Signs you might not have threadworms

Infections
1

DON'T BELIEVE ALL THE HORROR STORIES THAT SAY "ONCE YOU GET THREADWORMS YOU HAVE THEM FOREVER". THIS IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE.

I thought I had threadworms 3 times, and I spent several months of my life going crazy trying to get rid of them. It turns out I was actually making the problem worse, and I'm so glad I found out the real cause, because otherwise I could have carried on that way forever. Here are some things I learned that I think are worth sharing, so hopefully other people don't go through the same thing I did.

Signs you might not have threadworms:

1) You feel them crawling during the day and not just at night.

2) Other people in your family don't catch them or don't feel them.

3) You have repeatedly taken the medication and been through the hygiene measures and it seems to have little or no effect.

4) You have not actually seen a definitive living threadworm, and you have tried doing tape tests, for example even right after you feel them crawling.

In my case, the cause of the crawling feeling was actually overwashing. I expect this is common problem in association with threadworms. See, I did originally have a threadworm infection (a year and a half earlier), and that made me become obsessive about washing my bottom. After reading the horror stories here, I wanted to make sure I completely got rid of them. I would spend at least a couple of minutes just washing around my anus to make sure no threadworm eggs got left behind. It turns out that washing so thoroughly, with soap, makes the skin in this area super-sensitive, and it starts tickling occasionally for no reason. And that tickling feels EXACTLY like threadworms. I swear it is indistinguishable.

A conversation I had with my mum, when I still thought I had threadworms and she suggested that it might just an itch. I responded with: "It's not an itch, I can feel it crawling out and across my skin. I KNOW what threadworms feel like. I first found out I had them BECAUSE I could feel them, it was only afterwards that I saw one. I've never had that feeling before then, ever in my life. So I know this is them again, because there's nothing else that would cause a sensation like that."

Turns out I was wrong! It honestly can feel like they are crawling 'out and across your skin' even when they are not.

Other thoughts:

* All the scientific studies say that threadworms come out only at night, e.g. after 9 pm. I believe this is correct.

* A few people have asked how quickly mebendazole works, and how effective it is. I don't know for definite, but I personally believe it kills worms quickly (within 5 days), and is probably close to 100% effective. This is because my own feelings of having worms changed from nighttime-only to daytime within a few days, and so I think it is quite common for the over-sensitive skin thing to kick in quickly once you start washing to get rid of the threadworms.

What I would do if I ever thought I had threadworms again:

1) take the mebendazole once a week for a few weeks (6 at maximum)

2) make sure I don't wash too thoroughly after the first few weeks, and get an emollient-based soap-substitute (available from a pharmacist, usually used for eczema).

3) go and see a doctor if it didn't go away.

My problem went away within a couple of days after I stopped over-washing.

I hope this helps other people, and if it does, please, PLEASE come back and post to say so. Or if it doesn't work, or you disagree with me, or you don't believe me, you're welcome to post that too. I feel like this forum has become over-run with scare stories and unhelpful advice, and nobody seems aware of other possible causes for threadworm-like symptoms.

2

I've wondered if you have them forever then you can pass then to someone is your dating. I'm worried. I've taken Medicine again and wormwood twice a week and nothing due few weeks. Think they're gone bit how do I know because this gp says you have then for life. I can never be with someone ever freon what he says

3

I had them really bad two years ago. Got medicine they cane back with vengence. Got medicine again. Still there. Went to another doctor he didn't believe me for medicine again stayed taking wormwood parasite stiff did colon cleanse. This year almost gone but took a lot of wormwood wad tired of feeling then. Tired of doctors. One didn't believe me so anyway. One more doctor and wormwood twice week 6 pills. Finally I believe they're gone omg. Still cleaning excessively but the gp on here days you can't hey rid of them ever. I'm worried I don't want to pass then on even though now I don't feel them so not sure what to do

4

I'm confused... I kinda feel like you didn't read what I wrote! You say that you're still 'cleaning excessively' and that your GPs don't believe you have them; the whole point of my story is that the cleaning can actually cause a feeling that is exactly like threadworms, but isn't. The solution is to stop washing yourself so excessively. What has made you think you have them - was it just the feeling?

Either way, you said it seems better at the moment, so I hope that has continued to the be the case.

