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Stool Test Results - CSA and GI-MAP

Messages
7
I've been struggling with fatigue and digestion issues for year. By digestion issues I mean bloating, smelly farts/stool, undigested food in stool, sugar cravings etc. Probiotics help a ton, but even still sometimes it seems like they don't "stick" and my symptoms return.

I had the Doctor's Data Comprehensive Stool Analysis with Parasitology x3 Test completed a year and a half ago. I didn't have any dysbiotic flora but it showed I had no Bifido growth. I didn't have any dysbiotic yeast either, just a +1 for the "normal" Geotrichum spp yeast. However, it showed that I had "Moderate" levels rather than the expected "None - Rare" indicating a yeast overgrowth.

For the parasitology section, it showed I had Blastocystic hominis, and Endolimax nana cysts and trophs.

For digestive markers, everything was in range except Elastase was 66 (ref range > 200) and Secretory IgA was 43.1 (ref range 51 - 204). My doctor told me these results indicated it was important for me to take digestive enzymes and HCL with meals.

Based on these results I took Nystatin for 3 months for the yeast overgrowth and was also taking anti-parasitic herbs. I did notice great improvement in my symptoms, no longer having sugar cravings, undigested food, bloating etc.

However since then things have seemed to get worse again. Things aren't as bad as they were then, but I still do have some similar symptoms and feel like my gut is just not normal. So I decided to take the GI - MAP test which is supposed to be more accurate for parasites/bugs. Here were my out of range results:

H. pylori - High

Normal bacteria
Bacteroides fragilis - Low
Enterococcus spp - Low
Bacteroidetes - Low
Firmicutes - Low

Opportunistic/Overgrowth Bacteria
Pseudomonas spp/aeruginosa - High
Prevotella copri - High

Parasites
Blastocystis hominis - High

Intestinal Health
Secretory IgA 95 (ref range 510-2010)

I don't have any standard symptoms of H. pylori (like ulcers) but perhaps this is what is causing my continued issues? Same with B. hominis, it looks like that parasite is still in my system. Finally, my secretory IgA was low both times (and extremely low this last time). Any suggestions on how to improve that?

Appreciate any suggestions on what to do with these results!
 
Messages
62
firstly it will be better if you can post your actual results (clear images/screenshots/cropping the personal data if you wish).

In the mean time i can start with some suggestion to increase sIga. From clinical literature Saccharomyces Boulardii , Bacillus Clausii (brand: Enterogermina) have been shown to stimulate sIgA.
 
Messages
7
I've used S. boulardii before with good results. Will have to check out Bacillus Clausii next! Thanks for the tip.

I've attached my stool results, thanks for any additional help you can provide.
 

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Messages
7
Anyone have any additional suggestions based on my results or have dealt with H. pylori/B. hominis/the other parasites I tested positive for?

I started taking mastic gum, monolaurin, and manuka honey for the H. pylori. Not sure what to do for the other stuff. Also read conflicting things about whether you can naturally treat H. pylori.
 
Messages
62
Can you tell me further the protocol/herbs used previously and the time frame of testing - was it done during using herbs?
 
Messages
7
I wasn't using any herbs when I took the test, just probiotics (broad spectrum + s. boulardii) and digestive enzymes/Betaine HCL. In the past I had used anti-microbials like GI Microb-X, Biocidin, Berberine etc which seem to help my symptoms.

Since receiving the lab results, I've started using GI Microb-X/Biocidin again with Biofilm Defense, as well as the H. pylori supplements I mentioned (Manuka, Monolaurin, Mastic gum) while upping my probiotics, and incorporating a new one by Usana that is supposed to be good for gut infections/low SigA.

I'm also planning on adding in Broccomax by Jarrow, and per your recommendation I recently started taking a probiotic called Perfect Pass that has B. clausii in addition to B. coagulans and B. subtilis
 
Messages
7
Very interesting. Most of the articles I've read say Metronidazole has been the default drug to treat it but that it's not actually effective and can make things worse. http://www.badbugs.org talks a lot about that. Glad to hear it worked for your daughter, though!

I too have read that natural treatments don't really work, though I have read of a few cases where they did eradicate it with herbs. I'm hoping I can get rid of it naturally but I'm not holding my breath. I'm just really apprehensive about trying an antibiotic because of what it can do to the gut, especially if it's not 100% at solving the problem.

I'm also wondering if an anti-protozoan like Alinia would work? I've read of some cases where it did but it doesn't seem to be the standard treatment.

I wouldn't say my symptoms are unbearable, but they do fluctuate in severity. I do get bloated and just feel like my stomach is sluggish after a meal. I often have undigested food as well as feel constipated (I can pass stool daily but I often don't feel that I'm fully evacuating my bowels).. I think the most challenging symptom I struggle with is a feeling of never being full/craving more food or sweets. I find that when I'm on the herbs/probiotics I get satisfied from less food and don't have the urge to keep eating.

I wonder if the parasites are directly causing my symptoms or perhaps they are leading to poor digestion which then makes my body not get nutrients so it constantly thinks it needs more food? Especially since H. pylori lowers stomach acid, and even with enzymes/HCL I don't feel that I'm fully digesting.

