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cont.. I had a dozen prompt and helpful replies to my post about treating possible bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) with antibiotics:

Part 2

6) I took flagyl for 1 week, before I was diagnosed with CD. The flagyl was for suspected giardia and the diarrhea I was getting. The flagyl worked wonders and he diarrhoea cleared up, but within 2 days of discontinuing the medication, the diarrhea was back. 

That was Plan A of my investigation, Plan B was then for a scope at both ends during which a biopsy was taken and the CD was diagnosed.My investigation from the first time I talked to my GP til my visit to a gastoenterologist and the scope and diagnosis was about 6 weeks.Wasn't I lucky?Anyway, this is a little off your topic and question but thought I would mention my flagyl experience. I DID have some very strange reactions and side effects to the flagyl but that was another story.

7) I had bacterial overgrowth and was put on a 'natural antibiotic' by my IBS clinic doctor in Seattle. For the moment I can't remember the name of the product. He had done a resistance testing, which I would recommend for you as well. It tests to which antibiotics your bacteria are already treatment resistant. Then you don't have to try several different antibiotics, which may or may not help. It helped me wonderfully. I felt a definitive change in my well being since more than 2 years now. I would always go for a natural version of an antibiotic rather then the pharmaceutical version.

8) Just thought I would throw this out there -- my friend was strictly GF for 6-7 years and then developed severe diarreah again.  It was found to be casein intolerance.  She is now casein free as well and doing fine.

9) Our daughter had gobs of antibiotics of bronchitis and then ended up with diarrhea and bleeding.  We tried a new gastro last June who gave her Xifaxan for a month on the assumption she had an overgrowth issue from so many antibiotics.  It greatly reduced her gut pain and the stink with her bowel movements but did not end the diarrhea.

Someone on the list recommend iFLORA, which is made by www.sedonalabs.com and can be ordered on the internet with a link from Sedona to its distributor in NJ, a health food company.  One week of taking the iFLORA powder, 1/4 tsp 3x a day and our daughter got rid of 4 months

of diarrhea.  She was ultimatedly tested and found low in vitamin K (probably from being given high doses of vitamin E for breast cysts). Vitamin K and E balance each other and too high a dose can upset the clotting I learned.  She had been taking 800IU for a year or more because of bad breast cysts.  The vitamin E did get rid of the cysts however.

As soon as she started on the Solgar vitamin K 100microgram tablet a day for a week, then one, once a week the bleeding has not recurred.  Because she has allergies her diet is somewhat narrow. This weekend she got flu from a friend who was getting sick and didn't know it.  She threw up and had diarrhea 5 or 6 times until she was cleaned out and had lost 5 lbs.  After a couple does of iFLORA it has stopped and she is feeling much better.

I don't have any financial interest in iFLORA but it works for this highly allergic kid and has 16 strains of good bugs, more than other we found. Two of them are supposed to be healing to the gut - Lactobacillus salivarius and Lactobacillus plantarum.  The food for the bugs is rice starch which she tolerates, not corn which is more usual in these products.

If you don't feel sick, I would try a ton of probiotics like iFLORA before taking more drugs.  She did not have any side effects from the Xifaxan but the probiotic was certainly necessary.  Two gastros have told me celiacs need probiotics because the environment in the gut is not ideal for healthy flora.  If you take enough good bugs it should overwhelm the bad ones.  If it was me and I did not feel sick, I would try the probiotics first.

PSAbout cipro - both my mother and daughter have reacted badly to it. My mother hives, and my daughter violent vomiting.  There are whole websites devoted to the damage caused by cipro and leaquin (quinolone class drugs) reactions.

10) Everybody with Celiac Disease (or other digestive/intestinal problems) has overgrowth of

bacteria. Treatment with drugs will take care of the bad bacteria only temporarily . . . and will also kill the good bacteria in the process. Learn how to keep the flora balanced in order to completely heal at www.austinscdfriends.com .

11) About cipro - both my mother and daughter have reacted badly to it. My mother hives, and my daughter violent vomiting.  There are whole websites devoted to the damage caused by cipro and leaquin (quinolone class drugs) reactions.

12) I use Healthy Trinity by Natren.  Natasha Triniff, who took over the family business, one of the pioneers in this field, testified before Congress for this industry.  They also have a dairy-free version.  These products are  not cheap (call for a sometimes two-for-one deal), and are shipped on dry ice  to guarantee potency and integrity.

Visit the Celiac Web Page at Http://www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/index.html
Archives are at: Http://Listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?LIST=CELIAC