I did this a bit over five years ago. They were the kind of worms that burrow through your skin and make a home in your gut. The guy who sold them to me (Jasper Lawrence, who ran Autoimmune Therapies at that time) promised that the worms would stop my MS or he would give me my money back. He did give me my money back, a bit over a year later when I had carried on getting worse and was about to go onto Tysabri.
This has been in my mind because there was an article in the Guardian yesterday, which gave a lot of space to people who are convinced that this is a way to help people with MS. Hereās a quote
āParker and his researchers have gathered data from hundreds of users and growers. āIām convinced,ā he says. āBased on the evidence Iāve seen, it is very effective,ā he says. āIt has a really good benefit-to-risk ratio, especially for serious autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosisā.
Like I said, it did nothing for me. Has anyone else had experience of this, good or bad? Or do you know anyone who has?
The Guardian article is here, if you want to read it:
Not personally, but the Barts Blog has covered this subject a few times now. It appears there was even a trial in Nottingham, although I canāt recall the results being published.
My first thought with anything like this is āā¦if it worked, wouldnāt a potential cure be shouted from the rooftops?ā
I imagine we wouldnāt be able to move for people offering this treatment if it really worked !!
My gut feeling (ā¦which is always on my side whether I adhere to it or not) is that this is just another example of the bullsh*t we get offered all the time ā¦and my gut says āā¦steer well clear of thisā until thereās scientific proof that it works!
I have had the same lack of conviction about stem cell treatment - which so far doesnāt look as though it cures progressive MS - but I sincerely hope researchers are on the right track?
Having just recently turned 51, pretty convinced there wonāt be a ācureā in my lifetime!!
Early work has shown that people with gut parasite infections, such as hookworm, are less likely to have MS. Small studies have also shown that hookworm infection in people with MS could be linked to a reduction in the severity of symptoms.
Also, we are actually funding a trial testing hookworms in RRMS:
Ew, I donāt know if I fancy the idea of eating poo. Although, obviously if it cured my MS then Iād be tempted to do most things, I suppose including āeat sh*tā!
Am I really the only person on here who has tried this? It was really nothing (I felt none of the fatigue or worsening of symptoms that I got for a week after having Tysabri) - but it did nothing for me as well. Maybe I was too far on in the disease.
Must not read posts like this just after Iāve eaten! Bleurgh!
Donāt think Iād want āworm therapyā, thanksā¦ Mind you, if it does work, hopefully theyāll be able to find out why and artificially ācreateā the same result without the worms!