# Microbial Ecology Profile + Parasitology



## flitwit (Oct 3, 2013)

Hello everyone,

My symptoms have changed within the past 3 months, for the worse. I now have pain all the time, gurgling in the colon, an odd frothy feeling in my throat which is accompanied by dryness, and now a large lump in my left side next to my belly button (size of a tennis ball), which just showed up about a week or so ago. I've also had quite a bit of blood and an incredible amount of mucus in the stool.

I have an appointment with my doctor after March, and he'll have to refer me to a GI, which will take another 6-8 months (yes, seriously)... so, I want to have some labs done on my own, just to rule some things out.

I want to test for parasites, however, from my readings it seems this is a very sketchy ordeal... not very accurate. I was thinking about ordering the Metametrix GI Effects Microbial Ecology Profile + Parasitology (http://www.forresthealth.com/gi-effects-microbial-ecology-profile-includes-parasitology-2105.html). At almost $300 I could alternatively buy myself a microscope and have more opportunities to find something visually, since from what I've been reading, the more times the stool sample can be examined, the more likely it is that something is discovered. I'm no microbiologist, but I'm well capable of learning to identify parasites.

So, can anyone please give me advice as to which would be the better option for me? I don't have much money to throw away. If the Metametrix test is worth doing, I'll do it... if it's a complete sham, I'd rather just take that money and attempt my own discovery.

Thanks for any help.


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## flitwit (Oct 3, 2013)

Been a few days... no one has an opinion on this? I'm really just looking for a reliable source to test for parasites / bacteria.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

And you don't trust the laboratory at the hospital that the doctor uses? The GP can't order a stool test while you are waiting?

I dunno if this lab is legit or not. Seems to be mostly used by naturopaths or other alternative type practioners and it is on a list of places that do non-standard (which can mean not validated scientifically) tests and may be used mostly to sell supplements to treat what is found. There is a report from a supposed former employee that says it is bogus, but you never know if they are disgruntled or not.

I'm sure there are also plenty of reports from satisified customers out there, but in general a lot of these non-standard places seem kind of hit and miss and sometimes the recommendations from them are pretty standard issue advice you could follow without the test (stop eating sugar, gluten, dairy, take some herbal "antimicrobial" herbs like olive leaf, etc that don't seem to change much no matter what diagnosis of whatever kind of test you get).


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## flitwit (Oct 3, 2013)

Kathleen, thank you for the reply. It's not that I don't trust the labs the hospitals use, it's that I don't have a GI in the typical sense. I used to work for the state, so the health insurance (if you could even call it that) that I have only allows me to see a doctor at a specific teaching hospital. I have to wait a full year to see a gastro doc, I'm not able to just phone up to make an appointment. But yes, these labs like Metametrix are very sketchy.

I don't have the money to see a GI on my own, I lost absolutely every part of my life when I became ill, including my job and education, so I'm running on fumes in terms of funds. I was very serious about buying a lab scope and doing my own fecal exams, do you think this is absurd? I know I won't be able to test for bacteria this way, but at least I could take multiple samples to check for parasites. I'm thinking many samples may lead to a greater chance of discovery. I know that some small time ranchers do their own fecal exams for their animals, I don't see why it would be any different.

At the same time, I think I need to see someone about this mass in my belly. It may very well be nothing, but it could also be a hernia, which would need to be taken care of. Luckily, my mom was talking to my aunt last night, although my aunt is no better off financially, she may send a bit of money for me to see a doctor... that would help tremendously.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

I still think the General Doctor you see in March will be able to order a stool test, it isn't that exotic or specialized.

Just know that the more you look at your stool the more likely you are to convince yourself that something that was there all along while you were healthy is some evidence of something bad. Usually the problem is you have no baseline to compare. The Rancher has hundreds of cows, most of them are healthy so he learns what normal is.

