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The Case of the Missing Gut Bacteria

M

Meeps

Messages
7
Hi. First let me introduce myself. My name is Leah but I go by Meeps online and sometimes in life. Its the noise Beeker on the Muppets makes. Im 32 and Im currently lying down inside on a ridiculously beautiful spring day in Austin, Tx. I have not been diagnosed with CFS but I do have long term reoccurring fatigue. I also have a long list of long term ailments and some missing gut bacteria.

A few months ago my osteopath, who Ive since stopped seeing due to a variety of reasons, gave me a take home parasitology, or poop, test. I dont remember the name of the test but it seemed legit as it was for 3 days of samples. Ive posted the full results and my questions below.

~Parasitology Test Results~

BENEFICIAL BACTERIA
Lactobacillus species 3+
Escherichia coli NO GROWTH
Bifidobacterium 4+

ADDITIONAL BACTERIA
Gamma haemolytic Streptococcus NP 4+
Haemolytic Escherichia coli NP 4+

Mycology No Growth

PARASITOLOGY EIA TESTS
Cryptosporidium Negative
Giardia lamblia Negative
Entamoeba histolytica/dispar Negative


One thing that really stands out to me is the No Growth on the beneficial e.coli. I looked this particular e.coli up online and read a bit about it in the Gut and Psychology Syndrome. It seems really dang important. Online I found that it is the bacteria that synthesizes folic acid, the amino acids Tyrosine, Phenylalanine and Tryptophan, SCFAs and also Co-Enzyme Q10 for us. It seems like a lot of my symptoms (fatigue, depression, ADD) could be attributed back to this. It also explains why eating incredibly well (Ive been all natural and Paleo/Primal for a year) has helped but not cured me. I can't make my own no matter what I feed myself. I feel much better now that I have started supplementing directly with these supplements. Unfortunately I still have a hard to terrible time processing carbohydrates. I havent had a dessert in 6 months because the gas is sooooo bad. It is like a sewer smell and can be painful. This may not be a related issue.

QUESTIONS
1) How is it possible that I have NONE of the beneficial e.coli?
2) How do I increase my beneficial e.coli? I cant find any probiotics online that sell it in the states (Mutaflor is no longer allowed to be sold in the US cuz the FDA decided to re-classify it as a biologic).
3) Anyone know of any other ways I can introduce and support good e.coli colonizing my gut?
4) What type of doc should I go to to help me with balancing my gut bacteria? My osteopath is the one who got me the test but I really don't want to go back and see him. I saw a Gastro before that who didnt help me even a little bit. Im in Austin if anyone has local recommendations or Id consider traveling if there was hope of getting help.

Thank you for reading my very long entry and for taking the time to respond. It is very much appreciated.

~Meeps :D
 
SickOfSickness

SickOfSickness

Messages
2,568
Location
US
Welcome.

Interesting! So you didn't get any advice from the osteopath?

I agree with the above poster, order online if you can find a source, or somehow find it domestically.
 
anne_likes_red

anne_likes_red

Senior Member
Messages
1,103
Sorry for a brief post (only have a half a minute!) but e coli nissle occurs naturally in raw, pastured cowsmilk. Maybe worth investigation iof you can tolerate milk?

Best,
Anne.
 
R

richvank

Senior Member
Messages
2,732
Hi, Meeps.

Did your stool test look for yeasts, too? They can produce carbon dioxide gas by fermenting sugars (and starches, which break down to glucose). However, carbon dioxide does not smell like a sewer. That sounds more like hydrogen sulfide. It can be produced either by sulfate-reducing bacteria or bacteria that are able to ferment sulfur-containing amino acids, like cysteine.
Not sure if the bugs you have can do this, but the Strep is something that Dr. de Meirleir treats when he sees it, because it produces D-lactate, which can cause problems.

Best regards,

Rich
 
M

Meeps

Messages
7
Sushi said:
I am told that they will ship it to the States from Europe, but then it could get warm if it doesn't arrive quickly.

Sushi
Click to expand...

Who told you? Do I have to call them to place the order? Their site says you can only send the FDA a testimonial. I'm considering asking a friend in Canada to send it to me if I have it delivered to her. It will get pricey but I don't know what else to do. From that point I could try growing my own.
 
M

Meeps

Messages
7
richvank said:
Hi, Meeps.

Did your stool test look for yeasts, too? They can produce carbon dioxide gas by fermenting sugars (and starches, which break down to glucose). However, carbon dioxide does not smell like a sewer. That sounds more like hydrogen sulfide. It can be produced either by sulfate-reducing bacteria or bacteria that are able to ferment sulfur-containing amino acids, like cysteine.
Not sure if the bugs you have can do this, but the Strep is something that Dr. de Meirleir treats when he sees it, because it produces D-lactate, which can cause problems.

Best regards,

Rich
Click to expand...

Yes, I believe so. Mycology is the test for yeast and it showed as a nice zero. No yeast to speak of. I did however start eating low carb anyway because I was having such bad reactions to carbs (even sweet potatos) and started feeling much better. Not only do I have gastro reactions to carbs but I also get a foggy brain sort of thing. Like how people describe being in a K-hole I am suddenly at the end of a tunnel and will invariably have to lie down. I can't eat fruit anymore cuz I'm so sensitive.

I have decided to go back to my osteopath and will ask about possible bacteria that could be causing this flavor of wind. It is a very good point Rich.

Unfortunately I can't afford to go to Brussels to see Dr. de Meirleir. Does he have a website?
 
M

Meeps

Messages
7
Thank you for that information Anne. I had no idea. I'm a lactard so usually stay far away from milk but I have heard that sometimes people with lactose intolerance can handle raw milk. Did you mean to say unpastured instead of pastured? I'm not sure but I think that is what raw is. I would be willing to give it a try if I thought it could intro the good bacteria into my gut. I wonder though if it would make it through the stomach acid the way the Mutaflor would since the pills have a protective coating. I understand that some people make yogurt and such with the e. coli Nissile in it so I guess it would work like that?
 
M

Meeps

Messages
7
I'm both desperate and brave, but I'm going to try and all my alternatives first. Don't want to risk anything I don't have to.
 
R

richvank

Senior Member
Messages
2,732
Hi, meeps.

As far as I know, Dr. de Meirleir does not have a website for his clinic. REDLABs has one, and so does ProteaPharma. He's affiliated with them.

Best regards,

Rich
 
anne_likes_red

anne_likes_red

Senior Member
Messages
1,103
Hi Meeps,

I meant pastured as in grass fed.
...IE Not milk from industrialized dairies where they feed the cows goodness-knows-what and the cows have altered gut bacteria - which presumably alters the bacteria present in their milk.

I managed to get Mutaflor (not in my country either unfortunately) and I've been making yogurt from soy and hemp milk with good success. You can freeze the starters which means you get good mileage out of the capsules.

I have no idea why good e-coli is so dificult to obtain when it's clearly beneficial!

Anne.
 
undcvr

undcvr

Senior Member
Messages
822
Location
NYC
But of the FDA considers Mutaflor a biologic the shouldn't all probiotic cultures and by extension Brewer's/Baker's Yeast be considered biologics too ? Why ban one and not the rest ?
 
Z

zema

Messages
1
Meeps, did you ever use antibiotics for extended periods of time? Cipro and tetracyclines (mino-, doxy-) kill e. coli while obviously not discriminating between pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains. If you didn't have a lot of it to start with it could have been wiped to non-detectible levels.
 
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