Brain Maker -- treating PANDAS (or Tourette's) with probiotic enema

[EAMom]

Has anybody read the book Brain Maker by David Perlmutter?

http://smile.amazon.com/Brain-Maker-Microbes-Protect-Brain%C2%96/dp/0316380105/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1443638847&sr=8-1&keywords=brain+maker

In chapter 9 he talks about a PANDAS (Tourette's?) kid (Christopher)...I'm not sure Perlmutter has a great grasp on PANDAS (since in his mind, it's a form of Tourette's).

However, what he had to say was interesting. He treated this kid (mainly tics, didn't mention other symptoms, so maybe he was really TS, not PANDAS/PANS, with an enema enriched with probiotics, with good results.

This book does have some interesting points btw...definitely parts I don't agree with (such as he claims it's been proven that vaccines aren't a cause autism), and IMHO he blames too many problems on antibiotics (and not necessarily the infection for which the antibiotics were prescribed, or the Tylenol which was likely given with the infection/antibiotics). But, nonetheless, he brings up some interesting ideas.

Also, has anybody heard of using pro-biotic enriched enemas? It's definitely an interesting idea.

 

[jan251]

The general idea makes sense to me. It's a long story, but for my PANS/PANDAS kid, gut health is at the core of the problem; I'm not sure whether it's the small intestine or the colon.

 

I wonder whether the enema is merely a rectal delivery mechanism for the probiotics or whether there's some other benefit relating to cleaning out the colon.

 

(For a little while I was reading about fecal transplants, though I think my subsequent reading about parasites cured me of that idea.)

[nitshel]

I think gut health is certainly important. We are also reading up on fecal transplant- despite the ick factor there does seem to be clear evidence for its efficacy. One recent book that talks about gut health (and poop transplant) is "10% human". As long as the poop donor has been screened for diseases , history and diet it is a relatively safe procedure - indeed there is a video on Youtube on DIY fecal transplant.

[rowingmom]

I have often told myself that if DD13 relapses, we will try this route.

 

This site piqued my interest. Apparently Bravo sells suppositories which would be a little less invasive than the enema. Not sure if they are sold in the US.

 

http://naturalsolutions.nz/bravo

[EAMom]

Later in the book Perlmutter describes how to do the enema. Apparently he recommends "holding it in" for 30 minutes.

Here's an ulcerative colitis group that is discussing the probiotic enema (2009 discussion) http://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38&m=1363233

and here's another discussion from a Paleo group: https://www.paleohacks.com/probiotics/probiotic-enemas-should-i-attack-my-dysbiosis-from-behind-20860

[sarojane]

When my daughter was at her absolute almost worst, she let me do this. It helped tremendously. About two months after she was at her absolute worst and she was WAY too anxiety ridden to let me do it. I think she might be open to it again at some point. She is really tired of being sick.

[sarojane]

30 minutes is a joke though. She held it for about 3-5 minutes.

[searching_for_help]

Our dd is older. (23) So she did it herself. It wasn't any problem for her to hold it that long, which was a shocker for me. Sadly, it made no difference for her, but I have read in multiple places it is affective for some.

 

One thing I had never thought of that he mentions in the book (and the cost of YEARS of expensive probiotics makes me sick...), but if you take probiotics with tap water, the tap water has chlorine in it. Chlorine is there to kill the bugs. It won't differentiate between good and bad. Ugh. I bought spring water for the kids to take their probiotics with now. I can't believe that never dawned on me!

 

I'll have to reread his book. (We own it.) We just found out yesterday that our son (who has suspected PANDAS/autistic spectrum like symptoms) has severe insensitivities to wheat, rice, corn, several nuts, etc. (And our grass, which he does the mowing!) among other things. He NEVER has a runny nose or headache or any typical "allergy" symptoms. But his confusion and brain fog are really bad, and now I'm wondering if this is all connected.

 

eamom - like you, I felt the book had some great info, but I didn't agree with everything in it. But still worth the read, and helpful in many ways.

 

Don't let my dd's experience with the enema discourage anyone. Really, she's one of those kids that NOTHING seems to help.