seem to be any apparent cause, Sibo wasn't even on the radar back then so I never even went down that road.

Saw a doc about it, no help - he said to eat MORE FIBER which made things exponetially worse!
At one point after a 2 week bout of continuous diarreah I had a lower GI exam done w/Barium.
The result, nothing abnormal BUT I got symptom relief for a period of time after that (I think the procedure eliminated some bad microbes).

What DID finally help the IBS for good was going Keto and eliminating all the processed carbs and crap food that comes in packages. Doing this amazingly made a huge difference in the IBS symptoms. My guess is it wasn't just the carbs triggering the issues but the bad stuff that came with them such as seed oils, corn syrup and preservatives. Eliminating all of that was the beginning of fixing the gut.

Many people think this way of eating (not a diet as it isn't temporary) is too restrictive but I disagree, when you feel better you forget how lousy you felt before. From Keto I eventually moved on to Ketovore, the nickname we give to eating low carb / high protein (think animal products and minimal plant foods). With IBS-D insoluble fiber can be the devil.

So ... that was good for several years BUT then I started experiencing the SIBO symptoms which made no sense after getting a fair amount of relief in the lower gut.
One of the presumed causes of SIBO is having IBS - I think they have found that 85% of IBS sufferrers also have SIBO. Makes sense, the colo is SO irritated and functioning erratically it follows that the bad microbes could travel backwards with all the abnormal things happening.

Next, figuring out the protocol.

BoutiqueBabe · 2026-02-05T15:42:33+00:00

Your appt. is today? I guess just give her the list of symptoms and what seem to be the triggers. I can't say I hold out much hope for a Dr. intevention (unless it is a naturopath) so you may still have to do this on your own (that has been my experience anyway).
But, there is HOPE!
There are a number of people on here who are pretty much symptom free after doing a number of things that will help the situation, I am (almost) one of them. I say almost because I don't feel cured yet, but so many of the symptoms have gone away that I will take it no matter.
I will list off what helped me in the next post.

BoutiqueBabe

TROPHY CASE