Helminthic Therapy wiki - User contributions [en]

Helminthic therapy FAQ

2017-12-24T09:29:26Z

Tracy: Symbio was missing TTO as one of their products. ~~ tracy

{{Breadcrumb}}
If you are new to helminthic therapy, it's best to start by reading the 'Introduction to helminthic therapy'. While this is not set out in the FAQ format, it is the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide available to everything you need to know in order to understand and get started with this therapy. Its contents form a foundation to the rest of the material on this site and include details about the special types of helminth which are used in therapy and the companies that provide them. Reading this document carefully, and in full, will help to prevent you wasting time and money and possibly not getting the best from the therapy, if you were to try it.

* [[Introduction to helminthic therapy]]

== FAQs ==

===Is helminthic therapy safe?===
Yes, it is very safe, as can be seen from the details on the following page.
* [[Helminthic therapy safety | Helminthic therapy safety]]

===Why is helminthic therapy necessary?===
Helminthic therapy has only become necessary because we humans have adopted many practices that interrupt the life cycles of helminths (e.g., wearing shoes and using toilets) which our forebears had previously hosted for millions of years.

Helminths are now considered to be “heirloom” species that have coexisted and co-evolved with humans to the extent that we are now incomplete without them and depend on their presence for the optimal functioning of our immune systems. These mutualistic organisms train the developing immune system in infancy and continue to regulate immune function throughout life for as long as they remain with us. Helminthic therapy is therefore not like a drug treatment, but more a form of replacement therapy - putting back something that we need.

Although some people with particular genetic profiles don’t develop autoimmune diseases or allergies as a result of being helminth deficient, there is evidence that even they are more susceptible to degenerative diseases because they lack the very efficient inflammation control that helminths provide.

===What are the benefits of hosting helminths?===
Helminthic therapy modulates (normalises) the function of the immune system. This controls inflammation and reduces autoimmunity and allergies. To see how these effects are achieved, go to the following page.
* [[The effects of helminths on the immune system | The effects of helminths on the immune system]]

===What conditions have been helped by helminthic therapy?===
Conditions with the largest number of reported successes are Crohn’s disease, allergy, food intolerance and ulcerative colitis. 
Other conditions with a high number of reports of success include multiple sclerosis (MS), eczema, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), asthma, multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), food allergy, anxiety, depression, autism, migraine and Sjogren’s syndrome. In all, more than 100 conditions have been reported to have been successfully remediated by helminthic therapy. These are all listed on the following page along with thumbnail comments by the patients or their parents, and with links to their full reports.
* [[Helminthic therapy personal stories | Helminthic therapy personal stories]]

=== How long does it take to see benefits? ===

Helminthic therapy is typically very slow to deliver benefits when compared with drugs. For the majority who do respond, consistent improvements do not usually materialise until at least 3 months after their first inoculation, with most people only seeing improvement in their condition between 3 and 5 months. Some may only start to improve between 6 and 12 months and a few may even have to wait for as long as 18-24 months.

Once improvements do begin, some people can experience a sudden and dramatic reduction in symptoms while others may respond more gradually over a period of time, possibly three years or more. Improvements during the first 2 years are not always continuous because there can be periods of exacerbation during which symptoms may worsen again, albeit temporarily.

Helminthic therapy is not a one-size-fits-all solution, nor a one dose fix. Dosing needs to be tailored to the unique needs of each individual, and continued indefinitely in the vast majority of cases.

===Which worm species are used in helminthic therapy?===

Four species of benign helminth have been domesticated for therapeutic use.

* [[Introduction to helminthic therapy#Therapeutic helminths | Therapeutic helminths]]

* [[Introduction to helminthic therapy#Selecting a therapeutic helminth | Selecting a therapeutic helminth]]

===How are helminths administered?===

Three species (TSO, TTO and HDC) are taken orally in a drink. NA is introduced percutaneously (via the skin). More details on the following page.

