Going back to the drawing board

My UC started while I was in the hospital 3 years ago, receiving broad spectrum antibiotics for what later turned out to be a Mono infection. The docs seemed to think all of my diarrhea was a temporary effect from the antibiotics but it continued until I was finally officially diagnosed with UC a few months later. The antibiotics I took in the hospital were IV Rocephin and, after that, Levaquin. Just last year American Gut analyzed my gut bacteria and found I had almost 100% Firmicutes (gram positive bacteria) and about zero gram negative bacteria (Bacteriodetes). Most normal people have about a 40% to 40% ratio of these with a few others mixed in for good measure to add up to 100%. The simplistic approach to this is bringing down my Firmicutes (gram positive bacteria) level and increasing my Bacteriodetes (gram negative bacteria) level. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to do this? I have been doing better since my gut bacteria was analyzed one year ago so I'm not even sure I can count on my current situation being the same, but that is all I have to go on. I don't think I can have my gut analyzed again. Wish I could. Of course I have been doing research on my very question but there is just so much info, some of it very conflicting. It is also very possible that my immune system has been tricked into destroying my Bacteriodetes and, if that is the case, I am probably screwed.

Yes, sent in a stool sample last January. If my immune system is trained to attack and kill the Bacteriodetes then trying to repopulate it would be futile as my immune system would continually kill them off. In fact, if that is the case, it could possibly make me worse by trying to repopulate it as I would have a bigger attack going on. More than likely though, if this is the case, my immune system is probably not attacking the hundreds or thousands of different Bacteriodetes. I did take notice that others on here who did the American Gut thing did not have a 100% one sided ratio as I did. That is somewhat encouraging to me.

It talks about how abx can muck up the balance esp if diet isn't supportive for bacteriodetes

There are so many different types of bacteria in our intestines. So it's good that you know what is messed up. But I agree that even if you repopulate, who's to say that it might just "ramp" you up. I've actually been thinking about doing a stool test like you did. To find out what is what. I am on Remicade so perhaps because my immune system is down, I might be able to successfully repopulate the good bacteria.

How much does one of these tests costs?

Tap: I just got an email from them with more detailed results but whenever I click on the link it repeatedly takes me back to the login page. My username and password must be correct or I wouldn't even be able to get to the link to click on my results. Have you heard anything from them in regards to more detailed results? I figured I could do them again if I wanted but don't really want to wait another 3/4 of a year to get the results.