Re: SIBO, Candida and Fun Times!

Glad you found the info on L. Salivarius useful. Good on you for having it as an ally! I use the same R-Garden one as you and haven't found it from any other source by itself. I was disappointed that they don't tell you the strain number but it's definitely better than nothing.

I am definitely wondering if my bad die-off reaction was from drinking that kombucha with B. Coagulans and S. Boulardii. As I understand it, the former is a more aggressive candida-fighting bug, whereas the latter isn't as fierce but likes to stick around and colonize for longer-term benefit. Thanks for clarifying this.

I certainly did wonder about mixing other fungus with antifungals. My theory (which is just a theory) is that those types of "good" yeasts may not mind acid-based antifungals such as coconut oil because they themselves make lactic acid and prefer acidity. Of course there may be specific properties of the acids in coconut oil that make it deadly to all yeasts beyond simply being an acid. There is no doubt of course that all yeasts in general would fall to something like nystatin. That drug is something I would prefer to save as a last weapon instead of allowing them the chance to adapt to it while I fumble around in these early stages.

I was surprised by my reaction to galactomune last night. On a stomach empty for many hours, I took a gulp of coconut oil (just to soften their defenses, so to speak), waited a little while, and then I took one teaspoon of galactomune mixed in water with 2x Primal Defense Ultra (PDU) and 3x L. Salivarius R-Garden (L-S).

I was a bit surprised to have a bit of a belching flare-up. Nothing near the level of, say, eating a frosted cinnamon roll like a dumbass, but I went from burping voluntarily if I tried easily, to needing to expel. I know that some of the bacteria in the PDU may be gas-producing, but I really wasn't expecting a small flare up like that hardly 5 minutes after taking it all. I also considered it could be candida die-off gas (I heard that can happen) but again, that fast? I really don't know how to interpret it. I found myself wondering what the effect would have been with galactomune and L-S alone.

I began this early morning about 6AM with galactomune mixed with glutamine in water. I washed this down with 1x Jarrow's Colostrum and 2x L-S. Again, burping. An hour ago I still needed to expel and it wasn't until noonish I got near the point where I 'll burp only if I do so on purpose. I should note that I NEVER improve beyond that point. There is ALWAYS gas, the best case is that it's not forcing itself out. This is true even as the bloating diminishes -still there, but WAY better than before I stated fighting the yeast instead of SIBO. Maybe the yeast is munching on cellulose in pills, or it likes the glutamine. But I really don't want to stop taking that. I really am unsure at this point.

Months ago I read on another forum that someone who cured his SIBO ate oats mixed with glutamine. His process was to start with a strong round of herbal Antibiotics and then follow it with an intense healing round of glutamine. This technique was refined after four failed attempts, which he says was caused by probiotics making him swear them off. I'm guessing he was unaware of the danger of inulin/FOS and had the wrong pills, but who knows. He said glutamine is absorbed too readily by the small intestine, and oats would carry it down further where repair is badly needed: http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/topic/102286-after-5-relapses-now-cured-heres-how/

There seems to be a lot of controversy on oats. I'm also murky on the truth of its gluten content. Of course candida is a different beast than SIBO, but hey, this guy used oats as a delivery vehicle to heal his gut without a bad response to gluten. I did this move for awhile and stopped when I switched to fighting yeast, but I am tempted to try it again, especially with how my HyperPP really likes a little carbs. I tell myself it's a good compromise, and then go back to thinking "candida doesn't accept compromises, bro". All the random candida diet website stuff aside, fact is it's a carb. I'm really wondering if there is anyone who beat candida used any carbs early in the battle, and if so, what kind.

Frostymug, your anecdone reminds me I forgot to mention something humorous about my first GI visit. After agreeing to the breath test he gave me a whole bag of free Nexium samples. I opened one and was about to try it, but stopped and never touched any. I just didn't believe it. Indeed, if I did have SIBO, it would be the most bone-headed move ever to reduce my stomach acid. I know now my pH was already too high, allowing my bad symptoms to progress in the first place! I do not hold it against the doctor because that is how they are trained. However I think they are also sometimes trained strict obedience. Medicine is about solving problems man, not just knowing facts from textbooks. I thought it was just common sense that stomach acid is your first line of defense against pathogens. What is up with modern doctors? Do the drug companies really have them all on such a leash? Crazy.

I took Betaine HCL while on Rifaximin because food was just sitting in my stomach. I use it more sparingly now that I take a helpful enzyme complex but it would probably be wise not to let it trail off. Thanks for reminding me of its importance.

Last night I realized my enema kit was sitting in a box on my porch. I was so distracted I forgot I had planned it. What I would really appreciate now is some tips on that. I've never done such a thing and it's a slightly harrowing new adventure. I have not yet decided on what to do; maybe I will start with plain water. I'm unsure whether I want distilled, or if minerals in spring water are good. I heard someone here took out a lot of candida by adding baking soda, which confuses me because it likes an alkaline environment. It's tempting to add coconut oil but that's probably too brash for my first time. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

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