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I have been reluctant to post anything since I wanted to wait to see if I had a relapse but I have not. I have had chronic pouchitis for 2.5 years and on antibiotics. Initially 2 cipro and 2 flagil a day, then 2 cipro a day, then after Rebecca's SCD diet down to 1 cipro a day for the last 4-5 months or so. Everytime I would try to get off to do stool testing for instance where you need to be off antibiotics for 5 days, I couldn't make it more than 3 days last month without major repercussions. I had been taking 3 drops a day of oregano oil for several months but saw now effect but knew that it was good for me. 3 weeks ago I started 12 drops, 4 drops 3X a day of doterra oregano oil (there are others that I'm sure are just as good I will mention criteria below) and I never had to go back on the antibiotics. I was SO excited. I had 3 protocols from different functional medicine people across the country that called for oregano oil for GI bacteria and diarrhea as part of their program and just decided to up my dose. It's the only thing that I am doing differently. Although I may add some of the other items they mentioned in the protocols down the road. The oregano oil must be concentrated and you must take in a veggie capsule(it's too strong otherwise) It must be the correct species, oregano vulgare and subspecies (hirtum is a good one) and it must be high in NATURALLY occurring carvacrol(not added in manufacturing). Must be low in thymol(less than 5%)Joy of the Mountains is another brand that meets the criteria, I'm sure there are others also. You need to build up gradually however taking 3 drops an day initially then slowly increasing so you reduce die off. My protocol says to take for 3 months but I have a feeling I could be on it much longer, I will keep you posted. Like antibiotics, with long term use it can be harmful for the good bacteria but I believe it is much better and safer than the antibiotics but I don't know how much so. If anyone has a functional medicine doctor who is very knowledgeable on this I would love to hear. Rebe had been very good about getting me to think about my long term plan which I will start to do but I was just so surprised and excited to be off antibiotics I hadn't gotten that far. Someone else who is rarely on this site recommended the oil to me also who had pouchitis and she has been off antibiotics at least 6 months I believe.
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hi C..so glad you are sharing this exciting news i have tried but did not seem to get any others enthusiastic..maybe its good others can hear it straight from you other than my saying my friend in ohio...

we are both on to something i think..as i said to you even if it is not a long term solution due to risks it still may be an alternative for those that rotate or want to give it a rest from antibiotics from time to time..i have someone i want to put it past before i begin to try it but consulting with you keeps me up to date...of course hoping you found a winner here..it is very promising... it is known in the non western medicine circles to have antibiotic properties and been used for short term use successfully..

i am excited and thrilled for you C because i know what a great feeling it is to be off antibiotics having had that happen to me for months just with diet..today my diet just keeps me on lower dosages but the only thing i know at least for me is things keep changing and my intestines (jpouch) is a moving target..

maybe you can get the other jpoucher to share too..we are all in this together..

hugs rebe
Hi Jeane. I'm sure the Rebecca and Clouseau will chime in soon, but you should definitely NOT mix essential oils into drinking water. They are not water soluble and can cause bigger problems that way. If you take any oils internally, I would do as suggested above and take them in a capsule. I'm a big believer in essential oils, but personally would recommend taking them under the supervision of a doctor or naturopath because they can be powerful stuff. Hope this helps!
yep cannot take with water and they are used with capsules you can get at health food store.. you work with drops of oil in cpules..


and it is a good idea to consult with someone before taking it.. clouseau is doing well on 12 drops 4 three times a day as she said but i have heard too its powerful stuff and you might want to get some guidance..the more we share and consult the better for us all..
I'm glad this is working but what will happen after the three months it so if it can't be used long term?
What other things does your doctor recommend? I see a functional medicine doctor and would like to run these things by her. I'm on a lot of anti inflamatory vitamins. She also advocates the Paleo diet and fermented foods.
For me Xifaxan is working wonders again.
yeh allikat one thing we can count on is our pouches are moving targets..somethings seem to work for awhile,then stop ,then maybe work again..i think that seems to be the most consistent thing i find with myself and listening to others..

i am still on my s.c.d. diet because i believe it is keeping me being able to use 1/2 dosage of antibiotics..so not about to change it..cncerned about the oregano also being good for 3 months but then again might be good .. change up from antibiotics..following info on that a C`S PROGRESS..
I have been off antibiotics for 6-7 weeks with the 12 drops of oregano oil a day (4 drops 3X a day)now and plan to stay on the oil indefinitely as i believe it is much healthier than my antibiotics. I am still on SCD diet but must admit I do cheat with sweets a couple times a week at least and so far I am still OK but everyone is going to be different.
I'm delighted that it's working! I don't think we know enough to be sure it's healthier than pharmaceutical/prescription antibiotics, but if you're not having side effects that's a heck of a good start. It's likely to have a tolerance effect similar to prescription antibiotics (i.e. the bacteria may adapt over time to the active ingredients), so it could also be reasonable to try to use it in an antibiotic rotation, if one is so inclined.

It's just chemicals from a botanical source, not magic. Some folks will surely have side effects of one kind or another, and others won't - just as with any other substance strong enough to have an effect.
I love your post! I know you say that if taken long-term, it harmful to the good bacteria, but small intestines aren't really meant to have lingering bacteria at all, good or bad, right? Or am I totally off base here? As I understand it, small intestines are naturally supposed to be pretty bacteria free, INCLUDING probiotics. Probiotics are great for colons, but if you don't have one, is it really that much of a concern? I have a j pouch and have Crohns. I love D****** oregano oil myself. I have great results with it. It helps keep my flare ups under control. But I'm really not that worried about good bacteria.

