This is my first time to post...I have a 17 year-old son who has been fighting Crohn's for 3+ years...if I give his history in detail, I will not get to my question at all, for it will take too much space to tell you his journey. But here are the last several months in a nutshell so you know where we are right now: Our son began responding to reduced CHO and some herbs (Dr. Overman) in November after a sharp downturn in the fall when we traveled overseas, subsequently tried LDN, then 5+ weeks on oregano oil; the improvement came too late to avoid hospitalization for blood transfusion since his Hgb had dropped to 6.0 (even though during all hospital tests he had no occult blood for the first time in years)...that brought him up to Hgb 8.8 or so, and we left the hospital after nine days on elemental tube feeding (Peptamin, I know, yuck) with him at 88 lbs. (he is 5'8"). We transitioned to Jini's elemental after a few weeks on p.m. Peptamin and then on to gentle foods within SCD after 5+ weeks on only Jini's elemental. His heart rate had begun to race (130 at rest) and it settled after taking a break from the elemental. He gained almost 20 lbs., but is now stable at about 115 lbs. His symptoms of diarrhea and cramping have not returned, and he has fairly formed stools 2-3 times per day right now. He has very little cramping/gas. We are weaning him off hydrocortisone -- he is at 7.5 mg per day right now. His anemia was last checked at teh end of March and was at 9.1. He has not tolerated iron supplements in the past, so we are trying to include a little liver each day right now. He is also tolerating raw milk, yogurt and cheese. His main problem is multiple fissures, and more recently urinary/epididymis issues as well. I help treat his anal area 2-3 times per day with a variety of things (Res-Q, Triple C cream, etc.) after he soaks in the tub after bowel movements. He has on the right side of his perianal area longstanding visible external inflammation, and recently I have figured out that there is a subdermal thickness and pain that when I press on a particular area, and a little pus comes out of one of the most ulcerized fissures about an inch away (did I just make up the word ulcerized?!, and am I just getting too graphic here? Please forgive me if I am -- I am used to this kind of talk!!! -- I also have a degree from years ago in dietetics, but that's another story -- the Weston A Price principles we now live by are far from the stuff I was taught in graduate school). ANYWAY, back to my dear son...we also recently inadvertently realized that he has some trouble urinating, even when his bladder is full (during an ultrasound trying to determine if he has a dual collection system -- urologist cannot figure out why our son has had repeated epididymitis over these 3 years- he thought maybe one ureter may be dumping into the epididymis -- they could not tell with just ultrasound, but I learned that the bladder had sufficient urine for the tech to believe he should be able to urinate, but he couldn't. Our son says that's the way it has been for him for some time). He now is having pain upon urinating, and I am wondering about inflammation/infection, and if the oregano oil is the way we should proceed. We tried thoil of oregano protocol November 2007 gently progressing to 10 drops 3 times per day for weeks, but he deteriorated and we ended up in the hospital. Maybe he is strong enough to try again? He has just recently begun to tolerate Natren probiotics and we are progressing gently. We built up to 1/2 tsp Life Start 2 twice per day, and then last week began 1/4 tsp once per day of the other three. I really don't know which of the other three I should have started next and felt a little desperate to get him going in order to try to resolve the ulcerated bottom issue. Now with the obvious infection somewhere in his right "cheek" near the anus I am wondering what order to do things. I was just about to begin the suppositories again (as soon as they arrive from holistic health shoppe) and Mucosaheal. He has been doing George's Aloe for about two tp three weeks now twice per day...Soooo, I guess my question is: should I begin the oregano oil for a while and THEN do the mucosaheal and suppositories? Should I just do a consultation with Jini?! This is a jumbled mess, I am sure. I have had LTYG for over a year, and have tried various elements -- very helpful. Our son has been also helped by craniosacral therapy, which I didn't even know about until reading the book. He goes once per week; his therapist is also a PT and she is doing multiple therapies with him to help him rehab from the complete deterioration and malnutrition of the last 2 years. We also work with an NMT therapist remotely who has recommended Dr. Overman's herbs occasionally after "muscle testing" for specific ones. (Dr Overman is all about parasite infection and getting rid of it.)

