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SIBO ,shaking
Hi Bernadette, I don’t know if you read my reply on my profile but it’s gone 🙈 as you said it will happen , anyway I’m new here and still learning how to use everything here, if you haven’t read here is the answer @Bernadette_Abraham
I don’t think I ever got better explanation, I agree test results are old , the new ones coming next week but I would say these tests are incomplete because so many things are missing, I would like to do B vitamins separated, they only test b12 and folic acid ..
Also here are the things I’m currently doing:
Supplementation:berberine, digestive enzymes( was taking ox bile and betaine HCI at first but now got enzymes with all included) ,ginger,artichoke, oregano oil,methyl folate, inositol, P-5-P(b6),CoQ10, vitamin D +K2
Drinking squeezed lemon before almost every meal,bone broth ,walking after every meal , I’m doing also castor oil packs yes, that’s very good actually.
I had SIBO 3 years ago and now came back again, it came back after I started high carb diet, I did HbA1c 3 months ago , 4.9%. I check glucose from time to time and it looks normal, after pizza that night was high definitely , I’m not someone who eat these types of food every single day, normally I cook at home all the time, but when you are at someones house pizza is something I like to have for change, since then I’m afraid of eating anything outside my house
Also with SIBO is expected zinc to be low but mine is super high? Any ideas why?
Tomorrow I’m doing breath test again to see what’s happening.
Shakiness happened one time also without eating junk, I was traveling, was extremely tired and hungry, when I sit to eat (chicken and rice) it happened straight away , so that’s why I’m confused that this happens not just from eating junk food… Thank you ,I will have a look into this you just said. 😍
I realized my zinc level is elevated but it has to be because I’m eating a lot of red meat 🥩
Also forgot to mention about stool that day, super fatty and was floating.. Every time shaking happens, this happens too with a sharp pain in the gut.
I’m happy to be part of this community, thank you for your work, great inspiration
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17 Replies
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Hi @Tatjana – it wasn’t lost and I saw your reply in the activity feed. But seeing that you’ve started a thread in the forum, I will copy/paste my original reply, and my 2nd reply so we can continue our back and forth conversations here instead of the activity feed.
—REPLY 1—
Hi @Tatjana – welcome to the community! I will reply to you here, but please note that for more complex case questions and replies, I’d highly recommend posting in the “Ask a Question” discussion forum so that it’s easier for you to refer back to later. https://bb.genesisengine.io/groups/private-members/forum/ask-your-questions-2/
All of your discussions, documents, photos, etc get saved in your profile so you can easily access them in the future (from Profile or your Home page), whereas posting here directly in the activity feed can easily get lost between all of the messages (plus we can’t hyperlink words in comments).
Nonetheless, I’d like to offer some guidance given the labs and symptom of random shakes you’ve shared. Please keep in mind that your lab results are more than a year old, so there could be many changes since that time, especially if you’ve worked on the issues during this time.
The lab tests confirmed bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) as well as lactose intolerance so there is a strong need to work on gut health if you haven’t already. We actually have a SIBO/IBS Relief program that can help you figure out root causes, and offers rapid relief solutions, dietary guidance, as well as root cause resolution support. You can find that in Take Action > Programs: https://bb.genesisengine.io/courses/sibo-ibs-relief-2/
The blood tests also showed clinically high levels of direct bilirubin which may point to bile flow issues, liver detox overload, or gut-liver axis dysfunction. Lack of bile flow is a common factor in the development of SIBO so addressing the congestion and addressing what lead to biliary tract congestion is priority. This will also impact a person’s ability to digest and absorb fats, including fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
My go-to for biliary tract congestion is D-limonene (1,000mg 1-2 x per day with food). You can learn more about that as well as other liver/gallbladder support in the Gut Health Masterclass lesson here: https://bb.genesisengine.io/courses/gut-health-masterclass-2/lessons/liver-gallbladder-support/
Along the same lines, MCV is suboptimally elevated which can point to a need for B vitamins. With a clinically low MCHC, vitamin B6 and iron are often required. If a person is not consuming enough animal proteins (or digesting/absorbing them properly), supplementing with a methylated B complex supplement is a good idea. This also helps with phase 1 liver detoxification.
