There are lots of conficting thoughts around diets for autoimmune diseases.

I would be curious to hear from those who have tried, or are trying, a
paleo-style or other diet, as follows:

1. What diet have you followed?

2. How long did you (have you) maintained it?

3.  What medical condition did you try it for?

4.  Did it have any positive impact on your condition, and if so, please
describe.

I am happy to summarize for the list.

TY!

A UK nutritionist has started recommending helminthic therapy to those of her patients with food allergies and food intolerance who have only a very limited range of foods they can tolerate. And she says that many of her nutritionist colleagues are also showing a keen interest in the therapy. The worm is spreading!

http://allergyandintolerance.com/helminthic-therapy-a-possible-solution/?utm_source=Barrier+Planners&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=a66faf478d-Barrier+Planners+Newsletter  

For a good read about helminthic therapy and in particular issues affecting
those with food allergies or intolerances I would like to recommend the
moderator of this site's blog, since he is probably too modest to do so himself.

http://blog.autoimmunetherapies.com/gut_buddies/

--- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "simon5030a" <simon5030@...> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> --- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "simon5030a" <simon5030@> wrote:
> >
> > Hi
> > First post of what i hope to be many over the coming year, I am posting on
behalf of my partner (Lianne) who has been diagnosed with Ulcerative Collitus
(UC) in the colon, this does not seem to be aggressive but there may be other
things going on that we have not dicovered yet!
> > I will apologise in advance if this seems a little long winded but felt i
needed to share alot of the detail in order to shed some light for others that
may be suffering similiar fates!
> >
> > History
> > Most forms of medication tried over the years have made Lianne feel very
unwell as if the body is unable to process the chemicals.
> > This all stated about 10 years ago when she hit forty, starting with
abdominal pains and fatigue that could only be relieved with morphine when bad
(many a trip to A&E), the rest of the time it would be like stomache cramps, the
doctors diagnosed various things including peptic ulcers but after many a camera
there was no conclusive evidence, after consulting various specialists privately
she was diagnosed with endometriosis, although not excessive we were informed
that the amount visible had no reflection on the pain this can cause, this let
to a partial historectomy. The pain continued and seemed to be cyclic this then
led to the ovaries being removed as the cause (although healthy!). The pain
continued but then the fatigue started to become worse, more colonascopies and a
diagnosis of UC, various medications, Predfoam, Asacol etc although this
controlled the symptoms (mucus and blood in the stool)the side effects of the
medication were continual nausia, feeling sick and now chronic fatigue (although
the doctors will not identify this now as it cannot be quantified therefore no
measurement no diagnosis) after returning to the doctors too many times with the
same symptoms, you tell them its getting you down when you have to drag yourself
through each day, managing the pain, so they label you depressed!!!!
> >
> > All conventional medication has failed to return any quality of life (and i
know there are alot worse off than Lianne), the doctors have drawn a blank and
have no other suggestions other than trying alternative chemicals( just another
mix of the same stuff) and going on antidepressants (not an option). After
reading some of the long term affects of the reccomended medication it led us to
the Helminthic Therapy and the Hygiene Hypothisis, after much research we have
decided to give it a try. We have spoken to both our private and local GPs and
they have no objections and will monitor the progress. Lianne has recently had
blood tests and a colonoscopy to benchmark before starting the therapy, we have
contacted a provider of the therapy (i was told we cannot mention the provider?)
and they have been very open and helpful, everything is now in place and we are
awaiting the final reccomendation form them regarding the best course.
> > Hope to have the course available to start early next week! fingers crossed
as its not cheap! rather be broke and have tried and failed than not tried at
all!
> >
> > Simon
> >
> Update 9/5/12
> Been to see doctor who performed colonoscopy today and he says the UC is
localised and a mild proctitus, having said that after abstaining from
medication the blood and mucus are both now apparent! We had frustrating
discussion regarding the chronic fatigue and its links with  the UC, the doctor
does not seem to think that the mild UC could be the cause of the chronic
fatigue and having run all the other tests for causes of fatigue we seem to have
hit a dead end again. So now i suppose that the worm therapy may put the UC into
remission (as does the medication only with bad side effects)but there are other
undefined issues that we are also seeking to resolve. After reading some of the
positive posts on a whole rande of disorders i cannot ignore this treatment and
now its the only option open to us.
>
> John, thanks for the reply, i must comment on the degree of what we are
calling chronic fatigue and perhaps others who have their own relative
definition, Lianne is currently struggling to hold 6hrs a day at work, when she
gets home sometimes she can be shaking she is so exhausted (not to be confused
with tired although the two do sometimes roll into one). The thing i find
strange from an outsider is that it makes no relative difference to the
exhaustion if she rests for a full week or works for a full week, the doctor
tried to explain that this is a psychological condition as apposed to a physical
state hence the inability to measure it, he also suggested that the condition is
quite paradoxical in that the more you rest the more you will feel like you need
the rest.
>
> Will pass on information to provider now and see what is reccomended by them!
>

Update 19/5/12
Had more consultations with our provider to ensure best therapy option is being
taken, this has mainly been done on Skype, nice to see a human on the other end!
Liannes case seems to be a bit out of the mainstream being delt with as her UC
symptoms are only very mild but there are other 'unexlained' problems that we
have no idea how to tackle, as there is no down side to the therapy we consider
it another bridge to cross and we may just get lucky as the exhaustion is
gradually getting worse and the impact is escalating.
This therapy is not cheap but then what price do you put on quality of life?
We are hoping to take delivery and start next week, Our provider has suggested
that because Lianne is quite small 5'1" 7.5st then to help alleviate symptoms on
day 13 they advise taking a course of prednisolone.

