Stool Studies

We decided to do a Stool Test, used by many complimentary/functional/alternative medicine doctors.  We tested for microbiology and yeast growth.  There are more comprehensive tests available but for now, opted to do the least expensive one with the information we need most right now- microbe analysis of gut flora.  

We get the results just in time, just in time for his fevers following change in probiotics and adding coconut (natural antifungal), just in time for antibiotics....his results read that he produces good amounts of bifidobacterium (thank you breast milk) and escherichia coli (E.Coli is a "good" and "bad" microbe, like yeast and others); but that he has NO growth of Lactobacillus species. None.

They then also test for "Additional Bacteria"- bacteria that could be potentially pathogenic ("bad" gut bacteria).  He has much growth here- it would appear he has much more population of "bad" bacteria than of "good"; but the chart notes that only one is "potential pathogenic"....enterobacter cloacae.  The others are listed as "non-pathogen".  In addition, he produces high amounts of Saccharomyces cerevisiae microbes, which are a yeast bacteria but no other growth of yeast are present.   

The commentary/analysis reads: "Sufficient amounts of Bifidobacteria and E. coli appear to be present in the stool, however Lactobacilli is below optimal levels. Ample amounts of E. coli have been associated with a balanced gut flora. The "friendly bacteria", Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria, are important for gastrointestinal function, as they are involved in vitamin synthesis, natural antibiotic production, immune defense, digestion, and detoxification of pro-carcinogens and a host of other activities.
Ideally, levels of Lactobacillus and E. coli should be 2+ or greater. Bifidobacteria being a predominate anaerobe should be recovered at levels of 4+."

The tests also give indications to determine which antibiotic sensitivity and resistance at standard dosages.  It goes on to note that prudent usage of antibiotics requires knowledge of levels of those agents, so the tests show what antibiotics will be more likely to inhibit growth of the pathogen identified (enterobacter cloacae and yeast saccharomyces cerevisiae).    Antibiotics kill off all microflora but "good" gut bugs are more susceptible and are killed in larger numbers, thus allowing "bad" gut flora to overgrow; and thus dysbiosis results.   Diet, environment, anti-fungal medications, probiotics will all help to control and correct this dysbiosis but knowing which antibiotics will cause less growth of the pathogen will be helpful.  It also goes on to illustrate which natural substances can help keep this pathogen from overgrowth, such as Berberine, Oregano, Plant Tannins, and Uva-Ursi, Garlic, etc.    

The chart notes "Human microflora is influenced by environmental factors and the competitive ecosystem of the organisms in the GI tract. Pathogenic significance should be based upon clinical symptoms and reproducibility of bacterial recovery". Their disclaimer is one of evidence-based medicine argument against the reliability of these tests.

It reminds me it is a tool. But, like with so many other tests (of IgE/typical included) of allergies, are all tools. The true test is in how each body responds. It is Janice Vickerstaff Joneja that explains that well, on her website Allergy Nutrition..."what is most surprising to many people is to hear that food does not cause allergy or intolerance – in fact food is incapable of causing disease! Food is not like a bacterium or a virus that can cause infection; and food is not like a cancer cell that can multiply unchecked and cause havoc in the body. It is the body’s own response to the food, a component of the food, or something added to a food product during it’s manufacture, that causes disease".   How do we change the body's response? From the inside out. We heal what is "broken". In Little Man, clearly his gut flora is causing serious complications.

Colds, Banana, and Probiotics...oh my!

Well, banana went great the first day.   The night was fairly uneventful (or at least not off course from his usual- up a lot to eat).   The next day, he wasn't as interested in the banana but did manage a few nibbles.  Nibbles are ok when you are trialing- there is a need to take it slowly.  But Sunday came and he was not interested in the banana at all.  Frustrating, disheartening.  Why won't he eat?  He wants to eat.  We're still missing something.   Too much of his safe foods, and he has a belly ache; to little of his formula and he is up all night hungry.   There must be a balance in here somewhere.   A balance where I find him a tiny menu, even if it is a menu I need to rotate through so as to not overwhelm his system and to provide him with lots of textures and taste changes. 

Little man drives me....I keep researching his condition, and all the symptoms surrounding it.  I truly believe to treat a disease, you need to find the root- treating symptoms only gets you running on a wheel...and we've been there.   The results from the bloodwork with Dr.J at the PCRCD are back but we're waiting on her to finish interpreting them.   She sent along a brief interpretation with the results but said the rest has to wait until after her return from the AAAAI conferences. 

So banana isn't moving, how is he doing on the probiotics?   We continue to use Kirkman labs CD Biotic that is the lactobacillus strains, the addition of the bifida strains (Bifida Complex), we were seeing odd symptoms- but they coincided with this current cold so it is difficult to tell.  I stopped it for a few days and he has certainly been less fussy/whiny/clingy.   Dr.J suspects that one of the bifida strains may be a problem and we discussed a possible switch to Pro Bio Gold - which is a mixture of a 4 lactobacillus strains and 1 bifida, and also adds in a new strain (a streptococcous thermophilus).  

My instincts are shouting at me to get some stool tests done.  Stool tests that I've come across a few times, that others have mentioned in different arena's.   These are not medical stool samples that test for malabsorption, blood, and white blood cells but another kind- one used in alternative therapy's.  This Stool Test tests for: "Digestive Function Analysis, Microbiology Analysis, Bacteriology Culture, Fecal Fat Analysis, Yeast Culture".  Little man has had stool studies done, he has also had biopsy's taken to check for small bowel bacterial overgrowth.   So, why do these tests?   They test further than "evidenced based medicine" does.   The argument against their reliability is in the results.    Testing for definitive bacteria activity in the gut is difficult since some of the bacteria that inhabits are guts is not even discovered or named yet, some is not able to live once it hits oxygen (anaerobic), so therefore difficult to quantify on a test.   Also, stools can vary in the pathogens, bacteria from day to day depending on diet, medications, environment, outside stresses, etc.   So, how accurate are they?   Let the body guide you instead.   So, I haven't done them yet.   But Little man is on a steady diet, so his stools shouldn't be dramatically different from day to day at this point (that would change once we get into food trials consistently) and even with the probiotic addition- we are still missing something....something in his gut.   Maybe he already has too many good gut bugs, maybe he has a really resistant "bad" bug, maybe it's not his digestion at all.    I didn't want to spend the money on these tests if we could figure out his 'root' in other ways but my instincts keep telling me it may be time.   My bank account holds me back too of course.   The tests cost ~$300-500!!   But what if?  What if they tell us something we are missing?  They are not definitive tests but they could be another piece, another clue....another really expensive clue.   But time is money, and if it had a clue we are missing that would save us time....and most importantly, his health....then we owe it to him to try....

We've done this with so many other things thus far, our trip to PA, taking him off elemental formula, trialing soy, our trip to NJ, all gambles in their own sense - but all benefits to this really big puzzle. All steps to getting him one step closer to healing and thriving.