Long term threadworms - I think I have found a solution
Posted , 91 users are following.
6 months ago I suddenly realised that my children and I were infested with threadworms and had been for at least a year prior to that. It has caused me intermittent, unexplained diarrhoea attacks and obviously itchiness. I had put the latter down to thrush as I obviously had them in my vagina. I also had unbearable itching at the top of my bottom (near the small of my back).
This has been so distressing, and the information I have found on the internet has been frustratingly simplistic and unhelpful, occasionally alarmist and contradictory. The most irritating advice is from people quoting the leaflets in the Ovex packets. Here is my experience, which I hope adds information that is genuinely helpful and also new to the war against threadworms.
I did all the right things - Ovex, cleaning, children trained not to scratch, scrub nails and wash bottoms in the morning. It would clear up in the children then come back and I treated them a few times over a couple of months. I would say that now they are free of infestation.
BUT, despite spending the best part of £100 on Ovex (Ha! That's why the drug companies don't find a permanent solution!!), I personally just could not shift them. I was absolutely scrupulous in NEVER touching my bare bum, keeping up the cleaning regime, etc. The Ovex just DID NOT WORK. I still found worms in the days following treatment and there was no let up. I took Ovex daily for 5 days, with no effect.
I also could not understand why I felt itchy and saw small worms on my anus during the day. I was showering 4 to 5 times a day and it was really distressing. My research told me that the female worms come out at night to lay eggs, only after they have reached maturity, at which point they are upwards of 1cm in size. I was seeing 3mm worms on my anus throughout the day. The itching was accompanied by a sticky sensation which I was desperate to wash away.
[b:716aeed2f9]Then I realised what had been happening:[/b:716aeed2f9]
When I shower in the morning I wash thoroughly. However this is not enough. The females lays her eggs in the folds of the anus. And she lays hundreds of thousands of them. When I wash with soap, I am not cleaning every fold in my anus. My childrens' bottoms are positively smooth and flat compared to mine which is ravaged by childbirth and the odd haemorrhoid. This would explain why I have been itching and seeing worms in the daytime. The eggs that have been laid at night are hatching during the daytime, then crawling back up into my intestine. This is retro-infection, claimed by some to be \"rare\".
This was always accompanied by the appearance of tiny skin flakes in my knickers. I made sure I wore black knickers so I could monitor this. Sure enough, the level of itching was directly related to the amount of small white flakes in my underwear. I can only assume this is debris left behind after the worms have hatched.
[b:716aeed2f9]Solution:[/b:716aeed2f9]
I changed from washing with soap, to using an emollient cream (diprobase for eczema), which I carefully work into all the nooks and crannies before rinsing, then repeat the process. While not convinced they have left yet (I've only been doing this for about 3 weeks), I no longer have to shower in the daytime and do not get the flaky debris in my pants.
[b:716aeed2f9]Aggravating factors:[/b:716aeed2f9]
I definitely noticed that a day or two after having a sugar binge (e.g. eating huge packet of sweets) I would have an explosion of worms, day and night. If you can manage it, giving up sweets and sugar is very likely to help you win the war.
Whilst trying to break the cycle, it's also worth making a rule to always wear long pyjama bottoms over knickers to bed. This eliminates the need to wash bedlinen daily, as long as you are sure you are not scratching during the night.
[b:716aeed2f9]What didn't work:[/b:716aeed2f9]
Ovex
Eating garlic cloves
Pumpkin seeds (nice though and very good for you!)
The doctor! Couldn't offer anything stronger than Ovex and just told me not to put my hands near my mouth.
I have laid myself bare in this post, which is still uncomfortable even with anonymity, in the hope that my experience may help someone else who is suffering from this hideous parasite. Unfortunately the medical profession couldn't give a sh*t, as it is \"harmless\"! They seriously need to update this attitude....