If the body is not good at handling chemicals then sunshine can help.

>the more you rest the more you will feel like you need the rest.

When I'm inexplicably tired I do exercise and it almost always works.

Simon : My wife suffered from allergies , food intolerances and chemical
sensitivity for about 13 years and, the same than you, we tried many therapies .
22 months  ago, she started helminthic therapy and this is by far the best
remedy we have found. My advice would be : keep a diary, watch closely the
changes produced by the treatment  and try to understand as much as possible
about the therapy and its effects . We are all different and, even if your
provider has access to the experiences of all his "patients", you want  to
understand how the therapy affect your particular case . Of course, it is good
to know that the provider is there to help you when in doubt. In our case , it
worked and I hope it will work for you too.

--- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "simon5030a" <simon5030@...> wrote:
>
>
> --- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "simon5030a" <simon5030@> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "simon5030a" <simon5030@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi
> > > First post of what i hope to be many over the coming year, I am posting on
behalf of my partner (Lianne) who has been diagnosed with Ulcerative Collitus
(UC) in the colon, this does not seem to be aggressive but there may be other
things going on that we have not dicovered yet!
> > > I will apologise in advance if this seems a little long winded but felt i
needed to share alot of the detail in order to shed some light for others that
may be suffering similiar fates!
> > >
> > > History
> > > Most forms of medication tried over the years have made Lianne feel very
unwell as if the body is unable to process the chemicals.
> > > This all stated about 10 years ago when she hit forty, starting with
abdominal pains and fatigue that could only be relieved with morphine when bad
(many a trip to A&E), the rest of the time it would be like stomache cramps, the
doctors diagnosed various things including peptic ulcers but after many a camera
there was no conclusive evidence, after consulting various specialists privately
she was diagnosed with endometriosis, although not excessive we were informed
that the amount visible had no reflection on the pain this can cause, this let
to a partial historectomy. The pain continued and seemed to be cyclic this then
led to the ovaries being removed as the cause (although healthy!). The pain
continued but then the fatigue started to become worse, more colonascopies and a
diagnosis of UC, various medications, Predfoam, Asacol etc although this
controlled the symptoms (mucus and blood in the stool)the side effects of the
medication were continual nausia, feeling sick and now chronic fatigue (although
the doctors will not identify this now as it cannot be quantified therefore no
measurement no diagnosis) after returning to the doctors too many times with the
same symptoms, you tell them its getting you down when you have to drag yourself
through each day, managing the pain, so they label you depressed!!!!
> > >
> > > All conventional medication has failed to return any quality of life (and
i know there are alot worse off than Lianne), the doctors have drawn a blank and
have no other suggestions other than trying alternative chemicals( just another
mix of the same stuff) and going on antidepressants (not an option). After
reading some of the long term affects of the reccomended medication it led us to
the Helminthic Therapy and the Hygiene Hypothisis, after much research we have
decided to give it a try. We have spoken to both our private and local GPs and
they have no objections and will monitor the progress. Lianne has recently had
blood tests and a colonoscopy to benchmark before starting the therapy, we have
contacted a provider of the therapy (i was told we cannot mention the provider?)
and they have been very open and helpful, everything is now in place and we are
awaiting the final reccomendation form them regarding the best course.
> > > Hope to have the course available to start early next week! fingers
crossed as its not cheap! rather be broke and have tried and failed than not
tried at all!
> > >
> > > Simon
> > >
> > Update 9/5/12
> > Been to see doctor who performed colonoscopy today and he says the UC is
localised and a mild proctitus, having said that after abstaining from
medication the blood and mucus are both now apparent! We had frustrating
discussion regarding the chronic fatigue and its links with  the UC, the doctor
does not seem to think that the mild UC could be the cause of the chronic
fatigue and having run all the other tests for causes of fatigue we seem to have
hit a dead end again. So now i suppose that the worm therapy may put the UC into
remission (as does the medication only with bad side effects)but there are other
undefined issues that we are also seeking to resolve. After reading some of the
positive posts on a whole rande of disorders i cannot ignore this treatment and
now its the only option open to us.
> >
> > John, thanks for the reply, i must comment on the degree of what we are
calling chronic fatigue and perhaps others who have their own relative
definition, Lianne is currently struggling to hold 6hrs a day at work, when she
gets home sometimes she can be shaking she is so exhausted (not to be confused
with tired although the two do sometimes roll into one). The thing i find
strange from an outsider is that it makes no relative difference to the
exhaustion if she rests for a full week or works for a full week, the doctor
tried to explain that this is a psychological condition as apposed to a physical
state hence the inability to measure it, he also suggested that the condition is
quite paradoxical in that the more you rest the more you will feel like you need
the rest.
> >
> > Will pass on information to provider now and see what is reccomended by
them!
> >
>
> Update 19/5/12
> Had more consultations with our provider to ensure best therapy option is
being taken, this has mainly been done on Skype, nice to see a human on the
other end! Liannes case seems to be a bit out of the mainstream being delt with
as her UC symptoms are only very mild but there are other 'unexlained' problems
that we have no idea how to tackle, as there is no down side to the therapy we
consider it another bridge to cross and we may just get lucky as the exhaustion
is gradually getting worse and the impact is escalating.
> This therapy is not cheap but then what price do you put on quality of life?
> We are hoping to take delivery and start next week, Our provider has suggested
that because Lianne is quite small 5'1" 7.5st then to help alleviate symptoms on
day 13 they advise taking a course of prednisolone.
>

