Flukes, intestinal and/or liver
This is my first posting and I cannot say thank you enough for all of the wisdom and experiences shared here. I am an RN who graduated with a BSN degree with Honors but am appalled at the my own and other’s lack of good information on parasites in the world of Western Medicine! I have also always combined integrated/alternative medicine into my practice, so am familiar with many herbs, etc. enough to know that there is much knowledge that is accurately presented here. Thanks to all! I have some questions that I would appreciate hearing from those of you who are wiser than I am about this topic.
So, I could have dealt with this topic rather easily in a patient, but as pretty much the rest of you have expressed, I was horrified to suddenly find what I thought was an adult intestinal (now I am thinking it could be liver) fluke in my stool after adding Athletic Greens, which has herbal cleansers in it, along with adding Tumeric to my diet. Will post pictures here as I now have turned my spare bathroom into what amounts to a home lab! Not too fun collecting these critters, but I have many photos and preserved various specimens in Everclear, basically ethyl alcohol.
By the way, these images are too large and I believe that once clicked on, they are reduced.. but if anyone know how to make them normal sized in the post, I'd appreciate the advice!
So, here's what's happened and what I've done.
This all began about a month ago. I immediately ate some raw garlic, upped the amount of Tumeric (and added black pepper as this intensifies its effects) I was using and purchased ParaGone, which I am almost through with the first 15 day round of. I'm to rest for 5 days and then repeat the 15 day schedule again. I've also launched a full offensive attack and have included the following in my arsenal: Pumpkin seeds (delicious! Olive leaf extract oil, lemon juice, peppermint, cayenne pepper, alkaline water, Yogi Detox Tea. I've also purchased but not fully used Apple Cider Vinegar mixed with Diatomaceous Earth, Bentonite Clay, Activated Charcoal, Colloidal Silver . I'm now using a vegetable wash as most of my diet is protein, green or yellow veggies and nuts. I have always gained weight with carbs so have not eaten the typical starchy, sweet, processed diet. All of my food intake is either fresh, except for meat and fish which are cooked.
I have no idea where I got these flukes, but have traveled overseas quite a bit, to the Caribbean, Mexico and Brazil.. and besides, who knows? I do have 2 dogs and a cat and understand that it is possible, though not likely, to get liver flukes from them, correct?
So, to summarize concisely what happened with me symptom wise is that I had been very healthy all my life, until I had some serious injuries in 2011, followed by a number of surgeries, which not only decreased my typical physical activity level dramatically, but evidently contributed to a breakdown in my immune system, which antibiotic use certainly didn't help. Most of my surgeries occurred due to a broken nose and major surgical screw ups that had to be revised, so I had a lot of sinusitis and have now seen that this can be also linked to parasites. How about flukes in particular??
I began to notice the symptoms of "leaky gut" basically undiagnosed greenish colored diarrhea. I was beginning to worry that I'd consumed too much red wine and it was affecting my GI tract. Also, I was almost beginning to think I had ascites as my abdomen was swollen and bloated. Alternately, the symptoms were of course similar to IBS, cholecystitis, etc. and I was getting concerned. I sort of blew off my need to sleep at least 12 hours a night and my feeling of general fatigue and heaviness as a result of post operative recovery. I had also gained weight, presumably to my lack of activity, as my diet was still almost perfect. Little did I dream that my body was filled with flukes!!
And then, after taking the Athletic Greens, which I think started the kill off, perhaps, I had a night where I had severe GI pain, especially in the left lower region of my abdomen, severe diarrhea, along with severe abdominal bloating. I had gained 3 pounds in one day, as well. I was seriously concerned about what was happening and took milk thistle, slept a lot, drank tons of water, etc. until better the next day. But still not normal. And during cleansing, although I lost 6 pounds in one night, 3 of the pounds have come back, again, with no change in diet, less food if anything. I’m still having lots of diarrhea/ loose stools while passing flukes and eggs. Does everyone end up eventually losing weight or not?
So, anyway, at the beginning, I was recovering rather large flukes that I was certain were intestinal, F. buski, it seemed. Eggs were attached to these. Again, I can share more pics. This went on for the first few days with nothing else. Then the red rolled dead liver flukes began appearing, along with now what appears to be smaller sized flukes. These are still present and along, I've pretty much had diarrhea, although my stool is gradually becoming brown instead of greenish in color. So, has anyone ever heard of this possibility of passing intestinal flukes first and then followed by liver flukes? Or is it possible they were liver flukes all along? See photos below.
This has turned into an area of frustration as I searched for a way to identify these saved specimens and have thus far gotten nowhere. The State Health Department Parasitology Department will not examine them without a doctor's order after being seen. And would you believe that I had to almost argue with the Director there when she told me that adult flukes could not be seen in the stool?? Well, at the moment, I have only specialists for my health care and not a primary care physician. I am not sure if a minor emergency center will take them. I also found that the CDC DPDx (which stands for the Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria’s website called Laboratory Identification of Parasitic Diseases of Public Health Concern) will accept specimens and give advice to health care providers, but really, they only go through the state health department, requiring a CDC submission form. Have any of you found a place to take actual specimens for examinations? And of course, the Western Health care system of identifying parasites is grossly inept, as typically an "Ova and Parasites" stool exam is ordered and as well documented, can only identify anything a small fraction of the time. I see where some lab tests can be done online, but they are pretty expensive. Also, I checked on the walk in lab sites, but didn't see this kind of testing available either. Anyone have a good answer out there to this question??
Next, I'd like to ask those of you who have been thru this, especially with flukes (I've had nothing else visible, not Tapeworms or other yet), if my planned next steps protocol is wise or if not, what suggestions you may have. I plan to do the HC kidney cleanse during the 5 day rest period with perhaps also using the Apple Cider Vinegar/Diatemaceous Earth combo alternated with Bentonite Clay, as well as the rest of the herbs, etc. I am using now, except the ParaGone. I'll also add the Colloidal Silver and the Activated Charcoal. I also wondered if I should perhaps do coffee enemas?
Next, after I finished the next 15 days of ParaGone, I was going to do my first Liver Flush and haven't decided yet which one to use.. any suggestions? I've looked at the Zappers briefly but don't know which is the best for the least amount of money. Again, any suggestions?
I am familiar with the Western meds and understand that Egaten (Triclabendazole) is best used for liver flukes whereas Praziquantel is best used for intestinal flukes. I am saving that option as a last resort due to toxicity reasons, but is part of the reason that I want to have documentation as to exactly what species these flukes are. There are more than one species in both intestinal and liver flukes. Has anyone out there living in the US ever had a definitive diagnosis as to species??
Thanks to all! :-)