IBS and Berberine

By SunStarMoon123

1 min read

Developed IBS-D after years of medical neglect and misdiagnosis. Through researching the internet I felt that it was most likely a Blastocystis parasite infection. Requested a test from my doctor which came back positive. Was given Bactrim. Stripped my bowel flora. Could not get any bowel movements - only yellow water, for over a month.

Trying dozens of probiotics

Went to Emergency and requested the antibiotic Flagyl as research advised it would work. Within 24 hours it did work but relapses to diarrhea taught me to pulse dose it then I switched over to probiotics for the next ten years. Tried dozens of probiotics in different doses, sometimes up to 400 billion in order to get a normal BM. Eventually discovered Berberine, a herbal supplement that worked magically for several months, then relapse again to probiotics.

Currently using Saccharomycis Boulardi again and alternating with Bio K for IBS-D. Had three colonoscopies which were negative and my GI physician turned his back on me and suggested Metamucil which made it worse. I have learned to rely on myself and not trust any doctor. My current family doctor is sympathetic but nothing she has advised has worked so far.

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Karina Moderator & Contributor
<inline-mention username="SunStarMoon123" user-id="8611197"/> Thank you so much for sharing your story. I'm so sorry that you've been through so much and haven't received the help you deserved from your doctors. That's so frustrating, and unfortunately, it happens way more often than it should. 🙁 I can't believe that you had to do all of the research yourself so you could get a proper diagnosis and treatment... How are you doing on the probiotics and supplements while they're working? Do you get normal bowel movements then for a while? Since you find relief from those, I wanted to share this article with you: <a href='https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/daily-supplements' target='_blank'>https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/daily-supplements</a>, maybe it'll give you additional ideas for supplements you could try. I'm also wondering if you've ever seen a naturopathic doctor? While I don't have any personal experience with this approach, I know that some of our advocates had good experiences, as described here: <a href='https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/naturopath-experience' target='_blank'>https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/naturopath-experience</a> and here: <a href='https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/good-doctor-please' target='_blank'>https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/good-doctor-please</a>. It might potentially be worth looking into if you haven't already. Wishing you all the best, Karina (team member)
1. CommunityMember8655686 Member
 Hello Karina, The best that has come out of this is that I have become skilled in medicine myself and have learned to trust myself first as it seems that cannot trust anyone else. The nurse practitioner that I go to does not know what I know and also my GI specialist who sticks to his Metamucil recommendations! I have had to educate them and everyone else, including my family doctor, on Berberine. I should mention that I have experimented with 500 mg Berberine and 1000 mg Berberine at different times of the day either with Saccharomyces Boulardi on the same day or without. It's an ongoing process and I have achieved success recently with this combination exclusively enough to work more or less steadily and feel secure that when I commit to a job I can follow through on it. THANK GOD for helping me to discover Berberine. It has pulled me out of GI illness repeatedly. I hope it does the same for you.
2. Karina Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="CommunityMember8655686" user-id="8655686"/> It's great that you have accumulated so much knowledge about your condition that you're now able to help yourself. I wish we didn't have to do this, but unfortunately, many doctors seem to lack education about IBS. 🙁 I'm so glad that Berberine has been so helpful for you, thanks again for sharing your experience with us! Karina (team member)
CommunityMember8655686 Member
I should also mention that I also had to tell my GI doctor that he didn't need to do a colonoscopy after the sigmoidoscopy because there wouldn't be any polyps. He was quite surprised that I was right. Medical intuition I guess. 
1. Karina Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="CommunityMember8655686" user-id="8655686"/> That's interesting, would you mind explaining why it isn't necessary? Karina (team member)
CommunityMember8655686 Member
I have had difficulty accessing CDSA's (Comprehensive Diagnostic Stool Analysis) as the GI community doesn't acknowledge them. I've ordered them before in the past but several years ago approached the Microbiology Department of our local University and asked about getting a CDSA there as I wanted to know what bacteria were colonizing my GI tract. I've seen in other test results that I am low in beneficial bacteria (no surprise) and lacking in Butyrate (which can be supplemented). It puzzles me when even the experts dismiss these tests which can provide so much information.
1. Karina Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="CommunityMember8655686" user-id="8655686"/> That's very frustrating indeed! I didn't even know that these tests existed. Has the Microbiology Department gotten back to you? It would be so nice to know what's going on in our GI tract so we can target any imbalances instead of blindly taking probiotics. When you ordered the test before, did it help you figure out a treatment plan? Karina (team member)
CommunityMember8655686 Member
Have used the CDSA tests in the past to confirm what I suspected - low beneficial bacteria count leads to dysbiosis and an imbalance. In order to balance the microbiome it may be necessary to add different strains of probiotic (experiment with) and at the same time to eliminate the harmful bacteria (hence BERBERIN which doesn't destroy good bacteria while eliminating harmful) unlike most antibiotics, save FLAGYL which works in a similar fashion. Sometimes you can feel it working in your lower bowel as it attempts to sort things out and most certainly, if you wake up with pain and cramping in the morning oftentimes 500 mg. of BERBERIN twice that day will give a calm and painless next morning! CDSA's cost about $500 now while they used to cost half that. C DIFF bacteria are revealed through a CDSA and parasites as well for an extra cost. Lack of BUTYRATE can be supplemented etc. The Microbiology Department refused to provide a CDSA. Requests for SIBO testing from my GI specialist was met with a refusal also - small intestine bacterial overgrowth. My intuition request for a sigmoidoscopy from the GI physician was met with anger from him, complaining that he doesn't do those - only colonoscopies but I convinced him to do one and was able to participate awake while a polyp was removed. Then he told me there would be more so he would have to do a colonoscopy. I said, go ahead, but there wouldn't be any more. After the procedure was done he admitted I was right and he had not found any more. He said that usually if there is one there is more. And so my rocky relationship with him began and continues to this day. He has put on record that he will not do any more colonoscopies for me for 10 years! I hope you never have to go through what I have and that if you do, have faith in yourself enough to take charge of your health as Dr. Mercola says. (The one doctor I would trust). 
1. Elizabeth Alvarez Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="CommunityMember8655686" user-id="8655686"/> Sorry you had to go through that with your GI. Are you able to changed doctors. I know sometimes that can be complicated depending on where you are located. But gosh, if you are anywhere near a metropolitan city I would change. That is stressful and you need a doctor that is trustworthy and doing work in good faith. How have you been feeling lately? -Elizabeth (team member)
2. Karina Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="CommunityMember8655686" user-id="8655686"/> I'm so sorry that your doctor treated you like this and now refuses to do more colonoscopies for no reason, that's terrible! I agree with Elizabeth: is there any reason you could see another doctor and get your SIBO test done? I'm sorry that the Microbiology Department refused to provide a CDSA for you. Paying so much for a test certainly isn't possible for everyone. Thank you so much for sharing your insights with us. I really hope that you'll be able to get access to a better doctor and get further relief from your symptoms. Sending positive thoughts, Karina (team member)