* [[Helminth inoculation]]

===Where, and how long do helminths live?===

NA and HDC live in the small intestine. The whipworms (TSO and TTO) live in the large intestine.

NA are reported to survive in humans for 3-10 years [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/627275] but to be capable of living for up to 15 years, [http://www.parasitesinhumans.org/hookworms.html] and possibly even 18 years.[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3189697] However, the experience of hookworm self-treaters suggests that they typically only survive for approximately 1-3 years, and sometimes for only a few months, depending on the strength of the individual host’s immune response. For more, see: [[Hookworm dosing and response]].

TT can survive in humans for more than 2 years, but may die in under a year.

TSO and HDC only survive in humans for 2-3 weeks, and a few people may need to re-dose every week with HDC, suggesting an even shorter lifespan for this species in some hosts.

More details on the following pages.

* [[Necator americanus | Necator americanus]] (NA)

* [[Self-treating with HDC | Self-treating with HDC]]

* [[Self-treating with TSO | Self-treating with TSO]]

=== What symptoms are experienced by people who inoculate with helminths? ===

See the following page.

* [[Helminth inoculation‎ | Helminth inoculation]]

=== What products and medications can harm a worm population?===

See the following page.

* [[Helminth care‎ | Helminth care‎]]

=== How long does helminthic therapy take to effect a cure? ===

Helminthic therapy is a form of replacement therapy in which something that is missing is added back. In this case, helminths are replaced in the intestine to supplement a diminished biome. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21741180] This is necessary because, due to our long coevolution with helminths, we have come to rely on worms for optimal immune function and, without them, our immune systems may malfunction. [http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/news/display/?id=5841]

Helminthic therapy is therefore not a “cure” for anything, in much the same way that other replacement therapies - such as thyroid replacement - do not cure a condition, and need to be continued indefinitely in order to maintain relief from symptoms. In the same way, helminths need to be taken continuously in the majority of cases.

There are people who have been able to enjoy several years of relief from their disease after taking only one or two courses of TSO, and this period of remission has been extended in some self-treaters by taking periodic maintenance doses. (For more detail, see this [[Introduction to helminthic therapy#TSO (Trichuris suis ova) | page section]].) But only one case has been reported of someone remaining disease-free for a period of time after completing an initial course of therapy with NA [https://www.facebook.com/groups/htsupport/permalink/1025648674157754/?comment_id=1025781867477768&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22:%22R%22%7D] [https://www.facebook.com/groups/htsupport/permalink/1025648674157754/?comment_id=1025781867477768&reply_comment_id=1025790644143557&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22:%22R1%22%7D], and there have not yet been any reports of HDC users having remained disease-free after stopping the treatment. While there may be cases that have not yet been reported, they are likely to be limited in number.

== FAQs produced by the helminth providers ==

The following "Frequently Asked Questions" pages on the websites of the commercial helminth providers are an additional source of answers to questions about the therapy.

* [http://wormswell.com/faqs/ Wormswell FAQ] (NA)
* [http://www.symmbio.com/faq/ Symmbio FAQ] (NA and TTO)
* [https://autoimmunetherapies.com/documents/FAQ.pdf Autoimmune Therapies FAQ] (PDF) (NA and TTO)
* [http://biomerestoration.com/faqs/ Biome Restoration FAQ] (HDC)
* [http://www.wormtherapy.com/faq.html Worm Therapy FAQ] (NA and HDC)

User talk:Tracy

2017-10-21T13:44:31Z

Tracy: /* Hookworm Culturing before TTO */

==Chatting in the wiki==
Tracy, if you want to talk to another wiki User (editor), like I'm talking to you here now, go to the list of users (http://helminthictherapywiki.org/wiki/index.php/Special:ListUsers) and click on "talk" beside that User's name. This will open their "talk" page. Write your message in the blank space on the page and then add 4 tildes (~) which the software will replace with your user name once you hit the "Save page" button at the bottom. The message will then be sent to whatever email address that User signed up with.

