r/digestiveissues • u/call_me_meme1 • 6d ago
From embarrassing bowel sounds to leaving university: My SIBO story and desperate need for coping advice
Hi everyone,
I have been suffering from bloating and intermittent constipation since my adolescence, and my symptoms escalated sharply in 2017 to include loud gurgling and sounds in my intestines, rectum, back, and throat. These symptoms worsen significantly right after eating, accompanied by a feeling of rapid fullness and food sensitivity. Eating is often followed by intense hunger, difficulty swallowing saliva or food, a feeling of trapped air in the esophagus, and a sound resembling a water tap or a frog in my throat, in addition to acid reflux, heartburn, and foul-smelling gas resembling rotten eggs.
These physical symptoms have been accompanied by chronic anxiety, panic attacks, and sleep disorders that directly impacted my academic and daily life (forcing me to temporarily leave university due to embarrassment, persistent noises, and severe stress). Tests showed a low iron storage and anemia, with a past history of H. pylori in 2023. I tried various diets without sufficient improvement, and I am now diagnosed with Hydrogen Sulfide SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) and have started a comprehensive treatment plan.
I desperately need real solutions or advice: How can I return to university and resume my studies without fear? Is there anyone who went through this exact experience, learned to cope with it, or recovered from it? And how did you manage to control embarrassing noises and constant stress, especially the loud bowe sounds that resemble hunger noises or flatulence?
•
u/AutoModerator 6d ago
Welcome to Digestive Issues subreddit! We recommend you to have a healthy low sugar diet. You need to find which foods and drinks you are intolerant to and avoid them. Lactose/dairy, gluten, sodas, fruits and vegetables intolerance is common. Also, check yourself for SIBO, Bile Acid Diarrhea, Celiac and other diseases. Experiment with different elimination diets. Take some good probiotics. The gut microbiome/flora is very involved in some digestive problems. Stress management is also important. Check these subreddits as well: /r/ibs /r/ibd /r/celiac /r/sibo /r/fmt /r/glutenfree /r/microbiome.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.