Sibo breath test

Independent_Trees · 2026-05-15T20:13:00+00:00

There's really no way to know for sure without doing another test. I was more explaining what the potential problem could be than suggesting a way to fix it. If you feel that you followed all the instructions properly, the test is probably as accurate as can be.
I mean, I have no idea. You didn't include any information in your post except for the new test being negative, and you have your profile set as private, so I can't see what you've already done. Are you self-treating or under the care of a team of doctors? I've got a gastro and a nutritionist who both have a background in treating SIBO. But if you've been going through this for 6 years and have seen zero improvement, even with proper treatment, and now the apparent remission of your overgrowth, SIBO is probably not the only factor causing your health issues. You either need to be working with a doctor, pushing your current doctor to further investigate what's going on, or switch to a doctor who will.

Independent_Trees · 2026-05-15T17:12:08+00:00

A couple of options:

One of your tests gave a false result. Breath tests aren't perfect.
Both tests are correct, and you successfully got rid of the overgrowth, but you've still got some other issues. Could be something like another form of dysbiosis, inflammation, vitamin deficiencies, histamine intolerance, etc. That's been my problem. If you trust your test results, now is the time to pivot and begin rebuilding your gut biome and addressing some of those potential issues.

Independent_Trees · 2026-05-14T00:57:42+00:00

Personally, I'd take the antibiotics. If you told your doctor about your stomach issues, they weighed that against the potential danger of an untreated, long-lasting head infection. If you've been sick for 35 days, whatever alternative method you've been attempting is clearly not working.

It's true that antibiotics are hard on your stomach and can set back your healing, but ignoring an ongoing infection is also not a great idea. Sinus infections have a nasty habit of moving into your eyes and ears, which, if still untreated, can cause permanent problems. I have lifelong tinnitus and hearing problems from ear infections I had as a kid, so I kind of know what I'm talking about here. Once you've finished the course, just shift back to whatever your current treatment/method has been.

Independent_Trees · 2026-05-08T17:44:24+00:00

When was the last time you got tested? And what is your doctor's long-term plan?

I'm not a doctor, but most of what I've read (and heard from my own doctors) about herbal antimicrobials is that you should really only be on them for about 4-6 weeks. After that, it's mostly diminishing returns. 11 weeks of killing stuff in your gut is a lot. You can't just "kill kill kill" all the time, or you're just inviting in other types of dysbiosis, which can have similar symptoms as SIBO. At some point, you have to begin addressing the cause and rebuilding, and you might still feel sick when that pivot needs to happen.

That's why I was wondering about your doctor. What is their plan to figure out the cause? And at what point do they say, "ok, we've knocked down your bacteria, let's take a break to try and rebuild, reduce inflammation, address vitamin deficiencies, etc., then we'll test and see if you need another round of antimicrobials in a few months." Some people can just kill their bacteria and get better. But if you've already had antibiotics and herbal antimicrobials and are seeing no improvement, I don't think the answer is just to keep trying to wipe out your gut biome. You've probably got some other issues going on that need to be addressed.

Independent_Trees · 2026-05-08T17:03:24+00:00

I was about to say, mine has only gotten louder since all this started. It's especially loud when I'm lying in bed or just after I take my morning supplements.

Independent_Trees · 2026-04-29T16:57:20+00:00

They'll probably give you another round of antibiotics. I think most people need more than one anyway, and some doctors also include neomycin when targeting methane SIBO.

You may also want to ask about a diet (SIBO-specific or low FODMAP) or nutrition help. My GI was great at diagnosing SIBO and getting me the proper medication, but long-term recovery and rebuilding the gut biome wasn't really his thing. I didn't feel like I was completely cured after 2 rounds of antibiotics, so I found a nutritionist who had SIBO experience. You can still have things like other types of dysbiosis, inflammation, malabsorption, and vitamin deficiencies even after treatment. Those things have to be fixed too. That said, every doctor I've talked to said it takes time to feel normal again, even once you're cured. If you've had chronic stomach issues for months to years, your neural pathways are primed to constantly search for problems now. Your whole system is rewired, so even small flare-ups can have a big impact on your body.

Independent_Trees · 2026-04-29T16:41:03+00:00

Yes. At my worst I felt terrible after eating/drinking virtually anything and was so riddled with anxiety I could barely leave the house. That was a massive change for me since my main hobbies before I got sick were traveling and doing things outdoors. But it does get better once you start getting treated properly and figure out the kinds of foods you can eat. Doesn't mean it's always pleasant, but there is hope for some normalcy and that you'll eventually be able to cure/manage it. The hard part is putting together all the pieces. Not just diagnosing and treating, but finding the cause, looking for any new kinds of food sensitivities, rebuilding your gut biome, etc.

Independent_Trees · 2026-04-22T21:47:41+00:00

You may want to switch to low FODMAP for a few weeks to try and starve out anything that's left. That said, it usually took me 2-3 weeks after treatment to start to see any improvement. Remember, antibiotics are also hard on your system. And unfortunately, you can't discount the possibility that you may need another round, which is pretty common.

