“All disease begins in the gut.”
– Hippocrates, ancient Greek physician 2500 years ago
Gastrointestinal health is the foundation on which the rest of your health is built. Your gut has intricate communication with your immune system, hormones, and your brain, with significant influence over your memory, mood, and cognition.
Here are just a few examples of how this digestive powerhouse is linked with other medical conditions:
- Depression: Serotonin, often found reduced in depressed patients and commonly treated via SSRI antidepressants, is predominantly produced by your gut bacteria.
- Insomnia: Melatonin, a strong anti-inflammatory, immune-strengthening, and circadian hormone important for sleep, is not only sourced from the brain, but is also produced in large amounts from your gastrointestinal tract.
- Fatigue: A common scenario we see in patients is excessive fatigue with normal labs. It is relevant to look more closely at the gut in these situations. Butyrate, a short chain fatty acid produced by your gut bacteria is responsible for 20% of your energy levels. Butyrate is also protective for the brain, has anti-carcinogenic effects, helps regulate blood sugar, and can reduce the risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome.
- Systemic Inflammation: Inflammation has many presentations including cardiovascular disease, joint pain, brain fog, pain syndromes, and rashes, and is very often triggered from an inflamed gut, dysbiosis, and intestinal hyper-permeability (leaky gut).
These examples are just the tip of the iceberg. Overwhelming research and clinical studies now show the health of our guts plays a critical role in our well being and in our disease pathologies.
SMALL INTESTINAL BACTERIAL OVERGROWTH
(SIBO)
SIBO is bacterial overgrowth and shift away from the normal microbiota balance in the small intestine can lead to symptoms of SIBO, which include:
- Bloating (the most common)
- Constipation and/or diarrhea
- Reflux
- Excessive burping/belching or gas/flatus
- Intolerance to fiber foods
- Abdominal pain/cramps
Conditions linked to SIBO include:
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Gastroparesis (reduced motility), Rosacea, Fibromyalgia, Interstitial Cystitis, Restless Leg Syndrome, Celiac Disease, GERD (reflux), Diabetes, Hypothyroidism, Gallbladder stones
Up to 78% of patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) have SIBO. Symptom management should not be the goal of therapy when we have better treatment options available. We consider multiple protocol options for treating SIBO including standard recommended antibiotics and/or herbal therapies with pre and post treatment transitional care. Critical to proper treatment, we also look at possible underlying factors that may be triggering SIBO to reduce the risk of recurrence, and recommend adjunctive therapies.
TESTING OFTEN USED:
If recently extensively tested, we usually do not need to repeat this. For labs that have not been tested, we either apply your insurance when submitting lab orders or for those of you with high deductibles or without insurance, we offer heavily reduced lab rates.
We use the GI-MAP (PCR DNA stool test) to detect microbes that may be causing inflammation, promoting autoimmune conditions, affecting mood and fatigue, and contributing to illness. We also look at indicators of digestion, absorption, inflammation, immune function, and deficiencies of healthy bacteria known to promote energy and improved metabolic function.
Trio-Smart Lactulose Breath Test:The Trio-Smart is the only 3 gas breath test which can measure amount of fermented gas production of hydrogen, methane, and hydrogen sulfide in the small intestine. Breath testing is recommended by the American College of Gastroenterology’s clinical guidelines as the diagnostic test for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and Intestinal Methanogen Overgrowth (IMO).
GUT RESTORATION /
SIBO TREATMENT
PACKAGE
- Six tele-visits with personalized gut protocol
- Includes: 3 visits with Dr. Haque & 3 visits with NP Shelton
- Initial visit:
- 90 minutes virtual appointment time
- 120-240 minutes of pre and post visit case review and plan building with written personalized plan provided to patient
- Follow Up visits:
- 45 minutes virtual appointment time
- 60-120 minutes pre and post visit case review and plan building with written personalized plan provided to patient
- Testing (highly recommended but not always required; Costs of tests are directly billed by the conducting lab – insurance can be applied for these)
- Labcorp bloodwork
- GI Map
- Depending of symptoms: Trio-Smart Lactulose Breath Test
- Cost:
- Initial visit: $475 – can be scheduled now
- Follow Up visits: $300 each – offered as package only
- The initial visit fee is due prior to the first appointment. If you would like to continue with the rest of the package and we find that our care matches your needs, the rest of the payment is divided over time in 2 installments.
- We do not accept insurance.
- However, we CAN provide you with a super-bill which you can submit to your insurance for reimbursement.
- You CAN use FSA and HSA funds towards your visit.
- We will still submit labs and prescriptions through your insurance for you.
- Our prices are flat and upfront without suprise billing.
- MEDICARE ONLY: We have chosen to OPT OUT of Medicare. This means if you have Medicare, we can see you, but you will need to sign an agreement stating you understand we have opted out of Medicare and that you will not submit our charges to Medicare for reimbursement (nor will we). You will still be able to use Medicare for any prescriptions, imaging and lab orders, or referrals we provide for you. Also, this does not affect your use of Medicare outside of our practice.
- Package expires after 18 months from the initial visit regardless of whether visits were taken. We do not provide refunds if visits were not used.
*These packages do not include primary care or membership services. Please have a primary care provider for acute and primary care services. We closely work with you as consultants and guidance in preventive, nutritional and functional medicine to help address the root causes of chronic health issues. Please do not message for any urgent or emergent concerns – seek immediate medical attention via your primary care, urgent care, or emergency room as appropriate. These packages do not include urgent or emergent care services.
*State laws require patients to be in Virginia during their telemedicine visits.
*We accept all patients ages 18 and above.
The materials and content mentioned on this site are intended as general information and should not be used as a substitute for personal medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This website does not qualify as creating a provider-patient relationship between us and any user of the website