Week 1 of Using Helminthic Therapy for Crohn’s Disease
This is my complete body assessment as of July 2023.
I am starting a new alternative therapy, helminthic therapy, so I thought I would summarize all of the symptoms that I currently have, or have experienced in the last 6 months.
IBD has affected my entire body, not just my gastrointestinal tract. I am cautiously excited about this therapy and interested to see what affects it will have on my body.
I started my assessment from my feet and worked up:
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Feet – very dry, peeling and painful |
Had my whole life, gets worse in heat |
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Ankles – reactive arthritis, in ankles and tops of feet. So painful at worst that I cannot walk, limits my ability to move |
Experience with IBD flares, had very severe flare arthritis flare 5 months ago, lasted around 4 weeks |
| Left shin – hard bump | Been there for 6 weeks |
| Legs- fatigued, tired, weak, feel heavy to lift and walk | For years, and getting worse |
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Ovaries – 2 small bumps one on either side, left side bigger, no pain feels like swollen glands |
Present for around 4 months |
| Lower back – pain, sometimes debilitating, especially on right side | On and off, worse with worsening IBD symptoms |
| Stomach – pain, nausea, cramping, swollen | On and off at all times for years, better when I drink meal replacement shakes, worse with food |
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Chest – some tightness, occasional irregular heartbeats, possible anxiety |
More recent, 4 months |
| Arms – very tired, weak, and fatigued | Years |
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Head – brain fog, general confusion |
Years and getting worse |
| Head – mental health; health anxiety, depression, fear, feeling of loss of control | Years and gotten significantly worse since I had my first abscess in 2021 |
| Head – mood; irritable, impatient, unhappy, unkind,overwhelmed |
Constant, always trying to fight it |
| Head – hair loss, at least 50% loss |
Gradual over past 10 years, and worse when on prednisolone |
Overall IBD symptoms in the past 6 months:
- I have just had surgery to have my third abscess removed in 3 years. I am severely underweight, weak, and starving.
- Everything I eat makes me feel sick. I feel like I am at my whits end with this disease, and don’t really know what else to do
- 4-15 bowel movements per day
- Always 100% liquid stools
- Bloody stools at least once a week
- Nausea and gagging every single day, multiple times per day
- Vomiting 1-2x week
- Multiple stomach cramps per day where I have to stop, crouch and bend over and focus on my breath until the pain and nausea pass
- Urgency when having to go, I have about 30 seconds to get to the toilet
- Eating causes pain, nausea and bowel movements
- I often cannot finish a meal
- I do not enjoy eating, my body cannot digest any foods
- I have gotten the majority of my calories from meal replacement shakes
- Reactive arthritis in my ankles that has made it difficult to walk, I wear braces to work
- Back pain, swollen gums, and very dry peely feet
- Mentally my health is really not good. I am happy in my daily life, but terrified of the future. And constantly worrying about what is going to happen. Whether I will get another abscess or fistula. Worrying about how my body is suffering and that I am making the wrong decisions in looking after it. I feel defeated by Crohn’s disease.
- Very skinny at 42 kgs