threadworms stress - in need of sympathy/perspective please...

[Woodso100]

I'm 35 wks PG and I think that me and ds (5 yo) both have threadworms. Have dosed him and dh with Ovex but need to wait for my test results before doctor will prescribe anything for me. Suspect even then doctor won't want to give me drugs - and I wouldn't want to take them if there's any risk to baby - so I'll have to do the hygiene method for 6 weeks. I'm only been doing it for 2 days and already feeling overwhelmed. Every surface is hung with washing and all the hoovering and wet dusting is knackering.

DS was 3 weeks early so wouldn't be surprised if I'm still having to do the hygiene stuff with a newborn. DH and our part-time nanny will help but still feeling out of my depth. Also feeling like a walking contamination risk - DS got into bed with me last night (DH away on business) and all I could think about was the fact that he was probably inhaling eggs. Itching and stress mean I'm not sleeping properly and this morning I shouted at DS because he was making a fuss about going to school. I may have even sworn (I did). Not proud. Not winning any parenting awards today! :(

Make sure your DS and DH take Ovex again a fortnight after the initial dose, to prevent their reinfection. The hoovering, washing and cleaning is frustrating and irritating isn't it?

My 5 yo DS got this after an end of school party with shared food bowls, I've done this all through the long holiday, then he got them again at the beginning of term, so we've all had our fortnightly second dose today. I've hoovered most days and damp dusted key areas, but can't keep up with it as we've got streaming colds and an ill cat to contend with too. At least only the 5 yo had threadworms. I can't imagine how difficult it is for you as you're pregnant and have it too.

I hope you get some decent sleep soon and feel less stressed. Good luck.

Thank you - that's made me feel much better. It's just nice to know that other people out there are going through the same thing. Getting to the end of the enormous mountain of initial washing and going for a walk in the park today also made things seem brighter. I've decided not to beat myself up if I don't do hoovering, wet dusting religiously and changing of sheets etc every day - the NHS website only says to do it initially and then "regularly". We can only do our best! Good luck to you to.

And I hope the colds go and the cat gets well soon! :)

I read some good tips on here so will pass them on. At night time, when they lay their eggs, put Vaseline or sudocream around the anus. Wear tight fitting pants. This should stop them laying eggs and help break the cycle. In the morning wash thoroughly and put pants on a hot wash. Repeat every night for both you and your child.
This should help. To be honest I do this now instead of the constant washing and disinfecting of everything which is soul destroying.

40% of children have them at any given time.

I found that quite comforting when ds and dd had them. It made me feel less like an unclean disgrace. I think they're so prevalent that you're lucky to never have them and as many people have them without symptoms, I guess you can never say you haven't had them.

I know with DS at preschool playing in sand with other children, close contact etc, it's almost inevitable.

Horrid things.

I've also been ironing the tight pants, just in case. It's so much faff. I don't think it's realistic to hoover and dust everywhere every day. The mountains of washing were so dispiriting when it was raining too.

earlyriser I've read opposing views on the Vaseline/ sudocream, it really helps with the itching, but can mean they go back inside to lay their eggs and the cycle starts again. I don't know how true that is though, I was just glad that they stopped the itching for my DS, which stopped the screaming, sobbing and wriggling and let him sleep again.

The colds are getting better and the cat has been enjoying the sunshine too Woodso100 hopefully your DS is over the worst and your symptoms don't prevent you getting some proper rest

I didn't know that Greenhill. They are horrid little buggers! I did also read that they feed off sugar so perhaps go easy insert things. My friend swore by raw carrots and whisky to get rid of them. Maybe not for the 5 year old though!

Woodso Mebendazole is not absorbed into the body. It remains in the gut. It is not at all toxic (well not to mammals!), the dose for a two year old (15Kg) is same as for a rugby prop forward. I suspect the stress is doing more harm to baby than a single dose. Unless you are having a planned c/s there is a danger of the baby picking it up on the way out. On balance YANBU to take a dose if you felt that would be the best. You would not be the first

Woodso - how miserable for you. I was in the same position with my last pregnancy. It was 9 years ago so things may have changed. The midwives discussed my case with the consultants at the hospital and nobody would prescribe then.

I ate grated carrot and pumpkin seeds. Cried a lot. Contemplated sleeping with a Clove of garlic up my bum but settled for a big plaster over it under my pants!

Baby was born at home and when GP came to visit she said should I have baby in bed because of threadworms . The baby never got them so we must have been all clear by then.

Next bit about treating threadworms while breastfeeding. please ignore if not applicable -I have vague memory of taking Pripsen rather than Ovex when breastfeeding as it had been around longer. If breastfeeding and need to take something there is a really helpful medicines in breast milk book and helpline that La Leche League can help with.

ShowOfHands it's an alarming statistic isn't it? In RL nobody admits to it either.

I told DS's friends' mums just in case they caught them too, one said how brave I'd been owning up to it as I hadn't needed to tell anyone. Yet they are so easily spread, I thought it was best to tell them about the symptoms and what local pharmacies opening times were. 24 hour supermarkets don't necessarily have their pharmacy open and the nearest pharmacy to us was called 24 hours by every supermarket, and the local hospital, though it closed at midnight.

