8 SIBO Signs and Symptoms - A Gutsy Girl®
8 SIBO Signs and Symptoms
Filed Under: Gut Healing, IBS IBD, SIBO, Wellness Tagged With: acne, gut, IBD, IBS, leaky gut, sibo
All 8 SIBO signs and symptoms were present in my life whenever SIBO was active.
Instead of kicking them in the a#$ immediately, I ignored it because I didn’t want it to be true.
Thus, my SIBO fully relapsed because guess what? That’s not how life works. We can’t just put a mask over something, anything, and expect that somehow it’s just magically going to disappear.
If you do a Google search, you’ll easily find SIBO signs and symptoms.
I’m sharing them with you today, but I also want to share my own, personal symptoms to make it more real life.
I find too often that almost every single condition out there has the same set of standard symptoms, but those who live with the conditions can give far more insight into them than a book or medical list can.
That’s my goal with this post.
Click HERE to save these 8 SIBO signs and symptoms for later.
Here is a list of SIBO signs and symptoms you would likely find online.
all of the above (ugh, the dickens!)
And here is how I personally knew I was on the verge of a full relapse plus the SIBO signs and symptoms that accompanied it.
Personal SIBO Signs and Symptoms
A ton of stress
I was under a crazy amount of stress since December 20 when we moved back to Minnesota. Some good, and some not-so-good, but every single day there has been a level of underlying stress. Stress doesn’t cause SIBO; it’s a trigger. In my life (probably yours, too), stress is always the trigger.
My whole body shows SIBO signs and symptoms. Namely, I would break out 24/7, no matter what time of the month it was. This was another sign that I totally ignored because I didn’t want it to be true, but major breakouts can usually always be linked back to the gut.
For me, I breakout on my back, and around my mouth primarily (but I’ve still kept the perioral dermatitis completely at bay). I have even had neck breakouts.
Super fatigued
For so long I had been telling you that I was up, without an alarm, between 3:30 – 4 am. But then I needed an alarm to wake up at 5 am. That then progressed to 6 or 7 am. Then, even after 10 hours of sleep, I’d still be tired.
My energy levels started to tank, and while I was still working out, I made sure to just sleep at night vs. fighting the fatigue battle. Quite honestly, though, I had no idea it was SIBO in the beginning. I thought I was getting sick.
Rotten gut is nasty, I’ll leave it at that. I wrote about what happens to me way back in 2013 via Rotten Gut, Starving, and Weight Gain. I now know that this is mostly due to the fact that I had both high levels of hydrogen and methane SIBO.
AKA. IC valve protrusion. I talked about the IC valve in my 2017 SIBO status update. You can see exactly where it is HERE. I have a very defined one. In fact, I think it’s too defined and as I explore with my new doctor, it’s something I want to talk about. (Updated late summer, 2018: After my Colonoscopy and Endoscopy, they don’t think it’s my IC Valve anymore, though not positive.)
About two weeks ago, right before I left for work, I doubled over in pain. It felt like someone was punching me in the stomach. It was the same feeling that lead me to the ER back in October and during the whole eggs episodes a couple years back.
I got goosebumps, and I thought I’d throw up, but never did. It only last about 20 minutes and has not returned, but it was central to the small intestine. And miserable.
Starving feeling
I always know when SIBO is trying to relapse or has relapsed by that tugging, nagging feeling in my small intestine that says, “You are hungry” 24/7, even if I’ve just eaten a huge meal.
No amount of food can satisfy, and my stomach is constantly off.
And last, but certainly not least, I get massive bloat. Within a matter of minutes, I can go from normal to 5-months pregnant looking. It all sits in my lower gut, and nothing I do helps (really not even going to the bathroom) until I hunker down with addressing the nasty SIBO.
