Feel like crying...threadworms

[Worriedmum2024]

Treated us all last week with ovex. Had a bunch of dead ones in little ones poo. Then tonight a live one. I'm really struggling with all the washing. I also had to repeat the dose with me after 3 days as it wasn't working. My hands are dry. Would the doctor prescribe something stronger? I don't get why they haven't came up with something that also kills the eggs at least. I keep thinking of things I haven't wiped and its driving me insane. Son is off childminders for another week so want to get it sorted by then. I'm thinking maybe these ones are new ones or maybe I'm rubbish and missed something. Getting me down its all I can google

@Worriedmum2024 It's nothing you're doing wrong. When my son was at primary school he'd get them, then infect us all, then I'd treat and eventually they'd go, only for him to become re-infected and infect everyone else...again!! Went on for a good couple of years.

Forgot to mention he's a toddler so whilst we are washing hands more he's getting upset when I try to shower him in morning and doesn't understand not to put hands in mouth.

Raw garlic cleared mine. Antibac on all door knobs, light switches, wash bedding, pjs

I feel your pain. We had them mid November and I'm still paranoid. I was in tears of exhaustion with the amount of extra cleaning on top of a busy job and life.

I read the entire Internet about them and saw that the Ovex tablets aren't as effective as the liquid so we switched to liquid Ovex. I also added a dose on day 7, as well as day 1 and 14 for DS and I who definitely had them (obviously I dont advise going over the recommended dose, but just saying what I did!). I think we're clear of them although I regularly get phantom wriggling/itching as I'm so traumatised. DS never had symptoms, I discovered them on myself which was a great time...

Good luck, reading MN threads did help me in the end as there were dozens of people saying they would just take Ovex and change bedding once upon discovery then carry on as normal, and still got rid of them. I think trying not to obsess about them is the best thing you can do.

Hey- did you manage to clear them @Worriedmum2024 ? We too have had a hard time shifting them. Wish we were that family that just take one pill and they are gone.

I'm not sure, so I basically had to take another ovex dose three days after the original dose, then I took another dose three days later as I felt itching again. I gave my son another dose after a week, as I saw a live adult threadworm on his bum and I wasn't going to wait a week for them to lay eggs and if there was one meant probably more. Last night he was saying poo when he hadn't pooed which was the original symptom. Also, I'm struggling to do all the washing and having space to dry it. Been hoovering everyday rather than washing everything. And showering wearing pants to bed.

Feel your pain. Hopefully the washing and multiple ovex will do the job soon. My DD was itching and we gave her ovex nearly 2 weeks ago. She hasn’t stopped itching since but i haven’t seen anymore. Not sure if she has just over cleaned? But she seems to get them all the time. Will give her the second dose tomo then i think i may give another one in another 2 weeks.

Does anyone know if ovex can just be ineffective and the initial infection never clear or is it more likely to be reinfection?

So been doing a lot of reading on them and basically I think why I had to treat after a week is because they take 2 weeks to 6 weeks to become adult. So any eggs that were swallowed week before treatment would be becoming adult week after. Also, apparently loads of people have them and don't have symptoms, so you could go outside and get reinfected. Also find it odd the ovex dose adults take is same as kids. There used to be another medication but it got banned

We've had them 3 times in the last year...from DS bringing them from school..just treat with ovex liquid, keep up normal hygiene, washing/cleaning ect... encourage/supervise your dc to wash their hands ...nothing more you can do if it's about, then you'd need your dc to be allowed to wash their hands at school repeatedly and for every child at school to be treated and for their families to be through with cleaning. I told the school when we had our first infection, but they didn't do anything...so we have to make sure ds washes his hands as soon has he comes back from school, washes his hands after going to the toilet

My DS (7) is constantly getting them. It seems some people are just more aware of the symptoms. As soon as he complains of itching I can guarantee we'll see worms within a few hours. I used to feel dirty and stressed by it but now I realise how common they are I just deal with them. Infact I always keep a family sized bottle of Ovex in lol

I’ve been reading all the chats in here about worms. Really struggling at the moment. I suffer with OCD and manage (most of the time) to hide my condition and not impact my family. But threadworms have floored me. I’m a mum of 2 and used to work in mental health and childcare so have been aware of them just never had to deal with them directly.
my DS (6) has been itchy since end of November. My OH kept telling it was my OCD and I was paranoid and he didn’t have worms. But I knew he did. I then saw one couple days ago and made my partner look at it, he did apologise! 🙄
so now 2 kids (one now a teenager and not impressed) and OH had dose of liquid over, but I haven’t taken it. I had a terrible side effect to 3 different medications quite recently and have been left with neuropathy. So my OCD has now made me too scared to take medication. Which I know rationally is totally bonkers! I’m cleaning and following the guidelines, clean bedding, pants and onsie at night for DS so he can’t scratch, pants for everyone and wash in morning and evening, hand washing etc.
did anyone get rid of the without taking the meds? Or anyone had side effects from over. I wish this hadn’t ruined my time off work, the kids and OH and fine and enjoying their days. I wish I could join in. Any advice is much appreciated.

