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Aunaturel
Aunaturel

Hi!  So basically I was diagnosed as having threadworms by my doctor a few weeks ago.  I've had three courses of Mebendazole and been back to see her again, as I still have them, but now the doctor's really surprised that I still haven't got rid of them (apparently I'm the first patient not to shake them after just one dose of Mebendazole).  Some of her pregnant patients do it just by hygiene alone, and still they manage to shake it really easily.  So I'm anticipating that she's not going to be very sympathetic if I can't shake it, but from what I read on here, this is unfortunately the norm...

So anyway, as my GP looks like she's not going to be a lot of help, I'm trying to find out as much as I can about the darn critters in order to improve my chances of beating them.  Basically what I'm wondering is whether the eggs need exposure to oxygen in order to mature, and become infective.  I've read that they do, but then I've also read that the eggs that the adult females leave inside you when they die, will also hatch inside you (and this, presumably, without the exposure to oxygen).  So which one is correct, or are both correct and I'm overlooking something?

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • takiya11892
    takiya11892 Aunaturel

    Posted

    Hello I was wondering how did the dr diagnose you no dr will listen to me when I say I have them
  • Aunaturel
    Aunaturel

    Posted

    Hi Takiya 11892!  Basically it's a bit ironic, as initially I just went to the doctor with the embarrassing itchy bottom, and she did an examination (but saw no worms) and told me I had threadworm.  I went away, got the meds etc., took them, did all the cleaning etc., and then started wondering how we could be certain I had them.  I went back to the surgery (although this time I had to see a different doctor), and the doctor I saw then advised me to do a tape test, and if I saw a worm, to take another dose of mebendazole (my third).  I went home and did a few tape tests, and on the third try I saw one almost transparent looking worm.  I wasn't surprised as my symptoms just seemed to point in that direction.  I went back to the surgery, this time to see the doctor I saw first time round.  For her it wasn't enough that I'd seen a worm on the tape, and she seemed quite incredulouus that I still had them (luckily I'd already read about loads of people online who were struggling to get rid of them, so knew I wasn't the unique case she was trying to imply I was).  She therefore suggested I do a stool sample.  As I'd only just taken my third round of Mebendazole I told her I would wait before doing it, so as to increase the likelihood of worms getting picked up in the sample.  However since seeing her I realise that stool samples can often give false negatives, and am really anxious that she will tell me I don't have worms when I do.  Ideally I'd like the opportunity to do a tape test for the eggs and the worms, but I'm not sure if British doctors offer that sort of test.
    • takiya11892
      takiya11892 Aunaturel

      Posted

      Wow glad they found them at least. I can't understand why I have them I hear they ar common in Europe. But I'm I. The U.S. The dr asked have I been over seas I said no so he said I don't have them and see a Shrink never even tested me.
    • Aunaturel
      Aunaturel takiya11892

      Posted

      That seems a bit harsh to me!  I've read A LOT about threadworms since the doctor said I had them, and from what I understand they are just as common (if not more so) in America as they are in the UK.

      For me the doctor hasn't "found them" I'm afraid.  I found them.  At the moment the symptoms have gone away (I took one Mebendazole 7 days ago), but I'm not that confident they won't return, and then I will have to try to convince my doctor that I still have them.  Not sure yet how to do it...

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