Breath tests for Fructose Malabsorption and SIBO

[Guest guest]

Had my annual visit with my GI doc yesterday and we discussed testing for

fructose intolerance (I eat a lot of fruit and have a fair amount of gas) and

small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. It sounded like a good idea until we got

to the part about having to ingest Coke and lactulose, respectively, for the

breath tests. Has anyone done these tests? Is it disastrous for SCDers?

Debbie T (UC 29 yrs, SCD 10/06, Lialda)

[Guest guest]

Debbie,

I did the breath test for SIBO and drank the lactulose and didn't react,

but that was before my GI tract became so intolerant of starches.

The problem with the test is that it is highly inaccurate. There is a

very good article on www.emedicine.net about the studies done on the

testing, and what SIBO testing can and can't tell you.

If I recall correctly, the accuracy/inaccuracy rate was something from

19-36%. In my mind, that makes the test useless.

But, as the article discusses, even if you were to go in and biopsy the

small intestine, the bacteria you might find 6 inches later could be

completely different, so how would you know if there was SIBO unless you

biopsied every inch?.

From what I could gather from my research, you just have to try to treat

it clinically and see what happens.

Extreme starch intolerance is apparently a hallmark of SIBO.

Sue R

[Guest guest]

Had my annual visit with my GI doc yesterday and we discussed testing

for fructose intolerance (I eat a lot of fruit and have a fair amount of

gas) and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. It sounded like a good

idea until we got to the part about having to ingest Coke and lactulose,

respectively, for the breath tests. Has anyone done these tests? Is it

disastrous for SCDers?

I don't know how disastrous it would be, but I had something similar

years ago to check for leaky gut, though it wasn't a breath test. I think

I had to drink a glass of mannitol. Some sugar, anyhow. I wasn't nearly

as sick as now, and my adrenals were not totally worn out then, and it

was rough. I can't remember how long it took me to get over it but it did

set me back a lot. However, I did find out I have leaky gut. Did

you ask if there's any other way to test it?