Totally agree but when you live in the UK you dont see much of it!!!!

--- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "rks987" <robert.kenneth.smart@...>
wrote:
>
> If the body is not good at handling chemicals then sunshine can help.
>
> >the more you rest the more you will feel like you need the rest.
>
> When I'm inexplicably tired I do exercise and it almost always works.
>

--- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "simon5030a" <simon5030@...> wrote:
>
>
> --- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "simon5030a" <simon5030@> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "simon5030a" <simon5030@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi
> > > First post of what i hope to be many over the coming year, I am posting on
behalf of my partner (Lianne) who has been diagnosed with Ulcerative Collitus
(UC) in the colon, this does not seem to be aggressive but there may be other
things going on that we have not dicovered yet!
> > > I will apologise in advance if this seems a little long winded but felt i
needed to share alot of the detail in order to shed some light for others that
may be suffering similiar fates!
> > >
> > > History
> > > Most forms of medication tried over the years have made Lianne feel very
unwell as if the body is unable to process the chemicals.
> > > This all stated about 10 years ago when she hit forty, starting with
abdominal pains and fatigue that could only be relieved with morphine when bad
(many a trip to A&E), the rest of the time it would be like stomache cramps, the
doctors diagnosed various things including peptic ulcers but after many a camera
there was no conclusive evidence, after consulting various specialists privately
she was diagnosed with endometriosis, although not excessive we were informed
that the amount visible had no reflection on the pain this can cause, this let
to a partial historectomy. The pain continued and seemed to be cyclic this then
led to the ovaries being removed as the cause (although healthy!). The pain
continued but then the fatigue started to become worse, more colonascopies and a
diagnosis of UC, various medications, Predfoam, Asacol etc although this
controlled the symptoms (mucus and blood in the stool)the side effects of the
medication were continual nausia, feeling sick and now chronic fatigue (although
the doctors will not identify this now as it cannot be quantified therefore no
measurement no diagnosis) after returning to the doctors too many times with the
same symptoms, you tell them its getting you down when you have to drag yourself
through each day, managing the pain, so they label you depressed!!!!
> > >
> > > All conventional medication has failed to return any quality of life (and
i know there are alot worse off than Lianne), the doctors have drawn a blank and
have no other suggestions other than trying alternative chemicals( just another
mix of the same stuff) and going on antidepressants (not an option). After
reading some of the long term affects of the reccomended medication it led us to
the Helminthic Therapy and the Hygiene Hypothisis, after much research we have
decided to give it a try. We have spoken to both our private and local GPs and
they have no objections and will monitor the progress. Lianne has recently had
blood tests and a colonoscopy to benchmark before starting the therapy, we have
contacted a provider of the therapy (i was told we cannot mention the provider?)
and they have been very open and helpful, everything is now in place and we are
awaiting the final reccomendation form them regarding the best course.
> > > Hope to have the course available to start early next week! fingers
crossed as its not cheap! rather be broke and have tried and failed than not
tried at all!
> > >
> > > Simon
> > >
> > Update 9/5/12
> > Been to see doctor who performed colonoscopy today and he says the UC is
localised and a mild proctitus, having said that after abstaining from
medication the blood and mucus are both now apparent! We had frustrating
discussion regarding the chronic fatigue and its links with  the UC, the doctor
does not seem to think that the mild UC could be the cause of the chronic
fatigue and having run all the other tests for causes of fatigue we seem to have
hit a dead end again. So now i suppose that the worm therapy may put the UC into
remission (as does the medication only with bad side effects)but there are other
undefined issues that we are also seeking to resolve. After reading some of the
positive posts on a whole rande of disorders i cannot ignore this treatment and
now its the only option open to us.
> >
> > John, thanks for the reply, i must comment on the degree of what we are
calling chronic fatigue and perhaps others who have their own relative
definition, Lianne is currently struggling to hold 6hrs a day at work, when she
gets home sometimes she can be shaking she is so exhausted (not to be confused
with tired although the two do sometimes roll into one). The thing i find
strange from an outsider is that it makes no relative difference to the
exhaustion if she rests for a full week or works for a full week, the doctor
tried to explain that this is a psychological condition as apposed to a physical
state hence the inability to measure it, he also suggested that the condition is
quite paradoxical in that the more you rest the more you will feel like you need
the rest.
> >
> > Will pass on information to provider now and see what is reccomended by
them!
> >
>
> Update 19/5/12
> Had more consultations with our provider to ensure best therapy option is
being taken, this has mainly been done on Skype, nice to see a human on the
other end! Liannes case seems to be a bit out of the mainstream being delt with
as her UC symptoms are only very mild but there are other 'unexlained' problems
that we have no idea how to tackle, as there is no down side to the therapy we
consider it another bridge to cross and we may just get lucky as the exhaustion
is gradually getting worse and the impact is escalating.
> This therapy is not cheap but then what price do you put on quality of life?
> We are hoping to take delivery and start next week, Our provider has suggested
that because Lianne is quite small 5'1" 7.5st then to help alleviate symptoms on
day 13 they advise taking a course of prednisolone.
>
Update 26/5/12 Day 1
All doses arrived, please note any details are specifically for Liannes
codition, doses of Whipworm 100,150,250,500,500 to be taken 6-8 weeks apart.
First dose take 6pm today, before taking the dose Lianne was very bloated and
felt unwell, dont think we are going to see any significant changes over the
next few days but have been told day 13 is supposed to be the one to watch for!