Now going back to why you may get random shakes, there could be a few possibilities:
1. With SIBO and lactose intolerance, there is likely a lot of wear and tear on the gut lining which can lead to malabsorption of nutrients, loss of enzyme production (like lactase to breakdown lactose, and DAO to breakdown histamine). Pizza can be a perfect storm of triggers: refined carbs, gluten, cheese (lactose), and possibly fermentable fibers — all of which can worsen SIBO symptoms. This could cause post-meal bloating, pressure on the vagus nerve, and trigger autonomic symptoms (like shaking, dizziness, and feeling “off”).
2. Pizza contains histamine-rich foods (cheese, tomato, processed meat perhaps?). If your gut bugs aren’t breaking histamine down properly (common with SIBO), or your liver is overburdened, you may react with nervous system symptoms like shaking, anxiety, nausea, and feeling “unwell”.
3. Possible reactive hypoglycemia? Your fasting glucose seemed “normal” at the time, but fasting insulin wasn’t measured. If it’s elevated, this could decrease glucose levels and make it appear “normal”. You didn’t mention your typical diet or stress levels, but if this is something that resonates with you, you might want to retest a blood sugar panel which includes fasting glucose, fasting insulin, HbA1c for starters. Alternatively, you can look at getting a glucometer or CGM (glucose monitor) which have become quite trendy amongst biohackers.
4. Food intolerances/sensitivities may also lead to shakes. If the pizza had cheese which you’re intolerant to, not only will it cause GI distress, but it can also cause a nervous system response leading to shakes. Does this only happen when you consume dairy? Or does it also happen with other foods? Have you ever kept a journal or done a food sensitivity test?
In terms of action steps, here are things to consider:
1. Support the 3 digestive players “GPS” (gallbladder/bile, pancreas/enzymes, stomach/stomach acid). Consider digestive enzymes, ox bile support, betaine HCl (if no H Pylori overgrowth).
2. Reduce histamine overload by trying a low-histamine diet for a few weeks to see if symptoms improve/go away. If it’s only once in a while, it might be hard to tell, but if you have any other symptoms, it could help us be more targeted with our suggestions. https://bb.genesisengine.io/resource-library/diet/histamine-elimination-diet/
3. Support liver/gallbladder bile flow: dandelion, artichoke, phosphatidylcholine, castor oil packs, and D-limonene are all helpful. Please watch the video I shared above for more suggestions.
4. LOTS of gut healing to help support the intestinal lining and brush border: https://bb.genesisengine.io/courses/gut-health-masterclass-2/lessons/gut-healing-therapies/
5. Checkout the SIBO/IBS Relief program to walk you through it step by step.
If you have any other questions in the meantime, please feel free to let us know!
—–REPLY 2—–
@Tatjana regarding the clinically high serum zinc. Keep in mind that anything in serum will be highly influenced by what you ate/consumed the day or so before testing. I doubt you’ll remember what you ate the day before testing a year ago. But a steak dinner for example or consuming a supplement or shake containing zinc the day before testing can definitely lead to false highs. Also, I always encourage testing zinc together with copper since they compete, and always as RBC (red blood cell) instead of serum. And if serum is the only option, then make sure to avoid any supplements or foods high in those nutrients before testing as a general rule of thumb. You can learn more about how to improve lab accuracy in the Interpreting Basic Blood Chemistry course lesson here: https://bb.genesisengine.io/courses/interpreting-basic-blood-chemistry-2/lessons/best-practices-for-successful-labs-preparing-for-a-blood-test/
If the shaking also happened when you were tired and hungry, this would most likely point to a blood sugar dip and possible hypoglycemia. The body should be able to handle blood sugar lows thanks to its ability to release glycogen for energy. However, if it’s not able to do so or well enough, then the adrenals kick in and release cortisol and adrenaline as an emergency response. The surge of adrenaline can lead to shakes.
The same things could have happened with the pizza situation, but there could also be more than 1 possible cause. It could be a combination of any of those reasons. But my hunch would be a combo of food sensitivity/histamine reaction (due the gut dysfunctions) and possible hypoglycemia (blood sugar dysregulation) leading to an adrenaline nervous system response.
