10+ years of SIBO: was I simply not drinking enough?
Hello, I’ve suffered from chronic IBS/SIBO with severe bloating and meteorism for over a decade, and I’ve tried almost everything without real success – multiple max-dose Rifaximin cycles (only mild, short-lived relief), various probiotics and supplements, and even bile or acid stimulants like milk thistle, ginger, and apple cider vinegar. Nothing ever made a real difference. The only relief came once from home-made kefir, but after a couple of weeks it just lost its efficacy (I still do and eat every day).
A few weeks ago, I had a UTI (male, 33yo) and was put on Monuril first, then a full course of Nitrofurantoin, plus an herbal supplement called Canephron (which contains centaury, lovage root, and rosemary – 1 tablet 3 times a day for ten days). On my doctor’s advice, I also significantly increased my water intake. Before, I was drinking <2 l a day, and almost all of it in the morning and evening, with barely anything during work hours (I just didn't feel thirsty). Now I'm up to about 3 l total, making sure to sip at least 1 liter steadily throughout my workday.
Here’s the interesting part: I finished both the antibiotic and the herbal supplement over 10/14 days ago, yet my bloating and gas have almost completely vanished. I don't know if this will last, but this time it looks different to me and I feel optimistic. The only variable I’ve kept up after this UTI is the higher water intake and distribution. I used to urinate maybe 3 times a day; now it’s over 6, and my gut transit just feels smoother. I honestly suspect the water itself is the main factor – not the meds, and not really the herbs (anyway, according to AI, they should also stimulate bile and activate motility). I think the constant, steady hydration is mechanically diluting fermentable substrates in my small intestine slowing bacterial gas production, gently stimulating the migrating motor complex through continuous distension, and maybe even physically flushing the mucosa in a way that disrupts bacterial biofilms. That would explain why Rifaximin alone never worked for me: it killed bacteria, but my motility was too stagnant and they just grew back.
Now, I only get symptoms if I seriously overeat or binge on simple sugars eating outside the house. I’m genuinely convinced that the missing piece for my gut was never a stronger antibiotic, but just a mechanical push from more water, maybe drunk with proper timing. Has anyone else experienced a massive improvement in bloating just by spreading their water intake throughout the day rather than chugging it all at once? If you’ve tried everything for chronic bloating and failed, this is a cheap, harmless experiment that might actually do something – I’d love to hear if it worked for anyone else.