This is odd - it goes against all medical knowledge but just possibly ?

[KatyMac]

Could my IBS be better after large doses of antibiotics

I was on one a day horse pills & despite awful diarrhoea whilst on them my gut actaully seems better now

This I know is impossible but after 4-5 days of something different - I think I like it....I wonder how long it will last?

[KatyMac]

Oh

DH just pointed out, when I said this, that I had been completely dairy free for nearly 5 weeks - I wonder if that is it?

[LadyBabo]

Are you sure it is IBS, not helicobacter pylori infection?
But if your IBS is made worse ny some infriendly gut bacteria, who knows?

[KatyMac]

Def not H Pylori - at least it wasn't 3 yrs ago when last tested

[LadyBabo]

Sorry, meant unfriendly not 'infriendly' lol.
Perhaps try some tummy friendly actimel type stuff before the nasties / 'infriendly' bacteria get ideas above their station again?

[PhantomOfTheChocolateCakeAvena]

My IBS and stomach ache got alot better after antibiotics for a tooth infection. My doctor said this does often happen but they are not allowed to give out antibiotics for IBS. The antibiotics killed off some of the bacteria that was irritating my gut.

[KatyMac]

Oh well it came back....with avengance

[BloodyStranglingwithBling]

But did you go back to diary products?

I have to be very careful with diary. I have various digestion problems and I try to mostly avoid them. Where possible I stick to goats or sheepsmilk cheese and very little yoghurt or other creamy things.

[KatyMac]

No - hardy any dairy at all

thinks hard

Well bourbon creams & a scrap of butter on my bread

[jimjamshaslefttheyurt]

Yes if its caused by dodgy gut bacteria. Often returns after the antib is stopped though. Do you take probs? Saccromyces can be a good thing as well to prevent overcolonisation by dodgy bacteria.

[BloodyStranglingwithBling]

Aaah, sorry. Wheat? Apparently that can have a negative impact for some people.

In my case, it's more fat, mostly animal fat, so relatively easy to avoid.

[KatyMac]

Oh I don't know
Stupid IBS

Colpermin works a bit but only if I don't use it all the time

CoCodamol Works great but that's not what it's for

[BloodyStranglingwithBling]

You've done the obsessive food diary thing including what you feel every minute of the day, then cutting everything and reintroducing slowly?

[KatyMac]

Hmm yes - years ago

I wonder if it has changed

Actually I think I may have found a more normal trigger for my upset

[DippyDora]

What is helicobacter pylori infection?

[KatyMac]

Have a look here

[misi]

take a dose of this www.wellbeing-uk.com/Maxicol.aspx?jse=true morning and evening for a month, then come back and say how better you are (thats what I say to my IBS clients when they visited me for the first time!!)

[KatyMac]

Misi - I would....but I'm a little wary of suppliments atm

Plus I have just had 2 courses of the A-B's that affect H pylori & a few symptom free days.....I don't know - GP here I come I guess

[misi]

this is not a supplement in the way you mean. 95% of my IBS clients reduced the effects of IBS to very manageable levels with this.

[KatyMac]

My IBS was under perfect control

Then it suddenly went away (post ab)

Then it came back worse

So now I am back on controlling diet - until it behaves then I will be able to eat normally

[misi]

it came back worse cos the AB's you were on not only kill off the bad bacteria but also the good bacteria that help protect your digestive system from the baddies. everyone who takes AB's loose many trillions of friendly bugs and when on a strong course of AB's like you would be on for HP treatment, (and the proton pump inhibitor given with your 2 AB course treatment also has a bad effect on the friendlies) it can take 3 years or so to build up your friendlies again. you get TEMPORARY relief at best from high dose AB's but the baddies will always grow back quicker than the friendlies.
maxicol is a soluble fibre that has added friendly bugs and FOS (fructo oligsacharides) which is a pre biotic (what the friendly bugs actually live on). this is not to say AB's shouldn't be used as with HP infections that are out of control (60-90% of us have HP that lives with us perfectly OK until something causes it to go haywire) as that is often the only thing that will work, but its the aftercare that is often neglected and makes the underlying IBS or other digestive problem worse

[KatyMac]

OK - I'll chat to my therapist about it....I promise

Thanks for trying to help - even if I am an ungrateful so&so

[misi]

don't think you are ungrateful, just careful and thoughtful about your own health which is good.

[KatyMac]