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The Hygeine Hypothesis really makes sense to me


Guest pandas16

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Guest pandas16

I really wanted to update again on this treatment that I'm using. I tested positive for Lyme & co-infections + mycoplasma. I'm not treating any of them agressively and I'm honestly doing great with using helminthic therapy alone. Just to explain a little more, it goes based on the theory that we co-existed with other these organisms, (specifically parasites) that modulated our immune system and prevented self-attacks. Six months ago, I was really incapacitated by this disease with really severe tics and now I'm living a perfectly normal life again. I went through a VERY severe worsening originally but now things are really good.

 

Here's a another article on it: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/05/30/hookworms-a-cheap-treatment-for-autoimmune-diseases/

 

It's a drastically different approach then what's used in Lyme. One could even say the opposite, but it's truly working wonders for me. I can honestly say that I plan on staying on it for the rest of my life if things keep going in the direction they are going. Again my overall experience is worsening constantly followed by better and overtime the worsenings become less & less.

 

I would really recommend asking your doctor about this treatment. Simply put, it works!

I'm even tempted to put a video of myself before and after this treatment just to show what an AMAZING difference it's made on my life. 6 months ago, my tics were so horrific I couldn't even leave my house, really an indescribable horror, now they're gone and I'm only halfway through!

 

I was having over 250 tics a day... now 0!!

Edited by pandas16
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I am sincerely VERY happy for you that you are in complete remission, going to France, sounds wonderful :-) Little bit envious ;-)

 

Can I ask: you and I recently talked about labcorp WB being only positive for IgM p23 present- (this is how my dd's came out, we have moved onto Igenex testing, waiting.)

You stated that you didn't think that meant lyme for you, you did not think you were lyme positive?

Did you indeed go onto to further testing to confirm positive lyme, co-infections?

This is similar to my dd's situation, so I am very curious.

 

Thanks-

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I am very interested in what you are reporting and watching your threads closely. And I am so happy that you are having success. The therapy is so new to me that I don't even know what to ask but I really appreciate everything you are posting and I'm reading and learning.

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PANDAS 16

 

I agree with you that we need to coexist with our microbes. I think that was what Thomas Insel was trying to say when he made the directors post last year after the PANDAS meeting, and he said that 90% of our DNA is microbial, not human (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/director/2010/microbes-and-mental-illness.shtml). I think the next decade or two will shed light on a whole host of microbes we are all living with.

 

The way I see it, the problem is when either

 

A) The immune system cannot keep the microbes in check (- that is when antibiotics and intifungals and antivirals help),

 

B ) The immune system confuses the self with non-self and goes into autoimmune mode (eg: PANDAS).

 

C) The microbes are stealth and hide from the immune system - mounting a major attack that can happen later in life. I don't mean to be melodramatic, but that is my fear with lyme and coinfections- that they could pass into the brain, where it is much harder to reach them with antibiotics.

 

D) Our consistent use of antibiotics knocks out so many microbes that our immune systems become dependent on this and become weaker. I DO NOT have any evidence of this - this is my own thought/ fear of what happened to my son as he had chronic sinusitis (probably due to allergy and anatomy) and was dependent on antibiotics for many years. When he finally came off antibiotics, we saw a drop in his immune function (IgG and IgA gradually dropped)... I don't know if these are related, but I suspect we will someday learn they are.

 

I am thrilled for you that helminthic therapy is working for you. It makes sense to me that we need to have a well-funcitoning gut if we are going to do a good job resolving autoimmune disorders. I am glad that this is helping you. Please keep posting so we can continue to learn!

Edited by kimballot
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I wonder if this therapy eradicates ALL the bacteria, meaning the good bacteria in the gut?

We just got back a Metamatrix complete stool test- we showed great levels of good bacteria (it has taken me 2 years to make this happen), no inflammation, digestion good, but, it seems I've always fought yeast, with anti-fungals, and sure enough, our yeast marker was the highest it could be, BUT, it showed it was not typical yeast strains (which is what we've been fighting) but more of a mold type yeast, so now we know we need a completely different medication to effectively deal with it- wish I'd had this information sooner.

Also, we had no bad bacteria (yea! no strep there, either) but we do have Staph (!) and it indicated some parasites (we will now start flagyl for this)

 

My point is, I personally like testing to try and narrow down WHAT bacteria/parasite/pathegon is going on, so we can find the correct treatment-

If my dd6 had no neuro effects, was happy, content, I would leave all these bugs in there, not even look, right?

But they are affecting her brain, her health, her quality of life- this is just a little girl.

So, I guess my theory is, probably similar to yours with this treatment, is get rid of the 'bad' stuff, so the immune system can take over and function.

This treatment is interesting, although $10,000 out the gate is a lot to put forward--and I'm a weeny, and cannot fathom putting worms inside :-(

I really do fear the antibiotics, though, what they will do to my dd's slowly healing gut.

Edited by S & S
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But if the pathogen is at the point where it can avoid immune defenses and not be killed, wouldn't the most logical thing to do be to control inflammation?

 

I agree that controlling inflammation is very important for our kids. Do you feel that the therapy is mainly working by controlling inflammation.

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Were you ill apart from your tics? Sounds great, I have considered it for my son, who's been dx'ed with Immune deficiency. Talked about helminth tx with his doctor who said she would be concerned with his immune deficiency. He has been ill for years already. I don't care about the yuck factor, living with a sick person for years on end is way worse than any worms, but I am concerned that it would make him worse because of the immune deficiency, which is different than autoimmune.

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Pandas16, I'm so pleased for you. We need trail blazers like you.

 

We happily put probiotics into our systems and what are they but bacteria...'good' bacteria, but still bacteria. They're only 'bad' when they're in overgrowth/out of balance. I see TSO in a similar way.

 

We've got so much to learn about how our gut works...it's the new frontier surely. So yes...I'm excited! Whoohooo!

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