Where do I start? For eight years my life was consumed by pain and discomfort – all while trying to be a normal teenage girl. For the past eight years my mom and I had been on a long, desperate, journey to figure out what was wrong with my stomach. When I turned twelve, things started getting weird. I started to get really puffy after eating certain foods, and carrying extra weight because my stomach was always full with gas. I just wanted to feel normal and not be afraid to eat.

We went to many doctors and specialists through the past eight years, but it all started when I was thirteen and went to a GI (Gastrointestinal) doctor. I was diagnosed with a severe gluten and dairy allergy. A lot of people think that means I have Crohn’s or Celiac disease, but I tested negative for both. Unlike people who have those diseases, I am able to eat gluten and dairy free foods made in restaurants that offer these allergy free options. I can be around and eat from kitchens that make foods with gluten or dairy but just can’t consume them.

Life after figuring out that I was allergic to gluten and dairy was rough. I mean back in 2013 EVERYTHING had gluten and dairy in it. There were barely any alternatives for me. Think pizza, mac and cheese, bagels, bread, cookies, all the favorite foods teenagers like to eat when they get together. So, it caused me to feel left out and different.

Yet, even after taking those food groups out of my diet, something still wasn’t right. I would go maybe two or three months without any pain and then go a straight six months being in constant pain two or three time a week. I couldn’t seem to catch a break. So I found myself back on my journey to figure out the root cause of my pain and belly issues.

Disappointment after disappointment was the feeling I felt leaving each doctor who said “nothing seems wrong” or “your stomach is all clear”. I shake my head at them now. They had no idea was yet to come. In December of 2018, my freshman year of college I got an acute outbreak of Lichen Planus, an autoimmune disease. My internal symptoms were beginning to manifest on the outside of my body, which is common for people with an autoimmune disease. Talk about not catching a break. That was probably my rock bottom of feeling totally uncomfortable in my body. I mean come on, I was battling with the unknown of my stomach pains and now I have these painful, itchy bumps all over my body?

I was devastated.

That was a year ago and I’m happy to say that my skin bumps are slowly, but surely going away. You can still notice them and I’ve gotten a couple of scars on my feet but I’ve learned to accept them and to keep reminding myself that this is the body that God gave me.

The journey to discovering that SIBO was the culprit is a long one, and if you’re still reading, don’t stop yet. It’s about to get real juicy.

At the start of the 2020 I had reached my breaking point and was crying in my moms arms telling her I couldn’t take it anymore. I was tired of constantly being in pain. Wishing that my healthy eating and exercise would show progress in my body but the gas flare ups just wouldn’t go away. I told her how I stopped eating because everything I ate would cause my stomach to bloat, be gassy or leave me looking nine months pregnant. My mom said we would do whatever it took, no matter the cost to get to the root cause so we could properly treat and I would feel better.

My mom and I go see holistic chiropractor every month (or whenever we need to) to get adjusted. We started seeing Dr. Jennifer at Gallagher Chiropractic and man when I tell you that Dr. Jen and her husband saved my life I’m not joking. Both take a very holistic approach to helping people and I’m very attracted to that kind of work. I mean what did I have to lose at this point?

Her husband, Dr. Mick Gallagher gave me a nutritional and nutrient deficiency assessment and found that I was very deficient in zinc, which if you don’t know, zinc is a nutrient that helps you stay healthy. It helps the immune system fight off bacteria and viruses. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, “zinc-deficient people experience increased susceptibility to immune system disfunction.” Along with that it showed that I have an excessive amount of gas in my stomach, and a weak small intestine. Hearing all that your response might be confused, angry, or sad. I smiled and hugged him because finally someone gave actual answers. And there were SOLUTIONS.

I started going on a zinc supplement but was recommend by both Dr. Jen and Dr. Mick to take a SIBO test. A what? Looking over at my mom seeing if she knew what the heck SIBO was. Sounds like another let down name like IBS..which I also have:)

SIBO stands for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth-and I tested HIGHLY positive for it. (This test involves a breath test that is sent to a lab for evaluation)

FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY I KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY BDOY!!!!!!

I didn’t even care that I had SIBO because I was just so overjoyed that I no longer had to go to bed at night wishing for answers and solutions. It was here!

To best treat SIBO, I was put on a two week course of antibiotics. That was back in February. Three months later and I’m thrilled to say MY PAIN IS GONE!!!!!!!

I can’t even believe it sometimes. The antibiotic flushed out all the bad bacteria that was just sitting in my body (we don’t have to talk about how smelly my farts were). It was incredible seeing my body react to this treatment and how different I looked. I probably dropped eight or ten pounds of gas in my stomach. I finally could see my progress paying off in my workouts, and most of all – I felt so much better. I went from pain every two or three days to going months without bloating or stomach pain.

I still have to watch what I eat, but I know what works for me and what doesn’t. If I do bloat, it’s not nearly as what I was used to and usually I can prevent it by going on walks after eating (Movement is KEY after meals).

Never in my life did I think I would end up having SIBO, or allergic to so many different things. But I’ve learned the answers and ways to manage them. I live life not worried anymore, I eat like there’s no tomorrow, and I’m the most confident I’ve ever been.

I definitely didn’t ask for SIBO or IBS, but I’ve learned so much about my body and health and nutrition in general and it’s what got me feeling better and to live life to the fullest.