I have suffered a debilitating condition for nearly a decade now with no
satisfactory diagnosis. The condition manifests a range of non gastro
symptons (dizziness, fatigue, itchiness of anus, nose, eyes) has a
cycle, but is also associated with a range of food intolerances (to
dairy products, foods with preservatives and those high in salycilates,
yeast/sugar - I know about candida but see this as a symptom rather than
a cause) I am on the trail of the hymenolepis nana - dwarf tapeworm -
and have read most of the current literature about it. It appears to be
unusual amongst intestinal parasites in presenting these non gastric
symptoms. I am aware that it is most common in children who seem to be
able to fight it off and for whom a dose of praziquantle or niclosamide
is fully effective.However adults who have this (quite rare) affliction
can obtain an endemic form whereby the worm gets a hold in the gut
(cysterceroid form) and is very hard to shift.
I have started on a course of praziquantel. It is great stuff and is
having an effect (though I have not yet had nana diagnosed in a stool
sample) but the improvement is only slow and incremental.
Does anyone out there know about this thing? Am I on the right track?
What are the effects of taking this drug for much longer than the
conventional gastroenterological wisdom holds is necessary? I need to
talk to some medics who are a bit open minded about this because as a
layperson who has spent many hours wading through the specialist
literature on HN I get the sense that there is much that is not
understood about it.
All correspondance will be gratefully received.
George Morgan
