Giardia off/on for a month now - what to do?

[KhnomKhnom]

Your first and continuing mistake is not going to a DOCTOR. Why take a chance with your health?

Your diarrhea (this site has spell check) is dangerous in part due to it not correcting to normal. Then your self-treatment could easily be exactly the wrong med to take.

You have no choice..... go to a doctor.

[carter1882]

I really wouldnt go and see a doctor, what the goodness are they likely to know. They have probably only completed a short time at medical school, sometimes as short as seven years while you have taken the trouble to go to the pharmacy around the corner and clicked the google button. When it comes to your guts, go with your gut....

[Mangkhut]

A stool sample is important to reveal what kind of bacterias or other microorganisms are present (if so) And also a test of which antibiotic or drug the present bacterias/microorganisms are sensitive to should be done.

Flagyl and alcohol are a definitive no-no. In fact one should not drink alcohol at all when one have stomach problems, especially when one have severe things as bacterias that should not be there. Alcohol irritates the pancreas so that is sends out more stomach acids. This in fact upsets an already upset an infected stomach more. With the tesult of stomach pain and mire diarreha.

Avoid dairy products, raw fruits and vegetables, spicy food, and food with a lot of fiber. And all other food that you usually react upon.

Wish you a speedy recovery!

Edited March 5, 2015 by Mangkhut

[owenm]

I always carry with me in my travels around Asia, two packs of Fasigyn (Tinidazole 500mg) as a preventative for Giardia and Amoebic Dysentery. I have picked up a parasitic infection before in Bangladesh and Lao and rural North West Thailand. In Luang Prabang I couldn't get the medication that I knew I needed, and after any food or drink, I had less than 10 seconds advanced warning to get my bum on a seat. It was like I'd been given a prep solution for a colonoscopy. You are literally peeing out your backend. So when eating out, you have to choose the closest table to the loo, and when nature calls, run for your life. I spent days in bed, and Immodium will do nothing. You need lots of water and salt for rehydration. I ended up getting a flight out on, of all names, Angel Airways to BKK. On arrival, purchased a pack of Fasigyn, 4 tablets, one dose, and the next day I was almost 100% . In Bangladesh, I suspect it was Amoebic Dysentery, because I had to follow up with a second 4 tablet dose 2 days later. On one trip back to Oz, I had a parasitic condition, and on going to the doctor, having a blood test, awaiting the results, being put of Flagyl for 7-10 days. From seeing the doctor to being ok again, was about 2 weeks of unpleasant torture. So from experience, I will always carry 2 packs of Fasigyn with me on any travels rural, Cambodia, Lao, Vietnam or any where else in Asia.

[KarenfromAus]

Take a stool sample to a doctor and also request a blood test to determine if you actually have Guiardia, you may be carrying around more than one paracite, my dad had 4 different ones, at the one time and suffered badly with gastro problems for 8 months until he was diagnosed properly. Diagnoses was done both with faecal and blood samples.

[simon43]

I acknowledge the advice to go see a doctor but about the last time that I saw a doctor was 55 years ago when I was born. I am of the 'old school' of British eccentrics - doctors are for birth and near-death. (Yes, I do have medical insurance for the latter).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAqLyvdtGtI

I know exactly where I picked up this infection, as detailed in another post. I like to eat a seafood salad, and have never had any problems when bought from the local shops. On this occasion, my staff went to buy me the usual salad, but all the shops were closed except for a new shop. The price was 50 baht, but the seller told my staff member to charge me 100 baht because I was 'farang'.

When my staff member insisted on paying the correct 50 baht, the seller took my salad out the back for 30 seconds and then returned, handing it to my staff member with a strange smile. She paid 50 baht and I ate what seemed to be a tasty salad, but which probably was seasoned with dog poo......

Today I am feeling much better, after taking the 2g single dose of Trina.... I will follow this up with some lower dosage to completely kill the little blighters.

... And then I will go and kill that yam salad seller......

[korkenzieher]

Your risk - but...

If it *is* Giardiasis, a one-time does of 2000 milligrams of Tinidazole (eg Fasigyn, but many generics available) is quicker, easier and more effective than Flagyl.

HOWEVER! At sea-level and in sea-food, giardiasis is probably not that likely unless somehow it came into contact with an infected person - Giardiasis is more associated with high altitude pastures. Ciproflaxin may be a better option in your case.

Stool sample is a good idea but sometimes (such as when you are at Altitude and 400km from the nearest doctor...) it isn't possible. If it IS possible, do it!

Learn to use a Pharmacopia if you are going to self medicate. Getting it wrong is an expensive mistake.

[simon43]

At sea-level and in sea-food, giardiasis is probably not that likely ..

