Dealing with SIBO: Any advice?
in Health ·
Hey,
Since I started this thread, I’ve noticed some new comments popping up—so I figured I’d drop a quick update. Maybe my experience can help someone out here.
It’s been over three years since my symptoms first flared up. I won't claim I'm "cured" from SIBO, but honestly? I've learned how to live with it so well that I don't even notice it anymore.
In my case, it's the SIBO-D type—basically an overgrowth of hydrogen-producing bacteria. I did my breath testing at a local clinic like Planned Parenthood, though I know places like Proimmun offer much more extensive testing if you want to go that route. Once the test came back positive, I went to see Dr. Milorad Opačić at the Amruš Clinic, and I’d definitely recommend him. He’s super professional and actually knows his stuff when it comes to SIBO. The gold standard antibiotic for SIBO-D is XIFAXAN (rifaximin)—the doctor mentioned it too—but there's a catch: it's not covered by standard insurance, so you end up paying a fortune to get it through the clinic, and even then, there's no guarantee it'll work. We decided to try an alternative route instead: taking Clavocin (1g twice a day for 10 days) paired with a strict modified low FODMAP/SCD diet for a few weeks during and after the meds.
For me, Clavocin was a total home run. Zero side effects, and my symptoms cleared up pretty fast. Looking back, my SIBO likely triggered because of some inflamed gums—I ignored the dental issues for way too long, and my dentist back then didn't seem to care, so I ended up with periodontitis. Interestingly, while I was on the antibiotics for SIBO, my gum inflammation completely vanished. It made me realize there's actual truth to that old saying about healthy teeth being half of your overall health (well, in my case, healthy gums). I finally got the periodontitis treated, and ever since I've stayed on top of regular checkups and better oral hygiene, my gut health has stayed under control.
The silver lining to this whole SIBO mess is that I’ve started living way healthier than I ever did before. I've learned a ton about nutrition and how the body actually breaks down and absorbs food. Now, I eat incredibly clean and feel better than ever. I watch what I eat, stay away from heavy gluten and lactose, and make sure my meals aren't overloaded with carbs beyond what my body needs. Proteins and healthy fats have been great—never had any issues with those.
One massive factor during my treatment was something called the Migrating motor complex (MMC) and how it behaves when you have SIBO. If you're curious, look into the connection between SIBO and a sluggish MMC. The bottom line is: for digestion to work, you need periods where the gut can just chill, break everything down, and finish its business before you shove more food in. When treating SIBO, sticking to a meal schedule is huge—you need at least 3–4 hours between meals. It’s actually better to do 4–5 smaller, spaced-out meals rather than 3 massive ones, and you absolutely have to resist snacking between meals. Intermittent fasting works too, but only once you've reached the stage where malabsorption has stopped.
I also did some nutritional counseling with a specialist at a private practice in Chicago, and I'd highly recommend them. They really understand the SIBO situation and were super thorough and helpful.
If I could give one piece of advice to anyone dealing with SIBO right now, it’s this: start researching and reading on your own. Focus on medical journals or verified literature, preferably from American authors. Unfortunately, here in the States, people don't talk about this enough, and a lot of doctors are practically clueless about it. Over the last few years, I've burned through hundreds of scientific papers, articles, and books just to figure things out for myself. At the end of the day, it's my health on the line—who else is going to take better care of me than me?
I'd suggest starting with this book: https://www.amazon.com/SIBO-Made-Sim.../dp/0306846160
That’s all I got for now—hopefully this helps at least a few of you get on the right track.
Since I started this thread, I’ve noticed some new comments popping up—so I figured I’d drop a quick update. Maybe my experience can help someone out here.
It’s been over three years since my symptoms first flared up. I won't claim I'm "cured" from SIBO, but honestly? I've learned how to live with it so well that I don't even notice it anymore.
In my case, it's the SIBO-D type—basically an overgrowth of hydrogen-producing bacteria. I did my breath testing at a local clinic like Planned Parenthood, though I know places like Proimmun offer much more extensive testing if you want to go that route. Once the test came back positive, I went to see Dr. Milorad Opačić at the Amruš Clinic, and I’d definitely recommend him. He’s super professional and actually knows his stuff when it comes to SIBO. The gold standard antibiotic for SIBO-D is XIFAXAN (rifaximin)—the doctor mentioned it too—but there's a catch: it's not covered by standard insurance, so you end up paying a fortune to get it through the clinic, and even then, there's no guarantee it'll work. We decided to try an alternative route instead: taking Clavocin (1g twice a day for 10 days) paired with a strict modified low FODMAP/SCD diet for a few weeks during and after the meds.
For me, Clavocin was a total home run. Zero side effects, and my symptoms cleared up pretty fast. Looking back, my SIBO likely triggered because of some inflamed gums—I ignored the dental issues for way too long, and my dentist back then didn't seem to care, so I ended up with periodontitis. Interestingly, while I was on the antibiotics for SIBO, my gum inflammation completely vanished. It made me realize there's actual truth to that old saying about healthy teeth being half of your overall health (well, in my case, healthy gums). I finally got the periodontitis treated, and ever since I've stayed on top of regular checkups and better oral hygiene, my gut health has stayed under control.
The silver lining to this whole SIBO mess is that I’ve started living way healthier than I ever did before. I've learned a ton about nutrition and how the body actually breaks down and absorbs food. Now, I eat incredibly clean and feel better than ever. I watch what I eat, stay away from heavy gluten and lactose, and make sure my meals aren't overloaded with carbs beyond what my body needs. Proteins and healthy fats have been great—never had any issues with those.
One massive factor during my treatment was something called the Migrating motor complex (MMC) and how it behaves when you have SIBO. If you're curious, look into the connection between SIBO and a sluggish MMC. The bottom line is: for digestion to work, you need periods where the gut can just chill, break everything down, and finish its business before you shove more food in. When treating SIBO, sticking to a meal schedule is huge—you need at least 3–4 hours between meals. It’s actually better to do 4–5 smaller, spaced-out meals rather than 3 massive ones, and you absolutely have to resist snacking between meals. Intermittent fasting works too, but only once you've reached the stage where malabsorption has stopped.
I also did some nutritional counseling with a specialist at a private practice in Chicago, and I'd highly recommend them. They really understand the SIBO situation and were super thorough and helpful.
If I could give one piece of advice to anyone dealing with SIBO right now, it’s this: start researching and reading on your own. Focus on medical journals or verified literature, preferably from American authors. Unfortunately, here in the States, people don't talk about this enough, and a lot of doctors are practically clueless about it. Over the last few years, I've burned through hundreds of scientific papers, articles, and books just to figure things out for myself. At the end of the day, it's my health on the line—who else is going to take better care of me than me?
I'd suggest starting with this book: https://www.amazon.com/SIBO-Made-Sim.../dp/0306846160
That’s all I got for now—hopefully this helps at least a few of you get on the right track.