Will only update if there are any changes in condition

Thanks Marc and Jori for your posts.  It was most appreciated!

I have decided not to start Heliminthic therapy (HT) at this time because there
is not enough info for me to make a safe decision.  After talking with my
neurologist he indicated there is not enough data that supports taking both
Tysabri and HT.  In a nutshell Tysabri is a very powerful immuno-modulator which
basically means it alters your immune system so that your immune system stops
attacking your body's own tissue.  It does this by preventing parts of the
immune system from getting past the blood brain barrier (BBB) and entering the
central nervous system (CNS) before they can cause an inflammatory cascade and
subsequent damage.  Tysabri is also a potentially very dangerous medicine and
the risk of developing a deadly side effect goes up over time the longer you are
on this medication.  The company that makes Tysabri - BioGen - tried to combine
Tysabri with another of their products called Avonex which is their brand of
'interferon beta-1a' - one of the first real drugs to enter the market to slow
down the progression of MS.  Avonex works by suppressing the cascade mentioned
earlier within the CNS.  So basically BioGen thought there would be a synergy
between the two drugs if patients were to take both - the Tysabri works by
preventing the invaders from getting past the BBB gate, and Avonex it was hoped
would finish the few invaders which made it past that first line of defense. 
Unfortunately, combining the two drugs resulted in an increased risk of that
fatal side effect I mentioned earlier and the study was promptly stopped.  So
you can see I am more than a little hesitant on starting HT wile I'm still on
Tysabri.  I've only been on Tysabri for 1.5 years and as I mentioned earlier the
risk of that deadly that deadly side effect starts to go up after the 2 year
mark.  As well, they have developed a blood test to see if you are predisposed
to possibly developing this side effect.  I am putting the HT idea on the shelf
for now and will re-evaluate my options in the future when I get the results of
that blood test and after I hit the Tysabri 2 year mark.

For anyone who has read this post and has started HT while on Tysabri or has
started HT after discontinuing Tysabri, I would very much like to hear your
story.

Regards,
Bruno
Toronto, Canada



--- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "marc_dellerba" <marc@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Bruno, Jori
>
> The advice from Biogen is exactly what you expect, there is huge concern when
using tysabri due to the possible side effects, particularly PML. It is known
that people on Tysabri are at increased risk of PML if they are also taking
other immuno-suppresives at the same time. The company has given plenty of
warning in an attempt to minimise their exposure.
>
> I think he question of if you are increased risk of PML with tysabri and
helminths arises because of the poor understanding of the action of helminths.
If you believe that helminths are immuno-suppresive, then in the absence of any
direct evidence you could argue an increased risk of PML. If you view the action
of helminth as more complex than simply immuno-suppresive then you can argue the
two are compatible.
>
> Personally I believe that helminths both suppress and activate certain
pathways in immune response, and if I were faced with this situation I would not
hesitate to start helminths with the aim of getting off tysabri as quickly as
possible. My personal view is tysabri is one of the most dangerous drugs
available and I would not want to stay on it a minute longer than I had to.
>
> Hope this helps.
> Marc
>
>
> --- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "brm.tron" <brm.tron@> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Hi Bruno,
> >
> > I'm also an MS patient, and I'm currently using helminthic therapy. Because
I wanted to know if I could use Tysabri as well, I asked my neuro about this and
she then contacted Biogen to get their opinion about the combination.
> >
> > Biogen answered that they did not have any data about combining the two, but
they think that the worms can suppress the immune response somewhat, and they
fear that combining them with Tysabri would imply a higher risk for infections,
and more specifically for PML. Biogen's advice was therefore not to combine the
two.
> >
> > But if I'm not mistaken there are some people who are doing the combination.
> >
> > All the best,
> > Jori
> >
> > --- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "Bruno" <brunocosentino@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Greetings,
> > >
> > > I am seriously considering using Helminthic therapy to treat my relapsing
remitting multiple sclerosis.  I currently use a powerful immuno-modulatory drug
called Tysabri.  I am by no means considering to stop using this drug at this
time however I would like to know if anyone else is both taking Tysabri and
using Helminthic therapy.  Was there any advice given from a qualified physician
on possible side effects for the two therapies?
> > >
> > > Thank you very much in advance for your replies.
> > >
> > > Kind regards,
> > > Bruno
> > > Toronto, Canada
> > >
> >
>

I started Tysabri May 2011. I am worse off today than I was then. I plan to
discontinue the T to begin HT, hopefully by the end of summer. The neurologist
who prescribed the T refuses to let me come off it, because he claims anything
other than T will be a step back. The reason I am waiting until the end of
summer is I need to figure out how to discontinue this powerful drug without
experiencing the rebound effect.