Regarding the super fatty and floating stool. This is due to the strong biliary tract congestion as indicated by the clinically high Direct Bilirubin which is impacting bile flow and fat absorption (so it’s ending up in stool). D-Limonene (1000mg 1-2x per day, taken 3/4 way through a meal) for 60-90 days together with phosphatidyl choline has been very effective at breaking up congestion in my clients. The sharp pain you’re experiencing is likely from the gallbladder. Have you ever had an ultrasound to see if there are stones forming?
Happy you’re a part of this community as well and we look forward to continue supporting you on your journey to feeling your best!
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Thank you very much for everything . Yes I had ultrasound multiple times, nothing there. I did full endoscopy too, nothing there either. Which is great actually, as it some point I thought I was dying,all the symptoms together were horrible, weight loss, brain fog, anxiety,depression,bloating,pain ,reflux … Now I’m doing much better after all experiments I’m doing, but definitely trying to stay away from the doctors as only they know is to prescribe the medicine to treat symptoms…I will order these supplements now to try 💪🏻
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@Tatjana indeed that is good news! When they can’t find anything, this is where functional medicine shines in fact!
I just thought of another possible reason after you mentioned the other symptoms you experienced. Did you ever rule out celiac disease? If you’re gluten sensitive or have undiagnosed celiac disease, even small exposures could lead to inflammation, shakiness, or neurological symptoms. Not all reactions involve the gut – some involve the nervous system.
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Yes, was tested on celiac too, negative 🙈 all tests I have ever done was negative, after talking to my cousin and explaining symptoms, as he has copy/paste he said test on SIBO and imagine, the only thing I wasn’t tested for was the thing 😅 but still this is just a symptom, it’s hard to tell what’s causing it for sure.
Is there anything from the tests you would add to check to be more sure?
But definitely, all the supplements I’m taking plus food I’m eating now I see the improvement, also one thing, my stool is normal now, the only thing it’s a bit more “greenish “, can this definitely be bile related issue?
And also , sorry, I’m boring now but just remember few things, as I definitely see the improvement after taking oregano oil, can my SIBO be actually fungal based? Also, the color of the tongue 👅 which was more white before can tell about digestion, right?
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@Tatjana ok, glad that celiac was also ruled out.
Regarding the greenish stool color… our liver makes bile, a green fluid that helps us digest fats (one of its roles). A fast transit time (i.e. loose stool & diarrhea) won’t have time to change the stool color to brown (bilirubin – the breakdown of hemoglobin in bile, colors the stool brown.) However, iron supplements, green leafy foods, and green food dyes can also make it green. You can read more about what stool color means in our blog article HERE.
Oregano oil is both antimicrobial and antifungal. That’s the beauty of herbs! They often have more than 1 action. And yes, it’s possible that along with bacterial overgrowth there is also fungal overgrowth. It’s not uncommon to see both actually.
Now in terms of root causes of SIBO, I would highly encourage you to go through the SIBO/IBS Relief program. I share a 12-minute video explaining the most common causes HERE. I will list them out as well:
-Medications (NSAIDs, hormones/birth control, antibiotics, PPIs, SSRIs, etc)
-Low vitamin D (want to aim for 50-70ng/mL)
-Poor immune function (check vitamin D, zinc, vitamin A, also WBC and sIgA)
-Alcohol
-Hypothyroid function (check TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3, Reverse T3, anti-TPO, anti-TG)
-Pesticides/herbicides, artificial ingredients, etc
-Persistent stress
-Poor digestion (stomach acid, digestive enzymes, bile flow (we know this was an issue given the high Direct Bilirubin))
–Poor eating hygiene, grazing/frequent snacking (this is very often a major root cause!)
Hope this helps!
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Thank you, I need to subscribe on better package to be able to unlock half of the things you shared today 😅
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@Tatjana the Yearly all inclusive package breaks down to the same amount as the Starter which you are currently enrolled in. The Starter allows members to get a taste of what we offer if they aren’t sure they want to commit. But if you feel an all inclusive package is the way to go (either monthly or yearly), you can upgrade anytime from your Home page. Let me know if you have any questions in the meantime.
