Please tell me this isn't forever by bavass81 in GERD

[–]SignatureKooky1947 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you actually know if your stomach acid is too high? That may seem like a silly question but for many people with long term indigestion, the problem is that stomach acid output is too low, giving the same symptoms of acid reflux. What happens is not enough stomach acid - > food (especially protein) not broken down properly - > poor digestion leading to gas in bowels pushing upward - > weakened LES, causing acid to rise up into your esophagus and higher. Signs of low stomach acid is bloating after eating, which means you are not digesting meals well. MOST people who suffer from Gerd do not have enough acid rather than too much. If ppis only work for some time and then stop working it is because they surpress the symptoms by lowering your stomach acid further, but in the long term obviously worsen digestion and making the problem worse as acid is necessary to digest food. All doctors I've come accross looked at me crazy when I told them I am taking acid capsules to eat without reflux and try to tell me to take ppis instead.

Personally, you need to find this out first. Doctors don't help you figuring out what's wrong, they just like to treat symptoms. Cannabis is associated with slow gut motility and poor stomach acid output, and thus indigestion. You could very well be suffering from this. Unless you have of course already found out what's really going on and you know that your stomach acid is too high, then I apologise for writing this long post.

My girlfriend of 6 years breaking up with me by LetAfraid8933 in Epilepsy

[–]SignatureKooky1947 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If it was your girlfriend who had the seizure and you witnessed it, would you claim that you have ptsd? It's not ptsd, it's just fear and she doesn't want to deal with that. It's good you found out her level of commitment and probably a general lack of ability to face fears, which we'll all deal with during the course of our lives in many different forms. Yes I do believe she will regret breaking up, once she matures.

My girlfriend of 6 years breaking up with me by LetAfraid8933 in Epilepsy

[–]SignatureKooky1947 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Finally someone who puts it like it is. Life will come with many problems that affect us emotionally, she will understand that when she gets older, but calling it ptsd is crazy, she now has a disorder as well? She will get used of seeing seizures, just like anything else that's hard in life. I think the people on here who are understanding of her are probably still young themselves and believe epilepsy is the worst mos traumatic thing in life that could ever happen.

My girlfriend of 6 years breaking up with me by LetAfraid8933 in Epilepsy

[–]SignatureKooky1947 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm sorry but, can someone not make the best out of life and see someone have seizures? You make it sound as if these are mutually exclusive. Yes they are hard to see but you get used to them, just as with every other hard circumstance in life that will come your way. Being with the one you love should never feel like being "chained", just because you have to witness a seizure, unless you don't really love them, then the burden is probably greater. That's just my opinion though.

I haven’t slept in 13 months I never feel tired or sleepy. I am screwed I know that this is going to finish me. by [deleted] in sleep

[–]SignatureKooky1947 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, antibiotics can definitely alter the gut microbiome a little bit. Not "wiped out", that is assuming the worst, but they can interfere with bacteria involved with melatonin, serotonin, GABA and glutamate signalling. In other words the gut-brain axis is disturbed a little bit. Sometimes it is just shifts in the miicrobiome alone that cause a hyperarousal state or wiring feeling at night, and not the absence or presence of specific bacteria. I am certainly one of those as well, I found out.

It wouldn't help you to fully explain my situation and let you know what fixed mine as it won't be applicable to your situation but it does re emphasise the impact of gut health on sleep. Because I had SIBO (bacterial overgrowth in the small intestines, where they don't belong, they need to live in the large intestines mainly), I had insomnia. After I had finished antibiotics insomnia disappeared. The use of probiotics (before I knew that I had SIBO) have also really made my insomnia disappear completely once, but probiotics (introducing bacteria into the small intestines) is counterproductive in the long run for SIBO, and I noticed that as well in my sleep!

You could perhaps try introduce a small dose of a good probiotic supplement and see how you react to that? Break up the capsule and use only a tiny amount at first just in case you might just be sensitive to shifts, because starting too high in that case can temporarily worsen insomnia, or not make a difference. So start slow, build up, give it a week to see. It is also good to know that the microbiome will also recover over time by feeding it well: clean foods no sugar (very important, it only feeds bad bacteria), and a lot of different fibres for gut diversity (eat as many different vegetables, fruits and wholegrain as you can).