By now, all neurologists should acknowledge MS is a very individual disease.
What works for one may not work for another. I've been on Rebif, Copaxone, and
now T. I will most likely combine HT with Copaxone until I begin to see results,
at which time I will wean myself off the C.

Will this work? Who knows. Am I scared? Absolutely. But I'm of the mind nothing
else has worked yet, so why not try it.

Onward and upward, my friend. Godspeed.



--- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "Bruno" <brunocosentino@...> wrote:
>
> Thanks Marc and Jori for your posts.  It was most appreciated!
>
> I have decided not to start Heliminthic therapy (HT) at this time because
there is not enough info for me to make a safe decision.  After talking with my
neurologist he indicated there is not enough data that supports taking both
Tysabri and HT.  In a nutshell Tysabri is a very powerful immuno-modulator which
basically means it alters your immune system so that your immune system stops
attacking your body's own tissue.  It does this by preventing parts of the
immune system from getting past the blood brain barrier (BBB) and entering the
central nervous system (CNS) before they can cause an inflammatory cascade and
subsequent damage.  Tysabri is also a potentially very dangerous medicine and
the risk of developing a deadly side effect goes up over time the longer you are
on this medication.  The company that makes Tysabri - BioGen - tried to combine
Tysabri with another of their products called Avonex which is their brand of
'interferon beta-1a' - one of the first real drugs to enter the market to slow
down the progression of MS.  Avonex works by suppressing the cascade mentioned
earlier within the CNS.  So basically BioGen thought there would be a synergy
between the two drugs if patients were to take both - the Tysabri works by
preventing the invaders from getting past the BBB gate, and Avonex it was hoped
would finish the few invaders which made it past that first line of defense. 
Unfortunately, combining the two drugs resulted in an increased risk of that
fatal side effect I mentioned earlier and the study was promptly stopped.  So
you can see I am more than a little hesitant on starting HT wile I'm still on
Tysabri.  I've only been on Tysabri for 1.5 years and as I mentioned earlier the
risk of that deadly that deadly side effect starts to go up after the 2 year
mark.  As well, they have developed a blood test to see if you are predisposed
to possibly developing this side effect.  I am putting the HT idea on the shelf
for now and will re-evaluate my options in the future when I get the results of
that blood test and after I hit the Tysabri 2 year mark.
>
> For anyone who has read this post and has started HT while on Tysabri or has
started HT after discontinuing Tysabri, I would very much like to hear your
story.
>
> Regards,
> Bruno
> Toronto, Canada
>
>
>
> --- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "marc_dellerba" <marc@> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Bruno, Jori
> >
> > The advice from Biogen is exactly what you expect, there is huge concern
when using tysabri due to the possible side effects, particularly PML. It is
known that people on Tysabri are at increased risk of PML if they are also
taking other immuno-suppresives at the same time. The company has given plenty
of warning in an attempt to minimise their exposure.
> >
> > I think he question of if you are increased risk of PML with tysabri and
helminths arises because of the poor understanding of the action of helminths.
If you believe that helminths are immuno-suppresive, then in the absence of any
direct evidence you could argue an increased risk of PML. If you view the action
of helminth as more complex than simply immuno-suppresive then you can argue the
two are compatible.
> >
> > Personally I believe that helminths both suppress and activate certain
pathways in immune response, and if I were faced with this situation I would not
hesitate to start helminths with the aim of getting off tysabri as quickly as
possible. My personal view is tysabri is one of the most dangerous drugs
available and I would not want to stay on it a minute longer than I had to.
> >
> > Hope this helps.
> > Marc
> >
> >
> > --- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "brm.tron" <brm.tron@> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi Bruno,
> > >
> > > I'm also an MS patient, and I'm currently using helminthic therapy.
Because I wanted to know if I could use Tysabri as well, I asked my neuro about
this and she then contacted Biogen to get their opinion about the combination.
> > >
> > > Biogen answered that they did not have any data about combining the two,
but they think that the worms can suppress the immune response somewhat, and
they fear that combining them with Tysabri would imply a higher risk for
infections, and more specifically for PML. Biogen's advice was therefore not to
combine the two.
> > >
> > > But if I'm not mistaken there are some people who are doing the
combination.
> > >
> > > All the best,
> > > Jori
> > >
> > > --- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "Bruno" <brunocosentino@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Greetings,
> > > >
> > > > I am seriously considering using Helminthic therapy to treat my
relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.  I currently use a powerful
immuno-modulatory drug called Tysabri.  I am by no means considering to stop
using this drug at this time however I would like to know if anyone else is both
taking Tysabri and using Helminthic therapy.  Was there any advice given from a
qualified physician on possible side effects for the two therapies?
> > > >
> > > > Thank you very much in advance for your replies.
> > > >
> > > > Kind regards,
> > > > Bruno
> > > > Toronto, Canada
> > > >
> > >
> >
>

Babies and immunity to colds:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_125543.html

Autoimmune response may precipitate adverse drug reactions:
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm305067

There are lots of conficting thoughts around diets for autoimmune diseases.



