What is SIBO?

SIBO stands for Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth. If your patients have IBS symptoms or have been diagnosed with IBS, SIBO could be the underlying cause in up to 40-65% (some studies cite up to 85%) of these cases. The “bacterial overgrowth” in the small intestine comes about when the motility in the small intestine is compromised. This doesn’t encourage the normal chain of events that helps to sweep and deposit these bacteria into the large intestine where they belong. The small intestine isn’t supposed to harbor these bacteria and when they are inappropriately present, they ferment foods and create gas (hydrogen, methane or hydrogen sulfide), bloating and other symptoms that would be expected from having a small intestine full of fermentation. 

When should I refer my patient to get a SIBO test?

If your patient is experiencing IBS or IBS type symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation or excessive gas, bloating, burping and flatulence please consider ordering a SIBO test for your patient. Additionally, reflux that may not have responded  to standard treatments (or even gotten worse) may be an indicator that your patient may have SIBO. 

Why should my patients get tested for SIBO?

Getting tested can result in a positive result which would allow us to then address the underlying cause of their symptoms and help them to lead a life free from the uncomfortable symptoms listed above. If you don’t test, how will you know and if you don’t know how can you help them to identify and eradicate this condition? Identifying SIBO and treating it can significantly change a person’s digestive and general health.

What is the procedure for doing a SIBO test?

Once we have received your prescription to administer a SIBO test to your patient and received your patient’s payment, we provide your patient with a take home test kit. They follow a special preparation diet (instructions provided by us) for 24 hours prior to doing the test. The next morning they wake up fasting and collect one baseline breath sample into a vacuum sealed test tube. After collecting the baseline sample they drink a small container of lactulose solution. 20 minutes after consumption of lactulose they collect their second breath sample then they repeat the breath samples for 8 more collections at 20 minute intervals. They record the times of sample collections and any symptoms experienced during the test period on a tracking sheet (we also provide this).

Why do we need to write a prescription for SIBO testing?

Lactulose is not only the favorite food of the “bugs” that create SIBO but it is also a laxative that is by prescription only. 

If the test is positive, what is the next step?

The testing equipment in our facility test for Hydrogen Gas and Methane gas in the breath samples. If you are familiar with interpretation of SIBO tests and know how to approach treatment options, the next steps are between you and your patient. If you are not familiar with interpretation and treatments, Dr. Bowen is ready and willing to help your patients as either a brief one time consultation (less expensive when paid for with the test) or as ongoing specialized care for your patient.

How does referring patients for SIBO testing work?

1. Please complete and return the practitioner registration form that we have provided for you.

2. Whenever you would like to order a SIBO test for your patient, please fill out our SIBO order form. 

Other important information:

• Once we have received an order from you, we will ensure that you are a registered provider then we will contact your patient and arrange for pick up of the test kit and payment.

• After the patient has returned the completed test kit to us, we will process it in under 2 weeks and will deliver the test results back to you complete with an interpretation page

In ordering SIBO tests from our organization, you are helping to fund the operations of Inside Health Institute, a nonprofit holistic clinic which provides healthcare services and education to populations in need. Thank you for considering ordering through us!

Please feel free to contact us at info@insidehealthinstitute.org if you have any medically relevant questions!