Patient story

Lower right stomach pain after Covid turned into months of bloating and dead ends

@bernie13BronzeContributorShared August 2026

Current status

Somewhat resolved
  1. Still struggling
  2. Somewhat resolved
  3. Mostly resolved
  4. Fully resolved
In their words

The story

stomach pain in the lower right quadrants and intense bloating happened a couple weeks after having covid. had ct scan and came back normal except for some “medication build up” in the appendix and a small kidney stone. eventually did a sibo breath test and tested positive for hydrogen dominant sibo. took rifaximin and it had no effect. i tried two other antibiotics that also didn’t make much of a difference. low fodmap diet helped. now i’ve been diagnosed with ibs-d and take 30mg of nortriptyline each night to help with the pain.

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What they were dealing with

Symptoms

severemoderatemoderate
What the workup showed

Tests & diagnoses

COVID-19Stomach pain and bloating happened a couple weeks after COVID.Positive for hydrogen dominant SIBO.Hydrogen dominant; no exact breath test values stated.Diagnosed with IBS-D.
Every treatment, and what happened

Treatments

Each treatment this contributor tried, in the order that mattered, with their own reported result. The ones marked with a trophy are the treatments they credit as decisive.

Made worseNo changePartially helpedHelped
Helped

Low FODMAP diet helped.

SSRIs / Tricyclic Antidepressants
Helped

Takes 30 mg nortriptyline each night to help with pain after IBS-D diagnosis.

Antibiotics
No change

Tried two other unnamed antibiotics.

No change

Took rifaximin after positive hydrogen-dominant SIBO breath test.

Discussion

1 comment

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@LT2Steven· Aug 15, 2026

Iberogast has done wonders for my pain, not so much anything for my bloating. I've been taking Iberogast for years and it still significantly helps me. It may be worth trying?

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Important

This is one person's reported experience aggregated by GutPattern, not clinical advice, a treatment protocol, or a diagnosis. What helped one contributor can do nothing — or harm — for someone with a different underlying cause. Sudden, severe, bloody, feverish, or worsening symptoms belong with medical care. Always discuss care decisions with a qualified clinician.