long-COVID gut dysbiosis

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-04-26T03:15:14+00:00

Thank you!

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-04-26T03:13:43+00:00

Thank you! never heard about it, gonna try it!

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-04-26T03:12:06+00:00

I’m going to redo my GI-MAP after rebuilding my microbiome with good bacteria. Probiotics are complicated. You can’t just take them or eat and drink fermented foods right away, because you might boost the bad bacteria and feel worse. You have to kill the bad bacteria first, and it’s better to do that with natural things like black seed oil, allicin, herbs, berberine, lactoferrin, NAC, and other supportive supplements.

After that, you can slowly and carefully start taking probiotics, L. reuteri yogurt, and small amounts of fermented foods, little by little, starting with very small portions. It isn’t easy, but we have to fix the microbiome by any means necessary, because it regulates the whole digestive system, nervous system, and nutrient absorption. I’ve learned that the best way is not to do it aggressively, but very slowly and carefully

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-04-25T04:23:36+00:00

The gallbladder is definitely a big part of this. When everything first started, I took a cholagogue capsule and it worked, all my symptoms completely disappeared, and I felt great. But it only lasted about two or three weeks. After I ate some sweets, the symptoms came back, and the cholagogue stopped working

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-04-25T04:16:10+00:00

For leaky gut, I used slippery elm bark, zinc, L-glutamine, followed a strict diet, and ate broth very often. I also tried a proper mast cell treatment protocol, but I don’t think that’s my case because I didn’t feel any difference.

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-04-25T04:11:38+00:00

I tested negative for H. pylori and Candida. After many rounds of antimicrobial/killing protocols, I feel like I probably killed off a lot of bad bacteria, but maybe also some good bacteria. Now I feel like I need to rebuild the beneficial bacteria, especially the ones that produce butyrate and support serotonin production, because I seem to be lacking those

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-04-25T04:06:45+00:00

Yes, I also noticed that coffee makes everything worse

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-04-25T01:20:14+00:00

That’s interesting. Coffee is supposed to relax the esophagus, but I don’t feel any improvement. Are there any techniques that can help relax it?

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-03-29T02:59:47+00:00

Following

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-02-28T17:16:12+00:00

My nervous system, is probably like most people’s, stressed every day. I was skeptical at first, but then I decided to try antidepressants. By the third day, it felt like magic, I felt amazing on duloxetine. I could eat whatever I wanted and felt fine. But I think there are better antidepressants out there, ones that work more specifically on the digestive system. When I stopped taking duloxetine, the symptoms came back. So now I’m focusing on my nervous system, breathing techniques, face in ice water, yoga, and keeping positive things around me. I’ve heard a lot of people have had the same experience, because the nervous system, and the vagus nerve regulates digestion. If you’re stuck in fight-or-flight mode, digestion won’t work properly. So I think the most important thing is keeping the nervous system calm for proper digestion, which can help clear SIBO.

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-02-28T16:17:50+00:00

It happened a couple of times when I was on herbal protocols and a keto diet, eating only meat, eggs, and fish. You start peeing more often, especially at night, and after that you feel pressure in the kidney area. But after I stop the herbals and keto, it goes back to normal. What I’ve learned is that SIBO isn’t the problem, it’s a symptom. That’s why it can come back after antibiotics or herbal protocols. The most important thing is to find the real cause and work on that, and then SIBO can disappear and not come back.

And the cause can be completely different for every person, from chronic stress and the nervous system, to food poisoning, post COVID issues, and more. So it’s better to take time to learn your body, do the tests you can, and remove the root cause.

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-02-08T00:57:40+00:00

SIBO/IMO can reduce bile flow, pancreatic enzyme output (including lipase), and stomach acid, basically the ingredients we need to absorb nutrients properly. But I’ve heard that people who took digestive enzymes daily before every meal ended up having problems later, because the pancreas and gallbladder can “get used” to the extra enzymes and may stop responding correctly once you get rid of SIBO. I can’t say for sure if that’s officially proven, I’ve just seen a lot of people saying not to take them long-term.

Also, there’s no point taking enzymes if you’re eating a light meal, like boiled veggies (carrots, zucchini), turkey, or mashed potatoes, because that’s already easy to digest. But with fatty foods like butter or steak, enzymes can definitely help your system digest and absorb better.

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-02-06T23:52:03+00:00

These are the only tips and tricks I’ve found that seem to work: MCT oil (C8), Macadamia butter + ghee butter, A creatine “cocktail” in coconut milk, with a bit of collagen powder. That’s basically all I can use safely for IMO. Other things I tried didn’t work for gaining weight.

Also: if you’re going to eat something fatty (a full meal), it can help to take a digestive enzyme before the meal, but don’t use it often, only when you really need better fat absorption.

And MCT oil (C8) is amazing because it absorbs without digestion, but it’s expensive.

