Genuinely at the point where I don’t know what else to look at. I’ve been dealing with severe chronic bloating/distension for a long time now and it feels like I’ve tried nearly every obvious SIBO/gut route.

My main symptom is constant bloating/distension, often there even when I haven’t eaten. It can cause back pressure/soreness and makes me feel trapped in my body. I’m not looking for sympathy as much as I’m trying to figure out what I’m missing. Is this still SIBO? Is SIBO just a symptom of something deeper? Motility? Bile? Pancreatic enzymes? H. pylori? Mold? Pelvic floor? Nervous system?

My sibo test was hydrogen, but I sometimes get the eggy farts, but h2s was negative... i dont even know what to believe.

Testing and findings so far

• Hydrogen positive SIBO pattern with early rise
• Dysbiosis on stool testing
• Klebsiella overgrowth noted
• Fungal/Candida concerns
• Very low beneficial flora, including very low Lactobacillus
• High gut permeability markers, including high zonulin
• Mold/mycotoxin concerns, including elevated ochratoxin/gliotoxin type findings
• Histamine/MCAS type symptoms
• Past H. pylori history, not sure if it fully stayed gone
• Concerns about bile flow, liver/gallbladder function and pancreatic enzymes
• Some blood/mineral issues, including copper/zinc imbalance concerns in the past
• Symptoms often feel worse with fermentation, carbs, histamine foods, stress and gut stagnation

Things I’ve tried..Probiotics and microbiome rebuilding

• S. boulardii
• Spore probiotics
• Seed probiotic
• Custom probiotic blends
• L. gasseri
• Ruscio style probiotic approach
• Considering coconut kefir
• Past bad reaction to L. reuteri, which seemed to trigger a major SIBO style flare
• Tried to rebuild flora but I’m worried probiotics may also worsen small intestine overgrowth

Antimicrobials and antifungals

• SF722
• Caprylic acid
• Berberine type approaches
• Oregano type approaches
• Antifungal thinking for Candida/SIFO
• Biofilm/NAC type thinking
• Mastic gum for H. pylori concerns
• Herbal antimicrobial phases
• I’ve tried killing approaches but I’m not convinced they fixed the terrain

I even did elemental for 3 weeks, and a 4.5 fast as someone said that fixed them! Not for me...Even did rifaximin.

Gut lining support

• GI Revive type formulas
• L glutamine
• Zinc carnosine
• DGL
• Colostrum
• Slippery elm/mucosal support type thinking
• Considering Colilen or gut coating products
• Trying to calm permeability and irritation rather than just kill bacteria

Motility support

• Ginger/artichoke motility complex
• Iberogast
• Artichoke leaf
• Magnesium
• Meal spacing
• Walking after meals
• Considering prokinetic route more seriously
• Wondering if MMC dysfunction is the actual root

Bile/liver/gallbladder support

• Artichoke
• Liver herbs
• Bitter/digestive support
• Considering taurine, phosphatidylcholine, sunflower lecithin, TUDCA
• Liver/gallbladder flush
• Coffee enemas
• Binders during detox/mold protocols
• I’m wondering if low bile flow is allowing overgrowth to persist

Binders and detox

• Charcoal
• Zeolite type binders
• Modified citrus pectin
• Chlorella type thinking
• Coffee enemas
• Liver flush
• Mold detox style protocols
• Glutathione/NAC thinking
• My concern is that mold/mycotoxins could be keeping the immune system and gut inflamed

Constipation and bowel clearance

• Magnesium citrate/oxide
• Oxy powder style products
• Coffee enemas
• Colon cleansing style approaches
• Trying to keep things moving without over irritating myself

Nervous system / physical / structural work

• Osteopath work
• Vagus nerve approaches
• Nurosym trial
• Iqoro considerations
• Breathwork and nervous system work
• Considering pelvic floor physiotherapy
• Considering visceral manipulation / abdominal massage
• Wondering if diaphragm, pelvic floor, fascia or abdominal guarding is keeping gas trapped
• Stress and nervous system definitely seem to affect symptoms

Other angles I’m considering

• H. pylori recurrence or incomplete eradication
• Low stomach acid
• Poor pancreatic enzyme output
• Poor bile flow
• Gallbladder sludge or bile stagnation
• Mold exposure and mycotoxins
• MCAS/histamine intolerance
• Mineral imbalance / HTMA
• Copper/zinc imbalance
• Long Covid/post viral type immune dysfunction
• Laryngeal sensory neuropathy / reflux like symptoms
• Pelvic floor overactivity rather than weakness
• Biofilms
• Parasites, oxalates, sulfur issues, although I don’t know if those are central

My main question

What am I missing?