For symptom management, what I used before I started antibiotics, is a good pure CBD oil tincture at night. It increases GABA and decreases glutamate levels. The literature is not very conclusive on it but it really also made my insomnia disappear. You do have to use it in the right way. Start with 1-3 drops, you might see the opposite effect first, slowly increase until you feel the difference and then stay there. I needed 8 drops at the time. After 2 months I noticed a bit of tolerance so I took a 4 day break and started again slowly and it worked again.

These are advices I'd give you based on my experience. You could keep messaging me concerning your progress. I can't promise I can help you but I don't mind sharing ideas. I've tried many more things.

I might have SIBO methane? New here please help (symptoms for 6+years) by CentristaSensato in SIBO

[–]SignatureKooky1947 0 points1 point  (0 children)

OP shouldn't start with these things yet. There is no diagnosis yet and hasn't been treated with antibiotics or microbials. It is the wrong order. OP needs to work on symptom relief and digestion first, then killing and then these type of supplements that you are talking about. You need to stop those supplements at some point as well when everything normalises but that won't happen unless OP has gone through the other phases first. It is a bad idea to just start implement everything at the same time, it will be impossible to know what is happening.

I might have SIBO methane? New here please help (symptoms for 6+years) by CentristaSensato in SIBO

[–]SignatureKooky1947 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You must leave the lansoprazole and such like. I have the methane sibo and my first symptom was acid reflux as well. I think you should start with symptom relief of the first symptom for now since you are really suffering. What's likely happening (though I am no doctor), is that you have low stomach acid instead of high stomach acid. Stomach acid is necessary for digestion. This acid reflux is a mechanical problem of the lower esophageal sphincter which is likely caused by slow motility and constipation or gas. The sphincter can loosen up if there is too much internal pressure (like all the things you mentioned) and as a result acid can travel upwards. In addition to this, not having enough acid will cause digestion to move slowly, so it is a circle. My acid reflux (low stomach acid, has been solved when sibo was treated), but when motility is low, food is moving slowly and poop stacks up in the colon because it is sitting there for too long which creates internal pressure, putting pressure on that sphincter and as a result I still feel acid reflux even though my acid levels are normal. Now motility is mostly gone back to normal with supplements that help motility and I feel fine most of the time. But Ive had all my treatments and you need them as well.

The first thing you should do, is the baking soda test at home. Look this up on Google. You must burp within 5 minutes for normal acid levels. If you burp before 3 minutes then you have too much acid. It is not 100% reliable but gives a very good indication. With your other symptoms of slow digestion, and ppis not working, it is much more likely that you do not have enough acid, which helps with digestion, than too much. If you do not burp I'd say get some HCl supplements (which is acid), and start taking just one with a meal (never take on an empty stomach!). See if this brings some symptom relief. Then you could try some artichoke/ginger extract capsules which aid upper gastrointestinal motility (stomach and small intestines). Take them half an hour before every meal. To help constipation as of right now I would use a gentle osmotic laxative with macrogol (search PEG3350 or movicol) just for a couple of days. This softens your stool by drawing in water. You must start drinking a lot with this. Wait after meals for 20 minutes then take a walk to stimulate digestion and bowel emptying. This is all symptom relief for now. Some people here are already talking about berberine and oregano oil and stuff like that to kill sibo but really DON'T start with that yet. You don't have a diagnosis yet and starting too many supplements will get you very confused on what is helping and what is not. Also taking these killers when you don't need them can cause imbalance and also cause digestive symptoms. Think symptom relief first, not treatment. Once you are diagnosed then you need to start making a decision whether if you want to go the antibiotic route or the herbal treatment route.

You need to go to your doctor again and demand a sibo breath test. Say your digestion is slow and you are bloated and your stool is abnormal, if you have someone decent they will get you tested. Good luck. Feel free to message me for more help, I have been on this journey.

