4 months of reflux, brain fog, and Histamine Intolerance. Finally testing for SIBO tomorrow—is this timeline normal?
Hi everyone,
I’m reaching out because I’ve been on a 4-month health rollercoaster and I’m starting to wonder if my experience is "standard" or a bit unique.
( Some info, 20yo)
Everything kicked off in February. After eating a bit more cheese than usual, my digestion just… stopped. For over 12 hours, nothing moved. A few days later, I had a Margherita pizza and it was even worse—extreme nausea and incredibly slow digestion. Since then, I’ve dealt with daily acidity and reflux.
Here’s the timeline so far:
• First GI Visit: Tested for H. Pylori and Lactose Intolerance. Both negative (though Lactose was borderline). I was put on PPIs and Gaviscon. I felt slightly better, but as soon as I tried to taper off the PPIs, the intense acidity came right back. My GI basically brushed it off.
• The Turning Point: While visiting my hometown, I had a simple plate of pasta with Parmigiano. Ten minutes later, I threw up everything.
• Second GI Visit: We ran a Histamine test and it was positive—my DAO levels were practically zero. Since then, I’ve noticed that certain foods (especially chicken and heavier proteins) make me feel almost "drugged" or spaced out, and the acidity never leaves.
• Recent Panels: Screening showed low tolerance for casein, wheat, and peanuts. My symptoms are now escalating: extreme fatigue, weight loss, brain fog, and feeling "stuffed" after only a few bites of food.
Next Steps:
I recently spent two hours with a nutritionist who finally suggested a SIBO test. She suspects Leaky Gut due to these chronic digestive issues and recommended starting L-Glutamine (or something similar) post-test.
I’m taking the SIBO test tomorrow and waiting for some other labs. Honestly, after 4 months of feeling like this, I’m exhausted.
Does this sound like a typical SIBO/Histamine progression, or does the intensity of the "drugged" feeling and acidity seem unusual?
Would love to hear if anyone has dealt with something similar! Thanks in advance.
Current Lab Work:
To give more context, I have already run a comprehensive set of tests:
• Celiac Disease: All negative (Anti-transglutaminase IgA, Anti-gliadine IgA, Anti-endomysium IgA).
• Inflammation/Markers: Calprotectin was low (<4.0 mg/kg), Chromogranin A was normal (37.4 ng/mL), and Tryptase was 2.6 µg/L.
• Nutrients/Trace Elements: Both Zinc (664 µg/L) and Copper (649 µg/L) came back slightly below the reference range.
• Leaky Gut/Gut Health: I've tested for Serum Zonulin, Fecal Histamine, and a 69-food intolerance panel.
• Others: I also have results for LBP, LCT, Amylase, and Alpha A1.