OMG - think either DH or I has parasitic intestinal worms (worse than threadworms)

[abitworried]

This is just bizarre - I still don't know quite what to make of it.

I went to the loo this morning and when I lifted the lid found a long (5 cm?) pink worm wriggling around in the bottom of the bowl.

This was the loo in our annexe bit of the house and nobody else had used it this morning. In fact, only DH and I ever use it anyway, as it is next to his home office.

After a bit of inspection and googling we decided it could be a parasitic worm called roundworm.

BUT

• how come it was there on its own
• where (who!) did it come from
• how did it survive our cleaner who came and cleaned all the loos yesterday

We've both taken a dose of Ovex, but now we're not sure what next? Should we be booking a GP appt, taking stool samples or what?

If it is something like roundworm then it's potentially more serious than common threadworms, but I simply can't imagine how either of us would contract something like that, as it's pretty rare in the UK, and we haven't travelled anywhere exotic (US last summer!).

I can't think of any other logical explanation for it though?

Gross......

whoops not likely

No - kids not in garden, and too wussy to get near worms anyway!

Yes - am in UK Elastic - but do I need to go thru GP or something - surely I can't just send a worm through the post

re-read
yes you are in uk
hospital for tropical diseases (if that hasnt been closed down), which it probably has, part of UCH i think

you woudl be surprised

both do a big poop, collect in boxes and take to GP for testing. It's the only way you're going to put your mind at rest.

Don't wrap poop in loo roll, annoys hell out of lab techs.

How do you know that worm came from your poo?! I'm amazed how you've gone from worm in the loo to parasitic infection! Normally it would have been flushed away I would have thought.

I think you need to tell the cleaner just in case. Also, as you won't be able to put it out of your mind, you better call the GP and tell him you want to send off a sample.

I think, in this country, they do use Ovex for roundworms (not a medical person, so not sure) but I think a longer dose (?) so after you took it, did you look in your poo to see if there were any worms in the loo because I think you'd expect to see them coming out then?

I have had all sorts of worms (when living in a hot country) and you can get rid of the common ones pretty easily.

There was a thread like this earlier in the year. Here.

Do you have pets our cats have had roundworms

YES! Think it's a horsehair worm (cautious 'phew!' )

DH is going to drop it off at GPs and get it checked out though....

Whats a horsehair worm and where do they come from?
(Don't fancy Googling for fear of gross images that might pop up )

Betty - if you follow Frosty's link to another thread there is a good description. Basically it's a worm that emerges from the body of insects like crickets etc when they land on water - not a human parasite at all!

eeewwww........just read it.

MN really is a mine of all sorts of information. The things you learn on here!

This thread (haha!) is so disgusting yet somehow so irresistible.

I used to work for a water board and have known customers ring up complaining that a worm has dropped out their kitchen tap when they turned tap on. So I do think worms can get in the water system - it could have come in with a flush. I've seen samples of these worms in the lab and they don't look like earth worms - much thinner.

Google for "worms in water supply" - loads of info. Doubt its from you as worms will burrow into poo and hang on.

WELLLLLLL >

The GP says he thinks it's a roundworm

BUT

I think he's wrong actually!

Thing is... it was DH who took it in, and he's crap at talking to doctors, so e.g.

GP tells him it's more likely to be from the kids (although kids have not used the loo it appeared in - I know that for a fact)

Also, it does not explain how it appeared after our cleaner had cleaned the loo (?)

• it looks more like a horsehair worm than a roundworm

But of course DH doesn't bother to raise/ ask the GP about any of these, but just blithely accepts his instant diagnosis.

(At this point I know some people will shout "why don't you believe the GP, surely he knows best?" well, no actually, I've worked with GPs, and they quite often get things wrong and make snap (mistaken) judgements, without getting all the facts)

Anyway, whatever it is, seems we've done the right thing by taking Ovex, but GP says we should also give the kids a dose 'just to be on the safe side'.

Thing is, how do we do this without freaking them out? If we mention anything to DS2 about worms coming out of his bottom he will freak! How can I explain giving them medicine, and wanting to take a look at their poo before they flush it away????

When our cat had them we found them in her poo after she was wormed could you explain to ds2 it is a just in case medicine