Thursday 5 November 2009

Blastocystis Hominis


The Blastocystis Hominis is a single-celled parasite that attacks human's intestinal tract. The symptoms can be many, and varied, including fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea...
Eleven years ago, about two years after my brother was born, my Mother started having serious dygestion problems. She felt very ill whenever she ate certain things, and after a while, the doctors decided the problem was that she had a "lazy digestion".
She also noticed that whenever she ate milk or eggs, it made her feel even more worse, so she cut it out from her diet. After that, it seemed like she was getting better.
Five years ago, the symptoms came back and she started feeling ill again. Also, my sister appeared to have the same problem, and she, too, started to follow my Mother's diet.
At that time the doctors decided to try with Mamma a gastroscopy; they found an inflamation in her stomach, but said it was "nothing". A little later, she had a barium meal test, and nothing new was found.
By that time, they decided to cut out meat from their diet too. Then, three years ago, after severe ear infections, our uncle and her brother advised her to "give up calcium". That meant, besides milk and eggs and all that contained them, some vegetables, various meats (because of their many additives), all dried fruit, as well as some fresh fruit, citrics, and many, many other things. Mamma also started drinking special calcium-free water.
Till then, she'd visited 7 different digestion specialists, who all came to the conclusion that she needed a psychiatrist.
Then, it happened. A little more than two years ago, I started having stomach problems also, when I ate some things. I either doubled up with a terrible pain in my tummy, or I threw up what I had eaten. At first we were a little lost, but after some time, my Mother realised that I was having the same symptoms as she had. So it was decided that I was to follow the same diet, and eventually, I felt better.
This event also drove us to think that it might be something hereditary, because my Granny had, apparently, had the same problems we were having.
After cutting out the calcium in our diet, we started feeling better, but after a while, we got our problems again and got worse. Not even calcium free food felt better, and even drinking water hurt me.
At the beggining of last September, my Mummy made an apointment with a new digestion specialist from Argentina, who after a talk, decided to do a test for a parasite. He was specialised in tropical infections, and his very words were, "This sounds so much like a parasite!" So once the tests were done, we had to wait a month for the results. To me, it felt like an endless wait.
But the day came, and after a very bad day at school, I went home to a hurrying Mummy, who said, "Hurry up and eat your lunch, dear. I have to go to the hospital for the test results!"
Mamma went on her own, and I went to my homework. But when she came back, you can believe me when I say I rushed down the stairs and almost shouted, "So what did he say?¿?"
Mamma hugged me and said, "We're going to get better! We have a parasite!"
And we started to cry. What a great answer to our prayers! Yes, I can say that this illness was hard for me, because I enjoyed eating all the things I couldn't. And I also enjoyed staying up late, and I couldn't. I enjoyed being crazy and running, and swimming, and I couldn't. At first I had rebelled and was stubbornly determined that I wouldn't let this... problem, condition my life, and I had a hard time accepting it as part of God's plan for me... but...
Right now, and after the treatement, my Mummy and I are starting to eat normally, and gaining all the weight we had lost, as well as our strength. I am enjoying every bite of whatever I eat, and many friends say that they'll invite me to a drink such as horchata or milk&chocolate.
I am so grateful to God for answering my prayers on this matter, and for all the strength and help He gave me these past two years.
And I am sure, my friends, that God sent this illness my way so I would learn patience... and I'm not jokin.

9 comments:

LocaChica said...

Praise God!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow, I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo happy for you!! It was about time to finally get to the bottom of this, and find an answer! I'm so proud of you for persevering and learning patience from this!
Savor all that food, it's fantastic that you can finally enjoy it!
Continue leaning on God through everything, He is always sturdy and strong enough to hold you and to keep you from falling =)
Lots of love, prayers, and rejoicing for you,
Adria

HIS daughter said...

WOW! PRAISE THE LORD! That must've been so awful for all of you...so glad that all is well! :)
Blessings!
Katy

joygirl said...

I'm so glad you have found the root of the problem and are feeling better!!! love ya!

villamilita said...

cariii!!

Me lo he leido, y lo he entendido todo (H)

aish me alegro tanto por ti...

te quieroo!!

..51.. :D

jjfortheking said...

Wow, that is awesome! I pray you all continue to improve. Blessings on you all! :D

Unknown said...

Que alegría que tu salud vuelva a la normalidad y que el tratamiento esté funcionando bien
Gracias al Señor la historia tiene un final feliz.
Venga a disfrutar de la comida eeehhh que está muy rica ;D

Doulos said...

Praise the Lord for your healing! Wonderful to have the time the other day to have supper with you at Elisabet's and Daniel's. You looked like "an arm of sea", as we say in Catalan :D

The Jungle Uncle

schulten said...

Hi,
Your story sounds so familiar!
What helped you get rid of the blastocystis? I am been prescribed Metronidazol but I am not improving!
Help, I want to go back to the happy me!
Elizabeth
elizabeth.schulten@wanadoo.nl

Anonymous said...

May I ask what the treatment for the b. hominis was. I have the same problem, but have tried most thing sto rid myself of it!

Bruno