Case Study 

Leaky Gut 

Dr. Keli Samuelson

“You are my last hope!”  Her name is Marge. She was a new patient. By all her accounts, she was at the end of her rope.  For over 17 years, Marge had been dealing with several chronic conditions with little success.  Repeated visits with her primary doctor led to consulting several neurologists. That lead to multiple CT scans, MRIs, and bloodwork for her migraines. Then came a GI evaluation which included a colonoscopy, an endoscopy and a test for celiac disease. All of these were normal. She also tried an elimination diet, giving up the most common food sensitivities with no significant changes noted. 

At the end of all this, her doctors agreed.  They suggested she seek help from other types of health care providers.  And that is when Marge came through our doors bringing with her a sense of desperation.

In reviewing her case, she also shared that her digestive function has been acting up resulting in chronic diarrhea.  Not only could her bowels be loose, they could also contain undigested food particles.  She also reported a long history of chronic fatigue.

I ran a food sensitivity IgG test and her results showed that she was reactive to everything. That led me to suspect leaky gut syndrome.  Because she complained of intestinal gas and bloating, I ordered a Breath Test to look for Small Intestinal Bowel Overgrowth (SIBO).  SIBO could contribute to a leaky gut. Her test was positive, so we treated the bowel overgrowth with Berberine, a botanical antibiotic. We also suggested that she avoid some of the foods that she tested to be highly sensitive to.

Early result seemed positive when the initial treatment seemed to help her digestive function however, since the repair process for the gut can take a few months, we allowed time for the body to continue to heal itself.   A few months later, Marge returned with a smile and her health dramatically improved.  Her migraines were a thing of the past and she no longer had abnormal bowel movements. 

We supported her body’s work to repair her gut with supplements, including aloe, glutamine and Zinc carnosine.  it took a little while but after a few more months, Marge was able to begin reintroducing the foods she was avoiding.  We’re pleased to report that she was able to tolerate them without a problem.