• LowExperience2368@aussie.zone
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    5 days ago

    I recently read that ABC article on how a faecal transplant allegedly treated a woman’s bipolar. Would you do such a transplant?

    • Thornburywitch@aussie.zone
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      5 days ago

      They’re using faecal transplants for a number of issues now. Notably obesity and diabetes and other such issues linked to the gut biome. Even regular depression and some addictions. Makes sense to me. Yes, I’d give it a whirl.

    • Pilk@aussie.zone
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      5 days ago

      I would want a gastro specialist to really go through the risks for my specific circumstances before I signed up for it.

      The reason it can be so powerful are the same that can make it risky – people have died from poop that contained bad infectious material that was not picked up in screening, but also it might result in a transplant of traits from donors (food preferences, susceptibility to mental health concerns, weight changes etc.). That said, I also have an illness for which I would try any reasonably achievable treatment, even if the possibility of cure was low, and I’d be willing to take on more risk.

      I used to conceptualise FMT as a very broad spectrum pro-biotic, but probiotics typically just pass right on through. An FMT really is a total re-colonisation an important system we still barely understand.

    • SituationCake@aussie.zone
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      5 days ago

      I don’t know much about bipolar but it seems like a pretty awful experience. The chance of a permanent cure would be tempting.

    • just_kitten@aussie.zone
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      5 days ago

      If nothing else seemed to be working I’d consider it. Definitely a strong link between the gut and brain so it doesn’t seem that out there even if the thought of it is gross (it’s not like I have to see or ingest or touch the stuff at least).

    • Catfish@aussie.zone
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      5 days ago

      Yes. The idea is viscerally revolting, but same as medical maggots makes sense. I could deal with the poop as a mostly invisible process. Not maggots!

    • Seagoon_@aussie.zone
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      5 days ago

      there is a better way

      I think I would kiss people on the face lips to get the germs/biomass I need