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I don't see much/any discussion on the forum regarding Helminthic therapy, which is a citizen science, that of late, has been starting to gain momentum. I was wondering if anyone has considered this route. I suffer from chronic atopic conjunctivitis, of which dry eye is a symptom. I've run the gauntlet of medications, going back over 20 years. The only medication, steroids withstanding, that has ever offered any real relief is Tacrolimus. This suggests to me that my condition is (as with all allergies) the result of an overactive immunological response. From what I've seen on this forum, this may well be the case with a lot of you.
For those of you unfamiliar with Helminthic Therapy, it'll no doubt sound a little crazy at first, (at lease that's what I thought), but there is a fair body of recent publications on the topic in peer reviewed and reputable journals and clinical trials at major universities. It follows the Hygiene Hypothesis which posits that our bodies, which evolved to fend off all sorts of nasties, is underutilized in our modern cleanliness conscious world, which causes our immune system to become hyperactive and start attacking itself. This is offered as a reason why there is a higher incidence of autoimmune diseases like asthma and allergies in the western world.
A helminth is a parasitic worm which once infected with, lives in the body. To ensure its survival against the onslaught of your immune system, it has evolved the ability of moderate your immune system. Not all helminths are beneficial, and only a few strains have been identified as possible therapeutics. The most common is hookworm.
Currently most of the attention, as far as clinical trials go, is focused towards diseases such as Ulcerative Colitis, Multiple Sclerosis and Crohns, but there is every indication that it would also be effective against allergies. Have I tried it? No, not yet. Why? Because I'm not rushing out to infect myself with parasites until I'm satisfied its not snake oil and because to do it properly and safely its expensive.
The purpose with all of this is to raise awareness among people with a similar condition to myself (we all know how debilitating it is) because at present all the attention seems to go towards the above mentioned diseases. If your interested and you just want to follow along I suggest joining one of the FB groups. I'm currently a member of "Helminthic Therapy Users" and "Helthminthic Therapy Users and Providers" (of which I'm neither, but they don't seem to mind). If you introduce yourself and state your condition then it may encourage other people with immuno-eye conditions to step forward. I know for a fact that NewScience journalists follow these forums, and researchers may as well.
Regards
Ocliyt
For those of you unfamiliar with Helminthic Therapy, it'll no doubt sound a little crazy at first, (at lease that's what I thought), but there is a fair body of recent publications on the topic in peer reviewed and reputable journals and clinical trials at major universities. It follows the Hygiene Hypothesis which posits that our bodies, which evolved to fend off all sorts of nasties, is underutilized in our modern cleanliness conscious world, which causes our immune system to become hyperactive and start attacking itself. This is offered as a reason why there is a higher incidence of autoimmune diseases like asthma and allergies in the western world.
A helminth is a parasitic worm which once infected with, lives in the body. To ensure its survival against the onslaught of your immune system, it has evolved the ability of moderate your immune system. Not all helminths are beneficial, and only a few strains have been identified as possible therapeutics. The most common is hookworm.
Currently most of the attention, as far as clinical trials go, is focused towards diseases such as Ulcerative Colitis, Multiple Sclerosis and Crohns, but there is every indication that it would also be effective against allergies. Have I tried it? No, not yet. Why? Because I'm not rushing out to infect myself with parasites until I'm satisfied its not snake oil and because to do it properly and safely its expensive.
The purpose with all of this is to raise awareness among people with a similar condition to myself (we all know how debilitating it is) because at present all the attention seems to go towards the above mentioned diseases. If your interested and you just want to follow along I suggest joining one of the FB groups. I'm currently a member of "Helminthic Therapy Users" and "Helthminthic Therapy Users and Providers" (of which I'm neither, but they don't seem to mind). If you introduce yourself and state your condition then it may encourage other people with immuno-eye conditions to step forward. I know for a fact that NewScience journalists follow these forums, and researchers may as well.
Regards
Ocliyt
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