Well, that's a lot!! But it is the most recent history as briefly as I could describe. Please advise in any way you deem appropriate.

With much gratitude,
Elizabeth
Washington, D.C.

Hi, Elizabeth.

Yes, it definitely sounds like he is going to benefit from the Wild Oregano Oil. Given his history, I think it makes the most sense to start supplements one at a time. Jini often recommends starting with aloe vera juice and then MucosaHeal to help calm things down. Because of ulceration/pus, I would hold off on the FissureHeal until after he's on the wild oregano oil protocol and signs of infection are resolved. He can then use the FissureHeal to help the fissures heal as quickly as possible.

It will "burn", but if he can tolerate it, the fastest healing will also come from applying wild oregano oil topically to the infected areas. Start with Joy of the Mountains (which is already at the proper dilution for taking it orally) and dilute the product 1:20 with olive oil. (20 parts olive oil, one part oil of oregano.) Apply that topically two or three times a day, working the strength up over time to as close as he can tolerate to full strength.

I don't really have the knowledge to answer the question about the epididymitis from a physical standpoint. What I can say is that if he's open to it, it's worth trying EFT on it as an adjunct to any other protocols. It's extremely unlikely to hinder and very often helps with physicial issues.

I'm also going to ask Jini to review your post to see if she has anything to add or a different take on anything.

Take care,
Nicole

Thanks, Nicole. We have already started the oil of oregano beginning at 3 drops the first day, 3 drops two times per day yesterday, and today we'll go up to 3 drops X 3 and add a little each day.
His system seems fragile each time we try anything new, so I am going slowly. I have also begun to apply topically.

He has been consuming only raw milk these past few days to give everything a rest, but he is not wild about trying to do that for a month (which I would love to see)...but he might be willing to try Absorb plus shakes as well as raw milk -- has anyone you know of ever mixed the two with success?

I will also gradually introduce the Natren powders at the bedtime hour -- I am not sure which one to begin with or to begin just a little of all three and increase all at the same time now that he is on the oil of oregano.

I appreciate your input. I have been hesitant to post -- there is so much story to our son's journey...but we are at right now, and I really appreciate Jini's LTYG and the information from the newsletters and seminars so much...this should be quite a support as well.

In gratitude,
Elizabeth

Hi Elizabeth,

Okay, first of all, I'm really glad I don't have to spend time educating or convincing you of the Weston Price eating principles - that really saves time!

Your son is dealing with several issues:

1/ It sounds like he has an abscess in his perianal region. The only thing that will heal this is internal and external wild oregano oil. Follow instructions given by Nicole - but you can probably start at 10:1 dilution for perianal application and then increase strength to tolerance. The closer you can get it to full strength, the better. Continue with the oral Protocol and gradually (and I mean gradually!) increase to full dose. If at any stage it looks like it's becoming too much, then hold or drop down to a lower dose, rather than risk having to stop. Do as much of the probiotics at night at you can - yes, all three together. If he's tolerating raw milk, he shouldn't have a problem with the probiotics, but proceed slowly, just in case. Stay with this until any/all signs of infection are cleared.

2/ Simultaneously, he REALLY needs building up and strengthening. So, here's what I think would work well for him: To go on a semi-elemental, liquid diet until goal weight is achieved, or, he is able to tolerate high nutrition solid foods. So, this means, you give him:

Phase 1
- Absorb Plus shakes
- raw milk
- raw milk and raw egg shakes (see my post: topic691.html for a recipe) But for him, I would modify this recipe with 2 whole raw eggs, and 1 raw yolk (always put in an extra yolk). The spices are optional, as is the banana - in fact, I would hold off on the banana for a while, and then test.
- bone broths - VERY important.
- homemade jello if desired, for variety

Phase 2
- keep all the foods outlined above, but also add raw liver (see Nourishing Traditions cookbook for recipes) and raw fish (sashimi) - see pg 208 of LTYG for how to check for and eliminate any possible worms. He can dip it in soy sauce if he likes.

Phase 3
- keep him on all foods given above, but now also add the raw juices that I will give in this coming Infoletter (Issue #4) - will be available in the next 2 weeks.