This communication method will allow you to talk directly to Alana, for example, about her two incubation protocols in the wiki, or to any other User about any other wiki matter! How cool is that?

To make a change to any wiki page, just click on the "Edit" button at the top right of the page, and hit "Save page" when you're done - or "Show preview" if you want to check any details before saving. You'll soon get the hang of it! [[User:John|John]] ([[User talk:John|talk]]) 03:18, 18 September 2017 (UTC)

Hi John, My first attempt at communicating through "talk."

It might be worth bookmarking the list of Users: http://helminthictherapywiki.org/wiki/index.php/Special:ListUsers This will give you access to all the others.

And now you can ask Alana about her incubation protocols. Here's her Talk page: http://helminthictherapywiki.org/wiki/index.php/User_talk:Alana As you'll see, I've alerted her to the fact that you'll be getting in touch! [[User:John|John]] ([[User talk:John|talk]]) 14:57, 18 September 2017 (UTC)

Thank you, John! I left a message with Alana. Fingers crossed.

==Editing MediaWiki markup==

Here are some references to help you with editing the wiki. The Cheatsheet covers most of the things you're likely to need, and you may be able to find examples of things you want on other pages on the site. If you hit a problem with the markup, just message me on my Talk page: http://helminthictherapywiki.org/wiki/index.php/User_talk:John

Cheatsheet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Cheatsheet 
The simplest possible guide to writing MediaWiki: https://www.sjbaker.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_simplest_possible_guide_to_writing_MediaWiki 
The Missing Manual: Editing for the first time: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Wikipedia:_The_Missing_Manual/Editing,_creating,_and_maintaining_articles/Editing_for_the_first_time 
Help:Formatting: https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Formatting 
Links: https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Links 
Lists: https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Lists 
Images: https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Images 
Citations: https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Cite 
Quote box: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/131049/whats-the-easiest-way-to-add-a-quote-box-to-mediawiki 
Tables: https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Tables 

[[User:John|John]] ([[User talk:John|talk]]) 22:59, 13 October 2017 (UTC)

== Hookworm Culturing before TTO ==

Hi Tracy,

Earlier you asked about the advisability of skipping the hookworm culturing step, and I didn't see any likely problems with that. After thinking about this I thought I should add a few comments.

The NA eggs should hatch within about 24 hours into stage 1 larvae. These aren't infectious, and it should take 5 days before there could be any stage 3 infectious larvae in the stool. The worst case scenario I can imagine would be if the larvae in the Sheather's solution could somehow survive eating stool in that mixture while floating to the top of it, so you transferred them along with the eggs you were cleaning. Then by day 5 they had molted into infectious stage 3 larvae. Then when you are handling the materials you accidentally get a large infection. When I write this down it all sounds very implausible, but whenever you change something there's always at least the theoretical possibility something unexpected could happen. I don't know if stage 1,2,or 3 larvae will float in Sheather's, and I don't imagine they can survive under those conditions, but I've never tested any of this. [[User:Alana|Alana]] ([[User talk:Alana|talk]]) 19:30, 15 October 2017 (UTC)

Hi Alana,

After reading this I understand the variables and possible issue. It's easy enough to incubate the material for NA and ensure that the NA don't make it into the TTO product. Thank you for your input. Better safe than sorry!
[[User:Tracy|Tracy]] ([[User talk:Tracy|talk]]) 13:44, 21 October 2017 (UTC)

User talk:John

2017-10-15T19:41:34Z

Tracy: /* Hi from Tracy */

==Welcome!==

A very '''''worm''''' welcome to anyone who visits this page! 
[[User:John|John]] ([[User talk:John|talk]]) 04:07, 18 September 2017 (UTC)

==Hi from Tracy==

Hi John. Just getting myself oriented on this wiki "talk" page.

So far so good, Tracy! [[User:John|John]] ([[User talk:John|talk]]) 14:39, 18 September 2017 (UTC)

+++++++++++

Just read the "Editing MediaWiki markup." This is very good because I didn't know where or how to begin."