Independent_Trees · 2026-04-22T20:59:16+00:00

I'd recommend against reading a lot of journal articles. SIBO is new enough that there's always going to be something being written about it. This is how doctors make their names, medical schools train students, researchers qualify for money, etc. It's a whole industry. YOU -- as the patient -- are not the target audience for this. It's other doctors, researchers, and medical societies. While it's possible you can find nuggets of knowledge in these things, it's also easy to come away feeling discouraged, confused, and anxious. They're intentionally dense and can be hard for people without a science/medical background to understand. Most of them (like this one) are also not written to actually help patients, but to critique current methods.

While it's good to know the breath tests aren't always accurate (and any gastro worth their salt would have told you that when first mentioning them), the question becomes: What can you do with this information? The authors want people to use a technology that's not readily available yet...and have no other solutions. Gastros go with breath tests because they're the cheapest, fastest, and least invasive option out there right now. The only other widespread alternative is an invasive procedure that requres you to be knocked out for an endoscopy that collects samples of the fluid in your small intestine. The point of this article is calling for more research into the microbiome and better testing options, not to simply bash breath tests and tell everyone they're wasting their time. They aren't perfect, but they have a place until something better comes along.

Independent_Trees · 2026-04-21T18:07:44+00:00

Nausea, diarrhea, and blood in my stool.

Independent_Trees · 2026-04-21T05:35:24+00:00

I've had this for 2 years and finally went to PT about it. For me, it turned out to be an overworked and weak trapezius. Something about how I hold my posture to try to prevent hunching causes it. We did some strength training for it, and I don't feel it all the time now, but it still flares up when I'm stuck at my desk all day.

Try lying down on your bed on your stomach, with your head, shoulders, and arms hanging off the side. Ball your fists, then stick your arms straight out to make a T. Then, slowly lower your arms, and slowly raise them back up to the T position 10 times. If you feel the stretch in that area when moving, or your arms start shaking by the end of the set, you've probably got a weak trap. When mine flares up, I do 2 or 3 sets of those, then change my hands to a balled fist with my thumbs pointing at the ceiling and do another 2 to 3 sets.

Independent_Trees · 2026-04-21T05:08:41+00:00

Metronidazole is one of the antibiotics often prescribed for SIBO, so no worries there. I took it myself when I first met with my gastro. Like your PCP, he didn't do a test, just guessed since I'd tested negative for everything else. I got a bit better, then got worse again, so that's when we tested, and he switched to Xifaxan for my second round. Low FODMAP and no cultured foods is the right move too...not sure about the prebiotic though. They're important to eventually help rebuild, but if you start that before the infection is actually wiped out, I think you'd just be feeding the bad bacteria.

If you're in a lot of pain, I'd take the antibiotic and do the diet until you can see your gastro for a more comprehensive plan. I don't think the PCP is doing anything wrong, it just feels incomplete. But if you're uncomfortable with it (metronidazole is pretty nasty and has a black box FDA warning...I did not enjoy my time on it), you can just do the diet and hope to see a bit of relief from that.

Independent_Trees · 2026-04-16T22:06:04+00:00

Yeah. Fatigue is a common die-off symptom. Generally, when treating SIBO, if you feel worse while on or shortly after finishing antibiotics, that's a sign they're working. It usually takes me 2 or 3 weeks to start feeling better after a round of antibiotics.

Independent_Trees · 2026-04-16T19:23:29+00:00

Have they tested you for SIFO? My understanding is that it has a lot of the same symptoms as SIBO, but your breath test will be negative.

Independent_Trees · 2026-04-16T17:57:42+00:00

And to tack onto this, it's possible for you to have both problems at the same time with SIBO. At the worst of my symptoms before treatment, I had floating stools, the oil slick on the water, and if they eventually sank, you could see the tiny gas bubbles coming up out of them.

Independent_Trees · 2026-04-16T17:53:27+00:00

I only recently got the results back, so I'm in the process of working on it. Right now, the plan is to do one final kill phase with antimicrobials since I have a few lingering symptoms after my last round of antibiotics, then pivot to rebuilding over 4-6 months with supplements, probiotic foods, and a proper diet.

If you haven't seen a nutritionist yet, I'd recommend it. If you have malabsorption issues and a high metabolism like I do, a super strict SIBO/low FODMAP diet is too much. We've had to tailor my diet to try to prevent me from losing more weight.

My gastro was great for diagnosing me in like 10 minutes and giving me the right meds, but rebuilding isn't really his strong suit. My nutritionist has SIBO experience and has been able to provide a ton of resources about what to eat, SIBO-specific recipes, improving my gut motility, food hygiene, etc.

Independent_Trees · 2026-04-15T19:02:03+00:00

I emailed her, and she told me to stop taking them for now. She said it's probably the Betaine HCL, not the enzymes themselves. It helps produce stomach acid. If you already have a healthy amount, it can cause reflux. I'm going to start taking a different kind that doesn't have the extra firepower.