Phase 4
- once he has been stable and at his goal weight for at least 3-6 months. Do the detox portion of my new protocol in Issue #4 of the Infoletter.

3/ Please do not attempt any parasite-cleanse or detox protocols until he has been at his goal weight for 3-6 months. Likely, the wild oregano oil will take care of any parasites anyway. I repeat, for people with active IBD, parasite or herbal cleanses can throw them into full flares, they are just too harsh for hypersensitive guts.

4/ I would really like to see your son taking more responsibility and more of an active role in his healing process. 17 is certainly old enough. He needs to get in the driver's seat so that he can start listening and responding to his own gut and developing his own powers of intuition. The craniosacral is a good start, EFT would also be excellent, as would hypnosis - but let him make the decision. Also, perhaps a good place to start would be with the foods given in Phase 1, let him decide when and which foods he wants. Perhaps all he wants is raw milk/raw egg shakes and bone broths all day. Great! Let him learn to start following his own body. He can feel free to post here and ask his own questions.

5/ I wouldn't worry too much about his anemia at this stage. Just check it every couple of months. Try 1 capsule of Ferrasorb iron every 2-3 days (with food) for maintenance and see how he does on that.

6/ Simultaneously, with all the above, get him off any remaining drugs. His true root-level healing can't really begin until you remove the daily toxins (like drugs).

all the best,
Jini

Nicole and Jini,

Thank you for your help a few weeks ago -- here's an update and a few questions.

A week or so after my last post, my son's urogenital symptoms became so incredibly painful and mystifying, our homeopathic MD (very hands-off kind of guy) recommended we take our son to the ER the following day (it was Sunday three weeks ago)...the ER doc did not detect a perianal or perirectal abscess and did not elect to submit Nathan to another CT scan if it was not necessary (he had one in December) feeling that if we follow-up with a GI they might want to do that and he didn't want to overexpose our son...anyway we were sent home with Levaquin antibiotic for 7 days...the excrutiating urogenital pain resolved in a few days, but the hardness and tenderness on one side of his perianal area in the deep tissues remains, and it is persistent and increasing in pain -- sometimes pus exudes from the anus and a few times a watery liquid had gushed out (about a teaspoon or more)...anyway he has remained stable otherwise consuming the equivalent of 4 shakes and 8 cups of raw milk daily - with some Udo's added in it is about 3000 calories total. Raw egg seems to aggravate just now.Not seeing measurable weight gain at this amount to my surprise. He has worked up to 10 drops 3X per day oil of oregano with Natren powders and 1/3 cup or so George's aloe at bedtime. He also completed the ever so gradual taper of hydrocortisone -- last dose at 1.25 mg was 5 days ago. We have started a silver product that is non-toxic (not colloidal) to help with fighting the infection, but as I have been reading about the symptoms, it seems very plausible to me that he indeed has either some kind of perianal abscess or perirectal abscess and maybe even fistula -- the exit is not visible however.

My question as I get a little nervous about potential complications (which I think we have aleady seen with urethra/epididymis/testicular involvement last month) written about as I Google perianal abscess, etc., is: can we actually get this under control without "medical" attention (i.e. draining this thing)? Is it possible with just liquid diet (he is really wanting to eat by the way -- he's been on the aforementioned diet for almost 4 weeks)? I do not want to have this expand again into something more serious with his reproductive organs/sepsis/etc...the pain level is pretty bad right now -- no relief so far. His question to me is, "How long do we wait before we get to a GI to have it evaluated and perhaps drained?" I don't have an answer, except for that we will know. As I help to treat the area, I am amazed at how large the area is under my hand that is hardened and painful to the touch -- if the area drained more often (it has a mind of its own and is rarely persuaded to drain with gentle massage), he would probably get a little more relief. He's already doing a warm bath after each bowel movement (3-4 BM's every 24 hours). That's my dilemma -- I really do not wish to have him put on antibiotics again -- or worse -- unless it could help. The severe bloating that occurred after the most recent Levaquin was predictable and very uncomfortable for him. He is up to a heaping teaspoon of bifido and heaping 1/2 teaspoons of the other three strains (including lactis) before bed every night. This has helped to reduce the extreme bloating. Yesterday and today he has had some abdominal pains that he hasn't had in a long time...is this a "good" thing or "bad" thing who can tell. Hopefully it is part of healing and not a backwards trend...

