IBS, SIBO and Gut Health Care in Queen Creek, AZ

Bloating that turns up by mid-afternoon. A list of foods you have quietly stopped eating. Bathroom habits you plan your day around. Most people who come to us for digestive care have already been told it is just IBS and sent home with a fiber recommendation.

That is where we start over. Dr. Kris Berkner and Dr. Traci Price work to identify what is actually driving the symptoms, then treat that.

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An IBS diagnosis is a description, not an explanation

IBS is what a set of symptoms gets called once other things have been ruled out. It tells you what you are experiencing. It does not tell you why.

Underneath that label there is often something specific and treatable: small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, an imbalance in the bacteria of the large intestine, low stomach acid or low enzyme output, a parasite, a bile acid problem, or a food-driven inflammatory pattern. Several of those look identical from the outside — which is why guessing at diets rarely lands, and why we test before we treat.

How the workup runs

• A long history first: when it started, what makes it worse, what medications and antibiotics you have taken, what a normal day of eating actually looks like
• SIBO breath testing when the pattern fits. It is done at home over about three hours, collecting breath samples after a test drink
• Comprehensive stool analysis when bacteria, yeast, parasites, inflammation, or digestive output need to be seen directly
• Bloodwork where it is relevant — celiac screening, thyroid, iron, inflammatory markers
• A plan built from those results: diet strategy, targeted antimicrobial or botanical support, digestive support, and repair work in the order that makes sense
• Retesting when it matters, particularly with SIBO

Questions we get about gut health

What is SIBO, and how would I know if I have it?

SIBO is bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, where relatively few bacteria are supposed to live. The classic picture is bloating that builds through the day, gas, and bowel habits that will not settle. A breath test confirms it rather than assuming it, which matters because the treatment differs depending on the gas pattern.

Do I have to give up gluten and dairy forever?

Probably not. Elimination is a diagnostic tool, not a life sentence. We use it to identify triggers, then work back toward the least restrictive diet that keeps you feeling well. A permanently shrinking food list is its own problem.

I have had IBS for fifteen years. Is it too late?

No. Long-standing cases are common here, and the length of time you have had symptoms says less about the outcome than whether the actual driver has ever been identified. Often it has not.

How long before I feel different?

It depends on what we find. Some people notice a change within a few weeks of starting treatment. Overgrowths and long-standing inflammation take longer, often a few months, with follow-up along the way to adjust.

Is my gut connected to my hormones or my thyroid?

Frequently, yes. Absorption affects thyroid medication, autoimmune conditions and digestive problems overlap, and blood sugar swings show up in both. See thyroid and Hashimoto’s care if that sounds familiar.

Do you take insurance?

We do not bill insurance. We provide a Superbill that you may submit to your insurer for possible reimbursement. Testing is billed separately by the lab.