This has been a hard post for me to write – for many reasons – which is why it’s taken me so long to do so. Back in January, I wrote a post that exclaimed ‘hurrah!’ at the fact that my symptoms had started to settle down. That was true – they had. But then a trip to the motherland – and the long-haul flight from Amsterdam to New Zealand that accompanied it – flicked the switch back to shit from the start of February. Perhaps it was the drastic change of seasons – from the bitter cold of winter to a tropical summer – or perhaps it would have happened without the change of scenery. Who knows? But once things were down, they stayed down.
After I’d spent a total of eight months on a protocol of probiotics and dietary changes (no sugars, sweeteners or cow dairy), my doctor decided it was time for another approach to solving my gut dysbiosis. Enter the FMT (Faecal Microbiota Transplant). I’d heard about these things by then, so it seemed like a natural next step. I’ll save the details for another time – you can thank me later – but I finished round one (of five days) around a month ago, and am scheduled for round two next week.
Since the first one wasn’t wholly successful, this time I have to team the treatment with another stint on the Hypoallergenic Diet. My journey has indeed come full circle; I first tried the diet in 2011. But this time, I’m simultaneously treating the cause of my problems with the FMT, so I dare say it’ll be more enlightening than the last round. And in any case it’ll give my system a bit of relief in the process.
At least this time I know what I’m doing a bit better on both accounts. The changes I’ve felt since the first transplant gave me enough hope that the second may be the final puzzle piece. Fingers are well and firmly crossed. Then I can actually start up this blog again good and proper! I have recipes to share!