Trying a New Protocol

Hi there,

I posted a follow-up to my triple therapy and my experience since the protocol but it seems to have got lost in many threads down.

Long story short, I took the first line protocol of the triple therapy and didn't see much progress in my symptoms.

I then took a course of rifaximin for SIBO. I felt the best I've ever felt for about 4-5 days but then my symptoms slowly came back. My best guess is that the inflammation in my small intestines caused a bacterial overgrowth and the rifaximin helped calm the overgrowth but didn't kill the underlying cause of the inflammation.

Ended up having an EGD and colonoscopy. Doc took a biopsy that didn't show any signs of parasites, crohn's, etc. EGD did come back w/ acid reflux and I've started Nexium last night -- so far it's been helpful with my sinuses. Results also showed inflammation in the small intestines and the colon. Doc doesn't know why, trying to figure it out... good luck w/ that buddy :)

Having a CT scan done tomorrow to rule out any issues outside of the GI tract and additional blood work for more signs of inflammation, potentially from parasites.

I've already done two stools test (quest and parasitology lab) that both came back negative for everything. I'm going to do a metametrix test next but have decided to do so after I try this protocol. I considered waiting off on the protocol until after I have the test results but given everything I've tried over the three years, I can't imagine a positive result for any protozoa is going to change my results, rather just make me feel more comfortable that I'm not out of my mind.

The only meds that have been effective thus far, for a short period of time, have been metranidazole, tinidazole and rifaximin. This leads me to believe that there is an underlying protozoan infection. As mentioned, typical blasto/d. fraglis (triple therapy) was not effective.

Again, this all started 3 years back in India. I believe I had giardia and didn't do anything about it. If indeed it was giardia, it's possible that I have some type of resistant protozoa (not giardia but a morphed version, possibly entamoeba histolytica) that I believe I was able to kill off the trophozoites of the protozoa using metranidazole/tinidazole but the morphed protozoan would reproduce as there was no luminal agent to succumb them.

With this in mind, I'm planning on doing a Metranidazole + Iodoquinol + Septrin protocol.

Flagyl + Iodoquinol + Septrin for 10 days followed by another 10 days of just the Iodoquinol. I'll be starting the Specific Carbohydrates Diet from "Breaking the Vicious Cycle" this week, approximately a week before starting the protocol. If these protozoa feed off of carbs and sugars, I need to make sure these items are out of my system before, during and thereafter the protocol. I'm also looking at including Actos (Pioglitazone) during the treatment to help boost my immune system as the parasites die off. I plan to follow-up the protocol with VSL#3 and pray to the heavens that I'm feeling much better.

Will keep ya'll updated.

Cheers,
Brian Tweet