Has anyone ever had threadworm?

[blacksocks33]

I think I have it 😭
I was feeling a bit uncomfortable/itchy so I checked the area and I'm sure I saw something small and white move. I've googled it and it looks just like the pictures! Ahhh I'm freaking out!
I live with my 2 young sons. I'm going to try and get the OTC treatment tomorrow.
How difficult is it going to be to get rid of?
Never had this before -I'm freaking out!!?

I remember having it as a young teen. My mum was a childminder so there were a few kids around. I was super embarrassed and never told my parents, they went away on their own, which I now realise was really lucky. So I'd say with medication, paying attention to hand hygiene and sleeping with pants on would probably send it packing.

Or perhaps my mum slipped me the medication without me knowing!

You probably got it from your sons - nursery and primary age children get them all the time. I got infected a couple of times when my DC were small, but a dose of Ovex plus lots of laundry and handwashing sorted it out.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/threadworms/

Yes, I've had it a few times in my life (I bite my nails). It is very easy to treat. I ask to buy a family pack over the counter at the pharmacy- if you ask for it by brand name (ovex) I find it less embarrassing. It's easier to say your kid has it than its for you if you are finding it hard to do, because they say to treat the whole family at the same time anyway. If you really can't take the embarrassment you can probably order online but you'll be stuck feeling uncomfortable a few more days.

Then just put fresh laundry on the bed and don't touch your bottom area without washing your hands/ put your fingers in your mouth without washing your hands and the one dose is probably all you'll need.

I think most people with kids get it at some time or the other. It's absolutely nothing to be ashamed of and just make sure you treat everyone and wash everything and it will soon disappear.

Aww thanks all!
I went to the pharmacy today and got some family ovex, I blamed my son 😂🙈💀
They said treat the infected person (🫠) twice and the rest of the house once. I wonder if I should just do two rounds for everyone incase I've got it from them 🤷🏼‍♀️

Thanks for the support all! I'm painfully shy so this is highly embarrassing for me 🙈

It won't hurt to dose everyone twice.

Also check their nails - if they are long enough for dirt to accumulate under them, that's when they bring home worms IME. Keep primary aged children's nails v short. Change their underwear daily, wear pants at night while treating if out of nappies already, encourage them to wash their hands before eating. after using the toilet, after coming in from outside. Discourage nail biting and finger/thumb sucking.

For yourself you don't need to cut nails but do wash hands regularly and use a nail brush.

You could change their bedding but you don't need to go overboard scrubbing everything. The eggs don't live that long in the environment. They reproduce by laying eggs around the anus (and vagina for girls) then the infected person scratches and they get under the nails. This can then transfer to other people's hands, food etc. Once the eggs are eaten (they are microscopic) they hatch in the gut.

So breaking this cycle (bum to hands/hands to mouth) will stop them from reproducing and they will die out. They are always going around young children's groups though.

Careful if you google as there are loads of dubious websites aimed at selling you all kinds of dodgy supplements which claim they are hard to get rid of. They aren't. Hand washing and Ovex is an effective treatment. Ordinary laundry detergent/washing temp also gets rid of them on bedding, pyjamas and underwear.

Thank you so much for all the info!
I've just stripped all the beds in my panic, but I feel reassured now I don't need to bleach everywhere as well 🙈
I wash in 30 though, would that be ok 🤷🏼‍♀️

Yeah it's just the agitation, water and detergent which is enough. You probably don't wash your hands in scalding water :)

I've also had them, and recall the horror of witnessing them crawling around my sleeping child's anus. So easy to treat with the medication and it works wonders. I read lots of advice to wash everything at 60° and deep clean every hard surface and soft furnishing every day for two weeks. It's not necessary. Medication and basic hygiene will stop the cycle. I did change the beds and also put my kids in onesies to sleep to avoid any nocturnal scratching, just for my own peace of mind.

The Ovex will sort you out. It has a texture like chalk though!

Not sure if it has been mentioned upthread, but make sure your kids nails are kept short, and if they like to frolic about in mud and dirt then make sure they wash hands afterwards, and always before eating (or putting fingers in mouth). Whole family needs doing at same time, and you may need to treat again (2 weeks later) if they re- appear. If your kids get it a few times (mine used to), then it is worth keeping a batch of ovex in your medical supplies, so that the first time they notice (usually evening, at bedtime) then you can treat them straight away (and avoid them getting disrupted sleep while waiting for you to get meds).

Bless you OP, we've had it countless times over the years and it's no biggie (once you get over the initial horror).

Just a tip for taking the ovex; if your kids like ketchup, mash it up in that, as you can't tell the taste or texture.

Do two rounds to be sure!

Someone I heard of was struggling to get rid of it and was really embarrassed as it wasn’t going then GP said I think try a double dose of ovex if it’s bad. I’ve heard castor oil is good at keeping them at bay too (from my nana).

It took me ages to get rid of them despite all the washing etc . I read about the double dose, so two lots of two tablets with a fortnight between each dose. It finally solved it.

I caught them as an adult from friend’s DD in my 20s! Luckily one dose of ovex or pripsen cured me but I thought it was only children got them!

Loads!!!! I've worked in schools and nurseries for years and it turns out I'm very susceptible. Change bedding and towels (but don't bother with the rest) and take the tablet twice.

Had it once . It’s hell!!! But Ovex works. Recommend you repeat it for all. Yes to washing bed linen then hoovering,cleaning bathrooms and all towels. Keep separate towels as standard. I work in primary schools and am sure I got it there. Chn put pencils in their mouths, fingers in noses, don’t wash hands properly after the toilet etc, the I touch their hands and pencils 🤮
Also apparently they don’t like pumpkin seeds so eat lots of them. I washed all in 60 but I always do bedding and towels at that temperature. You need to hoover and wipe surfaces after changing bedding because you will put the eggs into the air.

Yes had them here too, primary aged DC.
Ovex, shower in mornings if possible to get rid of previous nights worm bum party and change bedding once a week.
I sent all soft furnishings from bed, pillows, teddies etc, to quarantine in black bags for 2 weeks as a precaution!

Ahhh thanks all!
I don't know if im paranoid or if I'm still feeling uncomfortable!
It's nothing outrageous and neither of my children seem bothered at all so im hoping im just paranoid? I find it really hard to switch off from stuff like this.... if someone even says the word "nits" my head itches for a week 🥴

Yeah I felt hyper aware afterwards. Just keep washing thoroughly every morning as soon as you get up and wear pants at night until second dose has taken effect.

Sorry if this is a weird question... but what do you wash with? Surely anything you use has to be thrown out? I've been using the shower puffs and then keep replacing them... but it just seems like such a waste of product... am I over thinking or?

Bar of soap and a nail brush. Also, I've read apply sudocrem as they don't like laying their eggs in it. Anusol helped with the itching and also might discourage them. It was a bloody relief to finally "crack" it!

I just wash with my hands. But you could use a flannel, and then wash it in the washing machine?

The nuclear option if you can't shift them - the dosing instructions in Germany for exactly the same medicine is to take it once a day for 3 days. It works for me. They completely go away and no need to repeat.

Just my hands in the shower and a bar of soap and the shower jet. Obviously washing hands and the soap afterwards.