Day 1

I woke up this morning with the helminth patch still applied (you're supposed to keep it on 12 hours). The tingling/itchy feeling had subsided. When I removed it, there was no notable rash but just 4 small red dots as ATI had indicated. I confirmed with them that this was a good sign, although not definitive, I had been infected as desired.

The rest of the day was interesting. With the arrival of my son and his startling growth gaining 4lbs in his first month, my left elbow had become very sore and stiff from lugging him around. Likely a combination of arthritis (another autoimmune disorder) and strain making it so I could not extend my arm (even when not holding him) fully without a lot of pain and stiffness. It had actually been getting progressively worse.

However, in the afternoon I noticed my arm was not stiff nor exhibited anything but minor soreness when I extended it. I also noticed that my sinuses, while not clear, were not inflamed as had become the norm since weaning off my combo steroid/antibiotic. I actually felt like I do on the first day of a new steroid burst. Coincidence? Psychosomatic? Possibly. However, the folks at ATI describe a "bounce" that some people feel typically between day 3 and 14 lasting a day to a week with a reduction in symptoms (occasionally as soon as day 1). Its not known why but there are a couple of hypotheses with the most plausible being that you just infected yourself with a pathogen and the immune system focuses its response on fighting it just as it should. It reduces its negative autoimmune responses in other areas of your body. Basically, a mini-affect like the whole helminth therapy is supposed to provide.

The worms do not migrate to the intestines and settle into their normal course until around week 3. Thus why people's responses happen immediately and then recede and then take many months to bring the immune system into balance.

Infected!

I'm happily infected (or infecting since I'm within the first hour). I'm hopeful at least that they made their way over safely from the UK. Many thanks to Jasper and Marc at Autoimmune Therapies for the work they do and persevere even in the face of FDA intolerance. Congrats on being recognized in the UK and shipping to the US (made life a lot easier).

An impossibly small package arrived. I didn't expect a freight container but couldn't believe all 35 buggers and accouterments could fit in a padded envelope (and a small one at that). Simple, two vials: one with 35 worm larva and one with a cleansing solution; a dropper; and a sticky pad. Just apply the larva to the pad, cleanse all with the solution so you get it and stick on your arm. Pretty simple.

I'm definitely feeling it even after 10 mins on my arm as they said I might. It felt a bit like an alcohol rub at first (even though there isn't any alcohol) but then warmed up and now there's a modest itch which I'm not scratching. You can use a topical Benedryl type solution if its unbearable. Leave this on for 12 hours (sleep) and take off in the morning and the buggers are hopefully on their adventure through the deep.

I'm marking the calendar for March 14th (100 days) where the first eval is done and there might be positive signs. And then next November for the full evaluation. ATI reports that for my condition, there's either a strong response or none and its about a 50-50 split. We'll see.

Helminth Therapy

I've started on this path of Helminth therapy...ringworm...parasites...to bring my immune system back into order. I'll spare repeating the details here as there's a wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helminthic_therapy) with good coverage. This includes the Hygiene Hypothesis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygiene_hypothesis) which basically says that we, in the modern world have all but eliminated parasitic worms from our world with medicine and cleaning over the past 50 years. While there are obvious benefits, many also see the downside of eliminating organisms that humans lived and evolved with for millennia. This is the stark rise of autoimmune diseases ranging from asthma to autism to crone's disease to acute sinusitis like I have. The immune system was kept in balance with a modest amount of these parasites living within us since the first person walked upright but now, with out them, our immune systems are attacking us.

Historically and today in 3rd world countries, autoimmune diseases were all but unknown. Small, early studies in humans and animals as well as a growing amount of anecdotal first hand experiences have shown amazing results by re-introducing therapeutic amounts of these worms. I hope to see that benefit to help solve my severe nose polyps and inflammation which has deteriorated even after two surgeries and numerous attempts with various medications. Autoimmune diseases run deep in my family with us totaling over 20 just amongst my mother, sisters and I.

The downsides and risks are minimal. Medicines were developed to eliminate them for good reason. In large numbers they do take a meaningful amount of blood on a daily basis possibly causing anemia. This, coupled with other conditions like malnutrition and disease make them life threatening in the 3rd world. However, in small therapeutic doses in conditions which are otherwise safe and healthy, there is almost no risk.

It takes time to see a benefit. Up to 11 months before a full evaluation will be conducted and few people see a benefit before 100 days. They last in your system for 5 years and there's little risk for others being accidentally infected as (put by my sponsor company) "you'd have to preserve your poo in tropical conditions for 10-14 days and then have another person walk around in it". While that sounds like a party, I don't roll that way.

Now off on my adventure.