Need to deal with strong SIBO abdominal pain until I see my GI - any suggestions?

I thought I was flaring up but it turned out it's another bout of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). When I get distention, foul-smelling gases, very loose bms and pricky abdominal pain, I know this is another bout of SIBO.

My GI usually puts me on xifaxan. I was supposed to be on it but had to stop it because of severe sinusitis headache.

My GI is now traveling and my abdominal pain is unbearable. I took imodium but it did not relieve the pain. I took buscopan but it's ineffective either. I can't think of anything that I can take to soothe the pain. I can't sleep because of pain and keep crying. Even when I have a bm, my abdomen hurts for a long time afterwards.

I don't want to go to the ER. I hate it when I have to explain what I've got and they usually screw things up.

I thought of taking xifaxan again but I quit it only 5 days ago and my GI told me that there should a break of 45 days between rounds. Thought also of taking a probiotic but it has never been helpful. Any suggestions to just reduce the abdominal pain would be very appreciated.

I think you should try to call and talk with your GI. But I'm leaning toward your trying Xifaxin since you didn't really complete a "round" of it, so this would be part of the same cycle.

I recently tried xifaxin and had to stop after a week because I got severe D and we were worried it would become c.diff. Now I'm back to my D once a day, but I'm also having abdominal pain and bloating. It is miserable but I'm feeling like I'm out of options. I take Immodium sometimes, which slows down the D, but sometimes I get worse cramping and it feels worse. I know I'm not being helpful here, and whining along with you. But for whatever it's worth, my Crohn's is in remission. I think in my case my symptoms are all IBS/SIBO related.

SIBO has been my headache for the past 1-2 months, since I have similar symptoms as you do. I was never officially diagnosed of SIBO, but I think that must be it due to the strictures in my small bowel. I also tried probiotics, which did not work.

How bad is your abdominal pain and diarrhea? Imodium is for diarrhea and usually make my pain worse. Despite my SIBO, my pain is not that bad that would keep me up all night. I just hope there are some good probiotics that would suppress the bad bacteria.

Hi All, was diagnosed with SiBO via Hydrogen Breathing test 4/2016. Was also put on xifaxan 2x and that did help. Was doing my own research because, as grateful as I was that my gastrodoc rx'd the test for me, and found out on my own about FODMAPS. He and his nurse never heard of FODMAPS, so I educated them. Here's a link to one of many great FODMAPS sites:

http://www.cassandraforsythe.com/blog/complete+fodmap+list+for+a+happy+gut

Have had to change a lot of my 'healthy carbs', as found my small intestines can't handle mushrooms, brussel spouts, and onions, among other things including some wheat products, and must limit broccoli to 1/2c serving. Also find tummy does better when the broccoli is cold. But that was after discovering the info on butyrate and resistant starches (the RS3-cooked, than chilled ones). Here's a link:

https://authoritynutrition.com/resistant-starch-101/

A book that is my Bible, is "IBS-Free at Last" by Patsy Catsos. It has been some tough times with IBS and SIBO over the years. When first doing FODMAPS, I was in denial. Me? allergic - for lack of better term- to mushrooms, onions, cauliflower? Ok, knew certain fruits, even apples and that coffee threw my tummy into agony, but healthy foods too? Yes, too many chocolate bars was understandable, but veggies?

And it's still a work in progress. HOWEVER, I have been eating a cold, precooked sweet potato every night before my dinner, and everything is getting better. My fingers are crossed right now, as on antibiotics for sinus infection, so taking probiotics with it. But goodness, the RS3 is working! Check out the resistant starches if you have IBS, SIBO, etc. Believe my gut issues was because doctor put me on tetracycline, 4x a day, for acne when I was a kid. And every derm after followed suite. That was for ten years. Started at 12 years old, so by the time I was in my 30's (cause derms would put me back on anti's every so often until Accutane~let's not even go there) my gastro issues started. It makes sense as the butyrate is probably what has been missing in my large gut all these years.

Have had diverticulitis the last ten years and what do they put you on? Not one, but two antibiotics. But little by little it is getting better. Good luck to everyone who has to deal with gastro issues...