Hi I am in this hell too so feel your pain. I posted on this thread. Just to say about the eggs laid before treatment. The treatment kills any stage of worm once hatched so larve too, just not egg, as it does not penetrate the egg. So any life stage should (in theory) be gotten rid of. I just think different people have different absorption levels of the drug. Different fur microbiomes. All makes a difference. Also only under the right conditions do eggs stay infective in environment, with heating on and dry house they can be as harmless as dust in 1-2 days, but in cooler rooms up to 2 weeks.
I really hope you get some rest from this as I can see from your post how it has been effected you. And knowing how I am feeling right now I don’t wish this on anyone. I know people see this as a minor thing and there are so much more important stuff to worry about, but I can’t help how it’s derailed my life at the moment!

It feels like we never really fully get rid of them. I'm not convinced that Ovex works that well. I'd take a dose, another three days later then a week , then two weeks. Ie take if four times.

In Germany they don't sell them over the counter so I ordered online from Netherlands or Belgium.

The instructions in that packet, exactly the same drug and dosage as ovex, say take once a day for three days. It works perfectly, no reinfection, no need to treat anyone who doesn't have symptoms. I just keep it on hand now and that's what we do if anyone gets symptoms.

Children who keep getting it probably aren't washing their hands a lot and/or put their hands in their mouth. Keep nails short, and discourage nail biting and thumb sucking if you have a chronic worm catcher!

I fully think some people don't feel the symptoms so they just have them all the time and don't realise.

Only side effect first time took it had cramps but went after I ate . You get a liquid you can mix with a drink. I've heard people get rid of them by garlic but not so sure myself.

Ooh really? I might try that. I'm not sure if fully gone. My bum is itchy tonight but could be because been wearing under wear all day. Took more ovex just incase. My husband was unhappy because I gave my son more after a week without consulting doctor

This is what I'm confused about some website say it kills lave others doesn't. If it kills all stages why would you leave it two weeks. Surely kill when they are little still and can't leave eggs

This is what I been doing but did 3 days 3 days and think I went 4

Yes larve have hatched so can be killed, and there are lots of horror stories saying if females die inside full of eggs all the eggs will hatch inside you. All nonsense, the eggs must have oxygen to become infective, hence why the female lays them outside. Retro infection (eggs hatching on anus and going back inside) is thought to possibly happen but a lot of experts say not often and not a big problem. Mostly we just ingest more eggs. Plus washing eggs off bottom decreases any chances of that.
So as long as everyone is not scratching butts and washing hands should break the cycle.

I’ve calmed down so much tonight. They have been around as long as humans and we never used to treat them!
as my mum pointed out, nobody was wormed when she was a child, they must have had them, and people in their 80-90’s are not all worm riddled.
They will go.
Also, all the extra washing of the “bottom area” can make it itchy, it’s very sensitive skin there. I think sometimes people wash so much they think they still have them. I know I am feeling sensitive from all the washing. My hands are awful and my poor bottom, sudocrem to the rescue!
I hope things settle for you soon @Worriedmum2024

things I have found help:
bags in bathroom to pop all dirty things straight in.
disposable box of gloves in bathroom.
conti disposable wash cloths (like used in hospital to wash, so I wash bottoms each morning and evening and throw disposable wash cloths in bag)

Onesie to sleep in so definitely no little fingers scratching bottoms.
think layer of sudocrem to go to sleep.

i have only treated once. And plan to treat again in the 14 days.
try not to over treat if you can, all medication comes with risk/benefit. They set the dose for a reason. If you feel they are not going ask GP about longer/more frequent dose. Mebendazole is pretty safe at lower shorter dosages but is used to stop certain cancer growing at higher doses so is not just a benign drug. I am not a medic, but my family member is so following their advice.

Treat all kids and family members every 3 months. Back in the day the recommendation was to treat the whole family every 3 months if you had kids of primary school age as 40% of these kids would have worms at any given time.
Note that as adults with good basic hygiene, if you were meticulous with your cleanliness, a 6 week cycle would ensure no worms without any meds.

@Mum2jenny I think that would likely reduce the amount of worms around! The guidance right now is only treat with symptoms, one pharmacist even said to me not to give it unless I see a worm! But my GP family member said no, give it for an itchy bum don’t wait to see the worm.

apparently there is a lot of it in schools right now in my area anyway, after posting on parent group for my school was informed by someone working in a pharmacy that ovex is selling like mad!
maybe they do need to rethink the dosage!

Ok I was doing this many years ago, but I think threadworms are still pretty prolific in primary school kids. So I’ve recommended this approach to my own children and colleagues at work.

How many parents really want to take a torch to their kids backsides in the dark to see if there are any threadworms???? That is really only the way to be sure.