The hecticness (yes, it is a word- I checked the Merriam Webster’s dictionary) of school and my own healing journey have kept me from a blog post the past couple of weeks. This week, I wanted to share with others the setbacks I have been experiencing and how talking with family and friends helped restore my hope for healing.
My Setback:
I finished my second round of Rifaxamin on July 1st (two weeks ago). My first round was unsuccessful. According to Dr. Allison Siebecker’s responses to comments on her website, not taking a prokinetic and not following a low-carb diet are the main causes of SIBO relapse. The first reason (not taking a prokinetic) applies to my case and the second reason (not following a low carb diet) applies somewhat. I started following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet after my first round of Rifaxamin, but was still eating some carbs (honey, bananas, pureed pears, etc.).
Dr. Keller’s plan for me as of July 1st is to take a prokinetic called Resolor (to induce cleansing waves of the small intestine- called MMCs) for a minimum of three months, possibly indefinitely if my body does not learn to produce MMCs on its own. When she told me about this treatment plan during our appointment, I was all for it (I think I missed the indefinitely part or maybe just ignored it). But when I got home, I did a little bit of research and totally chicken out on ordering the drug.
Why did I chicken out?
- I do not want to take a drug indefinitely (a big reason I am going the naturopathic route). I was afraid Resolor may result in dependency, but just received confirmation from Dr. Keller that it does not.
- It costs $45 – $90 per month, depending what dose my body needs (and is not available in the US so insurance will not cover my online order from the UK)
- 1 in 10 people get side effects such as diarrhea, headaches, nausea, and stomach pain.
Needless to say, my chickening out, along with trying three “trial foods” (spaghetti squash, blueberries, and tomatoes), caused me to start having symptoms again (not bad, but I am aiming for symptom free) and to experience a physical and emotional setback.
On to the hope…
At my cousin’s wedding this weekend (Congrats Jaime & Sean!!), I had the opportunity to reunite with family who I only see about once a year. I was overwhelmed (in a good way) by their support for my change of career path. I also enjoyed exchanging health stories and making connections about a possible genetic predisposition to autoimmune conditions. I am now very curious whether there is a link between SIBO and autoimmune conditions. My new source of inspiration for my own healing is to keep trying to find answers so that I do not become slave to an autoimmune condition.
Final thoughts: something I have to continue to remind myself is to have patience with my body. I am confident that if I continue to treat my body right and seek answers to my health challenges, that one day, I will be able to live without SIBO.
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