Personally, I think Oil of Oregano is AWESOME!!! I've done quite a bit of research on it. Oil of Oregano is antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and antimicrobial. It also reduces pain and inflammation! I started using it to get rid of my chronic sinus infections (and it works GREAT for this!) because I hate the over drying effect of antibiotics and the yeast infections they give me. If I feel a sinus infection coming on, I take it immediately for a few days...and it's gone! It also seems to shorten the length of a cold (because of its antiviral properties). I have found many uses for Oil of Oregano since then, including its help with minimizing bloating (which I attribute to my j-pouch and occasional pouchitis)! YAY!!! According to the many articles I've read, you should not take Oil of Oregano more than 3-4 weeks without giving it a 1 week rest period (unless, or course, you've been instructed otherwise by your doctor or Naturopath). I was diagnosed as a Type 1 Diabetic two years ago and have found Oil of Oregano helps balance my blood glucose levels to some extent. There are very few side effects of Oil of Oregano, however, it is a member of the mint family so if you are allergic to mint, marjoram, basil, hyssop or sage, you should probably stay away from it. (There are a bunch of articles on Oil of Oregano on the internet from good sources!!!)

 

In regards to probiotics, probiotics affect other parts of your body (besides the colon) including your stomach. Probiotics probably won't get rid of diarrhea or loose stools, but they will help with these because they help settle an upset stomach. I have always eaten pretty much what I want since I've had my j-pouch, knowing I may have to pay the price (diarrhea, stomach cramps, etc.). But when I began taking probiotics, I noticed they really help to limit the side effects of what I eat and help with bloating and gas. My doctor even told me recently that, yes, I should take probiotics to help eliminate the bloating and gas. I give "doggy" probiotics to my dogs, too, when they have stomach issues.

I have brought an ebook on Jini healing guide to gut infection dealing oregano treatment and the use of probiotis put out by Jini Patel Thompson she is a naturopath over your way .it explains how to use oregano oil. Jini also sells the products,I have used some of her probiotic had them sent out here to Australia very fast service.just google her name it will come up  hope this helps 

 

CT Barrister

I used doterra oregano oil as it was very high quality.  You can buy it over the internet and for a minimal amount sign up as a distributor to get it at wholesale. I am now back on antibiotics and have to rotate now, new situation and  most of mine do not not work for more than 5-7 days. I still use some oregano oil but lower doses. 

CT Barrister, I recall you rotated quite a few antibiotics from prior posts you made and appear to be much more knowledgeable about this than I am and have been rotating longer.  What antibiotics can be used for pouchitis other than cipro, tindazole (flagil), augmentin and bactrirm, which are the ones I rotate now but they seem to work for shorter and shorter amounts of time.

Anyone else who has comments on additional antibiotics, I would appreciate your feedback, thanks.  

Just recieved oil of oregano in mail (purchased from Telia Oils on Amazon). My husband, at this point is willing to try anything. He is currently taking cipro and flagy- 250mg to 500 mg twice a day of each with minimal relief. He tries cycling antibiotics- nothing works except forCipro and flagyl. Cipro is playing havoc on his body, so hopefully the oil of oregano will allow him to take a drug free holiday. He also takes Tumeric, Cinnamon, Probiotic and Prilosec. No noticiable improvements. We are so grateful for this forum!

Hello all. Thank you so much for this blog!! Also, I appreciate those who mentioned Oregano. I started Oregano oil 6 months ago (4-8 drops per day) and after 6 years of chronic pouchitis, it was the first time I was able to stop the antibiotics!! It was suggested to me to dilute the Oregano with Oxygenated Coconut oil and it made a big difference as I was experiencing some burning sensation going down. With the diluted Oregano I have not had any burning issues. Recently, I have started having low grade fever, and inflamed pouch again, so I am going to try to increase the Oregano to 12 drops a day. If that doesn't work I will have to go back to the antibiotics and try the rotation others mentioned. Hope it works for you too.

I am always on the lookout for new treatments for pouchitis and spend about an hour a day doing medical research on my struggling GI track (pouchitis) and follicular lymphoma a cancer caused by immune issues, gut inflammation and viruses. A very interesting article just came out on a new weapon to fight antibiotic resistance, using phages, a treatment from the past that has great promise.

If interested its in the WSJ Jan 23rd "Natural Born Killer Joins The Germ Fight" 

 

Got my doTERRA oil on Monday and started taking some.  Tuesday morning I woke up feeling like I had taken a laxative the night before.  Took some more yesterday and had the same result this morning.  

I was hoping it'd have the same effect as taking Cipro for the first time -- semi-formed stools.

My bottle came with a plastic lid with a tiny hole in the middle, which creates the drops I suppose, although it's highly inefficient unless I hold it up high above the veggie capsules.  Is there a way to remove the plastic lid and use my own eyedropper?  Also, do you wear gloves when dispensing?

clouseau posted:

I used doterra oregano oil as it was very high quality.  You can buy it over the internet and for a minimal amount sign up as a distributor to get it at wholesale. I am now back on antibiotics and have to rotate now, new situation and  most of mine do not not work for more than 5-7 days. I still use some oregano oil but lower doses.

So what happened to you exactly? Did the oregano oil not end up working after all for you?

Can you use oil of oregano routinely strictly for prevention of pouchitis? I am scheduled for take-down in a few weeks & have never experienced pouchitis, but am so scared of getting it.  Would it make sense to rotate oil of oregano with VSL probiotic every week indefinitely for prevention?

 

2000 diagnosed UC.   Remicade, Humira, 2005-07.    Ileostomy 2007.   J-Pouch step 2 March '17.   Take-down scheduled June '17.

Last edited by Aussie

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