Re: Please help with my blastocystis hominis!

Hi

I'm sorry you are suffering, it's terrible to suffer and not receive any help at the same time.

I had blastocystosis too, got an "official" diagnosis but I was told it only has mild symptoms so therefore I must have IBS. I know I'd picked it up while traveling though, but I couldn't convince the Docs.

I researched IBS just to be sure, then scoured the net for info on blastocystosis. (This was back before I knew about CZ.)

What I learned, and what I did.

Blastocystosis: about 80% of it IS benign with mild symptoms BUT about 20% of types can be severe, causing dysentery which is a cause of death in at least two African countries. (Can't remember which ones now but could find out by statistics on net.) I was stunned that no Doc in North America seems to know about the severe kind.

I had the loose yellow BM, headache, fatigue and a host of other symptoms including jaundice, which may have been related. I was very sick.

Read everything I could and found out that the staple diet in those African countries in which blastocystosis is linked to fatalities consists of GRAINS, mostly sorghum and millet, and not much else. It seemed to make sense to me that the blastocyst was adapted to and thrived on a constant diet of grain.

So I eliminated ALL FORMS of grain and starchy foods from my diet, at least until I could get rid of the blastocysts.

No wheat, oats, bread, pasta, potatoes, etc. NO foods containing starch...and also NO sugar, which is the breakdown of starch by digestion, (I thought it was likely feeding the blastocysts too); no fruit, no juice, (fructose) very little milk (lactose) I don't drink but no alcohol, as it also breaks down into sugar. I examined any food package labels for sugar.

I ONLY ATE low starch vegetables, meat and quality oils (olive, grapeseed). It was a strict diet modification to follow but I had to try, as I was so very ill.

I drank a lot of water and I took an electrolyte replacement formula aimed at rehydrating babies that I bought from a pharmacy. It helped fight the dysentery.
I avoided electrolyte replacement sports drinks; they're full of sugar.

I took vitamins and got rest, tried to look after myself.

It took a while, I think about 6 weeks if I remember, but I gradually started to have less yellow BM and began to feel better. I knew I'd cleared the blastocyst when my BM went back to normal.

During the course of this I did discover that I felt better not eating grains so I likely was a bit gluten intolerant before I caught the blastocyst. May have made it easier to catch them and/or more difficult to fight them, I'm not sure but I think it's possible.

I also took a good quality full spectrum stomach enzyme, one with each meal, which aided digestion. I still take it.

I believe I quit "feeding" the blastocyst with the diet modification and managed to clear it.

I feel very fortunate I live in place where there is a great choice of food and I was not forced to live on grain only. A lot of people have no choice.

Good luck, I hope this is helpful and you regain your health soon. Tweet