To ask if you've ever given your kid double worm medicine (Ovex)

[Thelowquietsea]

DS first had itchy bum on Friday. Took Ovex sat. Tonight, he still has worms.

We have a loooonnnnng flight tomorrow - dreading it.

I am hoping watching TV will distract him but would it be awful to give him another dose of Ovex so soon?

It takes a few days to work. Hold off for now.

yeah, it won't work better by giving him more now (but could upset his digestion which is another set of problems you don't want on the flight)

I've done it for myself and it worked. I probably wouldn't be too worried about doing it for DC - but I'm not a doctor and I can't tell you what will happen if you overdose. Just that twice the dose of a children's OTC medicine is, IME, unlikely to be close to overdose. Especially a couple of days apart.

Did you do all the hygeine measures as well as taking the tablets? DS1 always gets them when his nails are too long.

Does it ever not work?

Yup. Checked with 2 close friends who are both GPs and it’s fairly normal for them to prescribe a double dose (& is apparently what you’d get if you presented with your dc at an emergency walk-in).

@fillybuster - oh, great. Thanks. I'm still in two minds, don't want any side effects

Gosh I don't think this would even register as a concern for me but if it doesn't work within 24 hours I'd consider it not going to. But yes to washing sheets, pajamas, towels and keeping fingers out of noses and mouths.

@noeuf - you are only meant to take a second dose after 2 weeks

From medicines.org.uk on Ovex

4.9 Overdose
In patients treated at dosages substantially higher than recommended or for prolonged periods of time, the following adverse reactions have been reported rarely: alopecia, reversible liver function disturbances, hepatitis, agranulocytosis, neutropenia and glomerulonephritis. With the exception of agranulocytosis and glomerulonephritis, these also have been reported in patients who were treated with mebendazole at standard dosages (see Section 4.8).
Symptoms
In the event of accidental overdosage, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea may occur.
Management
There is no specific antidote. Activated charco

A second dose is often needed - see medication information below taken from link below. You can get this treatment over the counter (without a prescription).

"Medication: Mebendazole is the usual treatment for people aged over six months. All household members, including adults
and those without symptoms, should take a dose at the same time. Just one dose kills the worms. A second dose two weeks after the first is sometimes needed if the infection has not cleared (which may occur if you swallow some eggs after taking the medication).

www.westsuffolkccg.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Threadworms-patient-UK-leaflet.pdf

www.nhs.uk/conditions/threadworms/

Yup, double dose. That's what my pharmacist said to do when it didn't work for us first time.

Yes - I get two doses might be necessary but I'm asking whether people would give it days apart rather than the advised 2 weeks

Yes I've done it more close together than 2 weeks. It usually works within about 48 hours. If it has not then I take a second dose, I don't wait 2 weeks. But I understand that isn't the way you're meant to take it on the packaging, so I can't advise that you do the same.

I would take some with you as well, you can't always buy it OTC abroad.

You give two doses 2 weeks apart, it takes 72 hours to work

The eggs can live outside the body for 2 weeks so giving an extra dose before then isn't going to stop reinfection on its own...