Gi Issues, Chronic Bile reflux gastritis, bloating and Constipation.

[Hans Noddeboe]

Hello my name is Hans and I am currently 20 years old.

I have been suffering from chronic gastritis which I believe to have come from bile reflux for the past year. Along with that I have been chronically constipated and have had to almost eliminate fat completely from my diet.

I was wondering if anyone is experiencing something similar and could maybe suggest a more permanent solution.

The things I have tried which haven't worked are:

Gluten free
Low carb (hard to maintain and causes more pain)
Antibiotics(have me a white tongue and had zero effect on the pain)
Antifungals (caused severe symptoms)

Things that have worked:

Low Histamine (has worked to some degree)
Low fermented foods(Has worked quite well)
Diary free
Very low fat(has had the most effect)
Very low fiber(has had the most effect but constipates the heck out of me)

 

[Jkbp]

Have you tried taking digestive enzymes before every meal? I have battled chronic reflux for 3 years and have recently found major relief from taking enzymes. I have tried MANY. This one is the best I’ve found so far.

 

[EustaceBagge]

Did you try baking soda? I find that on some days I "burp" out excess stomach bloat, and on days I'm not bloated it doesn't do anything at all, so I can only conclude it helps me when I need it.

For me probiotics actually do work, but I have trouble with constipation mainly and yours seem to be different. I always take probiotics after each meal to ensure good absorption, although it is recommended to do it on an empty stomach.

Stomach issues are always difficult to fix, but very rewarding once its done, best of luck to you.

Have you tried taking digestive enzymes before every meal? I have battled chronic reflux for 3 years and have recently found major relief from taking enzymes. I have tried MANY. This one is the best I’ve found so far.

Could you tell me the digestive enzymes that worked best for you? I might use them as well.

 

[Jkbp]

I take

 

[Jkbp]

I take 3 enzymes with the first bite of every meal (I eat 2-3 times a day). I am also drinking lemon water with most meals. HCL seemed to make my reflux worse but lemon water helps a lot.

 

[EustaceBagge]

Ty

 

[youngsinatra]

High-dose B1.
Fixes gastrointestinal paralysis, constipation, stomach acid, bile secretion and digestive enzyme production.

SIBO, IBS, and Constipation: Unrecognized Thiamine Deficiency? - Hormones Matter

Is it possible that small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is simply a symptom of an underlying vitamin B1 or thiamine deficiency?

www.hormonesmatter.com

 

[Lollipop2]

Have you tried taking digestive enzymes before every meal? I have battled chronic reflux for 3 years and have recently found major relief from taking enzymes. I have tried MANY. This one is the best I’ve found so far.

I agree with this advice. A great way to start feeling better, but THEN you need to go the the root - why this has happened and then heal that. Ultimately you won’t need enzymes.

 

[Jkbp]

What do you suggest I add next? My chronic reflux started after a short stint on prescribed PPI’s. I’ve never been the same since ? HCL caps seem to cause more reflux. Drinking lemon water and taking enzymes with every meal is definitely helping. Any advice would be helpful.

 

[Lollipop2]

What do you suggest I add next? My chronic reflux started after a short stint on prescribed PPI’s. I’ve never been the same since ? HCL caps seem to cause more reflux. Drinking lemon water and taking enzymes with every meal is definitely helping. Any advice would be helpful.

I never liked HCL - did not help me. Love your lemon water and enzymes. Keep doing them. I took for a long time and they gradually helped me so much, I did not need them. Now I use only occasionally. Things that helped me over time:

1) reducing PUFAS - Peat inspired eating BUT with food - not just juice and milk.
2) homemade food - rarely eating out and fresh foods not not canned or prepared foods - make from scratch.
3) d-limonene: this one: AWESOME for reflux!! I took everyday for a few months. Really helpful. I always have one box on me.

Nature's Way Heartburn Free w/ROH10® Lasting Relief, 10 Softgels https://a.co/d/ap5xnmS

4) Worked on my liver - coffee, aspirin (not everyday).
5) I drink about one pint of whole organic nonhomoginized milk daily - sometimes closer to a quart. Low and nonfat did not suit me.
6) Inner Defense from young living has also helped. I take/took maybe 2-3 times a week with my breakfast.

 

[Jkbp]

Thank you for this! ?

 

[Lollipop2]

Thank you for this! ?

You are welcome! I also remembered that with healing the liver you also want to stimulate bile flow. The d-limonene does that and this product Milk Thistle - do one bottle 1 capsule in morning with breakfast as a sort of “liver cleanse/helper. Don’t do more than one capsule as some say Milk thistle is estrogenic. One person on the forum told me years ago that if under 500mg milk thistle is fine. So I always stuck with that and used one capsule.

