My SIBO (Endo-Belly) Journey and Treatment Plan

Some of you may know that I was recently diagnosed with both hydrogen and methane type SIBO, and suspected hydrogen sulfide type SIBO too. This diagnosis, whilst I was certain would come back positive, still knocked me emotionally. With this knowledge, I was able to piece together symptoms and struggles I have faced my entire life and begin making sense of my health story. Though endometriosis has played a huge part, SIBO has in fact been with me for much longer and has continued to cause me problems despite getting my endometriosis under control. Coming to terms with this news has been a relief but also a grieving process as I’ve looked back and realised how much SIBO had dictated my life up until this point. As a result, I thought it might be helpful to share with you my considerations when choosing my treatment, how I’m processing the news, my concerns about managing and/or treating my SIBO, how SIBO has affected my health and what I’m doing in the present moment to reduce my symptoms. In this episode, I’m sharing: My SIBO test results and what they mean. A recap of SIBO symptoms and signs. What kind of treatment plan I’m going to go with - antibiotics, antimicrobial herbs or the elemental diet, or a combination, and what these are. My reflections on how SIBO has shaped both my physical and mental health as a child and the implications of that, including chronic fatigue and anxiety. Trigger warning: this section includes a discussion around eating disorders. My process for managing my symptoms now until I begin treatment. As mentioned above, this episode comes with a trigger warning as I spend a significant portion of time discussing my past history with disordered eating. Please take care of yourself and if it’s best for you to skip this episode, please feel free to do so. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, listen directly/download MP3 here or just listen below! Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook or sign up to my newsletter. If you feel like you need more support with managing endometriosis, you can join Your EndoLife Coaching Programme. A 1-to-1 three month health and life coaching programme to help you thrive with endometriosis. To find out more about the programme and to discuss whether it could be right for you, email me at [email protected] or visit my website. I am now offering one-off two hour sessions for those of you who aren’t quite ready for a 12 week coaching programme. This intensive deep dive session will kick start your journey to living and thriving with endometriosis and give you a plan that you can take forward and work on alone. Click here to find out more about the programme. My cookbook This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast is out now! Get 28 anti-inflammatory, hormone friendly recipes for living and thriving with endometriosis. Order your copy here. This episode is sponsored by my free “Endometriosis Symptom Tracker”. If you feel like you’re just in pain or tired all the time, and you can’t tell what’s making your endo better or worse, this tracker could help you begin to understand the subtle patterns in your endometriosis symptoms. As always, this guide doesn’t replace your medical treatment and is not intended to treat or cure endometriosis, but provides you with options that helped me to live well with endometriosis. Download here. This episode is sponsored by The Pod Farm. Learn all about how to start your own podcast with the complete course from The Pod Farm. Aimed at beginners, this course takes a simple and straightforward approach to planning, equipment buying, setting up, recording, editing and hosting your own podcast. With hours of audio and video materials, and downloadable guides and useful links, this multimedia approach aims to have something for every kind of learner. From now until April 15, newsletter subscribers get 20% off the course price. Visit www.thepodfarm.com to enroll or find out more This episode is sponsored by BeYou. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches and CBD range. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk Show Notes L-glutamine and cancer: I went back and checked my course and Dr Drummond states that high doses of l-glutamine may feed cancer cells. She felt it better to do high doses for a short period of time rather than lower for longer, but speak to your practitioner for accurate dosaging. You can also have a read of this article for more information on the link between cancer and l-glutamine. Smart SIBO Test Find a doctor Find a testing lab in your area Dr Siebecker’s testing info