Thank you!

User talk:Alana

2017-10-13T22:14:26Z

Tracy:

Hi Alana, another wiki User (Tracy) wants to put a couple of questions to you about your NA and TTO protocols, so I’ve suggested that she uses the wiki to do this because it allows wiki Users to communicate with one another via the email addresses they signed up with, without actually revealing those addresses to anyone. Only the wiki software knows what these are.

I’ve sent a message to Tracy, telling her what to do to contact you this way, and you should be able to read my message to her here: http://helminthictherapywiki.org/wiki/index.php/User_talk:Tracy You can also write on her Talk page, if you want to, after hitting the “Edit” button at the top right of the page.

Once you've finished your message, add four tildes (~), which the wiki will replace with your name, as a signature, after you’ve hit the “Save page” button.

If Tracy sends you a message using your Talk page, you can reply to her on this page, after hitting the "Edit" button.

If you want to remove any messages, once they've been seen, just re-enter the page using the "Edit" button, highlight/delete the comment, and hit "Save page". [[User:John|John]] ([[User talk:John|talk]]) 03:48, 18 September 2017 (UTC)

== Clarification of Your Incubation method for TTO and NA ==

Hello.

I have read through your TTO protocol (thank you very much for creating such detailed document for the wiki) and just need a bit of clarification about your incubation protocol.

Question 1 - I understand that many use Sarah's method for incubating NA but would like to know what your practice is, please.

Question 2 -have you ever found a research paper about incubating TTO? I suspect not as you have included it in your thorough cited sources. I just wanted to double check.

I am going to attempt to incubate and process my own TTO and was hoping I could get this bit of clarification.

My background. I have been using TSO and NA and TTO to keep Crohn's Disease in remission for the past 11 years and have experimented with them to see what works best and TTO and TSO work best for me. TSO is prohibitive because of its cost and fortunately, TTO has worked very well for me. I also use NA for its systemic effect and I think it works well as an added buffer against autoimmune response activation, in general.

John Scott suggested I contact you. So here I am. Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

[[User:Tracy|Tracy]] ([[User talk:Tracy|talk]]) 19:17, 2 October 2017 (UTC)

==Testing==

I'm checking to see whether you get a notification of this message, Alana.

[[User:John|John]] ([[User talk:John|talk]]) 02:30, 3 October 2017 (UTC)

Hi John. I'm responding to your message. I received an email notification. [[User:Tracy|Tracy]] ([[User talk:Tracy|talk]]) 16:33, 3 October 2017 (UTC)

== Hello John and Tracy ==

This is just confirming that I'm now able to use this forum.
[[User:Alana|Alana]] ([[User talk:Alana|talk]]) 21:20, 13 October 2017 (UTC)

Hi Alana & John! This is wonderful.

Alana, Thank you for your input so far. Your protocol is wonderfully detailed. I am currently making a list of all the materials I will need and referencing it with the materials at the lab.
Fortunately, the bio-hackers that formed and created the lab space are keen adventurous university grad students and researchers at a local hospital, making access to reagents and other medical grade supplies possible.

It should take couple more weeks to get underway, I need to order a few things - 20 micron nylon mesh is expensive!

Hydrometer question: Can I use a hydrometer for brewing? I would like to if I can because I brew kombucha. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0735B5YND?psc=1

[[User:Tracy|Tracy]] ([[User talk:Tracy|talk]]) 21:49, 13 October 2017 (UTC)

== Chefast Hydrometer ==

Since I haven't used this brand of hydrometer before I needed to take a quick look at the protocol and be sure that this hydrometer covered the full range of densities discussed in the paper. If it did then I don't see that there should be any problems. So https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0735B5YND?psc=1 says, "Measuring specific gravity from 0.99-1.17" Sorry, but you need to be able to go up to 1.270 for the Sheather's solution. In the paper I list "Wards Natural Science Specific Gravity Hydrometer 1.00 - 2.00 model." (I also just now realized I mistakenly included one that wouldn't have worked. "150879 Specific Gravity Hydrometer, 1.00–1.20, 0.002 divisions (see graphic 2J)") [[User:Alana|Alana]] ([[User talk:Alana|talk]]) 22:08, 13 October 2017 (UTC)