Parasites are generally a lot less likely than IBS. I know there are theories that everyone with every symptom is just loaded with parasites and if only you look at it sideways enough time (or with tests not known to medical science) you will find them, because if the only cause of symptoms is parasites you better find them in every person that comes to you, after all. And they usually have some pretty pricey programs to eliminate what may not be there as well. Luckily a lot of the programs come with lifestyle changes that would generally make anyone feel better regardless of disease or disorder.

The blood and the lump don't make me most concerned about parasites, and some of the routine tests the general doctor does (like a complete blood count) can give good information if there is something auto-immune or something like that going on.


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## flitwit (Oct 3, 2013)

Thank you for the advice, I do appreciate it, and you do have a point. I think I'm trying to convince myself that parasites could be the cause of the change in my symptoms. I'd prefer the simplicity of it.

The blood I'm sure is from a fissure or hemorrhoid. It pretty much comes after not being able to go for a week, along with a whole lot of mucus... but hopefully that's something the general doc could evaluate as well.

Regarding the lump / mass... I read a post on another forum from someone a year ago who appeared to be in the same situation. He had a lump that was tennis ball sized in the same location, his disappeared when he laid down, although mine doesn't, it's almost completely gone when I wake up in the morning, after being up for about 10-15 minutes, it reappears. He mentions the color of his stool to be dark green, as is mine. Curious thing, but I guess I'll have to wait to find out what it could be. The pain in that spot comes off and on again.


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## My 19 year old son ibsc (Jul 25, 2012)

I hope you are doing better. I just saw your post and was wondering if you ever order that test. I am looking for a good lab myself.


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## flitwit (Oct 3, 2013)

My 19 year old son ibsc said:


> I hope you are doing better. I just saw your post and was wondering if you ever order that test. I am looking for a good lab myself.


Hi there, unfortunately, I'm still in the same situation, but did not order the test. I felt that it wasn't going to be very reliable. I did quite a bit of reading and research looking into these labs, and they're all a bit scammy. I think we're desperate for answers, and they're all willing to sell it to us however they can. At this point I'm just waiting it out the best I can until I can see an actual doctor.


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## LilyWillow (Dec 28, 2013)

Even if you have had a parasitic infection, depending on the parasite, your body can get rid of it and you are still left with IBS symptoms. Is there a reason you are waiting until March for a test when you think you have contracted a parasite?

If you thought you had strep throat wouldn't you go in for a test?

I believe my family was infected. Five out of six people had symptoms we caught from each other. Two of us, the sickest, did fecal testing at different hospitals. I did two more tests at two more labs in another private hospital. All of the test results cam back clean of all parasites they test for.

Over the past four months all of the members of my family have recovered except me. I still have malabsorbtion and terrible anxiety that is directly related to cycles of stomach pain. I believe I am in an imbalance caused by the bugs and perhaps my body fighting them off.

Tests can only see bugs if they are in the bit of stool they look at. Some are microscopic so unless you have a highly concentrated colony going it can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. On a Giardia forum I found too many infected people who had negative test results when infected. Later tests or biopsy results proved infection. From what I read Giardia it seems is only found in stools during a portion of its life cycle. If you test at the wrong time it can come back negative.


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## flitwit (Oct 3, 2013)

LilyWillow said:


> Even if you have had a parasitic infection, depending on the parasite, your body can get rid of it and you are still left with IBS symptoms. Is there a reason you are waiting until March for a test when you think you have contracted a parasite?
> If you thought you had strep throat wouldn't you go in for a test?
> 
> I believe my family was infected. Five out of six people had symptoms we caught from each other. Two of us, the sickest, did fecal testing at different hospitals. I did two more tests at two more labs in another private hospital. All of the test results cam back clean of all parasites they test for.
> ...


I actually don't know if I've contracted a parasite, only that my symptoms had changed and became uncontrollable. I thought perhaps a parasite infection reemerging. I have other indicators as well, but again, could be unrelated. The reason I'd like to test for parasites is just to rule them out. The only reason I'm waiting for my appointment is because I cannot afford to see a doctor on my own, and these online labs that offer testing to the public are just so sketchy. I don't trust them. I feel like I'd be throwing my money away.

And like you said, a lot of the time the tests come back negative anyway.


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