Re: Don't think I'll EVER get better

Thanks Tani, appreciate it. :)

Yes, I had the "swallow test." I had to drink a ton of barium solution then they took pictures with a camera in a zillion positions & ways as the barium went down through my esophagus. Also checked out my small intestines too. Everything was "normal."

(Also had a contrast dye CT brain scan because of the vertigo/dizzyness and the staggering when I walk. "Normal.")

"Normal" meaning that I think an ID doc could read the x-rays differently, see worms, cysts, larva, whereas regular docs/technicians don't know what they're looking at. There "were" some suspect "spots." They couldn't figure out what they were. :(

Recently I read about a child with Toxocariasis who coughed every time he ate or drank anything. I pointed that out to my doctor, who agreed I should take Albendazole.

Being that I'd been taking care of over 40 cats a night in multiple colonies for the past 7+ yrs it makes more sense that this is Toxocariasis--round worms from the cats. It's called VLM, visceral larva migrans, meaning that the immature larva migrate to the lungs, stay there, and cause chronic coughing & wheezing. (I believe they are lodged in my esophagus.) They also can imbed deep enough inside the tissue to cause cysts, which I super unfortunately believe has happened. Why my chest/lungs feel the way they do now. Would need an MRI to know for sure, but I'd need a more "on board" doctor for that at this point.

There was always a couple of friendly cats in each colony that would jump in my car & I'd sit holding & petting them. Many were sick. I'd get them to the vet when I could. Spayed & neutered all of them. Fed them....TNR. Moved and brought as many of them as I could with me. Never wormed any of them before. About 4 months ago there was a live long Tapeworm in one of the cat's puke. UGH!! And right after that there were just TONS of live roundworms under their poop. :( Been deworming them ever since. (As much as I can afford.)

No, haven't looked into candida. I actually know 5 people right now who take care of multiple colonies of stray & feral cats like me who have many of the same symptoms I do, including the coughing. Bummer!!

Yes... I knew about the pica & that it meant I was anemic. I was too far gone to just take iron though. I needed the 2 blood transfusions in order to get my blood jump started again for reproducing new cells. All doctors wanted to know if I noticed I was bleeding internally anywhere. (stool). They never checked for parasites, but parasites can cause one to be anemic, which I'm POSITIVE was the reason for me "bleeding out" & being so iron deficient. Tweet