I would be curious to hear from those who have tried, or are trying, a

paleo-style or other diet, as follows:

1. What diet have you followed?
This is probably pretty close to the Swank diet for MS.  I started a fitness
bootcamp and was given a diet with zero refined carbs, zero additives, even no
caffeine, no alcohol, and very little dairy. (I routinely drank a large
Starbucks with lots of milk and sugar.  It was difficult at first since I was
such a carb addict.)  5 small meals a day, lots of nuts and avacados and fish. 
Lots of the good fats, low saturated fats.  My family didn't like how bland the
diet was, the lean cuts of pork almost bounced!  I have discovered cooking the
pork in salsa to keep it moist.  My initial sugar cravings went away, when I ate
a cinnamon gummy (my favorite) it tasted awful!  I shop at Trader Joes, this is
just a good diet and not that expensive, it involves lean meat, fruit, nuts,
vegetables, some Greek yogurt.  My body fat went from 32% to 26% in 4 weeks, my
weight did not change!!!

2. How long did you (have you) maintained it?
3 weeks, will continue with a modified version of it.  I need caffeine (plus
coffee/tea has antioxidants).  Soft drink additives irritated my MS bladder
issues.  I found out that I was dairy intolerant....when I cheated and got my
Starbucks, all my congestion/ear issues came back.  I will sub almond milk for
milk.  I will incorporate more fish.  I saw an article by Dr Oz which was a bit
similar, he said to eat what you like; if you are deprived you will blow the
diet.  Based on my elimination of sugar and my carb cravings going away, I may
continue to avoid refined sugar.

3.  What medical condition did you try it for?
Weight loss originally, but my allergies/congestion really cleared up, an
unexpected benefit.  After the first few days of grumpiness, I did pretty well. 
Like I said, it is probably similar to the Swank diet which I would find really
hard to follow.  I had some days of pretty good energy, so the diet seemed to
help MS fatigue.  Eating 3 meals and 2 snacks also helped.



4.  Did it have any positive impact on your condition, and if so, please
describe.
Allergies cleared up - less hoarseness, congestion, sinus issues, ear issues. 
Bladder was not so irritated from Aspartame in soda.  Decent energy, probably
would be good for my MS and general health.


Rachel

--- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "donnabeales" <dbeales@...> wrote:
>
> There are lots of conficting thoughts around diets for autoimmune diseases.
>
> I would be curious to hear from those who have tried, or are trying, a
paleo-style or other diet, as follows:
>
> 1. What diet have you followed?
>
> 2. How long did you (have you) maintained it?
>
> 3.  What medical condition did you try it for?
>
> 4.  Did it have any positive impact on your condition, and if so, please
describe.
>
> I am happy to summarize for the list.
>
> TY!
>

Thanks for all the info on acne.  I will probably act as the 'lab rat' with HT
for my MS and asthma/allergies.  My son has Aspergers, but also pretty bad acne
which we see the derm for tomorrow.

Rachel

--- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "James" <jimlock32@...> wrote:
>
> Backing up the idea of going primal, Dr. Loren Cordain has written the book,
"The Dietary Cure for Acne"
> http://thepaleodiet.com/dietary-cure-for-acne-book
> http://thepaleodiet.com/published-research
>
> BTW since starting a Paleolithic diet about four months ago I now weigh what I
did my senior year in high school and my blood pressure is 109/67.
>
> But best of all my migraine headaches are in almost total remission.
> Before hookworms and whipworms I had had a 7.0/10, 12 hour, migraine once a
week for many years.  After getting them I was having a 4.5/10, 12 hour,
migraine about every month. After going on the paleo diet I'm now having a
3.0/10, 12 hour, migraine every 2 months. That's in total about a 95%
improvement.
>
>
> --- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "john_scott107" <j.scott.164@>
wrote:
> >
> > Hi Hans
> > Here are some reports of success with acne:
> > "My acne has cleared
> > up."http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/helminthictherapy/message/1873
> > <http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/helminthictherapy/message/1873>
> > And it was still much less frequent over 2 years
> > later.http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/helminthictherapy/message/674\
> > 9 <http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/helminthictherapy/message/6749>
> > "I've had no negative side effects and strangely my long-term
> > moderate acne (over 20 years) has cleared up almost entirely in the past
> > two
> > weeks."http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/helminthictherapy/messag\
> > e/4901
> > <http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/helminthictherapy/message/4901>
> > "I can report that prior to my using hookworm I experienced, into my
> > forties, red zit-like bumps on my back, without heads, that would
> > persist for weeks, and made removing my shirt in public something I
> > dreaded. These disappeared along with my allergies and asthma post
> > hookworm."http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/helminthictherapy/mes\
> > sage/8383
> > <http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/helminthictherapy/message/8383>
> > Also, going primal and cutting out dairy may help your acne:
> > http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/helminthictherapy/message/2433
> > <http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/helminthictherapy/message/2433>
> > http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/helminthictherapy/message/8490
> > <http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/helminthictherapy/message/8490>
> > http://www.drbriffa.com/2012/03/20/got-acne-go-primal/
> > <http://www.drbriffa.com/2012/03/20/got-acne-go-primal/>
> > Best - John
> > --- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "hans73sl" <ztuned1@>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi Everybody,
> > >
> > > I'd be very interested in knowing if there are any people here who's
> > acne problems have improved after starting Helminthic Therapy.
> > > I am currently contemplating about using this kind of therapy for very
> > persistent acne, which runs in the family as well as allergies and
> > asthma.
> > >
> > > Thanks a lot for your help!
> > >
> >
>