Oregon's Wild Harvest, Certified Organic Milk Thistle Dandelion Capsules, 80% Silymarin, Burdock and Artichoke, 90 Ct https://a.co/d/beVVHF5


MADE a big difference and it stimulates bile production as well - now maybe once every year or two I do this - my husband and I share so ends up being 1/2 a bottle - but as maintenance I only do 2 or 3 times a week. So it lasts a while.

Last but not least increasing metabolic health and thyroid health makes a difference as well

 

[Jkbp]

How many D limonene do you take daily? Do you take it indefinitely? With meals? I will incorporate the milk thistle product. do you recommend taking it for a few months, 1ce a day? Thanks!

 

[Lollipop2]

How many D limonene do you take daily? Do you take it indefinitely? With meals? I will incorporate the milk thistle product. do you recommend taking it for a few months, 1ce a day? Thanks!

I take one bottle of the milk thistle and then stop for maybe six months or a year and take again. Yes one capsule a day. However now, as maintenance I only take one capsule two or three times a week.

D-Limonene I took one capsule a day for months and then dropped down to maybe 3 times a week and now I use as needed, not as a regular supplement. I think it will depend on you and your particular situation how many months you take. It requires a lot of self observation and honesty to figure it out. No one can tell you exactly. To be honest in those early days of taking it, when I had rough days I would take it twice daily, but rarely and now never need to take twice daily! Also as a side note orange burns are good, I could feel it soothing and it also helps reduce inflammation that causes esophageal valve to open up causing reflux.

 

[OliviaD]

Hello my name is Hans and I am currently 20 years old.

I have been suffering from chronic gastritis which I believe to have come from bile reflux for the past year. Along with that I have been chronically constipated and have had to almost eliminate fat completely from my diet.

I was wondering if anyone is experiencing something similar and could maybe suggest a more permanent solution.

The things I have tried which haven't worked are:

Gluten free
Low carb (hard to maintain and causes more pain)
Antibiotics(have me a white tongue and had zero effect on the pain)
Antifungals (caused severe symptoms)

Things that have worked:

Low Histamine (has worked to some degree)
Low fermented foods(Has worked quite well)
Diary free
Very low fat(has had the most effect)
Very low fiber(has had the most effect but constipates the heck out of me)

Hi Hans! I just was accepted to the forum.. thank you, thank you, thank you to whomever was responsible. I didn't intend to write anything yet - but your post just popped up and I have to comment, because I share all of your issues (and more). I am 3 times your age, so feel bad that you are suffering at such a young age - I don't have any miracle cures, but I have a decade of life research, I can tell you what hasn't worked for me; and add my experiences with some of the suggestions you have already received here - maybe save you some money and time. Obviously, the root cause of your problem may be different from mine, and you should not dismiss anything because it did not work for me; however we do share some similarities and sometimes knowing you are not alone helps. My GI problems and related issues are what led me here, and I think/hope that some of Dr. Peats ideas will help me. Just FYI, my problem started immediately after I had my gallbladder removed. The constellation of symptoms you have is very common - and so you may have (or will likely eventually have) some of the other issues I have; as they seem to go together. I also have had a decade of talking with and reading hundreds of stories of people with similar problems, and there do seem to be some commonalities.

I think getting at the root cause is always best.. if possible; but sometimes it isn't possible right away. So, you peel away at the layers, deal with the symptoms, and try to avoid things that make things worse. What I've come to learn in general, is that the most important thing - is to "keep it moving'. i.e you don't have time to spend figuring out the problem or fixing your gut to resolve the constipation. Now - I am throwing out some of my philosophy and experience here (10 years) . In my case, and possibly yours, the constipation is not the CAUSE of the problems, BUT , it causes the other symptoms of the 'clogged up system' to occur, and so it has to be dealt with - with what I consider 'emergency measures.. i.e laxatives' - if that is what you need to do to get things moving. This might not be popular here, and again - is not meant to be your long term solution, but, IMO, if you let yourself go 2 or 3 days without going, and your get back up, everything else gets worse, and then you have to go through a lot of discomfort to "unclog" (I am using non-medical nomenclature :) ) .

