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Gastroenterology (Expert Forum)
parasites
This forum is for questions regarding Gastroenterology issues such as Acid Reflux (GERD), Barretts Esophagus, Colitis, Colon/Bowel Disorders, Crohn's Disease, Diverticulitis/Diverticulosis, Digestive Disorders, IBS, Stomach Pain.
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parasites
by daylo, Jul 23, 2001 12:00AM
First, I must state that I have a high amount of acid with acid reflux - even to the point of burning in my ears through the eustachian tubes. I have been on Zantac for approximately 15 years, and tried several other medications, but always came back to Zantac.
Two years ago, I returned from a trip to Yellowstone National Park, the Dakota Badlands, and the Pacific Northwest. Six months later, I became very ill. I had night time regurgitation and aspirated food particles into my lungs several times. I acquired aspiration pneumonia and coughed every day for approximately 1 year - this is not an exaggeration. My physician put me on a 4 different antibiotics, one of which was Augmentin. After taking the Augmentin, I had intestinal bleeding and actually passed a parasite of some type. I had a high fever that day, and thought that I was having a hallucination - so I forgot about that incident. I made several trips to the emergency room, and they performed 3 different chest x-rays, which showed left lower lobe pneumonia. The last one showed an elevated diaphragm. I had breathing treatments on several occasions due to my oxygen being low.
Then a few weeks later, my mother (who had gone on the trip with us) told me about passing something which looked like an "earthworm" and would I think she was crazy for saying that. Then I remembered my own "hallucination", and we went to the doctor together. My mother was actually not as sick as I had been, but I believe that the reason for this, was that I had acquired a much bigger infestation, and that these "worms" were actually migrating up into my lungs at night. Yes, it sounds terrible. It was terrible. The physician put us both on mebendezole. We each took 3 separate doses. Then, I acquired a very strong "spasm or jerk" on my right side, just below the rib cage. This increased and then over a period of three days, it became increasingly worse, but gradually subsided. Nothing on CT scan. The doctor took stool samples (after I had begun the mebendezole) and there was no sign of parasites.
I have wracked my brain for quite some time - and I remember a couple of things that might possibly have made me sick, but I'm not sure. I sat down in "Roberts Prairie Dog Town" and took pictures of the prairie dogs. I acquired several bites from some type of insects, but was also sitting in what might have been an area of dried animal feces - wild coyotes, ferrets, etc. I may have acquired something there. Then also, I'm not sure, but it seems that I also vaguely remember (perhaps) swallowing a fly of some type while stopping at a portable toilet inside the Yellowstone Park area - I know that is gross, but the truth is the truth.
Today, I have extreme bloating even after eating a simple ham sandwich. I have a mass of some type on my right side near the rib cage, which feels round and firm about the size of a marble. It's very obvious, but my personal physician seems to think it is probably scar tissue from my gallbladder surgery. My gastroenterologist felt of it and states that it "is probably a hernia and I need to leave it alone". I am beginning to "feel it" when I breathe in and out, like a small aggravation, more than a pain. I went to my physician a few weeks ago, after not seeing him for about 6 months and he put me on the new drug Nexium. I thought it was great. 2 weeks ago, however, I have started having night time regurgitation again with aspiration on 3 occasions. I am worried about who to turn to in this situation. I get the distinct feeling that if I bring up this being tied to a parasite, my physician will think I'm crazy. He gave me the feeling that when the spasms/jerking was going on that he had never seen anything like that, and it made me feel that perhaps he thought (unspoken) it was "in my head". My question is, what would you do if you were me?
Two years ago, I returned from a trip to Yellowstone National Park, the Dakota Badlands, and the Pacific Northwest. Six months later, I became very ill. I had night time regurgitation and aspirated food particles into my lungs several times. I acquired aspiration pneumonia and coughed every day for approximately 1 year - this is not an exaggeration. My physician put me on a 4 different antibiotics, one of which was Augmentin. After taking the Augmentin, I had intestinal bleeding and actually passed a parasite of some type. I had a high fever that day, and thought that I was having a hallucination - so I forgot about that incident. I made several trips to the emergency room, and they performed 3 different chest x-rays, which showed left lower lobe pneumonia. The last one showed an elevated diaphragm. I had breathing treatments on several occasions due to my oxygen being low.
Then a few weeks later, my mother (who had gone on the trip with us) told me about passing something which looked like an "earthworm" and would I think she was crazy for saying that. Then I remembered my own "hallucination", and we went to the doctor together. My mother was actually not as sick as I had been, but I believe that the reason for this, was that I had acquired a much bigger infestation, and that these "worms" were actually migrating up into my lungs at night. Yes, it sounds terrible. It was terrible. The physician put us both on mebendezole. We each took 3 separate doses. Then, I acquired a very strong "spasm or jerk" on my right side, just below the rib cage. This increased and then over a period of three days, it became increasingly worse, but gradually subsided. Nothing on CT scan. The doctor took stool samples (after I had begun the mebendezole) and there was no sign of parasites.
I have wracked my brain for quite some time - and I remember a couple of things that might possibly have made me sick, but I'm not sure. I sat down in "Roberts Prairie Dog Town" and took pictures of the prairie dogs. I acquired several bites from some type of insects, but was also sitting in what might have been an area of dried animal feces - wild coyotes, ferrets, etc. I may have acquired something there. Then also, I'm not sure, but it seems that I also vaguely remember (perhaps) swallowing a fly of some type while stopping at a portable toilet inside the Yellowstone Park area - I know that is gross, but the truth is the truth.
Today, I have extreme bloating even after eating a simple ham sandwich. I have a mass of some type on my right side near the rib cage, which feels round and firm about the size of a marble. It's very obvious, but my personal physician seems to think it is probably scar tissue from my gallbladder surgery. My gastroenterologist felt of it and states that it "is probably a hernia and I need to leave it alone". I am beginning to "feel it" when I breathe in and out, like a small aggravation, more than a pain. I went to my physician a few weeks ago, after not seeing him for about 6 months and he put me on the new drug Nexium. I thought it was great. 2 weeks ago, however, I have started having night time regurgitation again with aspiration on 3 occasions. I am worried about who to turn to in this situation. I get the distinct feeling that if I bring up this being tied to a parasite, my physician will think I'm crazy. He gave me the feeling that when the spasms/jerking was going on that he had never seen anything like that, and it made me feel that perhaps he thought (unspoken) it was "in my head". My question is, what would you do if you were me?
Many things have yet to be discovered and just because your Dr. doesn't know what it is, you are probably correct in thinking that you have a parasite. There are so many. My son had some kind a couple of years ago from eating bird food that had been sitting in the feeder for weeks. I did research and was shocked to see how many parasites there are and what they could do to you. Yes you are right about some being able to go to the lungs and even the liver. The one that can do that comes from dogs and it is called Toxocariasis. It can cause pneumonia, seizures,and loss of vision if the parasite migrates to the eye. It is diagnosed from sputum analysis and buy a liver biopsy.Treatment in a hospital may be required with the antihelmintic drug thiabendazole. Maybe this is what you have sd you stated that you were sitting in a field where dogs had been. There is one in South America that comes from a bed bug that will invade the heart. You should read as much as you can until you find your anwser. Your gastic reflux could be caused from a yeast infection called Candidias. Your should do as much reading about that as you can.