14 likes, 105 replies
vicky05201 OneFamily
Edited
Does anyone have any positive stories out there? am sat here feeling so depressed! Iv had these my whole life, Im 33 years old and its now affecting my eldest child. The ovex tablets dont work for me, i take them weekly and might have a few days of relief if im lucky. My daughter caught them (probably from me although iv been extremely hygienic) when she was around a year old. I gave her ovex and again after 2 weeks and since shes been old enough to speak shes complained so many times. I always treat her with ovex and she has some relief for a few weeks then shes back to square one again! Im basically suicidal due to this! I have extremely low moments where i consider ended this complete torture. Yesterday was my youngest daughters 3rd birthday, we had a fantastic day until that evening when my eldest became distressed and i had a look and saw a worm. Thats the moment that i think i cant go on anymore, I dont want her to be like me and have to live with this her whole life, she doesnt deserve this! I want to speak to a doctor about anti depressents but i have been before and explained my whole situation and it is extrememly hard for me to do due to embarassment. He prescribed me ovex even after me telling him it doesnt work for me! The only thing keeping me here is my children, I wouldnt kill myself and leave them behind but in my lowest moments it enters my head briefly as a way out of this!
Thanks for reading
H3a1thy vicky05201
Edited
hi @vicky05201, you dont need to be embarrassed, i hope you're ok. Have you done a stool sample? I only ask because I thought i had them for months and it was making me so paranoid and ill. Because i was washing so much it was drying out my skin, causing the itching. It's surprising how drying water can be on the skin. Combined with the lack of sleep, it was causing me to see something that wasn't there. When I had chat with my GP, they were saying that food can often look like worm due to the way the fibres within the food get broken down. I really hope that that helped. After a few weeks the itching stopped and I've not had a problem since and that was well over a year ago!
vicky05201 H3a1thy
Edited
Hi thanks for commenting, unfortunately its definitely them, iv seen them moving and theres no mistaking the feeling
marvin14699 OneFamily
Posted
thank you very much everything is very helpful i have these too and i am terrified
QueenAno OneFamily
Edited
I'm also UK based and have been suffering with these things for two years. Each time I think I have gotten rid of them, they come back and I am literally at my wits end. I think I got them off a friend who got them from family members. After taking Ovex they seemed to disappear only to return again a few months later. I now have issues with my periods where I'm having awful stomach cramps which caused me to collapse a few weeks back - I'm also having periods every two weeks and really bad cramps. Sure it has to be the worms again. I thought were gone but tonight they are back yet again. So will have to buy more Ovex tomorrow. The friend I mentioned earlier says that he went to Doctor and gave a stool sample which come back all clear. He claims that he does not have any itching, but I am sure that when I have been in his company that I have seen him itching. I start to wonder if I should cut this person out because I am convinced that it is him spreading these things, but maybe I'm being paranoid and they are impossible to get rid of? I feel like I'm going to be stuck with them for life and don't even have any kids so no idea why I keep getting them. I'm cleaning religiously, washing clothes, bedding, showering morning and night and so ashamed about it. I really don't know what more I can do to get rid of them but it is starting to damage my health and also having regular diarrhoea and can't put on weight. I will try the wormwood that someone suggested here. I have cut sugar which seems to calm it, but eventually they just come back.
jean45111 OneFamily
Posted
Tl;dr: It wound up being a fungal infection.
I am posting this here because I read every post on this forum over the last year, trying to get rid of what I was certain was a chronic pinworm infection. I most certainly DID have pinworms, thanks to my kids who lovingly brought them home. After doing an OTC treatment round the whole household was fine, and I had about a month of relief before the itching came back, and back, and back again. Only I was affected this time. For almost 12 months, I have, at various times:
None of that provided long-term relief from the dreaded itch and I was so depressed, which you all well know and understand.
It turns out I had a fungal infection that was causing my itching, and using a prescription anti-fungal cream completely eliminated my symptoms after just 2 days of use. How I got a fungal infection there, I do not know, but I would wager there are more people like me who are suffering from the same and don't realize it. My symptoms were almost indistinguishable from the pinworm infection, so it may be worth ruling it out if you haven't already.
susie01906 OneFamily
Posted
I would like to add to this thread something that was very successful in stopping the horrendous night time itching and which supposedly kills the eggs, but if it doesn't then just the fact that it stops the itching means you get a good nights sleep and you risk less chance of spreading the eggs about. A mixture of clove essential oil and coconut oil. I mixed about 20 drops of clove with a teaspoon of coconut oil and applied the paste directly onto the anus. There is a slight burning sensation and then almost immediate relief.