I have had a lot of tests - and in my case, my small intestine is the problem - the transit is very slow, and I have inflammatory changes there. If things 'back up', then things will stay in your small intestine longer, and bacteria will start to grow there. Further down, or maybe even at the proximal part of the small intestine; and you develop a problem called SIBO, I have this that was diagnosed with an endoscopy. i.e. they cultured all kinds of unpleasant bacteria from my S. I. - when there should be none in there. They belong in your colon. They colonize b/c your food is sitting there long enough for them to take up residence. IMO, it has little to do with what you eat, or that you are eating sugar, or carbs, etc. It is because THINGS ARE NOT MOVING. Now, these nasty bacteria are eating your nutrients, and producing toxins, and gasses, making your bloated, and possibly giving you pain ( I have a lot). You are exhausted because you aren't getting your nutrition and fuel. All of this can contribute to the reflux as things further back up. And there are more negative results as this process continues on. SO - much can be helped by keeping it moving. See below.

1. How do you know it is bile that is refluxing? Have you had an endoscopy? They will take a sample and if there is bile in your stomach- it doesn't belong there; it is reflux. This can also lead to inflammation of the stomach. Do you have your gallbladder (I'm assuming you do). Keep it :)

2. Why are you eliminating fat from your diet? To help the constipation? Is it helping? It sounds like it might not be.. so you might want to think about that.

Now my summaries:

1. Have you considered your thyroid status? As low thyroid will slow down your transit, as well as decrease all of the stomach and digestive enzyme production from the small intestine. I only recently discovered RP and his writings on thyroid. I suspect I have been hypothyroid for at least 4 decades. I have just started cyanoplus (T3/T4) with extra T3 cynomel) hoping for more immediate relief of symptoms. Too soon to tell. It seems to me, you could consider your symptoms a sign of low thyroid, and try treating it as such - instead of adding digestive enzymes and other supplements, and even laxatives - maybe this could take care of all of those things. If I was starting from scratch.. this is where I would begin.

2. I have had the same experience with the gluten, carbs , sugar.. in my case dairy.. basically every thing that they tell you to not it. b/c in my humble opinion, my problem is not triggered by a specific food or food type. It is a MOTILITY problem. Because of the lack of motility, I won't tolerate some things now, and certain things need to be avoided.. i.e things that don't do well in dark , most environments.. like leafy greens.. salads.. raw vegetables, and SOLUBLE FIBER. In fact, I need to eat very little fiber right now. i.e - white everything. I realize my diet may not be ideal now, but can work toward perfecting it. I would not worry much about sugar and carbs that everyone will tell you are 'feeding bacteria and yeast'. What is more important is keeping things moving. I have observed people with digestive systems I envy who eat lots of sugar and carbs. I see no direct causative link. I do observe they poop regularly. So, go with what you experience. I do best with simple sugars and hi glycemic index carbs, as do most with SIBO, b/c you absorb these more quickly, so at least you are getting something. Anything that stays in your gut longer gives more for the bacteria and less for you, and avoid anything called a "prebioltic' at all costs.

3. I think you can assume you have SIBO based on the pattern you are describing. This means NO bacteria for you - no fermented foods (which seem to be very hip and trendy now), no probiotics. ( *these are all my personal opinions obviously, so take with a grain of T3, lol). I think the probiotic industry is a big scam. We have 1000s of species in our colons and the idea that we are going to correct anything with a few strains in a pill makes no sense. The research is really limited and not good. There is no evidence that any of these supplements get to your colon and colonize there, and actually make a difference. Of course I have tried them and always felt worse.

4. One very wise practitioner told me, it is also ridiculous to think you are making an impact with one pill, or even with eating bacterial cultures, when you are swallowing way more constantly via your saliva. So - oral health is critical and some even theorize my be a causative agent. Look into this.

5. Taking digestive enzymes orally makes no sense to me (at least the intestinal ones) because you are not getting them where and likely when you need them. Again, I am not convinced they survive the pH of the stomach to arrive in the alkaline duodenum in the proper form, and at the right time to be of any use. Of course, being desperate I still tried them, and as expected, they were of no help. In fact, one that someone has recommended here - Enzymatica Gold I believe - made me horribly sick. I vomited about an hour after eating it, and continued to be sick for a day; with a fresh hell of symptoms. On the Amazon page selling this product - I noticed 7 people complaining of vomiting and/or cramps - awful GI reactions.

6. RP recommends Cascara Sagrada for a laxative; so I would consider that; and read his article if you haven't yet. Unfortunately it gives me horrible cramps and I don't tolerate the brands I've tried. I do see a company on this forum sells a powder form, so maybe I could try it in a smaller dose. Now I use Senna tea - a cup or 2 a night moves things along for me so I will have a bm in the am, although it will not always feel complete. If I feel too backed up, maybe 1-2 x /month, I will take 2 ducolax (biscodyl). This would not be recommended, they appear to be full of toxins, but after a night of suffering awful cramps, things will be emptied out. My goal is to prevent needing this.