What? giardia is a very common problem in developing ()and developed) countries when shop workers fail to clean their hands after crapping. It doesn't matter if the crap is at sea level or on top of a mountain.

Today I am feeling right as rain, and I will continue the Fasigyn for a couple of days at a reduced dosage.

I trust my own body signs and educated use of the internet far more than I trust any doctor - and I am not dead yet

[bazza40]

At sea-level and in sea-food, giardiasis is probably not that likely ..

What? giardia is a very common problem in developing ()and developed) countries when shop workers fail to clean their hands after crapping. It doesn't matter if the crap is at sea level or on top of a mountain.

Today I am feeling right as rain, and I will continue the Fasigyn for a couple of days at a reduced dosage.

I trust my own body signs and educated use of the internet far more than I trust any doctor - and I am not dead yet

grre

None of us are dead yet; however, some of us apply common sense - which unfortunately doesn't seem to be all that common. I agree - physically , you are not dead.

So you admit you can't spell the word diarrhoea, but your "educated use of the internet" is trusted more than a doctor and a pathology laboratory - both of which require years of training?

I am wondering what is going to happen if you contract some exotic disease which is not cured by self-medication, and then the medical profession can't rectify the situation because the disease has progressed too far. Who will you be blaming then?

An example: If you start pissing blood due to bladder or prostate carcinogenesis, I doubt very much the internet is going to give you much more advice than any layman will tell you - go see a doctor.

[simon43]

Who will you be blaming then?

Myself and no-one else - it is called taking responsibility for one's own actions

An example: If you start pissing blood due to bladder or prostate carcinogenesis, I doubt very much the internet is going to give you much more advice than any layman will tell you - go see a doctor.

Agreed, but there is a level of difference between carcinogenesis and a gut infection. I'll take my chances with Dr Google and my own self-diagnosis for these minor ailments.

I fail to understand how my spelling abilities is related to my medical knowledge

Anyway, all off-topic

[CNXBKKMAN]

Simon43 you are correct in using Google but your searching for the wrong thing. As half of the thread has told you already you need to locate a decent hospital or doctor with a path lab. Head over there tell them your symptoms and ask for a stool test. Because your paying its all done really quick. They identify the problem exactly and give you the correct medication. The medication may work really quick too, 24-48 hours from visiting the doctor you may be feeling 100% better. This is what the seasoned traveller does. Its basic stuff not like searching for the cure for ebola.

Or you fanny about with self diagnosis, wasting time and money, feeling awful, running to the toilet, can't live your normal life blah blah blah. Some people go weeks like this when they could have the path lab looking down a microscope at it in a jiffy and for not much money. There are

tonnes of counterfeit medications in Thailand. More chance to get the genuine stuff at a decent hospital or doctors than at the multiple pharmacies

around the corner. Why are there so many pharmacies in Thailand? because there is a good mark up on selling medicines especially fake ones. They don't give you your money back if it doesnt work. You buy another one. Great business.

[bazza40]

Who will you be blaming then?

Myself and no-one else - it is called taking responsibility for one's own actions

An example: If you start pissing blood due to bladder or prostate carcinogenesis, I doubt very much the internet is going to give you much more advice than any layman will tell you - go see a doctor.

Agreed, but there is a level of difference between carcinogenesis and a gut infection. I'll take my chances with Dr Google and my own self-diagnosis for these minor ailments.

I fail to understand how my spelling abilities is related to my medical knowledge

Anyway, all off-topic

Your OP stated you had giardia off/on for a month. A "minor ailment.", which another poster suggested correctly could have been cured in 24 - 48 hours with a path lab diagnosis. I suggest you google "Darwin Awards" as well.

[simon43]

A "minor ailment.",...

Yes, exactly that. A minor ailment that did not concern me or impede into my life to any degree.

I haven't been fannying about or wasting time nor money. I correctly self-diagnosed the illness within the first few days of coming ill and applied the recommended treatment. The Giardia went away but returned a week or so later.

At that point I changed the medication (at my pharmacist's advice), found that medication not to be to my satisfaction, so asked on TV for suitable alternatives, and then self-medicated again - with successful results.

As someone who has lived in south-east Asia for 12 years, and worked in remote areas of Myanmar and Laos, with poor sanitation, I find some of your statements laughable - you would not last 1 day in those locations with your 'softie-run-for-a-doctor' atititude.

No wonder the British Empire went bust - bunch of pansies the lot of you .

[FBN]

This thread has now careered off topic with much momentum.

The OP is clearly improving....

The right of a person to choose the way he approaches any event in life is sacrosanct and will be respected on TV. So is freedom of speech unless it infringes on statement no 1..

Thread closed.