JohnConner69 OneFamily
Posted
Hey Y'all, I had these infuriating worms for years. It started maybe 4 years ago, when I was lying down to sleep at night.
At first I thought I might be being paranoid or making things up because I never saw a worm, only felt them at night.
I eventually worked up the nerve to get over the counter Vermox, which didn't work. Around this time period I was eating ALOT of junk food. Ben and jerries mostly. Fast-forward 2 years later. During the pandemic I started feeling them again, out of no where. I was so annoyed. At this time I was also eating Ben and Jerrys alot because I wasn't drinking alcohol.
Anyway, my sincere advice, if you feel worms at night is, give up sugar completely. Don't drink orange juice, don't eat fruit, don't eat honey or sugary cereals, don't eat ice cream or chocolate. I read somewhere that they feed off of sugar and you can starve them by giving it up. Don't know how long it takes but I have been unconsciously living a very low sugar life for the past year or so and haven't felt the worms again. Giving up sugar is better for your health anyway. Give it a try. I think you'll be surprised.
abigail80863 OneFamily
Posted
It is slightly comforting to know I am not the only one. 99 replies to this discussion group is proof enough.
I have had these worms for years, ever since I have started working in childcare 9 years ago. It started with an episode every six months or so, and nowadays I get them constantly. I have to take Ovex every month, and if I miss a dose I get them exactly 6 weeks after my last dose, and I feel them coming at night. In other words - they are not going away.
It is so depressing as this issue has impacted me psychologically and I have developed a phobia of worms. Every time I find one, I spend the night vomiting in horror. GPs just brush this off as being a 'pest' and they keep testing my stool and not finding the eggs. It is so frustrating, and I feel like I will be on Ovex forever.
I try everything to get rid of them - wash nightclothes/bed linen/keep things clean. I also have to give Ovex to my four children and my partner every month. It is so upsetting. I even tried drinking wormwood tea in desperation briefly, but this was a very bad idea - it is shown to cause neurological problems.
I will try and give up sugar and hope this works too. I don't know what else to do.
claire93178 OneFamily
Posted
Hi I desperately need to know what works to be rid of these little B*rstard.. Threadworms.. As if my 3yr old grandson rubbs his eyes after scratching his bum it could cause blindness.. I'm nearly 50yrs old getting no sleep until 5-6am then having to wake at 8am to look after him while his dad goes to work.. I'm so done in tyred drained, OVEX is a Joke & doesn't keep them away for Good I need help.. I have even put a clove of Raw Garlic up my back passage over night for crying out loud 🙉🙉🙉
QueenAno OneFamily
Posted
Hi all, i almost forgot about the site but just wanted to update that I finally got rid of the worms. I cut back on sugar and bought a multipack of Ovex. I took a tablet every two weeks religiously and now I have been clear for 12 months. I too was at my wits end with it all but thank God the problem is finally no more. My advice is cut the sugar, buy a multipack of Ovex and take every two weeks. Also DO NOT bite nails. I think it may have been my ex who was reinfecting me as since we parted ways the problem seems to have stopped. Maybe its someone around you guys?
well it can be done, so dont give up and the above is simply my advice.
It has taken me at least two years of reinfections but I got there eventually. I hope everyone is worm free soon.
jen37431 OneFamily
Posted
Hello, I notice this post is old but still active. my 16 year old suffered with chronic threadworm infestation from age 3-13 ish, and also my second daughter who is 10 does too. It just comes back every few months, I think the Ovex just keeps the numbers down temporarily. I finally found an article from a Doctor who seems to have some new advice, and wanted to share. I've purchased the recommendation but not tried it yet. This is a quote from the article I found: 'In my presentation I outlined the many presentations of this infestation, what to watch for and the risk of chronic recurrence due,in particular, to a reduced ability for some individuals to produce chondroitin sulfate which renders the GIT environment hostile to worms.' If you Google Rachel Arthur and Chondroitin Sulfate, the article should come up. I hope this is the solution for us and other chronic sufferers. I also read that Chondroitin Sulfate is naturally found in bone broth, so I will be trying that too.