7. You will note that I am using stimulant laxatives. In my experience, like many like me; the osmotic laxatives are of no use, and only make me worse i.e. Miralax, Psyllium husks, even too much Mg, or Vit C, prune juice, etc. etc. These work by drawing fluid into the colon, which is supposed to stimulate it to contract. This works for normal people. However, my colon is unresponsive to such stimuli, so using these things will cause it to expand and expand with water, BUT not move anything, so I will be in more pain and not be able to wear most clothing.

8. Related to the above - drinking more water, will not help; provided you are adequately hydrated. See above.

9. I have tried RPs carrot salad, and I think it is still too much fiber for me, so have stopped that. Although I could perhaps re-start with 1/4 carrot. I like the idea. I have found that sometimes it is not the actual food substance, but the amount that can make a difference. A good think to keep in mind in general.

10. What AB and antifungal did you try? I did the metronidazole, which also made me sick and didn't seem to help. I did a course of Xifaxin twice, which they push now, and it did nothing. I was supposed to take the met and that at once, but I was too sick. That is all any practitioner will do. I would like to try erythromycin if the thyroid doesn't fix me enough, and have ordered some. It was recommended a long time ago as a 'motility' agent; and as RP has said, has anti-inflammatory as well as the AB effects. No one wants to prescribe it b/c it is cheap, I presume; but makes some sense.

11. I also tried the new pricey 'motility' wonder drug Prucalopride, which did nothing but make a dent in my savings (I believe $500 for a month's supply).

12. I like Elliot Overton's videos, they are informative, and I tried the Thiamine approach with his supplement, and also with some plain old thiamine. It did not help. The plain thiamine gives me headaches and some nausea at the higher dose you need to get to. Could be the brand, etc. ; but I'm not going to explore this further as I think my problem is more than one single B vitamin.. I'm really hoping the thyroid will be part of the answer.

12. I did the enemas, a few times, but again, they don't really do much; and are way too messy and difficult for me for the lack of benefit.

13. For many reasons, I won't go into, I've found doing squatting as an exercise to be helpful. I read a book called Polarity therapy with suggests some exercises based on this. Too much to go into. There is a guy on you tube you has some good videos re: what he calls "Asian squats" and how to get your body into this position if you aren't used to it. Same thing really under many different names.

I'm sure I have a lot more.. this is already like a book. Let me know what you think and feel free to ask any questions. I'm sure there are typos in here, as I don't proofread, my apologies in advance. Also I am so grateful to be added to this forum and have learned so much from reading posts here.

 

[Peatful]

Hi Hans! I just was accepted to the forum.. thank you, thank you, thank you to whomever was responsible. I didn't intend to write anything yet - but your post just popped up and I have to comment, because I share all of your issues (and more). I am 3 times your age, so feel bad that you are suffering at such a young age - I don't have any miracle cures, but I have a decade of life research, I can tell you what hasn't worked for me; and add my experiences with some of the suggestions you have already received here - maybe save you some money and time. Obviously, the root cause of your problem may be different from mine, and you should not dismiss anything because it did not work for me; however we do share some similarities and sometimes knowing you are not alone helps. My GI problems and related issues are what led me here, and I think/hope that some of Dr. Peats ideas will help me. Just FYI, my problem started immediately after I had my gallbladder removed. The constellation of symptoms you have is very common - and so you may have (or will likely eventually have) some of the other issues I have; as they seem to go together. I also have had a decade of talking with and reading hundreds of stories of people with similar problems, and there do seem to be some commonalities.

I think getting at the root cause is always best.. if possible; but sometimes it isn't possible right away. So, you peel away at the layers, deal with the symptoms, and try to avoid things that make things worse. What I've come to learn in general, is that the most important thing - is to "keep it moving'. i.e you don't have time to spend figuring out the problem or fixing your gut to resolve the constipation. Now - I am throwing out some of my philosophy and experience here (10 years) . In my case, and possibly yours, the constipation is not the CAUSE of the problems, BUT , it causes the other symptoms of the 'clogged up system' to occur, and so it has to be dealt with - with what I consider 'emergency measures.. i.e laxatives' - if that is what you need to do to get things moving. This might not be popular here, and again - is not meant to be your long term solution, but, IMO, if you let yourself go 2 or 3 days without going, and your get back up, everything else gets worse, and then you have to go through a lot of discomfort to "unclog" (I am using non-medical nomenclature :) ) .

