r/Longcovidgutdysbiosis

Me and my friend are in our early 30s and over the past two years we have both had extreme bloating and constipation. She recently had an endoscopy and a colonoscopy done and they said she had gastroparesis and didn't know why she had it.

I was thinking the only thing different that has changed in our lifestyles is having covid multiple times despite being vaccinated. I went the naturopath route and tested positive for hydrogen SIBO. I took rifaximin and some herbal medicines and a bunch of probiotics and I was finally starting to feel a bit better and wasn't bloated every day. I think this had more to do with time passing than anything I was actually taking. Then I got COVID again recently and I was more sick than I've ever been. I have asthma and my inhaler wasn't working for me and ended up going to the ER.

Anyways now I'm back to square one and more bloated than I've been in a long time. There are studies that show viruses can damage the vagus nerve and cause gastroparesis and gastroparesis can cause sibo. So I think that's what's going on here and I wish I knew how to heal it faster.

Edit to add that I know that the vaccine doesn't stop you from getting covid I just thought it would at least help prevent any secondary illnesses or long-term problems such as my gut issues and worsening asthma and one time I developed a sinus infection after getting sick. Didn't take antibiotics for it though. It's just been crap like I used to get sick and be better within 7 days and never have to think of it again.

I developed small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) more than a year ago after contracting COVID-19. I had severe COVID-19 symptoms, and shortly after, SIBO symptoms began. Initially, I didn't know what was happening to me, experiencing things like constipation, gas, bloating, fatigue, and insomnia, until I took a breath test, which came back positive. I've been on antibiotics four times in the past year, experiencing good improvement followed by relapses. I'm in a bad situation now and feel frustrated. I have severe digestive symptoms along with psychological ones. I feel like I've reached a dead end. Also, there aren't any doctors in my area who understand this condition well.

If anyone can relate: One night suddenly my gut started doing very loud noises from one side to another, with pain and irritation. This went on for 15 days.. Then my stools became very hard, constipation, pain, bloating etc.. It was so hard that I thought I had a blockage at the left side. Did colonoscopy and all were fine, healthy gut no issues.. Doctor suggested more fiber MAJOR mistake, my symptoms got x10.. Neuropathy came in the mix, stiff neck, pulling muscles. It had settled down and now it flared again.. Its like nerve issue I don't understand, I have a lot of pain and its very difficult to pass stool that now is not hard or pellet like but normal.. It wakes me up in the middle of the night with severe pain from right and then left, pulling muscles and other symptoms.. Sounds familiar to anyone?

Anybody with similar experience?

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