Re: Trouble with Giardia

>Back in August I went on a river rafting trip and started to have symptoms of Giardia. I was treated two months later with Flagyl (metronidazole) but felt terrible for months after. In December a family member was diagnosed with Giardia just as I was starting to feel really bad. He was treated with tinadiazole and was cured (feels fine now). I was treated again with a higher dose of metronidazole and actually was cured. I felt great for a month and half, getting better slowly each day.

How did you and your family member get diagnosed with Giardia? Which lab was used? IIRC Tinadiazole is more efficient against Giardia then Metronidazole, but don take my word for it. Look it up :o)

It seems very hard to find labs that are able to test giardia and Entamoeba histolytica properly.

>Unfortunately I was not on the up and up about giarda cysts able to live. I had not really done a thorough clean of my bathroom. I did so and started to have the symptoms again. This time I tested positive for Giardia. Since then I have went on a round of Alinia, which did not seem to

How much and how long did you take Alinia?

>When I say symptoms, I mean that my stomach is going nuts, I lose all my energy, stools become smelly and slimy, etc... This time I am going to have some tests done to see if I still have Giardia (which i'm pretty sure I still have). This feels absolutely nothing like I did when I felt 'cured'. Things are getting much worse, not better.

>I have been seeing a naturopath who was really helped me with probiotics and such, which has significantly helped me daily. I take a probiotic called floastore which at least allows my body to absorb some of the nutrients so I am no longer losing weight. I also have started to see some gastroenterologist with the hopes that they will be able to help me find a treatment which actually works.

Unfortunately gastroenterologist don usually know how to treat or diagnose parasites and protozoa but if you find a good gastroenterologist, let us know.

>My question for everyone, specially jazzy and shimpy, is what course of medication cured giardia for you? i don't

Well... My last two tests have been negative for Giardia and since I feel better then when I had Giardia I think I got rid of it. At this point I don't know if I have Entamoeba Histolytica or not...

>believe I have any other form of parasite, as i was cured of giardia before reinfecting myself earlier, so I'm pretty sure that is all I have. I also want to know what are some testing facilities which are reliable? I don't have the money or the time at the moment to go to brazil or NYC and was hoping I could find something a little more local or that I could mail in (I live in the pacific NW).

Finding a good lab is a major challenge. I have tried many labs in USA and only Cahils lab worked, but Its possible the labs I tried were good at detecting other parasites I didn't have...

If you find a good lab, please let us know!

As for what possibly worked for my case of Giardia...
I think I was able to kill giardia after taking Giarlam for 10 days. This medicine can have serious side effects if you don't follow an specific diet. Be very careful if you take it. Read everything you can about it before taking it... Its also best that you know you have Giardia before taking meds again.

>I know exactly what everyone means when they say this has taken their life away. i have no energy, no desire to socialize, I get very depressed, and I have trouble focusing on my studies, which is essential for me right now as I am in grad school. Any advice would be very helpful.

Yes, those bugs are hell. It has taken a big chunk of my life and I have a lot of catching up to do after I get well.

Here is a list of natural/alternative things that have made me feel a bit better but not cured...

* Liquid B12 + Folic acid (Vitamin Shoppe)
* Pipalli Rasayana (search my older posts on this)
* Ohhiras Probiotic
* Grapefruit-Seed-Extract (took it for five days, felt like crap while taking but felt a bit better then before after I stopped taking it.)
* Super-lactoferrin (Japanese, don't know how to get it in USA)
* Advanced Enzyme System (Rainbow light)
* Candida Clear (Now)

Those things didn't cure me but they made me feel a bit better.

At the moment I'm taking a number of B vitamins.
* Pantothenic Acid 500mg
* Pyridoxal-5-phosphate 20mg
* Niacin 500mg (BTW it makes the skin hot and itchy temporarily)
* Liquid B12 1000mcg + Folic acid 400mcg

* Gentle Iron 25mg

I don't think I have giardia anymore so I can't tell you my reactions to the B vitamins (besides liquid b12 folic acid which was good) when infected with giardia.

The liquid B12 and other B vitamins helps with foggy head and energy a bit.

I think there is also risk of making the bugs stronger with medication that don't work... Be careful...

All the best,
Jazzy

Disclaimer: Like most people here, I'm not a doctor or health care professional. My posts are for informational purposes only.