Hi Robin,
I found your story interesting. I have mild IBS (mild constipation, visceral sensitivity) and possibly bacterial overgrowth. I took the lactulose breath test that Pimentel and Lin use at Cedar Sinai to diagnose small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), but it showed that my levels were borderline. At 1.5 hrs my levels were close to 20ppm. The test didn't run 3 hrs which I believe Pimentel does for his patients, so I felt my test results were pre-mature.
My IBS actually started from a 6 day water fast, so that's how I screwed up my bowels. I got severely lactose intolerant and almost any carbs got me farting 100+ times per day. Probiotics reduced the gas levels, but it was only until I took antibiotics that my gas levels went down to normal (0-12x per day). I took neomycin sulfate which Pimentel used in his first SIBO intent to treat study. It worked great because it completely wiped out my lactose intolerance. Before I would get gas from eating small amounts of lactose and lots of gas from large amount of lactose (no D tho), so I suspected the neomycin killed off the bacteria that caused the gas. Unfortunately after a month it came back, so I took other antibiotics and became tolerant to lactose again.
Over the last few months I've been on a probiotic Digestive Advantage IBS - it's a chewable sugary pill that works well. It has warded off the LI, but now it's coming back.
That leads me to go for the Vivonex Plus diet. I am going to do it with L-Emental which is a alternative to Vivonex and is made by Hormel. Vivonex is friggin' expensive! I hope this will starve off the bacteria and wipe out the IBS. I am surprised that you did the Cipro + Vivonex - that's seems pretty scary to go for a double whammy on the bacteria. Who recommended you this protocol? The Vivonex seems like it would be good enough, but now that you mention about yeast overgrowth, I am wondering if I should take a probiotic to prevent any of that happening. Pimentel believes probiotics are detrimental and does not recommend them.
Do you know if Pimentel followed up on his patients to see if the Vivonex normalized their bowel function? I've been trying to find that out, but nothing shows up on the internet.
OK here's some notes I dug up, so I'll leave them here for others to check out:
A 14-day elemental diet is highly effective in normalizing the lactulose breath test.
Pimentel M, Constantino T, Kong Y, Bajwa M, Rezaei A, Park S.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...t_uids=14992438
Vivonex Plus - Walgreens
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cach...onex+plus&hl=en
Vivonex Plus
http://www.allegromedical.com/home/...7&C=522&M=15166
Vivonex Plus
http://www.novartisnutrition.com/us/productDetail?id=20
Protein: 18% (Free Amino Acids)
Carbohydrate: 76% (Maltodextrin, Modified Corn Starch)
Fat: 6% (Soybean Oil)
Comparison of formulas from Novartis site
http://www.novartisnutrition.com/pd..._Chart_2004.pdf
Tolerex
http://www.allegromedical.com/home/...7&C=522&M=15166
Tolerex
http://www.novartisnutrition.com/us/productDetail?id=84
Caloric Distribution:
Protein: 8% (Free Amino Acids)
Carbohydrate: 91% (Maltodextrin, Modified Corn Starch)
Fat: 1% (Safflower Oil)
Caloric Density: 1.0 cal/mL
Nonprotein Calorie: Nitrogen Ratio: 282:1
Water Content: 864 mL/1000 mL
100% RDI*: 1800 mL
Osmolality: 550 mOsm/kg water
Lactose free, gluten free, low residue
http://www.med-diet.com/l-emental.htm
L-Emental Unflavored Powder 60 - 2.84 oz 12 $276.00
L-Emental™ Complete Amino Acid Diet
L-Emental™ contains 100% free amino acids. L-Emental™ provides absorbable protein without digestion and may benefit those with reduced absorptive capacity. It has a caloric distribution of 15% protein, 82% carbohydrate, 3% fats, and provides 1.0kcal/ml. L-Emental™ is an effective alternative to parenteral nutrition when directed by a physician. It has an Osmolality of 630 mOsm/kg water when mixed according to package instructions.
L-Emental™ is lactose free, gluten free, and low residue.
L-Emental
http://www.4webmed.com/main.cfm?Pag...ng%3D1#nutrinfo
Case: 60 $266.40 ( $4.44 ea ) Single Flavor