I have had a lot of tests - and in my case, my small intestine is the problem - the transit is very slow, and I have inflammatory changes there. If things 'back up', then things will stay in your small intestine longer, and bacteria will start to grow there. Further down, or maybe even at the proximal part of the small intestine; and you develop a problem called SIBO, I have this that was diagnosed with an endoscopy. i.e. they cultured all kinds of unpleasant bacteria from my S. I. - when there should be none in there. They belong in your colon. They colonize b/c your food is sitting there long enough for them to take up residence. IMO, it has little to do with what you eat, or that you are eating sugar, or carbs, etc. It is because THINGS ARE NOT MOVING. Now, these nasty bacteria are eating your nutrients, and producing toxins, and gasses, making your bloated, and possibly giving you pain ( I have a lot). You are exhausted because you aren't getting your nutrition and fuel. All of this can contribute to the reflux as things further back up. And there are more negative results as this process continues on. SO - much can be helped by keeping it moving. See below.

1. How do you know it is bile that is refluxing? Have you had an endoscopy? They will take a sample and if there is bile in your stomach- it doesn't belong there; it is reflux. This can also lead to inflammation of the stomach. Do you have your gallbladder (I'm assuming you do). Keep it :)

2. Why are you eliminating fat from your diet? To help the constipation? Is it helping? It sounds like it might not be.. so you might want to think about that.

Now my summaries:

1. Have you considered your thyroid status? As low thyroid will slow down your transit, as well as decrease all of the stomach and digestive enzyme production from the small intestine. I only recently discovered RP and his writings on thyroid. I suspect I have been hypothyroid for at least 4 decades. I have just started cyanoplus (T3/T4) with extra T3 cynomel) hoping for more immediate relief of symptoms. Too soon to tell. It seems to me, you could consider your symptoms a sign of low thyroid, and try treating it as such - instead of adding digestive enzymes and other supplements, and even laxatives - maybe this could take care of all of those things. If I was starting from scratch.. this is where I would begin.

2. I have had the same experience with the gluten, carbs , sugar.. in my case dairy.. basically every thing that they tell you to not it. b/c in my humble opinion, my problem is not triggered by a specific food or food type. It is a MOTILITY problem. Because of the lack of motility, I won't tolerate some things now, and certain things need to be avoided.. i.e things that don't do well in dark , most environments.. like leafy greens.. salads.. raw vegetables, and SOLUBLE FIBER. In fact, I need to eat very little fiber right now. i.e - white everything. I realize my diet may not be ideal now, but can work toward perfecting it. I would not worry much about sugar and carbs that everyone will tell you are 'feeding bacteria and yeast'. What is more important is keeping things moving. I have observed people with digestive systems I envy who eat lots of sugar and carbs. I see no direct causative link. I do observe they poop regularly. So, go with what you experience. I do best with simple sugars and hi glycemic index carbs, as do most with SIBO, b/c you absorb these more quickly, so at least you are getting something. Anything that stays in your gut longer gives more for the bacteria and less for you, and avoid anything called a "prebioltic' at all costs.

3. I think you can assume you have SIBO based on the pattern you are describing. This means NO bacteria for you - no fermented foods (which seem to be very hip and trendy now), no probiotics. ( *these are all my personal opinions obviously, so take with a grain of T3, lol). I think the probiotic industry is a big scam. We have 1000s of species in our colons and the idea that we are going to correct anything with a few strains in a pill makes no sense. The research is really limited and not good. There is no evidence that any of these supplements get to your colon and colonize there, and actually make a difference. Of course I have tried them and always felt worse.

4. One very wise practitioner told me, it is also ridiculous to think you are making an impact with one pill, or even with eating bacterial cultures, when you are swallowing way more constantly via your saliva. So - oral health is critical and some even theorize my be a causative agent. Look into this.

5. Taking digestive enzymes orally makes no sense to me (at least the intestinal ones) because you are not getting them where and likely when you need them. Again, I am not convinced they survive the pH of the stomach to arrive in the alkaline duodenum in the proper form, and at the right time to be of any use. Of course, being desperate I still tried them, and as expected, they were of no help. In fact, one that someone has recommended here - Enzymatica Gold I believe - made me horribly sick. I vomited about an hour after eating it, and continued to be sick for a day; with a fresh hell of symptoms. On the Amazon page selling this product - I noticed 7 people complaining of vomiting and/or cramps - awful GI reactions.

6. RP recommends Cascara Sagrada for a laxative; so I would consider that; and read his article if you haven't yet. Unfortunately it gives me horrible cramps and I don't tolerate the brands I've tried. I do see a company on this forum sells a powder form, so maybe I could try it in a smaller dose. Now I use Senna tea - a cup or 2 a night moves things along for me so I will have a bm in the am, although it will not always feel complete. If I feel too backed up, maybe 1-2 x /month, I will take 2 ducolax (biscodyl). This would not be recommended, they appear to be full of toxins, but after a night of suffering awful cramps, things will be emptied out. My goal is to prevent needing this.