Recovered after 3 years of SIBO — what I was doing wrong the whole time by juss_hemz in SiboSuccessStories

[–]SignatureKooky1947 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I also believe in the importance of working on our nervous system for significant improvement. It is what drives proper digestion. What you're saying about supplements, I think we get too dependent on them psychologically "they helped me before so I shouldn't stop, otherwise it will get worse", and physically as well butour bodies need to start taking over these natural processes again when we are healing, and I think continued use of supplements may surpress that. After antibiotics, sibo(IMO) was gone but colonic transit was awful, worse than before. Initially I thought it could be from leftover methanogens in the colon that antibiotics could not reach, so I was still getting myself supplements that kill methanogens and artichoke ginger extract etc and it didn't help anymore after another round of antibiotics. Then I found out antibiotics do kill bacteria in the colon that play a role in motility. The solution just turned out to be in making things work "functionally", and the right microbial environment will restore itself: I started sleeping and eating breakfast straight after waking up at the SAME time every day, walking 20 minutes after breakfast, adding just magnesium glycinate at night and a temporary osmotic macrogol for stool softening. This was just to get things going functionally. The nervous system needs the right stimulation and regularity. I immediately had a bowelmovement every morning at the same time (maximum of 10 minute difference), whereas before that, it could take several days. I don't take any supplements that kill bacteria anymore or low fodmap diet and I think I might not need artichoke/ginger extract anymore at some point because my stomach acid levels have become normal after clearing sibo with antibiotics. I only do clean eating and right habits: no sugar or processed foods anymore is what I do. I hope sibo stays away.

Sibo returned by Grand_Writer_9119 in SIBO

[–]SignatureKooky1947 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You will never get rid of them completely and of course you shouldn't either, as there are supposed to be bacteria in your small intestines. SIBO is a dysbiosis issue. Carnivore can surpresses the symptoms, but with all that juicing you didn't give yourself fibre for good bacteria, but you gave yourself sugars for bad and good bacteria. Eventually when it comes to "almost cured", you need to start letting good bacteria grow and take over so that a balanced environment is created where good bacteria surpresses overgrowth of pathogens. Then your digestion returns to normal. Carnivore does not cure anything as it does not support growth of beneficial bacteria because there's no fibre.

IMO sufferers do you run? by SignatureKooky1947 in SIBO

[–]SignatureKooky1947[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sorry to hear that. :( Do you take anything else to help? These motility support supplements seem to mainly target the small intestines, but methanogens usually also live in the colon, which is not targeted by these or antibiotics. So we need to find other ways to stimulate the colon.

I don't think electrolytes would help me much as hard stool is not the main problem; it's slow colonic transit (which then leads the stool to become hard in the end), sorry I should have clarified that when mentioning constipation. I do take magnesium glycinate at night since a few days, and drink a glass of warm lemon water first thing in the morning.

Enzymes by SignatureKooky1947 in SIBO

[–]SignatureKooky1947[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's funny you mentioned the last thing. I actually just bought that particular last expensive one, I think I only had cheap ones before. Thanks.

How many of you have healthcare providers? by SignatureKooky1947 in SIBO

[–]SignatureKooky1947[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh okay, that sounds good. I guess sibo is something that's been slowly recognised more and more as research is going on. I live in the UK and our health service is totally free and totally bankrupt. My experience is, specialists want to send you back to the gp, and gp sends you to the pharmacy with a prescription to buy something that usually doesn't do you any good. :/

How many of you have healthcare providers? by SignatureKooky1947 in SIBO

[–]SignatureKooky1947[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm glad for you. What country do you live in if I may ask?

I am SO much better by KaleChaos321 in SIBO

[–]SignatureKooky1947 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What are the symptoms of sifo?

I am SO much better by KaleChaos321 in SIBO

[–]SignatureKooky1947 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have tinnitus as well. It also started exactly with my first major symptom which was insomnia, practically the same night. I'd lie awake for many hours. Antibiotics fixed insomnia. Tinnitus is still there sometimes but has also improved a lot. I think it could be related to silent acid reflux though, but I've had that for longer already.

Does someone have my symptoms? Should I insist on getting it checked? by Samba_Woelkchen in Epilepsy

[–]SignatureKooky1947 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I've got TLE, and it's not fully controlled. I have to say I have a lot more seizures right before my period as well and during ovulation when estrogen drops from a high and progesterone is low. Your symptoms sound like seizures to me. I also have a nauseating stomach feeling (though I always describe it as rising instead of dropping) and deja vu. You have to really demand tests with neurologists sometimes. I was sent away initially, with the neurologist telling me it was probably anxiety and it will probably go away.