The low sIgA is also concerning to me. I've read that stress can cause that, but lately I haven't been as stressed and I'm inclined to believe that its the H. pylori and B. hominis that my immune system can't keep up with anymore.
 

Garz

Senior Member
Messages
349
Just to share some personal experiences (I posted this in the Ubiome thread also for evenhandedness)

My partner and I have both had Ubiome explorer and DSL-GI-MAP tests done within the space a few months.

The results of these two apparently market-leading companies tests were entirely opposite in terms of bacterial populations present.

Even at Phylum level, the results were not even anywhere close and at the genus level, many genera present in high numbers in one test were entirely absent in the other companies test. The same story was true of my partner's tests.

This level of disparity cannot be explained by the spontaneous change in an individuals microbiome over time, let alone the same change in 2 people.
In fact, such radical differences ( ie eradicating many genera entirely ) would be hard to achieve with even multiple courses of powerful antibiotics.
Whereas in our case, we have made no interventions at all. In fact, our diet and lifestyle were maintained entirely the same before, between and after the tests ( this is obligatory for us to sustain reasonable QoL). Additionally, we have not taken any prescription medicines over that time period at all.

Logic denotes that they simply cannot both be good tests and we have no way of knowing which is better (or in fact, if either of them is good enough to be useful).

I posted the details in this thread including the results of both tests.
https://forums.phoenixrising.me/ind...t-that-is-available.61265/page-2#post-1021869

As a result, I believe it prudent to maintain a very skeptical approach to the utility of these products for use in making health-related decisions, as there is no objective 3rd party evidence that they "do what they say on the tin" and significant evidence that, in fact, they simply do not.
 

renski

Senior Member
Messages
338
Location
Honolulu
I've noticed the SigA values are completely opposite for me on the GI-MAP vs GI effects, one had a very low reading and the other very high, so go figure.. take these labs with a grain of salt
 

BeADocToGoTo1

Senior Member
Messages
536
I've been struggling with fatigue and digestion issues for year. By digestion issues I mean bloating, smelly farts/stool, undigested food in stool, sugar cravings etc. Probiotics help a ton, but even still sometimes it seems like they don't "stick" and my symptoms return.

...
For digestive markers, everything was in range except Elastase was 66 (ref range > 200) and Secretory IgA was 43.1 (ref range 51 - 204). My doctor told me these results indicated it was important for me to take digestive enzymes and HCL with meals.

Appreciate any suggestions on what to do with these results!

Please have a look at my thread on exocrine pancreatic insufficiency as that is very likely your situation as well. It was indirectly the cause of my ME/CFS. There is so little practical information out there for sufferers and doctors that I wrote a book on it to educate doctors and help sufferers. This includes all the steps I had to take to get from being bedridden to functional.

Just throwing some pancreatic enzymes at the problem, although crucial, is simply not enough.

You can reach out to me any time if I can be of help.

If your doctor needs more testing, you can ask for tests like:
  • 24 hour fecal fat test - Simple, cheap and tests if you are breaking down fat properly, which can indicate pancreas dysfunction.
  • Fasted Trypsin blood test - indication of protein enzyme levels
  • MRI MRCP with contrast - It gives a 3D picture of the gallbladder and high resolution liver, pancreas, gallbladder, ducts, stomach intestines.
However, with your symptoms, and an elastase reading like that...


EPI or Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency thread:

https://forums.phoenixrising.me/thr...and-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-cfs.62997/unread
 
Last edited:

Learner1

Senior Member
Messages
6,305
Location
Pacific Northwest

Hopeful1976

Senior Member
Messages
345
Please have a look at my thread on exocrine pancreatic insufficiency as that is very likely your situation as well. It was indirectly the cause of my ME/CFS. There is so little practical information out there for sufferers and doctors that I wrote a book on it to educate doctors and help sufferers. This includes all the steps I had to take to get from being bedridden to functional.

Just throwing some pancreatic enzymes at the problem, although crucial, is simply not enough.

You can reach out to me any time if I can be of help.

If your doctor needs more testing, you can ask for tests like:
  • 24 hour fecal fat test - Simple, cheap and tests if you are breaking down fat properly, which can indicate pancreas dysfunction.
  • Fasted Trypsin blood test - indication of protein enzyme levels
  • MRI MRCP with contrast - It gives a 3D picture of the gallbladder and high resolution liver, pancreas, gallbladder, ducts, stomach intestines.
However, with your symptoms, and an elastase reading like that...


EPI or Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency thread:

https://forums.phoenixrising.me/thr...and-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-cfs.62997/unread
How did you fix it? I have horrendous gut problems which effect all my other m.e symptoms. I can't ever get my gut better... never tried digestive enzymes....
 

BeADocToGoTo1

Senior Member
Messages
536
Before choosing to do an MRI with contrast, you might want to familiarize yourself with these:

https://gadoliniumtoxicity.com/help/symptoms/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ritaru...-that-chuck-norris-says-poisoned-his-wife/amp

It is entirely possible to do many useful MRIs without contrast. I've asked the doctor on the last 3 I had done and none required contrast and the doctors were satisfied with the quality.
Good point. What I was told that by the doctor is that any issues with the contrast are very rare, but it is something to consider.