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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

General health

What type of worm is this?

57 replies

sharry · 15/04/2005 09:56

I would appreciate some advise-I have an appointment to c the doc pm, came back from Tenerife-a chap smashed into us on the M56- not sleeping at all well, trying to function- still working etc, but this am bent over to go in the shower and this worm emerged from you know where! It's about 8-9cm long and looks like a garden worm. I have 3 sprogs + DH will we all need treating? was it a tape worm? Did i pick it up on my hols? Frightened of going now. Help!

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oatcake · 15/04/2005 09:58

sorry to ask, but did you keep the worm to show the doc?

otherwise, I don't have the foggiest! Eugh! Good luck.

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sharry · 15/04/2005 09:59

Yes oatcake, once over the initial shock put it in a jar.

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oatcake · 15/04/2005 10:02

please let us know what the doc says. I'm interested in a yucky sort of way...!

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treacletart · 15/04/2005 10:05

How horrid for you! Googling found this...

"Roundworm look similar to an earthworm and can produce 200,000 eggs a day. Approximately 1,008 million people are infected, making it the most common worldwide. The most frequent symptom from roundworm is upper abdominal discomfort. Other symptoms are asthma, eye pain, insomnia, and rashes due to the secretions or waste products from the worms."

Sounds likely, what with the insomnia too. Id get to a GP as quick as I could, sure they'll be able to sort it.

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JanH · 15/04/2005 10:05

Certainly sounds like tapeworm, yuck. You get it from eating undercooked infected pork or fish. Good luck, sharry!

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fairyfly · 15/04/2005 10:06

here

Im slightly speechless and feel for you

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debs26 · 15/04/2005 10:08

tape worms can grow up to several metres long! they are absolutely fascinating actually (sorry im doing biology i get excited by these things). they are easily treated by one tablet i think. not sure if every one else will be infected as i think you have to eat the eggs - you can be infected by beef which has not been properly cooked. would definately keep the worm to show doc as there are several types of worm and it might be different treatments for different types. good news is they help you lose weight as they steal your food!!

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Beetroot · 15/04/2005 10:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

happymerryberries · 15/04/2005 10:11

And I am sorry to tell you that it sounds like part of a tape worm

Stop reading now if you are at all squeemish.

Tape works reportuce via a very complex life cysle. The tape worm head sticks into the walls to the intesting and acts like an anchor. What you have seen is a small segment of worm. the tape worm will detatch segments of itself, which are capable of independent movement. They pass out of the anus and travel out of the body. If ingested by an animal, they will enter it, and complete the second part of it's life cycle. Full size tape works can be 2M pluss in lenght.

Put it in a jar and see your gp!

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JanH · 15/04/2005 10:13

You can still pick up the eggs elsewhere, beety

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debs26 · 15/04/2005 10:15

bbc did a fab series called invasion of the body snatchers. a biologist ingested a tapeworm on purpose to study it. its about halfway down the page welcome visitor . there are also a few other interesting nasties on there if anyone is interested!

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happymerryberries · 15/04/2005 10:17

I show that video to my secodary scinece classes on the last day of term for a treat! It is quite amazing! Also contains footage of the fish that can swim up a human penis that lives in the Amazon! Arresting stuff!

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Potty1 · 15/04/2005 10:23

I remember that programme - especially the woman with the maggot in her head. She named it and had her toddler wishing it goodnight (and it was still in her head, not in a jar!)

Sharry - poor you, it doesn't sound very pleasant. Hopefully the treatment will be just a worming tablet and you can forget about it.

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sharry · 15/04/2005 10:31

Thank you for your reassurance, i was pretty pathetic, wailing and weeping 'i'm so scared'Thankfully no one in the house, mumsnet to the rescue! I'll keep you posted as to the Gp's advise-Thankx

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JanH · 15/04/2005 10:33

sharry, not pathetic at all - I would probably have screamed and thrown up or fainted or something!!!

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debs26 · 15/04/2005 10:34

cant say i blame you sharry, i might fing them fascinating but that doesnt mean i woulddbe happy to get one. dont think there are any worms that are really a problem to get rid of so you will be fine as soon as you have been to gp

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happymerryberries · 15/04/2005 10:39

There are lots of good treatments for this type of worm. For some reason worms seems worse that nits don't they? Totaly irrational, but I hate the damn things. Ds had thread worms and it was horrid, but easlily treated.

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sharry · 15/04/2005 10:41

Mum used to say that you got them from raw meat, or blue bottles if that is the case then i must have got it on holiday as there are no blue bottles out in the NW of Eng yet-or could it be that they have been inside me since last year?

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debs26 · 15/04/2005 10:44

think you would have noticed if it had been there since last year. as hmb said, the worms shed bits of themselves which they hope will then be eaten so they can infect another animal. these bits still wriggle. was yours wriggly or dead? if it was dead it is possible that this was a young worm that died on its own and has fallen of the gut wall

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foxinsocks · 15/04/2005 10:45

I feel for you sharry....I have had worms several times when I lived in parts of Africa (we had to deworm every year as a matter of course!)

lucky you saw it really otherwise you may have been none the wiser. Depending on the worm, it can make you lose weight (cos it's munching all your nosh), can make you anaemic, makes you feel tired, stomach pains etc....

well done for keeping the worm, I think you deserve a medal for that! The docs may send it off but they're all treatable so shouldn't be a major problem. If it is tape worm, you may find you're passing a few more so be prepared.

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sharry · 15/04/2005 10:46

Fairyfly just looked at the link you sent, and i have been taking omega 3 fish oils and vit E plus co-emzne Q10 for approx 4 months now? could this be a link?

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sharry · 15/04/2005 10:47

Yes Debs, it was wriggly in a snake like way, not a curly worm way- if that makes any sense!

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foxinsocks · 15/04/2005 10:48

was it quite flat or was it rounder?

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sharry · 15/04/2005 10:50

It was roud foxinsock-paler than a garden worm but very similar! very clean i presumed they would be covered in goo, but no!

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debs26 · 15/04/2005 10:51

sounds like one of the bits they shed to carry on the life cycle. the guy on the bbc obviously knew he was infected as he did it on purpose but he said he was very aware when these bits were coming out - sometimes they wriggled out under their own steam! you might have some idea of how long you have had it after the antiworm treatment - the dead worm will come out the same way that bit did so you can measure it! you will have to take a photo and post a link on here for us all (sorry if thats a bit flippant)