- A woman donated her feces to her son to create his own “poop transplants” in order to address his Crohn’s disease.
- He used her feces in his rectum for over four years, and experienced symptoms that mimic menopause.
- Since the procedure is not approved for Crohn’s treatment, they conducted it without medical oversight.
A man who suffered from severe Crohn’s disease experienced relief after conducting a DIY treatment, wherein he inserted his mother’s feces into his rectum. Surprisingly, he also experienced symptoms of menopause, which are typically associated with his mother.
Charlie Curtis, a man in his mid-30s from Toronto, Canada, resorted to DIY “poop transplants” for over four years, as recounted in the documentary “Designer $hit.”
Fecal microbiota transplants (FMTs) are typically performed by a doctor who blends healthy donor feces with a saline solution. In FDA-approved procedures, the saline and feces mixture is then administered to the recipient’s gastrointestinal tract through an enema or oral capsules. However, these treatments are only approved by the FDA and Health Canada for persistent C. Diff bacterial infections.
Charlie’s Struggle with Crohn’s Disease
Diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2006 and later developing Crohn’s disease, Charlie Curtis’ symptoms grew increasingly severe, leading to hospitalization and up to forty daily trips to the bathroom.
To help her son, Sky Curtis sought advice from Thomas Borody, who suggested conducting FMTs on Charlie using her own stool, starting on Christmas day 2008. This DIY treatment continued for several years and ultimately led to Charlie being free of symptoms and medication.
During the process, Charlie experienced unexpected side effects: sweating, hot flashes, and mood swings resembling his mother’s menopause symptoms, indicating that the donated poop possibly transmitted high levels of hormones.
While there have been instances of FMTs leading to improvements in symptoms beyond gastrointestinal issues, further research is needed to validate its effectiveness for treating other conditions. Moreover, conducting at-home FMTs carries the risk of contracting diseases from donor stool.
