I got worms, i got problems :(?

Question

Hello, just wondering if anyone could help. I found what looked like a roundworm after i had a shower (kind of like a beansprout curled up (sorry about the detail)). Im pretty sure i caught this off of my cat. On top of this, for the past month and a half i've been dizzy (like drunkeness) and been getting headaches at the top of my nose and my forehead, especially when exercising. Also, for a short period my asthma got worse and then recovered. Im basically wondering whether this could be in anyway related to what i suspect to be worms.

By the way, i have been to the doctors, but her knowledge wasnt exactly inspirational - she prescribed me mebendazole - but she had to look that up in a book!

Thanks in advance

Chris

just a quick note, i dont think its pinworm or threadworm - the specimen was to large for that

Answer 1

Hi,

Its possible. They live in your intestine and use the nutrition that you eat to live. They can cause the symptoms that you described. She did give you the right medicine to treat you. Worms are more of an occurrence that happen to small children that play outside in the dirt and put their hands in their mouth before washing them. I think you'll be fine.

Answer 2

Round worms can result from uncooked meats or being exposed to parasites in the dirt. Some can enter your body from water or from infected feces. Pin worms are usually what children get from not washing their hands and cause anal itching at night. Then they put their fingers in their mouths or the eggs infect another child. I would think you might want to get a second opinion is you're unhappy with your doctor. All doctors keep a PDR book to reference certain medications; they don't memorize all of that stuff. But certainly follow up if you still have symptoms. If you find a parasite again use it for a specimen so your doctor/lab can be sure you're getting the right treatment. Good Luck!

Answer 3

Pinworms are extremely common. It is estimated that there are more than 40 million cases in the United States each year. Although anyone can catch pinworms, they are most common in children aged 5-14 years. Pinworms live in your intestines and survive by eating some of the nutrients in your food. The most common symptom of pinworms is an itchy rectal area. Symptoms are worse at night when the worms are most active and crawl out of the anus to deposit their eggs. Although pinworm infections can be annoying, they do not cause any serious health problems and are usually not dangerous.

Medical Treatment

Albendazole (Albenza) is the most common treatment for pinworms.


Treatment is a single tablet, which kills the worms. There are different strengths for adults and children younger than 2 years.


Because eggs can survive for a few weeks, you will have to take a second dose 2 weeks later to lessen the chance of reinfection.


Mebendazole (Vermox) and pyrantel pamoate (Pin-Rid, Pin-X) also work. They are also taken in a single dose and repeated 2 weeks later.


Because it is common for everyone in a household to have pinworms at the same time, your doctor may recommend that everyone be treated at the same time.


Your doctor may also recommend tap water enemas to help flush out the pinworms and reduce symptoms.


After taking the pills, you should also do the following:


Get into the habit of carefully washing your hands after using the toilet, and before and after eating.


Thoroughly launder all bedding, clothing, and toys to destroy any lingering eggs.


Launder all bedding every 3-7 days for 3 weeks.


Wash underwear and pajamas daily for 2 weeks.

Answer 4

If you did not take the bean sprout looking thing to the doctor to be identified, did she do any tests on your stool? A good doctor would first get a stool specimen and check for ova and parasites to confirm you had worms. Normally a worm is found in stool after you defecate. Not in the shower!

Secondly a good doctor would check your blood work for anemia. This is from the worms taking so much blood from you to duplicate and survive. Anemia could cause you to have a flair up of your asthma, as it causes the oxygen in your body to be low. The dizziness and headaches could be a sign of anemia.

I know this sounds gross to the layman...but, you need to watch what comes out in your stool when you defecate. Look for dead worms.

Mebandazole is a poison to kill the worms. And yes doctors cant remember every medicine there is out there, and also, doctors see few cases of ova and parasites in America.

Mexico is a different story. There I think the statistics are 1 in every 5 are infected!

Answer 5

The rats would go after the kitchen scraps for sure. You would have to get something like chicken wire and wind it around the thing and also underneath it. It might not be worth it. You don't want rats. On the other hand I've seen some compost bins that were hand made from large trash cans with locking lids and you poke or drill some holes in the bottom for drainage and put them on blocks so they are not sitting on the ground. That might be an option. Worms will go deep into the bin and stay warm. In fact compost heap temperatures can get quite high when they are "cooking."

Answer 6

No real answer, but you should make sure your cat is better (i had one that had to be treated three times before the worms went away), so the infection isn't spead.