Thank you, Georgia! Thank you, phages! Thank you, Medical care in Georgia!

After a knee operation and the installation of a semi-compartmental prosthesis, I was infected by an extremely virulent golden staphylococcus and ended up in septic shock within 48 hours.

I was operated on again to replace the prosthesis and deeply clean the knee, followed by a dual therapy of very strong antibiotics for three and a half months.

After a month of rest, the infection came back.

I was operated on again to replace the prosthesis and deeply clean the knee, followed by the same dual therapy of very strong antibiotics, at a higher dose for 4 months…

My infectious disease doctor recommended that I stay near a hospital because the infection could return and I could be in septic shock very quickly.

My surgeon wanted to open my knee again after 3 months to check for any remaining infection and perform another cleaning.

After seeking several external opinions, I told him that I wanted to wait and see. I felt that this wasn’t a long-term solution and there was a new risk of contamination.

The antibiotic treatment seemed ineffective and was wearing me out; my staphylococcus was resistant. The consulting physician from my health insurance wrote to me stating that he had a negative opinion about reimbursing my antibiotic treatment as it wasn’t working, adding insult to injury!

We had heard about phage therapy; a friend had been saved from amputation in 2020 by this treatment by going to Georgia.

So, we discussed it with the surgeon and the infectious disease doctor, who expressed serious reservations, in fact, they didn’t know much about it…

When I mentioned phages to my infectious disease doctor, he reacted strongly and told me that if I went to Georgia for phage therapy, I was taking a big risk and he didn’t believe in it. I sensed that he wouldn’t want to take care of me anymore if I did so.

I was all the more puzzled because phage treatment complements antibiotics, they can work together and act synergistically. The side effects of antibiotics are very significant, which isn’t the case with phages.

But another contact with a military doctor told us that he believed in it, that the risks didn’t seem real to him, and that we should try it…

After careful consideration, I decided to go to Georgia for treatment, without discussing it with my infectious disease doctor or my surgeon given their negative reactions.

It was simple; I found a warm welcome there, with caring, competent, and efficient people. I felt confident.

They treated me with specific phages, which I tolerate very well with no fatigue or side effects.

I am not taking any other treatment apart from dietary supplements and vitamins to recover from the side effects of the long-term antibiotic treatment.

It’s been over 6 months now, I am doing very well and I have not had any recurrence of sepsis, my analyses are good, I have gained weight, and my knee no longer hurts. I can walk without any problem, more than 4-5 miles a day, what joy!

When I saw my surgeon again two months ago to tell him that I didn’t want to be operated on again for the moment, he confirmed based on my good analyses and X-rays that it wasn’t necessary, we’d see in 6 months. But he didn’t ask me any questions about the phages…

It served me well not to have listened to them and to have gone for the said phage therapy.

Thank you, Georgia! Thank you, phages! Thank you, Medical care in Georgia!

Thierry De Passemar