“Where can I get help?” is the first thing this woman writes in her submission, posing the question that many face when they are concerned about parasite-related health concerns. This reader in particular is concerned about a “hookworm” that “came out of [her] dog” which has spread to her and her family members.
To start off with, we must always address that we cannot confirm or identify any medical issues that our readers have, as we are not medical professionals. In fact, we are legally unable to do so. We think our reader knows this though, as her question pertains not to what her issue is, but where she can go for help, and that is something we can definitely help with.
Secondly, we think it pertinent to lay out the context of our reader’s situation, so that if any of our other readers relate to her story, they too know that they may need to seek medical help.
Our reader has been battling what she believes to be a hookworm infestation (or something related to the hookworm that came out of her dog) for three years. She has experienced “splinter-looking sores that pop up all over [her] hands”, “shooting pain through to the bone in [her] hands”, sluggishness, cramping and headaches.
She has taken steroids, antibiotics and topical creams, but the only thing that has remotely helped is bleach and tea tree oil.
At this point, our reader fears she has serious health issues since she has “been misdiagnosed for several years.” She is now even more worried because her other family members are catching the same thing and her dog is terribly sick.
She hopes we can point her in the direction of a doctor who does not claim her problem to be “nerves” or her being “crazy”.
As our reader is clearly extremely concerned, we will not waste any time getting to the point. We do not recommend consulting a primary care doctor or an ER doctor when the concern is parasites (or any organism that is suspected to be causing symptoms).
We instead recommend consulting a medical parasitologist. Unlike ‘regular doctors’, medical parasitologists are educated in parasitology and are thus equipped to diagnose and treat these types of problems.
What we can recommend is that our reader do one or more of the following:
1) Search for a medical parasitologist in her area using this directory of medical parasitology consultants: https://www.astmh.org/for-astmh-members/clinical-consultants-directory.
2) Search for a local parasitologist by doing a Google search for “medical parasitologist (name of the closest big city)” or “tropical medicine specialist (name of the closest big city)”.
3) Get in touch with Dr. Omar Amin at the Parasitology Center at https://www.parasitetesting.com.
In conclusion, we hope that the resources listed above help our reader in finding a physician who does not dismiss her concerns, but instead acknowledges them and gives her the medical attention she may require. If our reader wishes to provide any updates once she has received help, we would be more than happy to hear from her in another email or in the comment section of this article. We wish her the very best and hope she and her family members are well again soon!
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You are not alone. I’ve been dealing with all of the same symptoms for almost 5 years.. doesn’t matter what I do…. It never goes away. I may have moments of ease….but then that quick it’s over . I’ve thought things like… suicide is the only way out. Then I can’t remember what to do next. It’s crazy how emotionally …confusion…how others look at me ….I acnt find a job….. I can’t keep friends…. I hardly ever go into stores at all anymore . This has taken over my life. I’m sad…then mad then confused then hungry then tired then a bolt of energy …I can’t sleep at night. I stay up for days on end. I do everything on my phone or I don’t do it.
Talking to anyone in public is so embarrassing and makes me want to run to my car as fast as possible. Ive lost everything and everyone thinks I’m crazy.
These things are in my nose,eyes,ears,mouth,,I get the same splinters in my fingers …the hairs stand up all on their own. If I hold my hair out and shine a flashlight through it from the other side it looks as if my hair is one big spider web. I feel stuff on my face …arms legs .privates ..everywhere now . Doctors don’t help….er don’t help…I can’t afford anything now cause I can’t work. Noone will hire me .the will stand couple feet from me and tell me theve hires someone already .
Please help me. Anyone … Someone who knows what’s going on .
Am*******@gm***.com
Subject:. Parasites
Thank you
Amy D
This is such a helpful post! is this the same as pythiosis? Literally what you’re describing sounds like what I was told pythiosis insidiom (sp*) describes as?
First off of parasitologist would help but the problem with that is most of them need a referral from your primary care physician to even get to them. Such is the case with me. You may have parasites but also I would recommend you get your IGE level tested which is the level of your immune system and the level of something foreign in your body and it will be different antigens for different parasites also please get tested for aspergillus fumigatus it is a mold that grows by hyphae which are filaments that grow out and get to food. I am still waiting to be tested for that I think there is a skin prick test to see if you’re allergic to it they can also take biopsies or scraping and blood tests. You may have other parasites as well such as worms but I think the hookworms are almost too small to be seen. Every day people inhale Conidia which are the spores Of Aspergillus fumigatus aka aspergillosis. Most people are able to fight it off but in the last 20 years it evolves just as we do and it is a very opportunistic parasitic fungus and is omnivorous which means it can plant matter or proteins such as animals and us. Organ transplants autoimmune condition people with previous lung problems even asthma are the main people that suffer from this as their body is not killing the spores and it germinates inside you a germ tube Will start to grow out of the Conidia that is germinating. And yes it affects everybody even their pets my cats hair moves all by itself and I lost my hair just now growing back after a year. I would let them know that you and your family feel sick and mold may be causing it. I hope this helps but be aware that this will be hard to deal with because it is in every environment inside and outside so for the rest of our lives we will be inhaling these Conidia. Best thing to do keep yourself washed up and your house dust and mold free. Cleaning supplies and washing and drying don’t really kill the fungus as it has a protective layer over it that is another reason why it is so hard to deal with and get rid of. I even have it in my lungs now I am on Advair and rescue inhalers and albuterol inhalation treatment just to keep my lungs open until they figure out for sure if it is aspergillus. And there are a lot of symptoms the main one is your body starts fighting itself and it closed my lungs up almost like an allergic reaction to getting stung by a bee very scary. Other symptoms are fatigue brain fog Confusion mood swings Itching rashes constipation diarrhea urinary tract infections kidney infection yeast infection joint pain inflammation headaches ear and sinus infections Burning tingling numbness in extremities I could go on and on. Food sensitivity dry cough loss of taste and smell intermittently shortness of breath. I plan on coming back to this website after I have my test done to see if that is what it is until then stay safe
Hi Crystal,
Any updates for you? Your story sounds a lot like mine.
Hi Crystal,
Any updates for you? Your story sounds a lot like mine.