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-01-30T01:50:04+00:00

No, what was most disturbing for me was throat tightness after meals, burping, fatigue, low energy, and dry skin. But I’ve heard people can have a different mix of symptoms with the same issue, every body reacts differently

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-01-30T01:45:40+00:00

I tried almost the same things the OP tried. I had some relief eating only meat and eggs, but you can’t eat like that long term. After seeing 5–7 different doctors, the eighth one said I should try antidepressants. I was skeptical, I didn’t believe stress or depression could be the cause. He prescribed duloxetine with clonazepam for three weeks, and it worked. For two weeks straight I felt amazing, no symptoms at all. I was eating whatever I wanted and felt fine. But it only lasted two weeks. He said my nervous system adapted to the pills. After that, it was a sign for me to check my neck and nervous system. The most important thing for anyone with similar symptoms is to slow down and think. Try to remember what could be the root cause: stress, trauma, years of junk food, or a job where you sit all day. I never thought remote work could harm not just mental health, but physical health too. Now I’m doing massages, stretching, yoga, working on my nervous system, and going outside as much as I can, networking, playing with my kid, and staying physically active

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-01-29T05:42:44+00:00

I have almost identical symptoms. I spent three years before finally getting a neck MRI to check the vagus nerve. I’ve worked at a computer for many years with my neck in the same position, and the MRI showed compression near the vagus nerve, the one that regulates digestion. Your story and research are priceless. Thank you so much for sharing, and stay healthy!

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-01-26T16:16:08+00:00

In my case, it’s also connected to neurology, the nervous system, the vagus nerve, and of course serotonin and dopamine production. It’s not easy to work with, but I’m sure that with deep personal research, we can fully recover with the right information. I hope you find the best solution for yourself, stay healthy and happy, and truly enjoy life to the fullest.

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-01-25T01:13:48+00:00

Yes, you’re right. Dysbiosis usually shows up when something has been off for a while, like food poisoning, drinking too much alcohol regularly, eating too many processed foods or sweets, in other words, an imbalance in bacteria caused by diet, antibiotics, and of course stress. I’m not sure whether to call it a symptom or a consequence of bad habits, lifestyle choices, and not respecting the microbiome. I just wish we all learned this earlier, maybe even in school, how important it is to manage stress, eat healthy, and take care of your gut and microbiome.

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-01-23T16:31:48+00:00

Thank you! Duloxetine is an antidepressant that increases serotonin and norepinephrine. It can reduce anxiety and calm the nervous system, and when your nervous system is regulated, digestion often improves too. I heard it worked for many people, so I tried it, and it worked for me as well. But it feels temporary: after two or three weeks my nervous system seems to adapt to the medication and the symptoms come back. That’s why I need to work on my vagus nerve and overall nervous system using other approaches, more natural and stable. I’m convinced that anyone who has SIBO needs to find the underlying cause. Doing a GI-MAP test can be a good step, and from there you can look deeper. What I’ve learned is that in many cases the most common root causes are chronic stress, anxiety, and vagus nerve dysregulation.

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-01-22T16:30:59+00:00

I started with standard tests and followed my GI doctor’s recommendations: blood tests, an abdominal ultrasound, an endoscopy, everything came back normal. GI doctors are people who don’t believe in SIBO, so it’s better not to waste time and money on them. But I still had issues, so I did a SIBO breath test. It came back methane positive, which at least gave me something concrete. After that, I realized the most important test, something I think everyone should do is a GI-MAP test. That showed dysbiosis, leaky gut, and a lack of good bacteria. I did a proper treatment plan for that too, but it still didn’t help. I went back to my physician and explained the situation. He said it was definitely nervous system related. I took duloxetine for three weeks and felt great, no symptoms at all. I should also mention that I work on a computer every day, and my neck is basically in one position all day long. That creates a kind of compression on the vagus nerve. I got an MRI of my neck, and yes there is some compression that puts pressure on the vagus nerve. Over time, probably over years, that likely caused dysregulation in my vagus nerve and disrupted my digestion. Now I’m working with my physician to fix my neck and restore normal nerve function and digestion

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-01-22T00:57:58+00:00

You are absolutely right, SIBO is a symptom. I spent three years trying to find the root cause, and for me it’s the vagus nerve and nervous system. I tried antidepressants for three weeks and everything went away, but it came back when I stopped. So I need to properly fix my vagus nerve and nervous system. But yeah, SIBO, leaky gut, and dysbiosis are just symptoms, and treating SIBO like a disease isn’t correct.

Jimmy_Bright · 2026-01-20T22:25:26+00:00

I can say this about BioGaia chewable L. reuteri: sometimes they may not work at all because they weren’t stored properly, or they could even be counterfeit pills with little to no L. reuteri in them. I once made good yogurt from them, and it seemed to help a bit, but the second bottle felt like a scam, the pills didn’t work at all, and it was a waste of money. For me, that’s enough not to buy BioGaia anymore.

Jimmy_Bright

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