One of the most annoying comments to me when I’d explain this to women has always been, “Oh, I totally know how you feel. When I have my period, I get like that, too.” No. No. Just no. It is nothing like that. Not even a little bit. I get my period, too, so I know exactly what that bloat is like. In fact, when use my gut healing journal, I always make note of “bloat like period” or “bloat like SIBO.” SIBO bloat is absolutely miserable, and if you have SIBO, you know the difference.
That lingering health issue? Seriously. Don’t let it linger.
I PROMISE on my life that it’s not going to get better if you don’t address it because nothing changes if nothing changes.
Wondering what I did? Check out 28 Things to Do During a SIBO Flare Up.
p.s. Post updated in 2021 to add: today I am healed, and it’s incredible!
Here are two resources to help get you started with more answers:
If you’re looking for more help and getting started today on a gut healing and health journey, check out:
You’ve solved a 3 year old mystery for me! I had that “punch in the gut” feeling before and never realized it was connected to SIBO. Is that not the weirdest feeling?!? So if you were ever wondering if anyone else has had that, you’ve got company!
Love this, Heather! Now, do yourself a favor and go get tested:)
I have???? isn’t it a lovely little beast?
Pamela B Counts	
i just found this subject. and do i have a story. im 68yrs old had a Endoscopy to help with my blocked esophagus and the Dr. told me i had stomach rot bacteria and it was in the bottom of my stomach. He also said i had it since childhood………………. wonder why and how???? talking to my sister shes 66 and she also suffers from this but much worse than my issues. where to start for help???
Patricia Southan	
OkI have been tested and have mostly methane sibo with some Candida tropicalis for good measure and bloating
Not to mention scary anxiety
The constipation is over the top also
If and when I get rid of sibo will the constipation clear up?
Most likely, yes! That was my biggest issue, too, and once I healed, it all went away 🙂
I’m happy to find this post. A lot of sites online talk about lack of appetite or easily feeling full with SIBO, but for me it’s the opposite! I’ve gone from needing only about 1200 calories per day to being constantly weak and out of my mind with hunger, and hunger pains. Of course I will have to try testing to make sure, but I tick all the boxes so can’t help wonder if this is what I have too (my problem starting after taking antacids).
Hi Victoria – Thanks for stopping by! Get tested, then let me know what you find out.
I never heard of Sibo before! I am so glad that I found this helpful post. I found your post from Pinterest! I’m also gonna pin this post on my Pinterest board my followers will love it. Thanks for sharing!
Smell like a barn! Yep! ???? can’t wait to see tomorrow’s post! I’m on my 2 round of Xifaxan and I want to keep it gone!! ????????????????????????
You can find it via post — 28 Things to Do During a SIBO Flare Up 🙂
I’ve been with this for a long while, but I don’t know whether I have this condition or not. I can tick the boxes that I bloat, because I wake up with a flat stomach, but minutes after eating breakfast, I’m bloated, and by lunch I look like a pregnant woman. At the end of the day, I get stomach cramps, which I would think is from being gassy, another symptom I think? I know I have plenty of stress 24/7 because I graduate in less than a year, and exams are here, and I always have acne unfortunately. But I cannot tick some of the other symptoms, like IC valve protrusion (not entirely sure what that is, though I read the article), rotten gut (at least I think I don’t have it haha), but I am constantly hungry some days, though some days not. I don’t really want to get it tested because i’m a chicken, but I don’t know if there are any problems that I could have instead of SIBO. But anyways, thank’s for helping! <3
Hi! So, if you did have SIBO, you wouldn’t necessarily have ALL these signs and symptoms. You also might not have SIBO, BUT the only way is to get tested. The SIBO test isn’t hard, so there is nothing to be worried about. 🙂
Hi what’s the test u took is it by stool ?
Hi! Do you mean the SIBO test?
I am taking the SIBO test tomorrow. What are the chances of vomiting? I am borderline diabetic so not eating for 15 hours feels stressful. Ready to feel normal again.
Hi! I’m not sure. I never felt well after drinking the solution, but never vomited. Good luck!