7. You will note that I am using stimulant laxatives. In my experience, like many like me; the osmotic laxatives are of no use, and only make me worse i.e. Miralax, Psyllium husks, even too much Mg, or Vit C, prune juice, etc. etc. These work by drawing fluid into the colon, which is supposed to stimulate it to contract. This works for normal people. However, my colon is unresponsive to such stimuli, so using these things will cause it to expand and expand with water, BUT not move anything, so I will be in more pain and not be able to wear most clothing.

8. Related to the above - drinking more water, will not help; provided you are adequately hydrated. See above.

9. I have tried RPs carrot salad, and I think it is still too much fiber for me, so have stopped that. Although I could perhaps re-start with 1/4 carrot. I like the idea. I have found that sometimes it is not the actual food substance, but the amount that can make a difference. A good think to keep in mind in general.

10. What AB and antifungal did you try? I did the metronidazole, which also made me sick and didn't seem to help. I did a course of Xifaxin twice, which they push now, and it did nothing. I was supposed to take the met and that at once, but I was too sick. That is all any practitioner will do. I would like to try erythromycin if the thyroid doesn't fix me enough, and have ordered some. It was recommended a long time ago as a 'motility' agent; and as RP has said, has anti-inflammatory as well as the AB effects. No one wants to prescribe it b/c it is cheap, I presume; but makes some sense.

11. I also tried the new pricey 'motility' wonder drug Prucalopride, which did nothing but make a dent in my savings (I believe $500 for a month's supply).

12. I like Elliot Overton's videos, they are informative, and I tried the Thiamine approach with his supplement, and also with some plain old thiamine. It did not help. The plain thiamine gives me headaches and some nausea at the higher dose you need to get to. Could be the brand, etc. ; but I'm not going to explore this further as I think my problem is more than one single B vitamin.. I'm really hoping the thyroid will be part of the answer.

12. I did the enemas, a few times, but again, they don't really do much; and are way too messy and difficult for me for the lack of benefit.

13. For many reasons, I won't go into, I've found doing squatting as an exercise to be helpful. I read a book called Polarity therapy with suggests some exercises based on this. Too much to go into. There is a guy on you tube you has some good videos re: what he calls "Asian squats" and how to get your body into this position if you aren't used to it. Same thing really under many different names.

I'm sure I have a lot more.. this is already like a book. Let me know what you think and feel free to ask any questions. I'm sure there are typos in here, as I don't proofread, my apologies in advance. Also I am so grateful to be added to this forum and have learned so much from reading posts here.

Welcome @OliviaD

 

[OliviaD]

Thank you, @Peatful !

I like your quotes! Although I am upset with Pasteur now that much of his work that led to the barbaric practice of vaccination was falsified, but it's a good quote.

And the RP quote - forms the new foundation of how I am looking at my health; with the addition of ... 'nothing will be helpful ' (in the absence of good metabolism). :)

 

[Peatful]

Thank you, @Peatful !

I like your quotes! Although I am upset with Pasteur now that much of his work that led to the barbaric practice of vaccination was falsified, but it's a good quote.

And the RP quote - forms the new foundation of how I am looking at my health; with the addition of ... 'nothing will be helpful ' (in the absence of good metabolism). :)

Agree!

 

[Hans Noddeboe]

View attachment 38326I take

Thanks, do you think it works because the cause may be lowered digestive enzyme output? Or Sibo maybe?

 

[Hans Noddeboe]

Hi Hans! I just was accepted to the forum.. thank you, thank you, thank you to whomever was responsible. I didn't intend to write anything yet - but your post just popped up and I have to comment, because I share all of your issues (and more). I am 3 times your age, so feel bad that you are suffering at such a young age - I don't have any miracle cures, but I have a decade of life research, I can tell you what hasn't worked for me; and add my experiences with some of the suggestions you have already received here - maybe save you some money and time. Obviously, the root cause of your problem may be different from mine, and you should not dismiss anything because it did not work for me; however we do share some similarities and sometimes knowing you are not alone helps. My GI problems and related issues are what led me here, and I think/hope that some of Dr. Peats ideas will help me. Just FYI, my problem started immediately after I had my gallbladder removed. The constellation of symptoms you have is very common - and so you may have (or will likely eventually have) some of the other issues I have; as they seem to go together. I also have had a decade of talking with and reading hundreds of stories of people with similar problems, and there do seem to be some commonalities.