Anyway -- what to do with the abscess issue if it doesn't SEEM to be resolving?

BTW -- we are on Annabel's calendar for next week -- she wants to start with me before she even talks to our son -- probably no big surprise there. Our son is actually taking more responsibility, though, for his body which is necessary and welcomed for long term healing...

Thanks for any insight you can share.

Oh, I have not introduced Mucosaheal yet -- should I now before infection is resolved?

In gratitude,
Elizabeth

Hi Elizabeth,

You're going to have to follow your own gut/wisdom on the perianal abscess. We can't possibly give you any guidelines for that (from a remote location via a forum).

However, what I can tell you is that you do have the option of having the abscess drained and then NOT following it with antibiotics. You don't even need to tell your GI this - just take the prescription and don't fill it.

Here's what I'm thinking if you decide to have it drained: If possible, during the procedure, have the GI syringe it with full strength wild oregano (as much as will go in) after drainage. Then, (regardless of whether he'll do that, or not) try to get him to leave a drainage tube in place. This will make it very easy for you to syringe it yourself with wild oregano and thereby avoid having to take any antibiotics.

Even if he won't leave a drainage tube in place, you can still syringe (syringes available at local pharmacy) it through the hole - it's just more difficult and uncomfortable.

Here's my feeling about the syringing regimen (stock up on wild oregano):

- syringe with as close to full strength wild oregano oil as he will tolerate. Try to elevate bum so that oregano oil stays in the abscess cavity and doesn't drain back out immediately. Try plugging drainage hole with an earplug or something to block it closed for 20 minutes after syringing, then remove and let it drain.
- syringe every 2 hours for the first 24 hours (when he's asleep at night, let it go 4 hours)
- then every 4 hours for the next 24 hours
- then 4 times per day thereafter until infection completely resolved
- then 2 times per day for 10 days (yes, this is AFTER there is no infection left)
- then allow hole to close and continue applying topically for a month, 3x/day

Throughout this whole regimen, continue with oral wild oregano and probiotics.

Next, I would be surprised if your son did see weight gain at only 3,000 calories per day. He is doing 2 things which require tons of extra calories in addition to normal requirements: healing and growing. My 8 year old easily consumes 4000 calories per day and he is perfectly healthy.

So don't use calories as your guide, use results and just keep loading it on until you see weight gain. Also, get him on chicken and beef broth. If he doesn't like the taste of the Nourishing Traditions broths, then use my recipes from The IBD Remission Diet. This is essential both for healing and for appetite stimulation.

Let us know how it goes....

Jini

Jini,

Thank you! I can't tell you how much I appreciate your insight, and I have an additional question for you. Is it best to keep our son on the liquid diet only as we navigate this infected area, or can I add a few simple things like scrambled egg, squares of organic raw cheese, etc., to the regimen (these are things he has tolerated well)? He does actually drink chicken stock and beef stock, but not often enough probably.

I will touch bases to let you know how theings are going. I finally have so much hope to help our son move forward sans drugs, and this hurdle has the potential to be discouraging and a little scary, depending upon what I read.

Thank you ever so much for "being there" to bounce off ideas and concerns. Your expertise and time is so appreciated.

Elizabeth

Hi, Elizabeth.

That's another thing to follow your gut on.

If it was me, given the potential seriousness of the situation, I think I would stay on the IBD Remission Diet for a solid six, or possibly seven, weeks and then begin reintroducing food systematically. (Jini actually republished her Food Reintroduction Chart, if you want to use that, in the latest issue of Good Health is Real Wealth.)

Following the supplementation plan outlined in The IBD Remission Diet is also very supportive to the immune system, and that can only help, given his current issue.

Still, in the end, let him read the pros and cons and have a part in making the ultimate decision.

My thoughts are with you.

Take care,
Nicole

Thank you, Nicole. I appreciate you and Jini so much! I'll stay in touch...
Elizabeth