Three years of suffering before remission.

SIBO History Summary

My gastrointestinal symptoms began gradually in approximately 2022, several months before I was diagnosed with Valley Fever (coccidioidomycosis) in June 2023. Over time I developed profound fatigue, severe brain fog, abdominal bloating, excessive gas, a feeling of fullness after eating, unexplained weight gain, and increasing food sensitivities. I also experienced night sweats, intermittent rashes, joint pain, and other systemic symptoms that, in retrospect, appear to have coincided with the fungal infection.

In October 2023, I underwent a Cedars-Sinai lactulose breath test, which demonstrated hydrogen-predominant SIBO with secondary methane elevation. I was treated with rifaximin (Xifaxan), which improved symptoms, but insurance denied coverage for an additional course despite persistent symptoms.

Over the next two years I managed my condition with dietary modification and supplements including berberine, oregano oil, Allimax (garlic extract), Atrantil, magnesium, peppermint, ginger, and later DAO enzyme supplementation for histamine-related reactions. I tracked meals, bowel habits, sleep, fatigue, exercise, and symptoms daily to identify patterns.

During this period I also recognized significant histamine intolerance, with high-histamine foods frequently triggering fatigue, headaches, swelling, dizziness, or rashes in addition to gastrointestinal symptoms.

In 2025 I began to see gradual improvement. My bowel function became more regular, brain fog diminished substantially, bloating became less frequent, and I was able to tolerate a much wider variety of foods. By 2026, after recovering from a hysterectomy and making additional dietary and lifestyle changes, my digestive symptoms had improved dramatically. For the first time in several years I was able to tolerate foods such as kefir and many fruits without significant gastrointestinal distress.

At present, I consider my SIBO to be largely in remission. My most disabling symptoms—brain fog, severe bloating, and chronic gastrointestinal discomfort—have resolved to a great extent. I continue to monitor my diet because I remain susceptible to occasional flares, particularly with high-histamine foods or medications that slow gastrointestinal motility, such as GLP-1 therapy.

Given the timing of symptom onset and recovery, I suspect that the SIBO was post-infectious, likely related to the systemic effects of Valley Fever, although a direct causal relationship has not been established.