Hi Rachel,

I'd definitely be interested in that article you mentioned. I also have the
MS/asthma combination, but I seriously doubt my neuro would call my MS mild...

Cheers,
Jori

--- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, Rachel Kelley <rlmkelley@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> Hi Jay - (and others with MS)
> I have MS, but fortunately it seems pretty mild.  My issues have been more
cognitive & sensory but no disability since I have no spinal lesions.  I am
considering HT too.  I have recently developed something similar to Raynauds
(another autoimmune disease) but it might actually be caused by my Copaxone or
other medication.  I am thinking of trying HT and eventually going off Copaxone.
I hope the HT will also help my asthma/allergies; I have developed lactose
intolerance and a severe reaction to chicken skin (I'm very allergic to down
feathers).  I want my milk back!  Even using Lactaid doesn't seem to work, I
still get congestion and reflux from the lactose.
> I am curious how others with MS have done with HT?  I will have to look more
at this site.  I have not had an MS flare up since 2005, but I often wonder if
that is really due to the Copaxone or if that is the natural course of my
disease.  I am leaning towards the latter since I am not great about taking my
Copaxone.
> I currently take 7 prescription meds, if I got that down to 3 which I'm hoping
I can do with HT I will be thrilled.  One thing of concern though....it seems
that those with both MS and asthma have a milder course of MS.  One is T2
mediated and the other is T1 mediated and somehow they cancel each other out. 
(I would need to find my article).  I wonder if my asthma/allergies get better
with HT, will my MS get worse?  Or will my MS get better?  I would rather keep
my asthma/allergies if I knew that my MS would get worse.  I wish somebody else
had similar issues so I could find out how HT helped them.
> Rachel
> To: helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com
> From: jay_lynne2002@...
> Date: Tue, 29 May 2012 15:31:55 +0000
> Subject: [helminthictherapy] Re: Tysabri
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>       I started Tysabri May 2011. I am worse off today than I was then. I plan
to discontinue the T to begin HT, hopefully by the end of summer. The
neurologist who prescribed the T refuses to let me come off it, because he
claims anything other than T will be a step back. The reason I am waiting until
the end of summer is I need to figure out how to discontinue this powerful drug
without experiencing the rebound effect.
>
>
>
> By now, all neurologists should acknowledge MS is a very individual disease.
What works for one may not work for another. I've been on Rebif, Copaxone, and
now T. I will most likely combine HT with Copaxone until I begin to see results,
at which time I will wean myself off the C.
>
>
>
> Will this work? Who knows. Am I scared? Absolutely. But I'm of the mind
nothing else has worked yet, so why not try it.
>
>
>
> Onward and upward, my friend. Godspeed.
>
>
>
> --- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "Bruno" <brunocosentino@> wrote:
>
> >
>
> > Thanks Marc and Jori for your posts.  It was most appreciated!
>
> >
>
> > I have decided not to start Heliminthic therapy (HT) at this time because
there is not enough info for me to make a safe decision.  After talking with my
neurologist he indicated there is not enough data that supports taking both
Tysabri and HT.  In a nutshell Tysabri is a very powerful immuno-modulator which
basically means it alters your immune system so that your immune system stops
attacking your body's own tissue.  It does this by preventing parts of the
immune system from getting past the blood brain barrier (BBB) and entering the
central nervous system (CNS) before they can cause an inflammatory cascade and
subsequent damage.  Tysabri is also a potentially very dangerous medicine and
the risk of developing a deadly side effect goes up over time the longer you are
on this medication.  The company that makes Tysabri - BioGen - tried to combine
Tysabri with another of their products called Avonex which is their brand of
'interferon beta-1a' - one of the first real drugs to enter the market to slow
down the progression of MS.  Avonex works by suppressing the cascade mentioned
earlier within the CNS.  So basically BioGen thought there would be a synergy
between the two drugs if patients were to take both - the Tysabri works by
preventing the invaders from getting past the BBB gate, and Avonex it was hoped
would finish the few invaders which made it past that first line of defense. 
Unfortunately, combining the two drugs resulted in an increased risk of that
fatal side effect I mentioned earlier and the study was promptly stopped.  So
you can see I am more than a little hesitant on starting HT wile I'm still on
Tysabri.  I've only been on Tysabri for 1.5 years and as I mentioned earlier the
risk of that deadly that deadly side effect starts to go up after the 2 year
mark.  As well, they have developed a blood test to see if you are predisposed
to possibly developing this side effect.  I am putting the HT idea on the shelf
for now and will re-evaluate my options in the future when I get the results of
that blood test and after I hit the Tysabri 2 year mark.
>
> >
>
> > For anyone who has read this post and has started HT while on Tysabri or has
started HT after discontinuing Tysabri, I would very much like to hear your
story.
>
> >
>
> > Regards,
>
> > Bruno
>
> > Toronto, Canada
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > --- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "marc_dellerba" <marc@> wrote:
>
> > >
>
> > > Hi Bruno, Jori
>
> > >
>
> > > The advice from Biogen is exactly what you expect, there is huge concern
when using tysabri due to the possible side effects, particularly PML. It is
known that people on Tysabri are at increased risk of PML if they are also
taking other immuno-suppresives at the same time. The company has given plenty
of warning in an attempt to minimise their exposure.
>
> > >
>
> > > I think he question of if you are increased risk of PML with tysabri and
helminths arises because of the poor understanding of the action of helminths.
If you believe that helminths are immuno-suppresive, then in the absence of any
direct evidence you could argue an increased risk of PML. If you view the action
of helminth as more complex than simply immuno-suppresive then you can argue the
two are compatible.
>
> > >
>
> > > Personally I believe that helminths both suppress and activate certain
pathways in immune response, and if I were faced with this situation I would not
hesitate to start helminths with the aim of getting off tysabri as quickly as
possible. My personal view is tysabri is one of the most dangerous drugs
available and I would not want to stay on it a minute longer than I had to.
>
> > >
>
> > > Hope this helps.
>
> > > Marc
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> > > --- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "brm.tron" <brm.tron@> wrote:
>
> > > >
>
> > > >
>
> > > >
>
> > > >
>
> > > > Hi Bruno,
>
> > > >
>
> > > > I'm also an MS patient, and I'm currently using helminthic therapy.
Because I wanted to know if I could use Tysabri as well, I asked my neuro about
this and she then contacted Biogen to get their opinion about the combination.
>
> > > >
>
> > > > Biogen answered that they did not have any data about combining the two,
but they think that the worms can suppress the immune response somewhat, and
they fear that combining them with Tysabri would imply a higher risk for
infections, and more specifically for PML. Biogen's advice was therefore not to
combine the two.
>
> > > >
>
> > > > But if I'm not mistaken there are some people who are doing the
combination.
>
> > > >
>
> > > > All the best,
>
> > > > Jori
>
> > > >
>
> > > > --- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "Bruno" <brunocosentino@>
wrote:
>
> > > > >
>
> > > > > Greetings,
>
> > > > >
>
> > > > > I am seriously considering using Helminthic therapy to treat my
relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.  I currently use a powerful
immuno-modulatory drug called Tysabri.  I am by no means considering to stop
using this drug at this time however I would like to know if anyone else is both
taking Tysabri and using Helminthic therapy.  Was there any advice given from a
qualified physician on possible side effects for the two therapies?
>
> > > > >
>
> > > > > Thank you very much in advance for your replies.
>
> > > > >
>
> > > > > Kind regards,
>
> > > > > Bruno
>
> > > > > Toronto, Canada
>
> > > > >
>
> > > >
>
> > >
>
> >
>

