Resolved question:
I travelled to Costa Rica for my honeymooon and after coming back several weeks later I started getting sick and have been sick for 2 months. At times I would wake up every hour with severe high blood pressure. I have had a low grade fever for that amount of time among many other symptoms some which are debilitating. I have been tested for a bunch of things everything coming back negative. My health got worst and ended hospitalized twice. I had seen a parasite in my stool and was tested twice all coming back negative however they gave me treatment medication for it (Stromectol). Therefore I took the medication and I started finding these in my stool and they have been coming out for 8 days now. However I have no idea what they are. The medication has worked and my health has improved drastically.
Submitted:
4 Days
Category:
Gastroenterologist, Medical
Hello.
Thank you for your query at DoctorSpring.com
The last image of the parasite, did not show up in the dashboard earlier, and hence was not forwarded to our gastroenterologist. It has been forwarded now, and he will get back soon.
Till then kindly answer a few things to make the picture more clearer :
1) The images you sent earlier before the parasite image look normal. However the parasite image you sent shows a lot of parasites and that's quite abnormal. So just as a confirmation, the parasites are coming out in your stool for last 8 days? Has there been any reduction in the number or they have been same?
2) Are you still continuing the Ivermectin? ( Stromectol )?
3) Have you faced these issues in your childhood? When was the last time you took medicine for parasites such as Albendazole?
4) What was your hemoglobin level?
5) You said you were hospitalized twice. What was the primary cause and any idea what treatment you were given?
Kindly answer to the above questions to give me a better picture.
Regards.
InHouse Physician.
1) Actually the images are a small sample of the amount that have been coming out of my stool. It has maintained it self around the same level of release after taking the meds. I have diarrhea and every time I go to the bathroom I release quite a bit. They are always dead.
2) Ivermectin? ( Stromectol )? It was given as a one time dose of 3mg tablets (6 tablets)
3) It is the first time that I have this issue that I know of. The just prescribed Albendazole I have not bought it because its $2000 so I am trying to get the money together.
4) What was your hemoglobin level? As far as the doctor told me normal.
5) You said you were hospitalized twice. What was the primary cause and any idea what treatment you were given? I believe that it was the primary cause. I was waking up at night every hour in sweats and shivering with blood pressure around 160/115 it would stay like that for 15 minutes and then go down again to normal. I would go to sleep and in an hour it would happen again. Therefore, I went to the emergency room twice. However, they told me that all the test where normal and to go to the center of disease control for further testing. They did not test the stool at the hospital. These episodes have diminished since I took the Stromectol.
Hi,
The last image you sent is more clear and lot of worms are seen.
These worms are called strongyloides stercoralis. These are seen in soil. These penetrate the skin when it comes in to contact. Most often the affected individual has weak immunity.
The issue is it can be difficult to treat since in some individuals the organisms have persisted up to 1-2 years. The drug of choice Ivermectin has already been started, and i will recommend you continue taking the medicine till your symptoms subside completely. It requires prolonged treatment and predicting how long you should take the drug is slightly difficult. So keep taking Stromectol ( Ivermectin ) till the worms are coming out in your stool.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr.R.K.
Thank you, for your response. One more question is it possible that I have more than one type as the picture of the red looking ones look very diffrent than the worm looking ones or is it that they are in diffrent stages or that it is another typr of egg sack?
Hi,
It is difficult to say.
But it is unlikely to be worms in different stages because even adult worms are too small. The other stages may not be visible to naked eyes.
I hope that answers your question.
Regards.