What's My Vitiligo Have To Do With Your Tummy Troubles?

In 2015, I faced a life-changing diagnosis﹣vitiligo.

I was in the midst of dealing with mold illness when I began to lose pigment first on my arm,

then on my neck,

then on my face.

The physical changes were unmistakable as different areas of my body became white as driven snow. Watching my skin transform from it's healthy, even, olive-toned complexion to something splotchy and ghostly white was devastating. The emotional impact cut even deeper.

I reached out to dermatologists and was met with dismissive responses. My vitiligo was apparently "just a vanity issue" and I was advised to bleach my skin, like Michael Jackson, because there wasn’t any hope to get my pigment back. These words left me feeling hopeless about my future and terrible about myself. A second opinion provided no comfort either, as I was told to "accept your new life with vitiligo."

As this autoimmune disease wreaked havoc across my face and marched a jagged path down both sides of my neck, it left me looking like a wild raccoon with dark patches about my eyes. I prayed that these darkened patches would give up the fight and just fade like the rest of my face, but that prayer would be left unanswered for the next 2 years.

The emotional toll was both intense and immense. I withdrew from family and friends, struggling to cope with the profound changes in my outward appearance and by the apparent lack of effective treatment options. In my desperation, I tried every solution I could find online—diets, expensive creams, natural remedies, and UV light therapy.

Each failed treatment added to my hopelessness, leaving me questioning everything, including my knowledge as a doctor.

How could I be so desperate to just buy anything that made such lofty promises? How could I be so stupid to pay money for miracles in jars when there was no solid science to back their claims?

A Path of Misdiagnosis and Hopelessness

It wasn’t just the physical appearance of vitiligo that I struggled with; it was the loneliness of navigating a health issue that no one seemed able to solve. My experience with vitiligo made me acutely aware of how isolating it feels to have a condition where expert after expert can’t provide real help. I felt duped by false promises, and I was left with a drawer full of expensive (and smelly) treatments that didn’t work.

I came to realize that my experience mirrored the journey of many people with SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth). SIBO is often misdiagnosed as IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), leaving patients feeling vulnerable and hopeless, just as I had with vitiligo. People with SIBO are frequently told to “take this antidepressant” or “eat more fiber” or worse, to “just live with it.” This resonates deeply with me because I know what it’s like to have a chronic condition that no one seems able to solve. My personal struggles from nearly a decade ago still drive me to ensure that no one with gut issues like SIBO falls through the cracks the way I did with vitiligo.

My Desire to Help Others Find Real Answers

My journey with vitiligo inspired me to create this blog that you're reading right now. It's dedicated to helping those suffering from SIBO. I’ve seen firsthand how patients with intractable IBS symptoms are dismissed—just like I was. Many have normal colonoscopies and EGDs, yet suffer daily with symptoms like heartburn, bloating, cramping, and gassiness. I meet at least 1 to 2 people every week in my practice, and they all have one thing in common﹣they're exhausted, frustrated, and desperate for answers.

As a doctor, I understand the power of getting an accurate diagnosis. With proper breath testing, I’ve been able to diagnose and treat SIBO effectively, helping thousands of people reclaim their lives. But my mission doesn’t stop with diagnosis. Healing from SIBO requires more than just gut treatment—it requires a mind-body approach. I’ve learned that the gut-brain connection is crucial, and healing must involve both improving vagal tone and addressing the microbial imbalances in the gut.

Healing the Gut and the Mind Together

My experience with vitiligo also taught me the importance of a wholistic approach to healing. When treating SIBO, I focus on our mind-belly approach: healing the gut while supporting the mind.

Stress, anxiety, and mental health are deeply tied to gut health, and addressing both at the same time can lead to faster, better resolution as well as to a lasting recovery.

I’ve seen the power of this approach firsthand with my own SIBO (yes﹣I've had SIBO too!) and with my SIBO patients, and it’s become the cornerstone of my practice.

Moving Forward with Purpose

Sharing my story is still new for me, but it’s a crucial part of my journey. If you've made it this far, thank you for reading. By opening up about my struggles with vitiligo, I hope to inspire others who feel trapped by conditions like SIBO.

There is hope, and there are answers, even when it feels like all options have been exhausted.

My advice to anyone dealing with gut issues that are limiting their lives is to keep searching for answers. Most IBS cases are misdiagnosed, and without proper breath testing, SIBO will go undetected. And what goes undetected, goes untreated.

My goal is to help you avoid the same pitfalls I faced with my own vitiligo. I don’t want anyone to fall for false promises or quick fixes.

Buyer beware! The internet is full of snake-oil salesmen selling their latest "miracles". It's these terrible "gurus", "experts", and "bio-hackers" that are hawking their pricey wares that have additionally convinced me that it's time for me to share as much as I can to help people beyond my geographic area. I love what I do at The Center for Ultra Health in Roanoke, Virginia, but I'm aware that there's a big world out there and that means there's a lot of folks not being diagnosed or helped with their chronic belly issues!

Healing takes time and a comprehensive approach, and it’s my mission to guide people on the correct, science-based path. Even if we never work together, I hope that the information I can share with you will guide you down the right path to get a proper diagnosis and then proper treatment to follow!

With the right diagnosis and treatment, it is possible to heal both the gut and the mind, and I’m here to support you on that journey!