3 ms·
This is a big fear of mine. I have a course of albendazole once every year just for this. It is de facto over the counter in India. I bought enough to last 4 ye
by woadwarrior01 3mo ago
This is a big fear of mine. I have a course of albendazole once every year just for this. It is de facto over the counter in India. I bought enough to last 4 years, the last time I was there.
- aurareturn 3mo agoDo you take it even if you don't have any symptoms?
- woadwarrior01 3mo agoYes. 400mg prophylactic dose, once every year.
- nchmy 3mo agoYeah, I live in Central America now. 7 years ago after a month of subtle... Issues... and and a bunch of weight loss, I finally discovered an 8 inch worm in my poop after taking some albendazol. Since then, I take it every few months. There's really no risk as it is barely absorbed into your system - it just stays in the intestines and paralyzes (doesn't kill) the worms, they loosen their grip, so to speak, and fall out. I also give it regularly to my dogs even when they aren't showing symptoms. If you have more... violent... symptoms, it's likely bacteria etc rather than worms. Secnidazol is what you want for that - single dose and youre done. Most doctors prescribe metronidazol because they don't know anything - it is something like 3 pills a day for a week, and bacteria have high resistance to it. More expensive, more hassle, less effective. I also give Secnidazol to my dogs. Albendazol and Secnidazol are essentially free here at any pharmacy.
- tristor 3mo agoI have often thought it might be a wise idea to do some form of prophylactic course against parasitic infections given my extensive travels, but this isn't something that's generally recommended here in the US and I've yet to meet a doctor who would be willing to prescribe deworming without evidence of an active infection. Is this something that's common in India?
- uh_uh 3mo agoAFAIK there is no prophylactic for pork tapeworms. I'd love to be proven wrong.
- woadwarrior01 3mo agohttps://www.cdc.gov/taeniasis/hcp/clinical-care/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/taeniasis/hcp/clinical-care/index.html
- uh_uh 3mo agoThese dewormers treat the condition after the individual was already infected. I don't think they prevent the disease. Additionally, taking Albendazole without anti-inflammatory meds can be fatal in case of an active infection. Reason is that if the cysts start dying the brain, the toxins released might cause swelling which can lead to neurological damage or death.
- deleted 3mo ago[deleted]
- snootypoot 3mo ago[flagged]
- woadwarrior01 3mo agoWhen I was growing up in India, the family physician would prescribe single dose deworming syrup/tablets for kids, every year. I recently learned that Mebendazole is available over the counter, here in Ireland (also in the UK). But I have enough Albendazole from my trip to India last year, to last a couple of years.
- teruakohatu 3mo agoIt’s available here in New Zealand over the counter in family sized packs of chocolate flavoured tablets.
- 3mo ago