WHAT AM I LOOKING FOR?
A healthy FMT donor (fecal microbiota transplant―yes poop!) who would be willing to move in with us in Brooklyn for a few months.
I am hoping you or someone you know would consider helping and possibly save my life.
I am also seeking a medical researcher and or student willing to monitor and help me track my progress and results. In addition to my regular doctors, I am hoping others might join my team to help guide and monitor the project.
WHY AM I DOING THIS?
After a year long barrage of antibiotic treatment for late stage untreated Lyme disease wiped out key gut flora, my health took a nose dive resulting in obesity, metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, cholesterol/triglyceride and insulin levels), crippling fatigues, insomnia and GERD - all now conclusively linked to a depleted microbiome. My Ubiome and American Gut Project DNA screenings consistently show lack of microbial diversity that correlates to my current state of health. See My Story
THE GOOD NEWS:
Reversing the above ailments are now squarely in the crosshairs of biotech research companies and non-profits who are “mining” the microbiome to develop pill forms of restorative “human probiotic" ecosystems. Biotech Start-ups
THE BAD NEWS:
It will take at least 5 to10 years before this treatment is available for general use.
I DON’T HAVE 5-10 YEARS!
The only way available to me NOW to restore a functioning microbiome is to use medically supervised extended FMT therapy with healthy, carefully screened donors. This New Yorker article explains it all and puts my approach front and center of a medically sound treatment. Please refer to the LEARN section to find out more about the science behind MY APPROACH.
HOW DO FMTS WORK?
FMTs work like a blood or bone marrow transplant, only they’re less invasive. The idea is for the infusion of “good bugs” to outpopulate “bad bugs” (or in my case, NO bugs!) and gradually restore good health via colonization of healthy microbial communities. FMTs have proven to be astonishingly effective (98%) in wiping out deadly Clostridium difficile infections, (to which I can personally attest). FMT's are now being used successfully in hospitals nationwide as a front line treatment for C.diff.
BUT THERE’S MORE!
FMT’s may be effective in treating other ailments now linked to microbiome deficiencies (dysbiosis) such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s, Celiac, diabetes 1 & 2, autism, MS, Parkinson’s, metabolic and autoimmune disorders et al. The research is new, exciting and growing exponentially. However, just as FMTs were gaining a foothold in major medical centers nationwide, the FDA put the kybosh on them in 2013 for uses other than C.diff infections. So the technique has gone "DIY" for other GI ailments with successful home application of the procedure being as safe and effective as in a hospital, so long as the donors are carefully screened and the procedure follows proper medical protocols.
WHAT DO I NEED?
A healthy donor who would, once they pass the health questionnaire and medical screenings (at no cost to you, my husband and I are covering all non-insured tests)“donate” 3-5x a week for a 3 month period. Ideally the donor would move in with us which might make this an attractive arrangement for a foreign student. We will provide all supplies (surgical gloves and disposable Tupperware containers) and cover any costs related to these “donations". We would also need you to eat a healthy, organic diet during the donation period again paid for by us.
MEDICALLY SUPERVISED & TRACKED
I am working with my doctors to ensure this treatment adheres to current medical standards and practices. We are using an enhanced version of MIT’s “OpenBiome” FMT donor bank screening criteria and current scientific medical data to design the therapy. My progress will be tracked with monthly blood and DNA gut screenings. We are providing privacy agreements for everyone’s protection and comfort levels.If you think you can do this—basically “depositing” some stool into a Tupperware container on a regular basis—it should allow my body to mend itself for which I would be eternally grateful.
MY GOALS: PERSONAL AND MEDICAL
I am hoping that healthy microbial communities colonize and flourish in my gut and will check my progress via monthly blood work and gut flora screenings to see if there are any improvements in diversity, metabolism, cholesterol, insulin levels, A1C, triglycerides etc. This is where a great medical student or researcher would come in handy! I consider this project a case study medical experiment and want it treated as such, and welcome participation from medical professionals, researchers and scientists.
Thank you and looking forward to hearing from and working with you,
Evelyn Tully Costa
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A SUPER DONOR? LET'S FIND OUT!
2 YEARS of ANTIBIOTIC CARPET BOMBING =
Depletion of Healthy Gut Flora
4 FECAL TRANPLANTS
1 HEALTHY
GUT FLORA
3 DYSBIOTIC
DISEASE STATE: Metabolic Syndrome
5 RESTORED HEALTHY MICROBIOME
All Potential Donors MUST complete
THE PROCESS AT A GLANCE
1 LEARN
You read the above and review the LEARN links so I know you understand the process and basic science behind it. Then take the questionaire in
2 SCREEN
You have 1 blood and 2 stool screenings, and 2 microbiome sequencings, the latter three tests using mail in kits, no office visits.
3 DONOR AGREEMENT
Once you’ve cleared these tests you would simply AGREE to “donate” during the specified time frame.
4 DONATE
3-5x a week and enjoy the rest of your day!