I’m starting to think SIBO might be the symptom, not the root cause. The things I’m most suspicious of now are:

• MMC/motility dysfunction
• Low bile flow
• Poor pancreatic enzymes
• H. pylori/low stomach acid
• Mold/mycotoxin driven inflammation
• Nervous system dysregulation
• Pelvic floor/diaphragm/gas trapping mechanics
• Histamine/MCAS
• Dysbiosis where the ecosystem just will not stabilise

If you had a case like this, what would you investigate next?

What actually fixed your bloating if antimicrobials, diet, probiotics and fasting were not enough?

Would you look more into prokinetics, bile support, enzymes, H. pylori testing, pelvic floor physio, mold treatment, FMT, or something else?

Please ask me anything that would help. I’m really trying to find the missing piece and would appreciate any thoughtful input, especially from people who had constant distension even when not eating.

I cant do this much longer, seriously, it's ruining my whole life.

Ive been trying to buy the dairy free coconut kefir in the last post that healed someone, [https://kefirlab.com/shop/\](https://kefirlab.com/shop/), in the UK, but cant ship. Is there a good local option?

Would really appreciate it

Ive been trying to buy the dairy free coconut kefir in the last post that healed someone, https://kefirlab.com/shop/, in the UK, but cant ship. Is there a good local option?

I’ve tried everything.

-rifaximin
- elemental diet
- herbs
- motility
- fasting for 4.5 days because of that recent post, didn’t work, lost 5 kg cuz of it
- probiotics, building.
- prebiotics
- b1
- HTMA
- l gasseri yoghurt I’m making myself (not sure I do it right)
- MSM

WHAT THE FUCK AM I MISSING?

Seriously. What the actual fuck am I missing.

I don’t know if I can do this much longer. It’s been 3.5 years and I’m done. I’m done.

Please help me? Any advice at all?

What worked, I need to know I genuinely can’t this is ruining my life

Hey, is it possible after taking doxycycline you can still have aches and throbs under the eyes? I took it for ten days, so a tad confused why this is still sore and throbbing. Any advice please?

Hi there,

I am going to be fasting for 4.5 days based off a last post I saw. I want to do this right.

Ill drink water, how much baja gold salt should i be taking daily, and is LMNT raw okay to take during a fast, with binders?

How do i break it?

Thanks

Hi there,

I am going to be fasting for 4.5 days based off a last post I saw. I want to do this right.

Ill drink water, how much baja gold salt should i be taking daily, and is LMNT raw okay to take during a fast, with binders?

Thanks

Waited 45 days to treat sinusitis as I hate antibiotics and wanted it to go naturally. Day 8/10 on doxycycline and my left ear is still blocked, head pressure, and morning phlegm I cough up.

Not sure what to do, is doxycycline slow?

Any hope?

Also doing steroid rinses in Neil med

Waited 45 days to treat sinusitis as I hate antibiotics and wanted it to go naturally. Day 7/10 on doxycycline and my left ear is still blocked, head pressure, and morning phlegm I cough up.

Not sure what to do, is doxycycline slow?

Any hope?

Also doing steroid rinses in Neil med

I am torn, many people are taking itraconozole and saying it helps whilst naturopaths are going down HTMA routes, rebuilding the microbiome, probiotics, binders, beneficial bacteria, etc, etc, what do you think?

I’ve been bloated but also got it to a stable place, now I need antibiotics for this infection, I’ve waited 35 days of this sinus infection but not sure what to do.

The doctors gave me amoxicillin but my gut map shows Klebessia resistant to amoxicillin.

