What type of worm is this?

[sharry]

I would appreciate some advise-I have an appointment to c the doc pm, came back from Tenerife-a chap smashed into us on the M56- not sleeping at all well, trying to function- still working etc, but this am bent over to go in the shower and this worm emerged from you know where! It's about 8-9cm long and looks like a garden worm. I have 3 sprogs + DH will we all need treating? was it a tape worm? Did i pick it up on my hols? Frightened of going now. Help!

The bits that are passed from an adult tape work are flatish, but do move. Was your round like a garden wor, and pointed at the ends?

because tape worm bits that come out do tend to be flatter than a garden worm (sort of round rectangular if that makes sense). Maybe it is a round worm...

do you have pets?

Did they look anything like this or this ?

This is what a tape worm looks like

Tape worm segments look lie this

tapeworm segment

But you don't tend to pass the full worm MN, normaly you pass the segments only.

here is quite a good pic of a tapeworm, segment would look like a small piece of this.

if it is roundworm it's unlikely that you have just picked it up. Have you been abroad anywhere in the last 2 years? It's more likely you picked it up then....

don't worry too much. One thing I will say is that I don't think GPs are that clued up on worm treatments here (like overseas where it's more common) so if the GP has any doubt, get them to send the worm off for analysis (I think main hospitals will do or failing that the centre for Tropical medicine in London) and make sure he gives you a follow up appointment. Sometimes these things take a while to kill off because you have to destroy the life cycle.

Just got back from G.p He has given me tamaspam to help with the sleep. Sent worm off for analisis as he doesnt know species, and won't treat me until the results are back in. Next Tue but he's not in till Thurs. It was 17cm long pointed at both ends and round in the middle. I think it's the bit from a tape worm.. have been Lanzerote last Easter, Prague in May, Cyprus in October, just returned from Tenerife, ate Steak each time?
I have had baths with my DD who's 3, and what about Sex? can others catch it from you?

Oh, we don't have pets of our own but the cat down the road this this is his home! He has his own dish outside, is not allowed on to the work surfaces, if we are feeling generous we let him sit on our knee, he is gentle and wonderful with DD. If you get them from animals how did it get from him to me?

here is a health blurb about {http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/tapeworm_diseases.jsp\tapeworms}

If it is a tapeworm, you most likely got it from eating undercooked meat (beef,pork) or fish. If it is tapeworm from food(and they will be able to tell from the tests), you won't need to treat the whole family unless you think it's likely you all ate the same thing (I know, impossible to tell). I think they can examine stool samples from your family to check for any tapeworm bits or eggs.

tapeworms

OMG, poor you sharry. Is there no way they can see you sooner? Debs26 and others who posted links, thanks, they were gruesomely fascinating!

Poor you, Sharry.
tbh, it sounds more like a roundworm, to me.
A nemotode worm rather than a tapeworm. (I used to work with cattle and horses, and had to look out for any worms that they had!)
You sound v calm - we all have millions of invisible parasites in us anyway.
Hope you get it sorted out soon.

I am reluctant to either eat or poo ! I'm worried that I could have given it to my family, plus i work a in primary school and it goes without saying I'm worried about giving it to them. It's been the straw that broke the camels back in a way, Dr has signed me off for 1 week (because of the crash) and I am, trying to phone my regular DR for advice, once the results are back Mon-Tue I will insist that I need to see someone ASAP. A big THANK YOU one and ALL!

I am no expert but it sounds too long to be a segment of a tapeworm.

make sure that you use a nail brush to scrub under your fingernails....sorry if this is teach you to suck eggs!

apparently supermodels buy these to stay thin

I wish I hadn't read this thread while I was eating a sandwich....

sharry, let us know how it goes. Tapeworms are pretty easy to identify because their look is so specific so I'm sure the doctor would have been able to tell (although I'm sure he would send it off anyway just to tell what type of worm it was). Here's the patient information guide for roundworms just in case.

As far as I remember, you can get roundworms from animals (in their faeces). Anyway, no point really speculating till you know what you've got. Hope you find out soon.

The 'have worm lose weight' thing is a load of old toffee, unless you have so many that you are malnourised (as happens in developing countries) One or two tape worms isn't going to have an impact on a western diet!

my dog passed something like this a year ago and i wormed her with a normal wormer. Noe i am worried she still has them and we all ahve them too, how would we know?

I am being serious btw!

did the vet tell you what worm it was?

I never even asked the vet. just thought it was a 'normal' dog type worm