I finished three weeks of my usual AlliMed/Neem/Berberine treatment this week and even had stopped the Berberine for the last week to give my gut a break from it before switching over to a new protocol for the next 15 days.  Yesterday I began the Metagenics CandiBactin-AR and -BR herbals, a potent combination of oregano and thyme oil and berberine.   The oregano appears to be especially potent, within minutes I’m burping up what seems like an entire heavily spiced Italian meal.    I had some definite gut rumblings going on yesterday after the first dose and again after the second evening dose so we’ll see how well I can tolerate this but I figure it is worth powering through for 15 days to see if it can help eradicate the last of the SIBO.  One nice thing is that this is a lot less pills to swallow, only 4 pills at breakfast and dinner instead of 6 pills at each meal.

Once I’m done my plan is to go back to AlliMed/Neem for at least two weeks more and during that time decide if I think I’m going to need more treatment or not.  If I think I need more then I’m going to consider the Biotics Research protocol that uses a heavy combination of ADP oregano oil, Berberine HCL, FC-Cidal and Dysbiocide.   If that doesn’t do it after three 2-week rounds then I give up.   Hoping I can get the new blood test from Dr. Pimentel sometime in March and know for sure if this is truly an autoimmune condition that I’m just going to have to deal with or if it can indeed be eradicated.

We traveled last week for the first time since I got SIBO and it was great.  The trip went well and I managed to pack decent lunches for the flights, find good food at the Newport Beach Whole Foods and even discovered a few new things that work for me.   I’d been missing a quick bar type food since I had to stop my old Cliff Bars and so I decided to try an Epic Bar for the flight.  I got the lamb since it had the most SIBO/AIP friendly ingredients and it was good and did not mess me up.  Bonus.  I also took along my Primal Chocolate bar which is 85% and has just a bit of maple sugar in it, that too worked for me just eating a very small square every few nights after dinner.   In CA I discovered Julian Bakery’s Paleo Bread and decided to try a loaf of it.  The coconut bread is totally AIP and seems to be fine for me even with the egg whites so I’ve been eating a slice every day or two since I got home.  I also discovered bison sirloins on the trip, that was the second best steak I’ve had after the antelope steaks, I hope I can find them locally.  Thanks to Shari @ http://sibobreakup.blogspot.com I got a recipe for Victorious Offal Muffins which I finally made and they are great and another good portable food.  I now feel like I’m finally able to pack a lunch and be able to eat on the road or in the air without any issues.

I’m getting blood drawn today for a Cyrex #10 Array which is a huge food allergy test.  This will let me know some of the gluten cross-reactive as well as nightshades and a bunch of other foods, some of which I care about and some which I don’t.  The big thing is I’ll finally know the truth about me and eggs, this one I care the most about.  I seem to be handling eggs better now than a few months ago and just try to keep them to only a few days a week.

March is looking like a big month for new stuff happening in my life.  Today is the first meeting of the local SIBO Support Group that I am trying to put together.  On the 11th-12th Chris and I go over to Ellensburg for an overnight trip with sporting clays and pheasant hunting.  Hoping to bring back some food from that one and it is my re-entry into the world of hunting.   On the 16th I begin classes at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, a year long program to train me to be a Health Coach.  This is kind of scary and exciting at the same time.  I had been investigating programs for some time and just found this one thanks to the recommendation of my friend Emily so decided that the time was right and that I’d just jump in now.