I'm glad I checked. The "Wards Natural Science SGH 1.0 - 2.00 it is!
Thank you. [[User:Tracy|Tracy]] ([[User talk:Tracy|talk]]) 22:14, 13 October 2017 (UTC)

User talk:Alana

2017-10-13T21:49:15Z

Tracy: /* Hello John and Tracy */

User talk:Alana

2017-10-03T16:33:50Z

Tracy: /* Testing */

User talk:Alana

2017-10-02T19:17:06Z

Tracy: /* Clarification of Your Incubation method for TTO and NA */

User talk:Tracy

2017-10-02T18:54:14Z

Tracy:

Tracy, if you want to talk to another wiki User (editor), like I'm talking to you here now, go to the list of users (http://helminthictherapywiki.org/wiki/index.php/Special:ListUsers) and click on "talk" beside that User's name. This will open their "talk" page. Write your message in the blank space on the page and then add 4 tildes (~) which the software will replace with your user name once you hit the "Save page" button at the bottom. The message will then be sent to whatever email address that User signed up with.

This communication method will allow you to talk directly to Alana, for example, about her two incubation protocols in the wiki, or to any other User about any other wiki matter! How cool is that?

To make a change to any wiki page, just click on the "Edit" button at the top right of the page, and hit "Save page" when you're done - or "Show preview" if you want to check any details before saving. You'll soon get the hang of it! [[User:John|John]] ([[User talk:John|talk]]) 03:18, 18 September 2017 (UTC)

Hi John, My first attempt at communicating through "talk."

It might be worth bookmarking the list of Users: http://helminthictherapywiki.org/wiki/index.php/Special:ListUsers This will give you access to all the others.

And now you can ask Alana about her incubation protocols. Here's her Talk page: http://helminthictherapywiki.org/wiki/index.php/User_talk:Alana As you'll see, I've alerted her to the fact that you'll be getting in touch! [[User:John|John]] ([[User talk:John|talk]]) 14:57, 18 September 2017 (UTC)

Thank you, John! I left a message with Alana. Fingers crossed.

User talk:Alana

2017-10-02T18:51:12Z

Tracy: /* Clarification of Your Incubation method for TTO and NA */ new section

User talk:Tracy

2017-09-18T14:46:03Z

Tracy:

User talk:John

2017-09-18T14:36:30Z

Tracy:

A very worm welcome to anyone who visits this page! [[User:John|John]] ([[User talk:John|talk]]) 04:07, 18 September 2017 (UTC)

Hi John. Just getting myself oriented on this wiki "talk" page.

User:John

2017-09-18T14:30:50Z

Tracy: Created page with "Hi John. I'm practicing using the "talk" feature."

Hi John.

I'm practicing using the "talk" feature.

User talk:Tracy

2017-09-18T14:26:16Z

Tracy:

Hi John, My first attempt at communicating through "talk."

Tracy, if you want to talk to another wiki User (editor), like I'm talking to you here now, go to the list of users (http://helminthictherapywiki.org/wiki/index.php/Special:ListUsers) and click on "talk" beside that User's name. This will open their "talk" page. Write your message in the blank space on the page and then add 4 tildes (~) which the software will replace with your user name once you hit the "Save page" button at the bottom. The message will then be sent to whatever email address that User signed up with.

This communication method will allow you to talk directly to Alana, for example, about her two incubation protocols in the wiki, or to any other User about any other wiki matter! How cool is that?

To make a change to any wiki page, just click on the "Edit" button at the top right of the page, and hit "Save page" when you're done - or "Show preview" if you want to check any details before saving. You'll soon get the hang of it! [[User:John|John]] ([[User talk:John|talk]]) 03:18, 18 September 2017 (UTC)