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Yes , let me know how to change it, thanks 😊
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@Tatjana from desktop, click on the “Home” tab in the menu. From mobile, click on the green hamburger menu, then click on “Home”. Beneath your Profile picture, you’ll see the upgrade options with green buttons. See screenshot of my Home page from desktop view:
Just click on whichever option you prefer and follow the checkout steps. Let me know if you have any questions.
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Good morning @Bernadette_Abraham how are you?
So I started supplementing with D -limonene and phosphatidyl choline , I took one gel of limonene yesterday alone without food, I felt nothing. Today, immediately after breakfast I took both supplements together and I felt awful, nauseous, burping, my whole mouth was smelling like orange peel, stomach discomfort and unable to focus, it was just horrible. As I’m taking other supplement for a few days already and everything is ok, I can tell this is reaction on limonene. I was also listening some podcasts with dr Michael Ruscio, and I think he said with all this natural experiments ,you have to feel unwell at first to feel well , so should I continue with this and what this tell for my liver?
I’m still waiting for blood test results, they called me from hospital to say my SIBO is negative, waiting to see the diagram as well, but think the nurse said it was 2ppm, hydrogen gas.
Also , please about membership, is it possible to pay a difference for this month to unlock everything monthly payment without being double charged, and to continue to pay monthly all inclusive, easier to unsubscribe when I’m not using the platform and to subscribe again after summer break as I’m not gonna be using anything for July and August for sure.
Thank you in advance ☺️
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Hi @Tatjana – what was the brand and dosage of d-limonene? 1000mg? And what was the brand and dosage PC?
I always recommend that my clients take their d-limonene 3/4 way through their meal (never on an empty stomach), and keep it in the freezer to delay the release of citrus oil. This helps prevent lemon-y burps.
If there’s a lot of biliary tract congestion to break up, this can definitely lead to nausea, so I always tell my clients to listen to their body and adjust the dosage and timing accordingly. The body guides the process always! For example, if breakfast is not a very big meal, then they have it with lunch or dinner instead.
Also, if it’s 250mg capsules vs. 1000mg capsules, then decrease the dose. If it’s not possible to reduce the dose, then I usually tell them to take it every other day or every 2 days until they are symptom-free again. And then they resume to gradually increase frequency and dosage until they can comfortably reach 1000mg, 1 to 2 x per day as needed.
And as a general rule of thumb, anytime adding in new supplements, always go slow and slow and introduce 1 new supplement at a time for at least 3 days before adding in anything new. This allows the body time to adjust and to also help isolate what is/isn’t working to be able to course correct when needed. Adding in PC together with D-limonene may have been too much too soon.
As for the membership upgrade, the amount should get automatically pro-rated if you’ve already paid for a month. And if you decide to go with monthly, you can cancel anytime before your next billing cycle – there’s no contract or commitment that locks you in beyond the month if that’s what you choose.
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@Bernadette_Abraham thorne should be a great brand , as for limonene brand I never heard, first time I bought this brand, limonene 1000mg ,PC 420mg. It’s just horrible feeling, guess it will take up to 24 hours to clear out? I don’t think I want to drink this ever again, not even a smaller dose 😂
How about milk thistle and NAC?
Thanks for the explanation
For the membership I will have a look and text you if I can’t change it.
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@Tatjana the d-limonene seems to have decent ingredients, and the dosage is high so definitely don’t take it together with PC from the start. And never take it after food or on an empty stomach. Kept in the freezer, and taken 3/4 way through a meal is usually how I recommend my clients to take it.
Given your strong reaction – this usually indicates a strong need to “decongest” the biliary tract. Allow it to dissipate today before introducing it again. Brewing fresh ginger tea can help with the nausea.
For my very sensitive clients, Swanson brand offers d-limonene in 250mg capsules (so 1/4 the quantity) which can help with a gradual introduction instead of a higher dosage taken every other day or every 2 days if not well tolerated initially.
Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is usually well tolerated by all. It’s a key component of bile that helps keep it fluid and less sticky, preventing bile sludge and buildup. It supports the breakdown and flow of fats, allowing bile to move more freely through the liver and gallbladder. PC also protects the bile ducts and liver cells from damage by reducing bile acid toxicity and inflammation. Together with D-limonene, it can really help with proper bile flow which is essential to prevent SIBO recurrence.