Thanks all. I'm hoping that if I do have them I will be able to take one of the drugs available as it's driving me slightly mental right now. I'm really itchy in the evening and like a cat on a hot tin roof as a result! DH is being pretty sympathetic but I feel for him, I am so grumpy!

I should get test results tomorrow and then I am making my doctor see me ASAP and will really push for drugs, if safe. I'm not sleeping and as you say, stress surely not good for baby? I also considered ramming garlic up up my bum ChillyWhippet. Anything to get the little buggers! Decided against, on balance ;).

I also read about colonic irrigation to flush them out, but doesn't seem to be safe while PG. Perhaps if drugs are not an option while PG I could go for that after birth. Intending to breast feed so drugs may also be an issue then. Will check out the La Leche League info -thanks for that tip!

DS was undiagnosed breach and born by emergency C-section, so if this one is breach too and I need an elective, the silver lining will be that I can tell myself that he won't be exposed to any parasites!

p.s. The itching is principally in the bum area but I do also feel itchy down my legs and some times at random other points (e.g. arms, back). I think it's just the bum itchiness and thought of the worms making me generally itchy. Sorry for the TMI but did anybody else get this?

Made mistake of reading up on obstetric cholestasis. Another thing to worry about?!

Gosh, pregnancy is so hypochondria inducing!

I'm 36 weeks and discovered DD has threadworms last night. I am knackered from all the cleaning today, just hoping we're clear before the baby arrives. I had thought the itchiness was piles

Sounds utterly miserable.
It's very different from when my children were young, then it was Pripsen, wear tight knickers at night and keep fingernails very short and well scrubbed - nothing about the mopping and washing beyond normal laundry done at high temperatures.

Are the little blighters now ultra resistant or something?

I imagine some of the itching is probably psychological, dd came home with a letter home about nits today and my head has been itching all night as a result

I had obstetric cholestasis and the itching drove me demented, it was really bad. If concerned though speak to your midwife.

Thread worms are horrible, dd has had them a few times.

We got rid of them by weekly washing off bedding and towels, damp dusted every where, all teddies, blankets etc had a wash. Took the tablet and repeated 2 weeks later.

Girlfriend36 - was your itching from obstetric cholestasis constant? I am only itchy between about 8 pm and maybe 2 am. Still waiting on flipping threadworms test result but think I will call the midwife tomorrow am to discuss OC. Bit disappointed in my GP really, as it seems to be taking so long to confirm threadworms or not. Surely they should be extra fast/careful with PG women? In the mean time I am getting more itchy and irrational! Thank goodness for mumsnet and sanity of other posters!

Yes pretty constant from what I can remember esp bad on my bump and legs. I would speak to your midwife as can be checked fairly quickly by a blood test.

Thanks Girlfriend36.

Threadworms test result has come back positive. It's kind of a relief really as if I didn't have them then the itching would have all been in my head, which would have been a bit scary!

The GP spoke to microbiologist at the hospital and the low down (for you spanisharmada) is that I can't take any drugs now, but I can as soon as I have delivered - 100 mg of Mebendazole (Ovex) then another dose 2 weeks later. He said that there are no contraindications for breastfeeding. He also said that there is no/low risk of passing to baby via vaginal birth or afterwards - apparently they rarely see cross-infection to newborn. So that's kind of reassuring. I will double-check this with obstetrician at hospital, who I happen to be seeing tomorrow. I want to know if I can cuddle the baby in my bed without worrying about him inhaling eggs (euh, even typing that makes my skin crawl!).

I also got blood tests yesterday for OC, just to be sure - liver function and bile acids. I didn't want to be worrying about OC every time the worms made me itch! Get results this afternoon (they happen to process the bile acid tests weekly, on a Thursday, so that was lucky).

Thanks again for all your comments MNers. It's so helpful to hear other people's experiences and get a bit of perspective.

OC test results were negative, so that's good to know. Midwife who gave me my results was very rude though. At first she completely refused to discuss threadworms with me. She kept saying it was nothing to do with obstetric care. I argued that the points I wanted confirming (will they pass to baby during birth, can I breastfeed etc) seemed pretty relevant to my obstetric care to me. I had to really press the point - this was all at the reception desk in front of at least 10 expectant mothers - not embarassing at all.

When she reluctantly agreed to discuss it with me in a room the only thing that she would say was not to eat rice cakes but couldn't explain why. It was a bit bizarre. She just said "I know about these things dear" in a really rude, condescending way. Clearly she didn't know sh*t, otherwise she would have been able to explain the rationale (expect it was to avoid processed carbs as full of sugar but who knows). Here's hoping she's not my midwife for the birth!

I know I could sound like one of those difficult worried-well annoyingly pushy mothers but honestly I wasn't. I was very polite and just wanted a bit of reassurance. All other midwifes at my hospital have been lovely. I guess there's always one!

re threadworm test results.

That midwife was probably having a hard day, but I'd be peeved by those comments too.

At least the oc test results were negative. Looks on bright side, for you