So I don’t know what to do? Should I ask for amoxiclav or anything that helps hydrogen Sibo?

Seriously I don’t want to do this, any advice please

Day 30, no infection, yellow phlegm throughout day, just a heavy feeling top of head. Top right nostril shut closed.

Started after taking Biocidin LSF weirdly.

Am taking iodine, and baby shampoo, salt, and xylitol which seems to help but also causing severe dryness in the nose?

Not sure if iodine is good or bad?

Also taking mometadone per my GP and also started Allegra.

Any advice?

Sinus infection natural remedies aren’t working but had previous gut issues still fighting and don’t want to take antibiotics.

From what I read doxycycline is safer than amoxicillin is that right?

Hey everyone. Looking for people who've actually beaten a stubborn sinus infection using rinses rather than antibiotics. I want to hear your real experiences.

I'm 5 weeks into what started as an acute sinus infection. My main symptoms are pressure at the top centre of my head (ethmoid area), constant sticky mucus that gets worse in the afternoon, yellow coming out with every rinse, post nasal drip causing a cough, and reduced smell for subtle things (can still smell strong scents like Olbas oil).

Mornings are noticeably better than afternoons. I wake up being able to breathe through both nostrils clearly, but by early afternoon everything thickens up and the pressure comes back.

My current rinse recipe in a 250ml NeilMed bottle:

• 2 scoops Scinase nasal salt
• 2 scoops pure birch xylitol powder
• 1 pump Johnson's baby shampoo (the no parabens/no dyes one)
• 2.5ml Videne 10% povidone iodine (switching from Lugol's iodine)
• Warm distilled water

After the rinse I use Citridrops nasal spray and Xlear xylitol spray. I've started doing the nose to ceiling position in the shower based on the Craig et al. CFD study that showed it's the only position that actually reaches the sphenoid sinuses.

I really don't want to go down the antibiotics route if I can avoid it. I have underlying gut issues and antibiotics would set that recovery back significantly.

Questions:

• Am I using the right ingredients? Is there anything I should add or remove from my rinse recipe?
• How many pumps of baby shampoo should I actually be using? 1 pump, 2 pumps? I tried 2 and it burned quite a bit on my inflamed tissue. What brand are you using?
• How long did it actually take from when you started consistent rinses to when you felt genuinely clear? Not just "a bit better" but properly resolved?
• How did you know the biofilm was breaking? What did it look like? Did you notice chunks, strands, or a change in mucus texture?
• Did you have a period where things got temporarily worse before they got better? I've read this can happen when biofilm breaks and exposes the bacteria underneath.
• Povidone iodine vs Lugol's iodine, has anyone tried both? I've been using Lugol's 5% but switching to Videne/Betadine 10% diluted to 0.1% based on the clinical studies. Did PVP-I make a noticeable difference?
• How many rinses per day were you doing during the worst of it? I'm doing 2 but thinking about going to 3.
• Did anyone clear an ethmoid sinus infection without antibiotics? That seems to be where mine is stubbornly hanging on.
• For those who tried rinses and eventually had to go to antibiotics, at what point did you make that call? What told you rinses alone weren't enough?
• Is the nose to ceiling position in the shower safe to do long term? Any issues with fluid going into the ears or throat?
• Has anyone used a powered irrigator like a Waterpik with a nasal adapter? Is it actually worth it over a NeilMed squeeze bottle?

I know everyone's different but I'd really appreciate hearing actual timelines and experiences. The uncertainty of not knowing if this is working or if I'm wasting time is the hardest part.

Thanks in advance.

Hi there,

I was prescribed 5 days of Amoxicillin, 500mg three times a day, for bacterial sinisitis. I dont even think thats not the full amount of antibiotics to take for the nose is it? Anyways, im terrified to take it, im already bad, bloating every day, tired, and ive been fighting this baterial sinisitis for a LOOONNG time now, 4-5 weeks, and ive lost my sense of smell and more, but i really didnt want to take antibiotics.

Any advice, has anyone been in this situation, what do I do, and yea, just any comforting workds or advice?