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Original poster

Threadworm/pinworm cleaning

52 replies

thenoodleking · 18/02/2023 13:14

So as the title suggest threadworms have hit the household. Sunday night the itching started, followed by a fearful bum scratch 😫
the household was medicated with ovex on Monday mid morning, and basically I have not stopped cleaning.

My issue is my GAD is in rocket mode, I cannot cope. I feel like I am going insane. I am convinced they are everywhere, I am cleaning things that probably don’t even need cleaning. And in between the cleaning I am crying.
everything hot washed everyday, the cats had a bath too, and their bedding all hot washed. The surfaces are all being wiped down multiple times a day, as well as the vacuuming too. Hands being washed often, and as far as I have seen no bum scratches.

i just need reassuring that they are not everywhere. I think I caught them early, because I only found one big one small on each infected person. So surely the eggs couldn’t of spread around the house ?

what did people actually clean ??

OP posts:
SomethingOnce · 18/02/2023 13:25

My experience is that as long as you all take a second dose at the correct time, that does the trick. The first dose kills worms, the second catches any worms that were still eggs at the time of the first dose and before they are mature enough to themselves produce eggs.

Schools don’t get deep cleaned and yet DC are not all riddled with threadworms all the time.

Mardyface · 18/02/2023 13:27

Yes you'll be fine medicated and hot washing the bedding. Handwashing (with a nail scrubber) is good hygiene anyway but you need to leave it at that.

It is gross but it is normal and you've done what you have to do. Step away from the bleach and go and do something nice.

WeCome1 · 18/02/2023 13:28

We just did the second dose. And told the children to be sure to wash their hands.

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General health
Original poster
thenoodleking · 18/02/2023 13:37

SomethingOnce · 18/02/2023 13:25

My experience is that as long as you all take a second dose at the correct time, that does the trick. The first dose kills worms, the second catches any worms that were still eggs at the time of the first dose and before they are mature enough to themselves produce eggs.

Schools don’t get deep cleaned and yet DC are not all riddled with threadworms all the time.

The medicine is making me panic too, what if one only just reached larvae after the meds and now mature and releasing eggs ?! It’s all just driving me insane !

OP posts:
Original poster
thenoodleking · 18/02/2023 13:39

Mardyface · 18/02/2023 13:27

Yes you'll be fine medicated and hot washing the bedding. Handwashing (with a nail scrubber) is good hygiene anyway but you need to leave it at that.

It is gross but it is normal and you've done what you have to do. Step away from the bleach and go and do something nice.

my crazy head just says that is not enough, and the eggs are everywhere and I need to clean it all

OP posts:
Springintoabetterlife · 18/02/2023 13:42

thenoodleking · 18/02/2023 13:37

The medicine is making me panic too, what if one only just reached larvae after the meds and now mature and releasing eggs ?! It’s all just driving me insane !

Show quote history

They allow for this, more eggs will hatch but the second dose kills these worms off before they are old enough to reproduce.

Mardyface · 18/02/2023 13:46

Then this is not about the worms but your head, love. What techniques do you usually use to manage your anxiety?

stepkidscopingstrategy · 18/02/2023 13:47

Please please stop overthinking it. Get outside and do something fun. Don't make a huge drama of it. With kids ranging from 30 - 12 I have experienced this multiple times. It's just one of those things. I actually went into the oldest kids primary school and explained we were having reoccurrence after reoccurrence. The headmaster was fantastic and said how grateful he was I'd come in. He arranged specific cleaning (door handles / toilet areas etc ) and just like that the reoccurrences stopped!
In 2 week- if you're still worried - de- worm everyone again. That will kill any larvae that hatch after you de- wormed the first time. Honestly - it's no biggie.

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 18/02/2023 13:47

At this point it's not really about the bloody little threadworms, disgusting as they are - you know that one dose now, one in 2 weeks and if you really want, one after another 2 weeks will do the trick.

It's about the anxiety now.

What tools do you have to handle it? You need to start using them.

Original poster
thenoodleking · 18/02/2023 13:53

Mardyface · 18/02/2023 13:46

Then this is not about the worms but your head, love. What techniques do you usually use to manage your anxiety?

It is definitely my head, I came off my medication before Christmas because I was doing really well, and therapy had helped so much. But this has been such a big trigger, I am back on propanalol for a little bit, and contacted my therapist to start that back up. Nothing seems to be helping me stop thinking.

OP posts:
Original poster
thenoodleking · 18/02/2023 13:54

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 18/02/2023 13:47

At this point it's not really about the bloody little threadworms, disgusting as they are - you know that one dose now, one in 2 weeks and if you really want, one after another 2 weeks will do the trick.

It's about the anxiety now.

What tools do you have to handle it? You need to start using them.

I just feel like I am losing my mind. Nothjng is helping.

OP posts:
Original poster
thenoodleking · 18/02/2023 13:56

stepkidscopingstrategy · 18/02/2023 13:47

Please please stop overthinking it. Get outside and do something fun. Don't make a huge drama of it. With kids ranging from 30 - 12 I have experienced this multiple times. It's just one of those things. I actually went into the oldest kids primary school and explained we were having reoccurrence after reoccurrence. The headmaster was fantastic and said how grateful he was I'd come in. He arranged specific cleaning (door handles / toilet areas etc ) and just like that the reoccurrences stopped!
In 2 week- if you're still worried - de- worm everyone again. That will kill any larvae that hatch after you de- wormed the first time. Honestly - it's no biggie.