I think getting at the root cause is always best.. if possible; but sometimes it isn't possible right away. So, you peel away at the layers, deal with the symptoms, and try to avoid things that make things worse. What I've come to learn in general, is that the most important thing - is to "keep it moving'. i.e you don't have time to spend figuring out the problem or fixing your gut to resolve the constipation. Now - I am throwing out some of my philosophy and experience here (10 years) . In my case, and possibly yours, the constipation is not the CAUSE of the problems, BUT , it causes the other symptoms of the 'clogged up system' to occur, and so it has to be dealt with - with what I consider 'emergency measures.. i.e laxatives' - if that is what you need to do to get things moving. This might not be popular here, and again - is not meant to be your long term solution, but, IMO, if you let yourself go 2 or 3 days without going, and your get back up, everything else gets worse, and then you have to go through a lot of discomfort to "unclog" (I am using non-medical nomenclature :) ) .

I have had a lot of tests - and in my case, my small intestine is the problem - the transit is very slow, and I have inflammatory changes there. If things 'back up', then things will stay in your small intestine longer, and bacteria will start to grow there. Further down, or maybe even at the proximal part of the small intestine; and you develop a problem called SIBO, I have this that was diagnosed with an endoscopy. i.e. they cultured all kinds of unpleasant bacteria from my S. I. - when there should be none in there. They belong in your colon. They colonize b/c your food is sitting there long enough for them to take up residence. IMO, it has little to do with what you eat, or that you are eating sugar, or carbs, etc. It is because THINGS ARE NOT MOVING. Now, these nasty bacteria are eating your nutrients, and producing toxins, and gasses, making your bloated, and possibly giving you pain ( I have a lot). You are exhausted because you aren't getting your nutrition and fuel. All of this can contribute to the reflux as things further back up. And there are more negative results as this process continues on. SO - much can be helped by keeping it moving. See below.

1. How do you know it is bile that is refluxing? Have you had an endoscopy? They will take a sample and if there is bile in your stomach- it doesn't belong there; it is reflux. This can also lead to inflammation of the stomach. Do you have your gallbladder (I'm assuming you do). Keep it :)

2. Why are you eliminating fat from your diet? To help the constipation? Is it helping? It sounds like it might not be.. so you might want to think about that.

Now my summaries:

1. Have you considered your thyroid status? As low thyroid will slow down your transit, as well as decrease all of the stomach and digestive enzyme production from the small intestine. I only recently discovered RP and his writings on thyroid. I suspect I have been hypothyroid for at least 4 decades. I have just started cyanoplus (T3/T4) with extra T3 cynomel) hoping for more immediate relief of symptoms. Too soon to tell. It seems to me, you could consider your symptoms a sign of low thyroid, and try treating it as such - instead of adding digestive enzymes and other supplements, and even laxatives - maybe this could take care of all of those things. If I was starting from scratch.. this is where I would begin.

2. I have had the same experience with the gluten, carbs , sugar.. in my case dairy.. basically every thing that they tell you to not it. b/c in my humble opinion, my problem is not triggered by a specific food or food type. It is a MOTILITY problem. Because of the lack of motility, I won't tolerate some things now, and certain things need to be avoided.. i.e things that don't do well in dark , most environments.. like leafy greens.. salads.. raw vegetables, and SOLUBLE FIBER. In fact, I need to eat very little fiber right now. i.e - white everything. I realize my diet may not be ideal now, but can work toward perfecting it. I would not worry much about sugar and carbs that everyone will tell you are 'feeding bacteria and yeast'. What is more important is keeping things moving. I have observed people with digestive systems I envy who eat lots of sugar and carbs. I see no direct causative link. I do observe they poop regularly. So, go with what you experience. I do best with simple sugars and hi glycemic index carbs, as do most with SIBO, b/c you absorb these more quickly, so at least you are getting something. Anything that stays in your gut longer gives more for the bacteria and less for you, and avoid anything called a "prebioltic' at all costs.

3. I think you can assume you have SIBO based on the pattern you are describing. This means NO bacteria for you - no fermented foods (which seem to be very hip and trendy now), no probiotics. ( *these are all my personal opinions obviously, so take with a grain of T3, lol). I think the probiotic industry is a big scam. We have 1000s of species in our colons and the idea that we are going to correct anything with a few strains in a pill makes no sense. The research is really limited and not good. There is no evidence that any of these supplements get to your colon and colonize there, and actually make a difference. Of course I have tried them and always felt worse.

