Small Bowel Bacteria Overgrowth?????

[kwm2007]

For two years I have been through hell to put it bluntly.  I have had every test imaginable from CT scans to colonoscopy.  I've had more blood drawn, tests, pricks, prauds etc.  I swore my throat was closing shut but there was no obstruction.  I went from 230 to 170 in a matter of 4 months. I was told it was all anxiety and there was nothing wrong with me... they ended up finding out that I needed sinus surgery and then needed my tonsils removed.  At one point I was actually sweating out infections, according to a nurse.  I asked her to stop the i.v. solution because I was sweating it out and she told me it was infection and not the i.v.  Dr's finally admitted I had some serious problems, but couldn't tell me "what it was."  Anyhow,  I was in the hospital a minimum of once a month for the first year and at least 7 times the second year, staying between 5 and 12 days at a stretch...i.v. antibiotics, steriods etc.  

I'm not going to get into the entire drama and a lot of my problems have eased up but I'm still having throat problems and stomach problems.  I still have major mucus in my throat and my stomach kills me.  I feel bloated ALL THE TIME, food does not appeal to me, I hardly eat anymore, I cannot get an appetite and I used to be a huge eater.  I burp constantly and I feel like there is a brick in my chest.  

What confuses me is that when I'm in the hospital, I feel so much better on the antibiotics and steriods.  The doctors keep seeing this inflammation in my throat.  Within a day or two of coming out of the hospital, I start all over again with the sick stomach and the mucus production.  I've never been back to 100%  but there were times that I was about 95% better to the point I could work and go out and do things again.  

My gastrologist is thinking it might be small bowel bacteria overgrowth?  She said they treat this with antibiotics.  Don't you think with all the antibiotics I've been on, as recently as over New YEars in the hospital, that this would have been resolved?  I got of out the hospital the Monday after New YEars and by Wednesday the sickness was hitting me again.  I don't understand it?

Has anyone else experienced anything like this?  Any suggestions would be appreciated.  Oh, they also told me that I had reflux...I don't think it is reflux or allergies.

[lwillia]

I have had similar problems for years, not to mention terrible breath, throat/frontal neck pain after eating. Just found out that it may be from Celiac disease or Bacteria Overgrowth. Will see my Gastro guy on Nov. 11, 2010. I have had on occasion, stomach distension, gas, foul smelling feces, gas backflow into the lungs.

Lwillia

[kwm2007]

OH, I forgot to add that I was diagnosed with severe, severe gastritis in August and have been on Carafate and Aciphex since.  I've been on several PPI's to treat the "reflux" that I really don't think caused any of these problems.