5

Well have to tell you if you go to the wrong GPS or whatever one said I never had them. uh I beg the differ. he thought I just had a twitch so he was full of himself. I went back to the doctors who believed me. it's something you can't prove. you just know. I'm still cleaning; because I just do. there afte other germs you can get sick from from letting your house get dirty- Good Luck.

6

didn't mean to sound rude there. 2 years ago I worked in a daycare- actually saw one felt them and took several parasite cleansers back to Back to stop feeling them. doctors medicine worked but 1stv doctor forgot refill so they cane back stronger but but but they're gone afterseveral ok 3 doctor visits abs a year in cleanses and another doctor after a year and more liver\colon cleanse. Good lord much prayer. ....the gp on here said that you never you know I'm just glad I'm done. yes yes yes

7

I just wanted to check in and say, 6 months later on, I'm still clear. So yes you can definitely suffer threadworms once (I did) and go on to beat them. 

I do hope my information has helped some people beacuse it seems like a lot of people are struggling with threadworm infections they find impossible to get rid of, and I think at least some might be in the same situation that I was, in that the problem isn’t threadworms any more, it’s overwashing. If anyone has found this useful please do post to say so, so that other people will be more likely to see it.

8

I only disagree with one comment: the doctor is wrong about them only coming out after 9 pm. Mine were active at approximately 6 pm and it was dark, and I wasn't in bed. Is it possible that your doctor meant "usually?"

9

Also, mine were also vaginal and bladder/urethra. Various credible sites can confirm the actual findings on these cases.

10

Well, to start, my pinworms didn't activate after 9:00, but at 6:00ish. It was dark but the itch went from zero to sixty instantly. Second, according to Stanford university, one third of people are asymptomatic which begs the question: if people are asymptomatic, would they come forward? So in fact, there may be more than one third that are asymptomatic whose family members have it or single dwellings for example, that have them and do not know it.We just don't know. That fact alone destroys the argument of members of family not having pinworms as one wouldn't know if they had them, if they were in fact, asymptomatic. I treated once within 30-60 minutes of using the meds and because I caught it so early, I didn't treat my child. I didn't re-treat cuz it said I "may have to" and did no additional cleaning. Needless to say, it wasn't my anus that represented issues the second round, it was my vaginal area and urethra and bladder. I was treated for yeast for 30 days straight, Flagyl for 10 days, and macrobid (bladder infection) for a week. Nothing worked. It got so bad I had to quit work. I was suicidal. I've tried wormwood tea and Black walnut hill powder although not for long. Cloves as well. Went off of my PPI to increase stomach acid. Am now using flagystatin for yeast/bacteria at night and monistat in the morning. It helps so I can at least function more, although I still can't work. I use to sit on the couch and do nothing cuz it was so bad, crying almost all day. Needed an antidepressant for that, even though I wasn't depressed before that. I do agree that they don't like the light so its probably not worms on top of your skin. If there are unexplained bps, however, then it might be worth looking into.

11

Okay I can understand the itchy crawly feeling on the outside being confused with worms when it's really irritation or bacteria, and I wish that this was the only issue, but I am doubtful.

I can feel them crawl INSIDE my anus. And after I feel the crawling, it is followed by the itch. I wake up feeling itchy. Once I wash with hot water, the itching goes away. But when I feel the crawling during the day, then I start to feel itchy again. Or (sorry for tmi) if I fart, I get itchy, so I think the worms deposit eggs inside the rectum close to the opening and then poof they go!

It is really possible that I could be mistaking this for bacteria?

I've had this for 8 months. My mom and I are going through the same thing, obsessing over hygiene to the point that all I can think of as the culprit is retroinfection. sad

12

I read your message and am happy for you. But, in my husband's case, he sees the worms daily and nightly. We have tried Rx, OTC and herbs, nothing at all is working. He has now eliminated all refined sugar, alcohol, etc. and nothing is working. He cannot do DE because he suffers from PKD which is a kidney disease. This really limits anyone that gets pinworms. We are looking for a solution. Here is everything we have done so far:

Reeses ($120.00)

Albenza ($400.00)

Colon cleanses for parasites ($200.00)

Now Green Walnut/Wormwood extract ($130.00)

Cleaning

Boiling clothing

It is getting frustrating and ridiculous. I am not infected for some reason. I take all the same meds and herbs, but I have never had a sympton. I am open to suggestions, but we do have the added situation of his having a serious kidney disease, which limits treatment. I recently was in a message forum where a woman was talking about killing herself because of it. I can only hope she was joking. We are talking about a specialist, but you need to be referred first and our GP thinks that the meds should be working. Albenza is very expensive. In the USA they have discontinued Vermox and Pipsen, so that is out.

