My SIBO breath test finally showed methane-dominant SIBO after 2.5 years of anxiety, bloating, and being told it was just a stomach issue

About two and a half years ago, my health changed overnight.

I was out to dinner with a friend when I suddenly had what felt like a panic attack after eating. I started shaking uncontrollably and spent the rest of the night feeling terrified, with no idea what had happened. At the time, I thought it was anxiety, but looking back, I believe it was the beginning of my gut issues.

A couple of months later, I ended up in the hospital with severe stomach cramps. Around the same time, I developed intense anxiety that I'd never experienced before. Over the following months, I bounced from doctor to doctor trying to find answers. I was prescribed medications for diarrhea and told it was probably just a stomach issue, but no one performed the testing that would eventually identify the real problem.

From January through August 2025, my symptoms became debilitating. I woke up almost every day with pounding headaches and constant neck tension. The pain was so severe that I carried a neck massager with me everywhere because it was one of the only things that provided any relief. I constantly felt like my body was stuck in a fight-or-flight state.

Eventually, I found a gastroenterologist who took my symptoms seriously. They performed an endoscopy and a SIBO breath test, which showed that I had extremely high methane-dominant SIBO (intestinal methanogen overgrowth). For the first time, I had an explanation for what had been happening.

Since then, I've completed multiple rounds of rifaximin and neomycin. I've stopped drinking alcohol, followed a low-FODMAP diet, and tried the supplements my doctor recommended.

The frustrating part is that treatment works—at least temporarily.

After each course of antibiotics, I feel like myself again. My energy comes back, my anxiety improves, my bloating disappears, and I can enjoy life. That usually lasts somewhere between two and four months before the symptoms slowly return.

I can almost predict when it's happening. First comes the bloating, followed by pressure and pain underneath my ribs. Then the anxiety starts creeping back in. My mood changes, I become irritable, and I don't feel like myself anymore. It feels as though my gut and nervous system are directly connected. Whether it's inflammation, the gut-brain connection, or something else, the change is impossible for me to ignore.

The hardest part has been staying disciplined after treatment. After spending months feeling sick, all I want is to live normally again. I start eating foods I avoided while recovering, and over time the symptoms return. It's a cycle that has repeated itself several times.

I'm meeting with my doctor again in a few weeks because I know there has to be a better long-term strategy than repeating antibiotics every few months. I'm hopeful there's a way to treat the underlying cause instead of just resetting the clock each time.

If my story sounds familiar to anyone else, I'd love to hear what has worked for you. Living with recurring methane-dominant SIBO has affected not only my digestion, but also my anxiety, mood, relationships, and overall quality of life. I'm still searching for a lasting solution.