Update: Jaxson’s healing journey

Thank you so much for coming along with me as I join forces with our naturopath, Hope, on a quest to heal fully from a years worth of major surgery.

My first operation in the most recent bouts of gender affirming surgeries was October 2022. This was an 8 hour surgery that involved taking large skin grafts from my forearm and buttocks to create a neo phallus. The skin from my buttocks was used to repair the bulk of my forearm. These weren’t just single layer skin grafts, these were full thickness grafts - all the way down to the muscle! To ensure the success of my new phallus, large nerves and arteries were repurposed and micro grafted. These medical procedures are incredible! innovative and in my case, ultra successful.

I received a further 2 surgeries, 6 months apart that included scrotoplasty, glansplasty and the placement of an erectile device and implants. So, within a year, I underwent 3 large ops and received a whole new organ! I learnt a lot, all about the power of the body to heal, the power of the mind and manifestation, the essentials of surrender and the beauty of being with oneself in safety and growth.

I might expand on that down the road, but for now, I have plenty of healing to do! I can honestly say that I feel better within myself than I ever have, however I am not going to fool myself into thinking that my body hasn’t taken a hit! 10 weeks worth of harsh (and necessary) medications has left my gut a bit of a mess.

This was confirmed recently with a set of functional testing ordered by Hope.

Through our consult together we decided that a GI MAP test from Designs for Health Australia was essential. The GI MAP stool test uses quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technology to detect parasites, bacteria, fungi, and more, by targeting the specific DNA of the organisms tested. Not only this, but the GI MAP test accurately evaluates the test results for conditions such as: Autoimmune diseases, IBS/IBD, digestive complaints, diarrhoea or constipation, brain fog, inflammatory conditions, skin problems like acne and psoriasis, mood disorders, depression, and anxiety and diabetes and weight loss issues.

We also ordered a set of blood tests to look at liver function, inflammatory levels, kidney function, nutritional levels and a full blood panel.

I went ahead and completed the stool test kit, sent it off (to the USA!) and completed my blood tests. MY blood tests came back about a week later but the stool test took almost a month to complete. Once I got my test results back I went in to see Hope for guidance.

We were both a little shocked at my results!

Firstly, my blood test results were PERFECT! Perfect levels of nutrients, liver function better than ever and blood levels amazing. I was happy with that and felt that was a true testament to the collective efforts during the healing phases of each surgery.

My GI MAP test results however, were shocking! I showed up for high levels of bacteria, including haemorrhagic e.coli (!!) and streptococcus (SIBO), alongside many other opportunistic bacteria. My zonulin levels were off the chart, zonulin is a marker for leaky gut, a condition where the wall of the gut become more permeable and allows compounds from inside the gut out into the bloodstream. A pattern emerged as Hope detailed the results, it seems the imbalance in my gut was setting me up for an autoimmune condition and a potential issue with blood glucose metabolism. I am confident that by treating my imbalances that I will have corrected a potentially much more difficult set of conditions that may have manifested from this imbalance.

I was clear for parasites, fungus and viruses but I was missing a few essential good species of bacteria - likely the result of being wiped out by long courses of strong antibiotics.

Before I delve into the solutions I want to point out that while the GI MAP showed complex issues in my gut my blood test results revealed absolutely nothing that reflected this. This really showed me the importance of functional testing and not just relying on blood tests to evaluate ones health. We see it a lot in the clinic, patients and clients at a loss with their symptoms - feeling tired, unwell, bloated, foggy and feeling emotionally up and down but their blood test results are normal and so their symptoms are often dismissed.

In our consult together, Hope detailed a treatment plan that had solutions for treating the imbalances in my gut. Our first goal is to kill off the opportunistic infections. Designs for Health research through the GI MAP testing have found that when they exposed these bacteria to various herbal remedies they found that oregano oil, berberine and pomegranate to be effective treatments. Other companies including RN labs have found that uva ursi is also an effective plant medicine that kills off most infective bacteria in the gut. I was prescribed a set of supplements to take to help kill off these bacteria. I was also given supplements to help the gut begin to heal and seal the walls that have become leaky. Hope has coached me on supplements, dietary changes and stress relieving practices to help bring down the inflammation. I am confident that alongside the support I receive from kinesiology that I will be able to complete this first phase of treatment. Once the infections are improved and my gut begins to seal up I will be able to move into healing the gut and restoring the healthy microflora that is essential for wellbeing.

Stay tuned for more and if you feel that a GI MAP test might be good for you then book with Hope, you can now do this online or you can call us at the clinic!