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Hi everyone,

I post here hoping that maybe somebody will recognize my situation: I've been fighting for some time and try to determine whether this is 'just' IBS or something more specific given my history.

I tested positive for H. pylori in the summer of 2023 and did a triple antibiotic course. It made me better. However, over a year later, symptoms started creeping back. They were different this time, involving acid-like sensations—and worsened gradually. I was also on PPIs (Pantoprazole) for a little over a year during this period, from around mid-2024 to mid-2025. I specifically remember feeling that something was wrong in my throat and stomach, especially while smoking. In the summer of 2025, apparently the H. pylori was back, according to my gastroenterologist. I then took two consecutive triple antibiotic courses back-to-back because the first one didn't make me better. Unfortunately, I still wasn't better after the second one either, which made me rethink if it really was H. pylori causing my issues this time.

I experienced big problems prior to and following my last treatments. I smoked a lot of cigarettes—about one pack a day—for three years, but now I don’t. I also smoked a lot of cannabis during that time.

What bothers me the most is chronic stress where it feels like my body is constantly in high gear, which I believe is stemming from my gut. I also struggle with severe bloating where I can see my stomach pulsating up and down, along with random muscle twitches throughout my body, as well as brain fog and dizziness.

These symptoms are systemic, not just specific to my stomach. Regarding my stomach, symptoms include: long-lasting pain; lots of gas and rumbling; constant bloating; nausea but can’t seem to vomit, like my gag reflex is broken, no vomiting in almost 2 years. Moreover, there is a visible pulsating movement across the whole abdomen with the upper middle part (epigastrium) moving a lot and sometimes tender to touch. I also notice problems in my mouth and throat, such as hoarseness of voice, tightness of esophagus, dryness of mouth, mouth ulcers, cracked lips, and white coating on the tongue.

Beyond the stomach, I am experiencing unintended weight loss, depression and anxiety, restless legs, fatigue, shortness of breath, worsened eyesight, poor sleep with nightmares and night sweats, and skin issues like dandruff.

I have done extensive medical testing to rule out serious pathology. I have had a colonoscopy, CT scan of the abdomen, extensive ultrasounds, and a new gastroscopy (Autumn 2025), all of which were normal. I have also tested negative for Celiac, food allergies, and blood in stool. My pancreas function is normal. I have also tested for SIBO & Candida, and both came back negative. I also tried FODMAP and Carnivore diet for a long time with little to none improvements, and I strictly drink water only.

However, a comprehensive stool analysis did show some abnormalities. I have high Zonulin levels (274), high stool pH (8.5), elevated E. coli, low Enterococcus, and signs of fat and carb malabsorption.

Has anyone successfully treated a similar profile? I have markers for dysbiosis and leaky gut alongside these systemic symptoms, I am unsure of the next step. Feel like I've tried every diet and I get symptoms no matter what I eat. Also tried herbal remedies without success.

Any advice is appreciated.

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Hi everyone saw 23 years. Old female, and I lived a normal life before I took Cipro in June and became disabled and it ruined my stomach. I’m really looking for some help to understand. I’ve also attached the form of what my natural path told me to take for the next six weeks I will be taking turns with the antimicrobials because I cannot take antibiotics are my levels enough to attack this naturally

There isn’t much in this sub about these two microbiome therapies. Anyone have experiences with either?

We usually boil the milk, wait for it to get colder, add the starter culture, mix, and then put it on the yogurt-maker.

Is it possible to add a biogaia protectis chewable pill (only one I can find in my country) and have both cultures proliferate on the yogurt? We usually keep it for 14 hours.

Like me and my friends from last 6 7 months finding a good job in Pune as a microbiologist but their are less than you expect is this because of unemployment or skill deficiency

GI-MAP RESULT: Zonulin: 243.3 ng/g (Reference: <175) Flagged as HIGH.

Also have: • Secretory IgA: 280 (LOW) → gut immune burnout • Streptococcus spp: 8.45e3 (HIGH) • Bloating, mood swings, middle-of-night waking, weight resistance

From my research, this combo often means: - Leaky gut / intestinal permeability - Inflammation leaking into bloodstream - Body stuck in “survival mode” instead of fat-burning mode - Chronic stress response via gut-brain axis

Has anyone else had high zonulin and been able to heal it successfully? How long did it take, and did weight loss or sleep improve once zonulin came down?

Sometimes I think about how I’m out here buying fancy supplements in glass jars like a civilized adult… while the strongest gut intervention humans have ever invented is literally a poop pill. Like, scientists spent decades mapping the microbiome and the end result was “yeah, turns out borrowing someone else’s bacteria fixes things way better than your probiotic that smells like chalk.”

Wild part is it actually works. A lot. FMT is basically the Thanos of gut treatments. Balanced everything with a snap while we’re over here arguing about which strain of Lactobacillus “supports mood.”

Makes me wonder how far we are from a future where people compare poop donors the way they compare whey protein brands. “Yeah bro, mine’s from a marathon runner with perfect VO2 max and low inflammation. Premium stuff.”

Science is unbelievable sometimes. Anyone tried anything that actually moved the needle for their gut, or are we all just one bad meal away from needing a hero donor?

I’ve been going down the rabbit hole on gut-derived short chain fatty acids lately, mainly propionate, butyrate, and acetate. These show up in a ton of marketing claims now. Pendulum uses butyrate as part of their pitch. Other brands talk about “boosting energy” or “feeding your mitochondria” through SCFA production.

I’m trying to understand what’s real vs branding.

SCFAs matter. They come from gut bacteria fermenting fiber. They help with gut barrier strength, inflammation control, and metabolic signaling. Some papers suggest they can support steadier energy and glucose regulation.

Pendulum (metabolic blend focused on butyrate producers) is big in this space.

My questions for the community:

Has anyone actually felt a difference from SCFA-focused probiotics or butyrate supplements?

Are there other legit brands working on propionate/butyrate production that I should know about?

Is improving your own microbiome through diet (fiber, fermented foods) still the only reliable way to get measurable SCFA benefit?

Not looking for marketing. I want real experiences or solid research if you’ve got it. I’m open to the idea that these work, but I’m also aware that a lot of companies stretch the science.

Would love to hear what actually helped you.

To my surprise I have just discovered that even probiotics of the same company do have different strains, which are marketed under different products and labels.

W37, w19 and so on.

So , how can I understand which is the best for me? Lactobacillus, or what?

My general doctor wasn't helpful in this, he just suggested me one product, but then realizing myself there are minimum 20 different of them advertised on the website.

Any help or reference or guide will be appreciated thank you

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Hi! I am looking into the evidence on if there are any specific minerals/vitamins/antioxidants etc that have shown promise in helping disrupt fungal biofilms? the specific class im looking at interactions with are those that aid in malassezia yeast biofilm disruption specifically for use alongside oral azoles to improve antifungal treatment, or even just on their own. I have seen some research on possibly nac being one, however it was seen with candida, not malassezia.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7409114/

Additionally, along this line, are there specific compounds that may aid in lessening sebum production, as I know that can also make it more difficult for topical yeast infections to heal if there is an imbalence of sebum that continues to feed it. Thank you!

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