4. One very wise practitioner told me, it is also ridiculous to think you are making an impact with one pill, or even with eating bacterial cultures, when you are swallowing way more constantly via your saliva. So - oral health is critical and some even theorize my be a causative agent. Look into this.

5. Taking digestive enzymes orally makes no sense to me (at least the intestinal ones) because you are not getting them where and likely when you need them. Again, I am not convinced they survive the pH of the stomach to arrive in the alkaline duodenum in the proper form, and at the right time to be of any use. Of course, being desperate I still tried them, and as expected, they were of no help. In fact, one that someone has recommended here - Enzymatica Gold I believe - made me horribly sick. I vomited about an hour after eating it, and continued to be sick for a day; with a fresh hell of symptoms. On the Amazon page selling this product - I noticed 7 people complaining of vomiting and/or cramps - awful GI reactions.

6. RP recommends Cascara Sagrada for a laxative; so I would consider that; and read his article if you haven't yet. Unfortunately it gives me horrible cramps and I don't tolerate the brands I've tried. I do see a company on this forum sells a powder form, so maybe I could try it in a smaller dose. Now I use Senna tea - a cup or 2 a night moves things along for me so I will have a bm in the am, although it will not always feel complete. If I feel too backed up, maybe 1-2 x /month, I will take 2 ducolax (biscodyl). This would not be recommended, they appear to be full of toxins, but after a night of suffering awful cramps, things will be emptied out. My goal is to prevent needing this.

7. You will note that I am using stimulant laxatives. In my experience, like many like me; the osmotic laxatives are of no use, and only make me worse i.e. Miralax, Psyllium husks, even too much Mg, or Vit C, prune juice, etc. etc. These work by drawing fluid into the colon, which is supposed to stimulate it to contract. This works for normal people. However, my colon is unresponsive to such stimuli, so using these things will cause it to expand and expand with water, BUT not move anything, so I will be in more pain and not be able to wear most clothing.

8. Related to the above - drinking more water, will not help; provided you are adequately hydrated. See above.

9. I have tried RPs carrot salad, and I think it is still too much fiber for me, so have stopped that. Although I could perhaps re-start with 1/4 carrot. I like the idea. I have found that sometimes it is not the actual food substance, but the amount that can make a difference. A good think to keep in mind in general.

10. What AB and antifungal did you try? I did the metronidazole, which also made me sick and didn't seem to help. I did a course of Xifaxin twice, which they push now, and it did nothing. I was supposed to take the met and that at once, but I was too sick. That is all any practitioner will do. I would like to try erythromycin if the thyroid doesn't fix me enough, and have ordered some. It was recommended a long time ago as a 'motility' agent; and as RP has said, has anti-inflammatory as well as the AB effects. No one wants to prescribe it b/c it is cheap, I presume; but makes some sense.

11. I also tried the new pricey 'motility' wonder drug Prucalopride, which did nothing but make a dent in my savings (I believe $500 for a month's supply).

12. I like Elliot Overton's videos, they are informative, and I tried the Thiamine approach with his supplement, and also with some plain old thiamine. It did not help. The plain thiamine gives me headaches and some nausea at the higher dose you need to get to. Could be the brand, etc. ; but I'm not going to explore this further as I think my problem is more than one single B vitamin.. I'm really hoping the thyroid will be part of the answer.

12. I did the enemas, a few times, but again, they don't really do much; and are way too messy and difficult for me for the lack of benefit.

13. For many reasons, I won't go into, I've found doing squatting as an exercise to be helpful. I read a book called Polarity therapy with suggests some exercises based on this. Too much to go into. There is a guy on you tube you has some good videos re: what he calls "Asian squats" and how to get your body into this position if you aren't used to it. Same thing really under many different names.

I'm sure I have a lot more.. this is already like a book. Let me know what you think and feel free to ask any questions. I'm sure there are typos in here, as I don't proofread, my apologies in advance. Also I am so grateful to be added to this forum and have learned so much from reading posts here.

Hi

Yes, alright those points do make alot of sense. The reason I believe the actual pain to be perhaps bile related, or maybe some sort of allergen or histamine intolerance is the fact that the day it hurt most was infact when I was taking the most acid reducing medication in the form of 2 famotidines AND 2 omeprazole. Which only seemed to make it worse as I had had kefir and it was just sitting in my stomach the whole day burning.

I saw a post on Reddit where a gastritis sufferer who had it for 5+ YEARS went on a diet of only chicken breast and apple sauce for a month. Aswell as some sort of white bread cracker and it seemed to completely heal them?

I was thinking of trying that because I do think it might be intestinal related such as sibo (like you said) and keto/carnivore isnt working so far?