Milk thistle is a wonderful herb for overall liver health and NAC is needed in the detoxification process. However, anytime there is suspected bile flow congestion, we never want to push detoxification. The order matters. First “unplug” the drain so to speak, and then you can open the faucet to let it flow… 🙂 Then, once the “drain” is open, you can safely introduce phase 1 and phase 2 support like NAC, milk thistle, and glutathione.
Hang in there… healing is never linear and requires listening to the body and course correcting as needed. Here for you…
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Aghh, from our previous conversations I understood 1000mg 1-2 x day , so I took 1000mg immediately, saw the Swanson too but was looking for 1000…it’s ok , the body tell us everything 😅
But why I didn’t have any reaction on an empty stomach, can be it was just limonene without PC so it wasn’t that strong?
Anyway, thank you, I feel so much better in general and hated to see this happened today, but now I know. Also, can I ask, I can’t gain weight, now when all the symptoms eased , no SIBO , think I found my ok food that don’t cause any problems for my GI, I still can find I digested food in my stool, and is this related due to nutrient malabsorption so no matter how much and what I eat it just weight can’t go up? 😰
I understand it will take some time to go completely back to normal, but it’s frustrating…
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@Tatjana – if you’re seeing undigested food in your stool, then we always have to go up North to see what might be the cause. Digestion is a North to South process as I summarize in this video here from the Gut Health Masterclass.
Is it poor eating hygiene? Is it a need for more stomach acid? More digestive enzymes? Better bile flow? All of the above? If any of these 3 major digestive players are compromised, then you’ll get downstream consequences in the small and large intestine so the question to be always asking is “Why”. Why do I need more stomach acid? Why am I not producing enough digestive enzymes? Why is bile not flowing properly?
If you have the time to watch a few lessons from the Gut Health Masterclass, you’ll start to make better sense of how it all works and how easily it can dysfunction. I’d recommend the 2 modules called “Nuts & Bolts of How Digestion Works” and “How Digestion Dysfunctions” if you have the time.
I’d also recommend you take our Gut Health Quiz if you haven’t already. Let us know your score as that can help us figure out which of the digestive players show up as a priority, and what you can start to look at in terms of root cause reasons why they might be sluggish.
If you’re sure that you’re getting in enough calories, then not being able to gain weight can in fact be due to malabsorption in the small intestine, which is often the case with SIBO, but also hyperthyroid function. Have you ever had a full thyroid panel done? (TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3, reverse T3, anti-TPO, ant-TG)
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@Bernadette_Abraham will definitely watch everything, that’s why I have to unlock everything first, I want to see all the 11 courses. Well from all my investigations and experiments I can definitely say not enough acid is one of them for sure, but funny last time I complained on acid reflux to my gastro I immediately got tablets to reduce acidity, on a long term that’s created more problems for sure. Bile flow also, definitely, with ox bile supplement my stool became normal so here and there we know what’s the problem, also digestive enzymes helps, but I don’t want to be on this forever, that’s when it becomes hard, how do I go back to normal like before when nothing of this happened… no never, only TSH, t3 and t4, but not free and reverse…. This is what I did yesterday and waiting for results, but again only tsh,3 and 4….
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@Tatjana If you think of the North to South digestive process, digestion actually begins in the brain! So if we’re not in a parasympathetic state, digestion is already compromised. This is step #1. You’ll learn more about that in this lesson from the Gut Health Masterclass which you’ve started watching.
If that’s not an issue for you and eating hygiene is in place, then next step in the N to S chain is stomach acid. This will trigger enzymes and bile. So if stomach acid is not robust, then enzymes and bile, and the rest of digestion will be compromised too.
So if you want to skip ahead, you can watch this lesson to learn about the common root causes of low stomach acid. The most common ones are H Pylori overgrowth, hypothyroid function, and zinc deficiency – all of which can be measured. I prefer the stool test by Diagnostic Solutions (members get access to ordering functional tests). As for thyroid testing, if your lab panel doesn’t offer it, you can always pay out of pocket and order your own tests through Valeo Health. B Better members also get a discount.
And if you want to test your current stomach acid level with an easy, at-home baking soda challenge, watch this video and fast forward to 3mins for the instructions. Repeat it for a few days, and report back with your score.
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