TSO tames colitis in a 70 year old
Disease and treatment history
I am a 70 year old French-Canadian with symptoms of ulcerative colitis since 1986, but I was only officially diagnosed in 2014 while I was having a serious flare.
Before that flare, it had been partly manageable with a clean diet and stress management. I knew my whole digestive system was not fine but I was able to work and have a semi-normal life. But in 2014 I ended up on the toilet seat up to 12 times a day with loose stools mixed with abundant blood and mucus.
So I went to see a Gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy. I was able to see on the monitor the blood gushing from my ulcers following the rhythm of my heart. Not pretty. I was advised to immediately take mesalamine. I tried it for 2 weeks and I did not like how it made me feel. Instead I began the AIP diet and was able to get into remission after 6 months.
Worms suggested, rejected and finally accepted
Meanwhile one of my doctors mentioned helminth therapy as an avenue for controlling colitis. I could not even consider it at that time. I had been working in a third world country with poor children suffering from worm infections. Protruding bellies, skinny legs and arms, empty stares. The first thing we would do was to eradicate the worms and then get them onto a nutritional program. At that time I had not made the distinction between a massive uncontrolled worm infection and a controlled measured inoculation with therapeutic helminths.
Many years later during another flare, after researching the topic quite extensively, I decided to try TSO every 14 days. On November 13th 2020, I took 500 ova in water. Strangely I had 3 hours of frozen shoulder sensations (an issue I had years ago) as side effects. Nothing else. On November 27th, I took 1,000 ova. I felt a little off in my lungs and experienced slight arthritic pain in my fingers. Very minor reactions. That was followed by canker sores (something I used to have frequently) for just 3 days.
On December 1st, I wrote “biggest well formed poop without any blood since July”. I felt very hopeful. Blood came back in lesser quantities in the following days. On December 11, I took 2,500 TSO and I stayed with this dosage for quite a while.
Experimentation with dosing and eventual success
I took notes almost every day. I kept improving in general with ups and downs. Side effects were more arthritic pain in one finger, tiredness, slight fever one night. The most surprising was a bizarre sensation in a root canal that fluctuated for 2 months. All of that was really minor.
In January I had a bout of diarrhea and cut the dosage to 1,250 ova for 2 rounds. I noticed that the positive impact on colitis only lasted for 12 days and the symptoms came back before the next dose. So I began taking 2,500 every 12 days and that worked really well. I did that for 4 rounds and then I went back to every 14 days. At that point my symptoms were minimal but my digestive system was still very weak. I kept experimenting with diet and supplements as well as exercise and stress management. My sleep pattern was not good yet and I worked on that as well.
On May 16th 2021, I wrote that I have no symptoms at all for the first time. No urgency, no blood, no mucus, no pain. As of today, December 6th 2021, symptoms have not returned at all. I am 100% in remission. I am taking no medication and I have an active life. My stool tests show no inflammation, no blood and no pathogenic bacteria. I sleep well most of the time too. Currently I take 1,250 TS Ova every 3 weeks to maintain my remission. I may choose to take 1,250 every month by next summer but I am not in a hurry.
A life resumed, and hope regained
Things are not perfect. I still have a weak digestive system and I keep working on that. But overall not suffering from ulcerative colitis is such a blessing. My energy is coming back, I can travel again, I have projects. Life is good. My goal now is to keep it that way.
1st anniversary update
Today I celebrate a special anniversary. One whole year without any symptoms of ulcerative colitis. Nothing. Thank you TSO!
As a bonus I also got rid of intermittent arthritis pain in my hands.
It is great to get my life back. I am thrilled to feel healthy and to be very active at 70 years old. I still take 1,250 ova every 14 days as an insurance policy. Helminthic therapy works.
2nd anniversary update
Today is my TSO Anniversary Celebration Day! 😊
May 15th 2021 was my last day with Ulcerative colitis. I have been 100% symptom free for 24 months now. Two full years! My general health keeps improving by waves too.
I began taking TSO in November 2020. Symptoms decreased gradually and it took a total of 16 doses (2,500) every 11 to 14 days to reach complete resolution by May 15th 2021. Since then I have continued taking 1,250 TSOs every 2 weeks and intend to do so for at least one more year before considering lowering the dose and/or extending the time between each dose. For now I feel very comfortable with my current plan.
For those who are beginning please know that for most of us helminthic therapy is not an overnight process. It does take some time to rebalance and modulate the immune system and restore the digestive tract biome.
By Bourouba.
(Originally shared on Facebook in December 2021, [1] updated in May 2022 [2] and again in May 2023. [3])