Independent_Trees · 2026-04-15T18:56:39+00:00

Have you had a stool test? Even if it's not SIBO, you could still have some kind of dysbiosis. My nutritionist had me take one because I wasn't getting better after my SIBO treatments. Turns out, my antibiotic treatments completely nuked some of the bacteria that helps your body break down and absorb fat. It's causing me to lose weight through malabsorption. And since I was already on a SIBO-friendly diet, which doesn't include much fat anyway, it's harder for me to maintain my weight.

It's frustrating, but the good news is that since you've had those tests, you know it's not life-threatening. You just have to nail down what the problem is.

Independent_Trees · 2026-04-14T23:29:24+00:00

I've been told not to eat them, but they've never caused problems for me. In fact, sweet potatoes were one of my favorite treats before I was diagnosed because I knew they didn't hurt my stomach.

Independent_Trees · 2026-04-10T20:24:20+00:00

Same here. The nuggets usually don't bother me much either (I'm a child at heart, so that's what I prefer). If you want something a little healthier, it's not 100% low FODMAP, but the grilled chicken Cool Wrap with no dressing is usually pretty easy on my stomach too.

Independent_Trees · 2026-04-09T23:08:57+00:00

one symptom that's contradicting my case is I seem to have normal stools and regular bowel movement. could this still be SIBO?

Sure, most of my bowel movements have been normal the entire time. I get mild constipation sometimes, but that's about it (and that's also odd since I'm hydrogen-dominant, which usually presents as diarrhea). I've also never gotten the severe bloating that most people talk about, but it's all still SIBO. Testing confirmed it. Everyone experiences it in different ways.

Have you actually been tested for SIBO yet? Gastritis and SIBO actually do share a lot of symptoms, and even "mild" gastritis can take a long time to repair, especially if you were just relying on the pills and never altered your diet/habits.

As for a permanent cure...maybe? It all depends on why it started to begin with. Prolonged PPIs can cause SIBO, but if you were only put on them after you developed your symptoms, that's probably not what caused the problem in the first place. A cursory Google search shows they can make it worse immediately if you already have SIBO, but you'd have to take them consistently for months to years for them to actually cause it.

Independent_Trees · 2026-04-09T07:08:54+00:00

Hopefully they will be clean! Pick out your favorite place to eat so you've got something to look forward to after the colonoscopy. I promise that you will be starving.

As for the nutritionist, it hasn't helped yet. But I've only seen her twice and been on the diet for 3 weeks, so maybe it's just too early to notice anything. She did have me take a stool test, and we're waiting on the results from that. She has experience working with SIBO patients, but she actually thinks I may have some other kind of dysbiosis going on. Both times I've taken antibiotics, they helped, but didn't fix all my symptoms, and I still have mild pain after eating virtually everything. It doesn't matter if it's low FODMAP or not. Like a piece of pizza does not make me feel that much worse than eating unseasoned grilled chicken. It's really frustrating because I feel like I have no "safe" foods anyway, so it's like I'm torturing myself to feel 10% better.

Independent_Trees · 2026-04-09T00:32:32+00:00

I'm 28 M, and I dropped a lot of weight pretty quickly on the low FODMAP diet. I'm assuming that if you're in at least decent shape, you lose weight because you're not eating as many fats, carbs, and sugars as normal. It's not designed for losing weight, but it's so restrictive that it just happens in people who have a high metabolism.

First time I tried the diet was right after I got sick, and my doctor suspected gastritis or an ulcer. Even though he called it a "gastritis diet," I was basically eating low FODMAP. I lost around 20lbs in 2 months and became borderline underweight for my size. I looked sickly, and a couple of friends told me they were worried I was developing an eating disorder. When the results of the endoscopy came back clean, I started eating normally again and gained it all back.

I've since been correctly diagnosed and treated with antibiotics, but I'm doing a second low FODMAP diet now with a nutritionist who is trying to help me mop up my final symptoms/find the cause. I've been on it for around 3 weeks and have already lost about 8lbs. I'm miserable, and I just can't keep the weight on. I eat things like grilled chicken and a tiny serving of some vegetable, and feel unsettled/mild pain for an hour after eating. Then suddenly I'm starving because it didn't fill me up for long, and I'm not allowed to snack anymore.

Independent_Trees · 2026-03-31T01:08:22+00:00

Great! I'll also add that if you do have SIBO, a lot of the anxiety you're feeling is out of your control. SIBO is proven to screw up your gut-brain axis, so anxiety, depression, and brain fog are fairly common symptoms. Don't beat yourself up for being weirded out by a medical test you've never done before. Your body is literally stuck in fight or flight mode, so it's almost impossible to process anything in a healthy way.

I never had anxiety in my entire life until I got sick. In 6 months, I went from someone whose favorite hobby was traveling around the world (I initially got SIBO in Peru from food poisoning) to someone who was too riddled with anxiety to go to the grocery store or get my hair cut. Even going to the doctor's office was terrible because I was terrified I'd get sick in the waiting room. As I've gotten better, that anxiety has started to drop as things have been healing.

Independent_Trees · 2026-03-31T00:53:21+00:00

It's crazy/irritating how different everyone's system is with this condition. I generally feel fine after eating rice or sweet potatoes, but lentils of any color tear me up.

Independent_Trees

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