It all makes sense, and I know the logic is there. I will be doing a 2 week dose then another 2 weeks later, just for my own sanity

OP posts:
SomethingOnce · 18/02/2023 13:58

OP, this is a case of fearing what you don’t understand.

At worst, they’re an itchy nuisance, a temporary one.

Maybe sit down with a cup of tea and research the life cycle so you can reassure yourself that the Ovex dosing will deal with them.

They’re just little worms trying to live their best life Smile

And fgs leave the cats out of it! Wink

Original poster
thenoodleking · 18/02/2023 13:58

Do I need to clean all the kids toys ?
i’ve done the ones that are in the bed, and any that are close by. But there is a playroom, full of toys, I have avoided it so far, and just shut the door, because I think that’d be my breaking point. I do vacuum in there everyday quickly though.

OP posts:
Original poster
thenoodleking · 18/02/2023 14:00

SomethingOnce · 18/02/2023 13:58

OP, this is a case of fearing what you don’t understand.

At worst, they’re an itchy nuisance, a temporary one.

Maybe sit down with a cup of tea and research the life cycle so you can reassure yourself that the Ovex dosing will deal with them.

They’re just little worms trying to live their best life Smile

And fgs leave the cats out of it! Wink

Thanks for the chuckle, I did feel sorry for the cats having a bath, but I called the vet frantic and they said just to do it so I stop worrying 😂

i’ve also wrote off google because it was making me feel worse !

OP posts:
StillWantingADog · 18/02/2023 14:03

Read a lot into this having recently had our second visit. We didn’t do the follow up ovex first time so I’m blaming that.

everything I’ve read suggests that cleaning anything other than beds and hands (frequently obvs) is a waste of time. Take the ovex twice and carry on.

ironhelp · 18/02/2023 14:08

Hi OP. This happened to me not too long ago.
I Reacted that same way you are. I actually had bleeding hands from the cleaning and washing

All the toys that I couldn't wash I just threw in bags and put them away for 6 weeks. I threw away rugs. I washed 4 sets of bedding every day for 3 weeks.

I assume you have young kids and I think it's so much harder to get under control when you do.

In my case the worms never came back. But so much more likely that was medication, not my freakish cleaning!

Good luck

SomethingOnce · 18/02/2023 14:15

I’m going to suggest you turn this issue to positive use.

Why not stop the bonkers cleaning, trust in the two-dose Ovex approach and report back to the this thread in two and four weeks that all is well, because it will be.

In the very unlikely event that the problem is ongoing, I’ll buy you a pint of Ovex.

Original poster
thenoodleking · 18/02/2023 14:26

i had no idea I could tag usernames I am sorry so many reply comments

@StillWantingADog
oh no, I bet it was horrible getting it again, I think I fear that a lot. My biggest issue with the stuff online is everything is very contradictory, and the nhs website is just not informative enough for me. Which led to the endless googling during sleepless nights :(

@ironhelp
I have the bleeding hands too, I was using boiled water to clean a lot and now have some minor burns, stupid I know. I do feel some relief that I wasn’t the only one to react this way, I have put away so many things already, and marked when they can be opened again. I feel so cluttered and dirty !

@SomethingOnce
I really am going to try to calm down, most the house is scrubbed beyond life now anyway, so maybe just keeping up my usual with the added bedding and blankets on hot wash (and clothes for the time being). Safe to say my electric bill during this cost of living crisis is making me want to cry BIG TIME !
and the cost of just that 30ml, the price of pint made me laugh 😂

OP posts:
Original poster
thenoodleking · 18/02/2023 14:50

Just wanted to say thank you to those who commented. It did help me to hear from people first hand, and it did reassure me that I don’t need to be doing this much. I will update if I remember to btw, as I think it will help someone else in the same mental state as me to read through the thread.

OP posts:
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 18/02/2023 15:27

Anxiety is a total bastard. Steady breathing can help your system calm down when you're flooded with panic, though it takes a while. A walk too, and keeping consciously in mind that you -are- experiencing anxiety. It doesn't cure it, but it does help you get through.

I hope it gets better.

Original poster
thenoodleking · 18/02/2023 20:17

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 18/02/2023 15:27

Anxiety is a total bastard. Steady breathing can help your system calm down when you're flooded with panic, though it takes a while. A walk too, and keeping consciously in mind that you -are- experiencing anxiety. It doesn't cure it, but it does help you get through.

I hope it gets better.

Thank you.
I try to go though techniques for anxiety, but I am so overwhelmed with this all, nothing seems to work. I’ve set a day by day plan in my calendar and I hope that the structure helps me get through this.

OP posts:
Original poster
thenoodleking · 20/02/2023 16:25

Hopefully people are still following this thread. I keep having horrible thoughts that new eggs are being spread around the house. Could this actually be a possibility ? I am still cleaning all the time, and all have been treated, so could there be new eggs ??

OP posts:
ironhelp · 20/02/2023 18:32

I think the medication takes 24 hours? It should say on it.

So after that time period, No there will be no new eggs. The only danger after the first medication is from any eggs that were from the original worms.

If you have cleaned once since the medication time frame. You can stop cleaning.

I completely feel your stress. I hope you are ok.

StillWantingADog · 20/02/2023 19:26

thenoodleking · 20/02/2023 16:25

Hopefully people are still following this thread. I keep having horrible thoughts that new eggs are being spread around the house. Could this actually be a possibility ? I am still cleaning all the time, and all have been treated, so could there be new eggs ??

Whilst I don’t think this is impossible I know that they basically only live in people’s intestines. So any eggs which have ended up elsewhere will just die

I don’t think you’re going to wake up to find tiny worms all over the house