Do Parasites Cause Autoimmune Diseases?


Jul 13, 2013

I have recently completed 2 stool sample tests that have rendered the same outcome, positive for parasitic organisms but unable to identify. Now I have to complete the exam a third time. I have still not received any treatment and have experienced some serious health problems over the past few years, including an idiopathic cardiomyopathy a little over 2 years ago. Two years before this I was hospitalized for a serious virus that could not be identified. This involved a very high fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and the start of kidney failure, however I went to the emergency room at the right time. One month later, I had mono, then 4 months later, had a palsy in my left foot, then less than one year after, started experiencing chest pain, serious headaches, and extreme fatigue. The emergency room kept sending me home telling me it was a virus. Finally several months had passed after numerous visits to this ER, I went to a different hospital where they found a cardiomyopathy. My ejection fraction was 35%. I am only 37! Just after this, I noticed one day that I had experienced severe itching in the rectal area with several days of white discharge that had an odor of infection. I waited for a couple of months to see if things would get better, and they didn't, so I went to the ER. I told the doctor about the cardiomyopathy and previous mysterious illnesses, he completed a brief rectal exam, and said it was probably internal hemorrhoids. I asked if a parasitic infection was possible, and he said it was very unlikely because I hadn't been out of the country in several years. So he never tested my stool. Two years have passed, and I have had the same/similar problems since, and have reported this to the doctors over and over. For the past year and a half, I have developed new symptoms. Extreme fatigue, weakness, joint aches, headaches, constipation and diarrhea, greasy, yellowish stools, sweat that smells like ammonia, skin peeling out of my mouth, gas, burping, bad breath, weight loss and loss of appetite. In addition, I have mysterious skin rashes with hives on a daily basis, and started taking pictures of them to document this. In December of 2012, I tested positive for lupus with a positive ANA, and my doctor ordered the test because my eosinophil percentage had consistently been flagged on my blood reports as high. I still was not getting any answers, so I switched all of my doctors and have been going to the city. This is a world renowned hospital. Upon meeting my new doctors, they ordered a repeat of blood tests. This time the lupus was negative. The doctors quickly dismissed the lupus results prior, and said that sometimes people just test false positive, with no further explanation. Back in April of this year, my doctor informed me that my vitamin d level was very low, 12, should be between 30-40 he said, so I have been taking prescription vitamin d. I met with an infectious disease specialist a month ago, and she said she didn't think that I had parasites, but she would test because of my eosinophils. Bingo, I do have them, and now the doctors are trying to say they are parasitic but may not be causing my symptoms. For several months I have noticed that there is strange looking debris after blowing my nose into a tissue. Last night, I am about 99% certain that it was a small worm, certainly looked like one, and I was a teacher, so I am fairly well educated. I saved it in the tissue and put it in a ziplock bag. I don't know whether to call my doctor or not on Monday morning, as I don't trust him, and think he will once again be dismissive. I already went through the HIV phase with him, and told him I didn't have it, as I've only had 4 partners my entire life, have never had unprotected sex, I don't rim, and had an HIV test. I haven't been sexually active in about three years, so I knew I couldn't have it. I retested a couple of months ago to satisfy him, and it was negative once again. I have asked him if any of my past symptoms are connected, and he didn't think so. I disagree. The only diagnosis I have is another one of idiopathic nature, urticaria, (spelling) and says my blood work is fine, which it isn't, because my vitamin d was very low, and my eosinophils are still high. Any advice on what I should do? Prior to all of this stuff over the past 5 years, I was very rarely I'll. now I can no longer do many of the things that I used to, as I don't feel well enough, and I would really like to get some normalcy back in my life. Is there a doctor who can answer this without telling me that I am imagining things? The test results obviously indicate that I am not.

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