Adult threadworms?! Help??

[Jk4472]

20 year old male, had an itch and seen the worms. Took treatment (Ovex tablet) 48 hours ago. Still no better, worse if anything. Can’t sleep itch is that bad. Any advice on how to help the itchiness, and get rid?

You need to take ovex twice a day over three days, and then repeat a month later. Family bottle of liquid has six does - i have never found the tablets as effective.

@Maush Sorry but you are completely wrong with that dose-

www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/infection/a7955/ovex-mebendazole/

JK- give it time, it doesn't work that fast.

Meanwhile you need to follow the hygiene advice on washing your bedding and towels @60C, damp dusting the room, wearing pants in bed till the worms have gone and being fastidious about handwashing before preparing food. Lots of info online on it.

I know what it says on the packet...hence the advice. I have also bought the equivalent product outside the UK and the dose can be even double what i have said for strongyloides.

Mebendazole has very low penetration and won't touch any worms which may have migrated from the gut. The advice came from a pediatrician.

You talk about a bottle (which isn't Ovex in the UK) and suggesting someone doubles the dose and does that for 3 days. That is very irresponsible. What you were or were not told or bought outside the UK isn't the point.

Medicine for threadworm is once then repeat two weeks later and then again if necessary.

My DS also had lots of itching. It helped to wash the area carefully and then to apply a steroid cream.

Put a very great ointment around the anus because it will protect it and prevent the eggs from sticking to the skin as well direct contact.
It may be a good idea to shave the area if you're hairy (male...).

Anyway... strongyloids and hookworm are quite different. For those it is required continuous treatment for a long time.

How did you spot the worms? Because it may be best to take a sample to the GP for them to properly identify the worms if it's still causing you problems.

Ovex family is a bottle of six doses of liquid mebendazole sold in over the counter in Boots (in the UK)

Strongyloides stercoralis is a type of roundworm commonly referred to as threadworm. Threadworm can also refer to types of Enterobius (known as pinworm elsewhere).

Ovex will not I think kill worms already well down in the colon near your anus. It will kill those higher up in the digestive tract, so you may well pass some worms that the medicine hasn't zapped before the treatment fully works.