Hi Idealist,

I know I was overwhelmed when I was trying to figure out what was wrong with my digestion. I think the best way to manage it is to make a list of what you have been tested for and another list of what possible things you should be tested for. I had one doctor who looked at what I had been tested for and saw it as a good thing that certain things could be ruled out. I was just frustrated, and I saw the wisdom in at least knowing what I didn't have!

I'm wondering about the suggestions you have been given, because you did not indicate if some of these things had been tested for and ruled out, such as hernia, parasites, etc. I guess I'm still wondering about the parasites/pathogens because they can be cyclical in nature.

Probiotics are living organisms that are beneficial for your digestion. Your digestive system has many different kinds of bacteria that help you digest your food. There are certain types of bacteria that are not beneficial that also live in your gut, and if they get out of balance, they can wreak havoc with your digestion. When you take antibiotics orally, they destroy all the bacteria in your gut, good and bad. Because antibiotics do not distinguish between benefical and pathogenic bacteria, you need to replentish the good bacterial through probiotic supplements, or the pathogenic bacteria can become dominant in your gut again. Pathogenic bacteria can overpopulate in your small intestines or your large intestines.

Also, it's a good idea to be tested for Candida if you haven't already. This is a pretty common problem, especially if you have a history of antibiotic use. My GP did not test me for this, and I thought it was a major oversight. I didn't end up having Candida, but I'd rather be tested for the "simple" things. Sometimes, I think doctors order expensive and invasive tests when a simple stool test will find the answer.

Also, it seems like you have yet to be tested for food intolerances? Like someone else mentioned, there could be multiple things going on with you right now. It's good to make a list of all these things and start checking them off as you get tested for them.

Claire