13

I've given this lots of thought over some months. Legitimate sites say the eggs can float through the air and stick to anything. Maybe sheets aren't the only thing they float from. Maybe they travel via the furnace and vacuum with circulated air. Some people spray their furnace filters with a light coating of Pam (they do this anyway, not just for pinworms) and maybe that would help. Don't know.

14

I actually said 'for example after 9pm', not ‘only after 9pm'. If you were experiencing activity starting clearly at 6pm then I agree that indicates threadworms. In my case (after the initial threadworm infection ended) I was feeling activity all throughout the day, with no particular increase in the evening, so I believe this is a good indicator for the point at which you no longer have threadworms.

15

Have you tried not washing so much? If you have been obsessing over your hygiene for 8 months and have not seen any improvement then I really feel there is a good chance you are in the same boat I was. I realise you say the itching goes away when you wash, but that is quite often the case with oversensitized skin - I find the same thing when I have eczema. What is your indication that you still have threadworms?

16

I agree that the eggs can spread easily, there is a lot of evidence of that and so it seems that threadworms are fairly easy to catch. However, there is also a lot of evidence that they are fairly easy to treat.

My suggestion is that anyone upon first discovering a threadworm infection, should take the medication once per week, for 6 weeks. That will take care of any reinfection, since the eggs can only survive outside of the human body for 6 weeks.

Aside from that, cleaning your house a normal amount seems a good idea, but I would warn against excessive personal hygiene measures, because these can produce the problem that I had, which is that it seems the threadworms never go away because your skin becomes oversensitive.

17

My last post was deleted, not sure why. Here is our situation. I have never gotten them. My husband has had them for 4 months, he has done Rx, OTC, herbs, cleanses, diet changes, no sugar, no alcohol etc. everything. Nothing works. They have not abated for one day. He is refusing to go to a Parasitologist because at this point he thinks all doctors are clueless on this issue. Also, you have to be referred to a specialist or insurance will not cover it, and the wait time is around 1 month. He also has a very serious kidney disease, so DE is out of the question. We are just looking for any solutions that we may not have tried yet. Here are the things he cannot risk doing because of kidney failure: DE, Vermox, endless rounds of cleanses, any product used for de-worming animals. He takes a regiment of Wormwood, Green black walnut and garlic. Nothing helps. Thanks for any input.

18

And I also wanted to add....they are definitely there, he feels them all day and sees them in his stool.

19

I TOTALLY understand. And I don't know why it was deleted either. They aren't very specific with their reasons. I contacted support to ask them to be specific but have heard nothing back so far. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what else to tell you beyond what you have tried except what I have done. I do know that if your husband's kidney can tolerate DE and cleanses for even a week, he may see a substantial difference. I don't think it has to be long term, at least not for me. That being said, I also took one vermox daily as well as 8 pyramate (?) Daily for the same amount of time. I also used a combination of canestin and hydrocortisone on my anus, and inside as well to calm tingling. Plus, I put pureed garlic in those same areas. After about three days, I noticed a HUGE difference. But I continued until I seen NO dead worms at all. I also plan on taking that combo twice a week to keep retroinfection and reinfection at bay. I also am using PEG 3350 (ask pharmacist for over the counter brand) to keep things rolling along. Im an impatient sort so i overdid all of these things in order to stomp on, not chase those critters. The other thing I thought of was perhaps a kidney tea to help from that end of things so that these items might be tolerated by his kidney better. I have NOOOO idea if they work, but I'll be doing a liver cleanse after this, for sure. I only did DE once a day.

20

I do apologize for my confusion on your statement. I was still frustrated with this whole situation, especially with my experience with DOCTORS. I personally know for myself that yes, if they start anytime in the dark or even if sitting for a couple of hours where your bum is shielded from the light, they may start up then too. I Did take absolutely into account what you said about the itching due to over washing, so I added a canestin/cortisone cream both on my anus and somewhat inside to calm things down. I was sooo glad you shared that overwashing bit. I also added pureed garlic on those same areas to scare them away. I've lost sooooo much weight from this experience. Sigh.