From another perspective, I consider my experience of HT as one of the most
intrepid activities I have ever undertaken. :)

I'm grateful to all who made it possible.



--- In helminthictherapy@yahoogroups.com, "john_scott107" <j.scott.164@...>
wrote:
>
> Just what we need - another film to spook everyone about parasites!
> Apparently, we helminthophiles are "brave pioneers"! What's brave about
> drinking a small amount of clear liquid or sticking a moist dressing on
> one's arm? I experience far greater trepidation at the thought of taking
> a pharmaceutical drug, especially an antibiotic!
> http://www.livescience.com/20624-5-alien-parasites-real-inspiration.html
> <http://www.livescience.com/20624-5-alien-parasites-real-inspiration.htm\
> l>
>

two months ago i visited Greece and visited a number of restaurants, of course I
see the dirtiness there, but i should eat somewhere. Sometimes I felt the sand
on my teeth when was chewing salad leaves and later on after sometime I had an
intoxication, doctor told me that its food-poisoning, but was not - was some
helminths! The symptoms was the same with food-poisoning, but the condition of
me didnt get better for long, I took some VERMOX recommended by doctor, it
helped, but not for long-seems they multiple back. Since then I can not eat
normally food, I feel aversion to food and I m loosing fast weight ( before I
could dreams about it, not now). From time to time every 2-3 weeks)coming to me 
aggravation - I feel very-very seek - can't eat anything and I run emergency -
they check all my organs - say-you are perfect! I cant insist they to check my
analyses for helminths, 'cause they never believe in it, so I need a help -
where can I go to give sample analises by myself?