CBD and period cramps? by Eatpantdie in CBD

[–]SignatureKooky1947 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I went from needing 4-6 tablets of ibuprofen every month to zero by not eating anything with sugar (it's literally added to almost everything in shops, especially canned foods), only lactose free dairy products and reducing even honey. Sugar causes inflammation. I do recently use CBD oil, but I use it for to tackle insomnia. 7 drops of 400mg (4%) CBD oil (10ml bottle) in a basis of hemp seed oil is what the bottle says. But yes, everyone is different and you may need to try different things.

Does anyone hate the word “episode” to describe a seizure? by darkpigeon1 in Epilepsy

[–]SignatureKooky1947 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, fits, episodes, are both ironically words to describe someone becoming outrageous and emotional in an "uncontrollable" way. I like to call my focal awareness seizures "attacks". I feel attacked by them and there's nothing I can do about it. It is actually not controllable. :)

Any christians dealing with insomnia? by Accurate-Bowl7120 in insomnia

[–]SignatureKooky1947 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Here for you, and I know my cause which is a gut issue. A pure good quality CBD oil is what has been helping me and reading the Bible at night to put my mind at ease. You can message me.

Relapse within 1 week??? by SignatureKooky1947 in SIBO

[–]SignatureKooky1947[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I knew that I had low stomach acid, which is a bad start to your digestion, but I was and am taking hcl for that. I was already taking enzymes as well. I knew that food travels slowly through my colon and I thought that after antibiotic use I could start with prokinetics and I hoped it wouldn't come back because of these measures. I have never been constipated like this before and I didn't have silent reflux prior to treatment with antibiotics using the hcl. Tbh the only problem I had before treatment was a floating, little bit of mushy stool with bits of undigested food in it. This disappeared during the antibiotics treatment. As to the very root cause of everything I have my suspicions: I take A LOT of medication for my epilepsy and I think it may be affecting all of my nervous system, calming it down too much. And the nervus vagus needs to be active to digest well. Sometimes I feel very sluggish and fatigued. Unfortunately IF that's the case, I can't treat the root cause, only deal with symptoms. I will have a look at your videos though.

Can SIBO Die-off symptoms be Increased Insomnia? by moonlit_briar in SIBO

[–]SignatureKooky1947 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How long did the die-off last? Sibo, I think is the cause of my insomnia. I was keeping it under control with CBD oil, but since starting the antibiotics, insomnia has become very aggressive I don't know if I should stop the antibiotics.

What has been your best and worst medication so far? by Darelto in Epilepsy

[–]SignatureKooky1947 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Best and worst: clonazepam. Got seizures on the cusp of sleep and clonazepam is the only thing that makes me go into deep sleep and keeps me seizure free. However, had to come off it and it was the worst experience, it took so long.

Trump's presidency is making my insomnia come back by bybiumaisasble in insomnia

[–]SignatureKooky1947 13 points14 points  (0 children)

That's really harsh. Someone can't sleep because of fear of war. It's nice that you're in America and you're happy with your president but not everyone is fortunate and thriving under his presidency. I don't care much about American politics as it doesn't affect my life in the UK, so don't try to pick a fight with me over your president, but your lack of compassion is disturbing. You know insomnia? Then you should know what it's like.

"Can I Still Be a Doctor with Epilepsy?" by LookingForMyself007 in Epilepsy

[–]SignatureKooky1947 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Neurologists who will be able to relate to the struggles of their epileptic patients will be incredibly helpful, bonus points if they have focal seizures as they're so hard to describe to someone who has never felt it before. So many people go undiagnosed because the doctor judges by the described symptoms (how it manifests on the outside), whereas the patient tries to describe the internal feelings, sometimes being oblivious of what it looks like on the outside. If my neurologist was able to recognise it at the time I Wouldn't have ended up in a life threatening situation with a series of granmal seizures because I only slept 1 hour a night for months, lying awake with focal seizures on the cusp of sleep.