Dr. Greene’s Answer:
When I was a young boy, I used to have a creepy-crawler set. I delighted in making these little jiggling critters. I found particular joy in trying to make other people shudder when they saw the various worms and bugs that I had created. Although we adults often shudder at pinworm infections, most kids don’t have this same gut response.
What Are Pinworms?
The pinworm, or Enterobius vermicularis, is one of the most common parasitic infections of humans. Somewhere between 10% and 40% of children have pinworms at any given time (Pediatric Consult, Williams and Wilkins 1997). The infections are usually limited to children below the age of twelve.
The adult pinworms are white and measure less than one-half inch long, with the diameter of a strand of thread. These tiny roundworms are quite complex. Like us, they have mouths, throats, and gastrointestinal tracts. Like us, they have nervous systems. The females have a vagina, a uterus, and ovaries. The males have a testicle, vas deferens, seminal vesicle, and ejaculatory duct. They eat, drink, pee, poop, and reproduce sexually.
The adult worms live in the colons (large intestines) of human children and apparently feed on human fecal matter.
When an adult male and female worm copulate, each female pinworm produces about 10,000 fertilized eggs. At night, the pregnant female migrates from the colon, out through the child’s anus and onto the skin of the buttocks. There she violently expels all of her eggs and then dies. Some of the eggs become airborne and land elsewhere in the child’s room, but the great majority of the fertilized eggs stay on the skin of the child’s buttocks. The eggs mature within six hours of being laid.
The adult worms and the eggs on the skin of the buttocks can cause intense itching in the child. When the sleeping child scratches, the eggs often get on the fingers and under the fingernails. If the child then sucks his or her thumb or otherwise brings his or her hand to the mouth (perhaps while eating breakfast), the pinworm eggs are swallowed. Usually, they hatch within the small intestine and mature there. When they become adults they move to the colon where they take up residence. The entire life cycle lasts four to six weeks.
Occasionally the story goes a little differently. Sometimes a child can inhale airborne eggs and become infected that way. Every now and then the eggs will hatch on the skin of the buttocks, and the immature larvae will crawl back through the anus, up into the rectum and eventually arrive in the colon. Also, the eggs can hatch on the skin of girls and the larvae crawl into the vagina instead of the rectum. This happens in up to 20% of girls with pinworms (Nelson’s Textbook of Pediatrics, Saunders 1996). The vaginal pinworms usually die out with no outside help.
Pinworm Symptoms
Most children with pinworms have no symptoms at all. In the same way that many bacteria live in our intestines without making us sick, pinworms can live happily in our intestines without causing any problems (Parasitic Diseases, Springer-Verlag 1982). Since the pinworm almost always stays in the gastrointestinal tract (or vagina), there is usually no systemic illness.
Some children, however, develop nighttime itching of the skin around the anus. For a small number of these children, the itching can be quite intense. The girls who develop vaginal pinworm infections often develop vaginal itching and sometimes a vaginal discharge. However, attempts to link pinworm infection to bed wetting or grinding of the teeth have been unsuccessful.
Stool and blood tests are not very helpful in diagnosing pinworms. Seeing a worm clinches the diagnosis. Check your child’s skin with a flashlight during the night and first thing in the morning. Look for white, wiggling threads. If it’s not wiggling, it’s probably just lint. Occasionally a wiggling worm will be seen on the surface of a stool. Pinworms are so common that children with nighttime anal itching are often treated without any lab test at all. The classic diagnostic tool is to apply a piece of transparent tape to the skin near the anus first thing in the morning. This tape can then be attached to a glass slide and examined under a microscope for the presence of eggs. Your doctor can supply you with a pinworm lab kit, if necessary.
Treating Pinworms
Treatment is with a single dose of an anti-pinworm drug such as albendazole (Albenza), or pyrantel pamoate (the active ingredient found in Reese’s Pinworm Medicine, which is available over the counter). Most children and adults experience no side effects (use of these drugs in children less than two years old is limited). Hives or other allergic rashes have been reported only rarely. Very rare cases of convulsions have occurred.
This medicine kills the worms 95% of the time but does not kill the eggs. Hence, retreatment in two weeks is a good idea. Doing this is almost 100% effective at eradicating the pinworms. Girls with vaginal itching alone do not necessarily need treatment since the problem will often disappear on its own.
Physicians disagree about whether or not to treat all family members. Often treating the infected child alone will get rid of the infestation. Anyone who sleeps with the child, or any family member or friend with itching should be treated. In stubborn cases, it’s a good idea to treat all family members regardless of symptoms.
It is certainly possible that your daughter is an asymptomatic carrier. In any case, reinfections with pinworms are quite common.
There are no differences in pinworm infections on the basis of race or socioeconomic class. Neither is pinworm infection evidence of poor hygiene. This is a very easily transmissible infection that is very common in children. It is easily spread at home, school, or daycare (pets, though, have no part in the pinworm story). Since most kids experience no ill effects whatsoever, extreme measures to treat pinworms are not wise.
I usually recommend trimming the fingernails, scrubbing the hands (after awakening, before meals, and after toileting) and machine washing the bedding on the treatment day. These hygiene measures have never been proven to help at all, but they still seem like a good idea to me.
Although pinworms are like creepy-crawler bugs in that they are usually harmless (and seem worse than they are!), they are still a real nuisance! I hope you and your family will soon find relief from this bothersome problem.
Cameron
I figured out I had pinworms a couple years ago I’d guess, and my hypothesis is that I’ve had them since I was I kid and just never had it treated (for reference, I’m almost 17). Is that possible? Anyway, I figured I would just live with it since it wasn’t causing me too many problems and is pretty harmless. Maybe I’d get it checked out later in life. However, recently I’ve done more research and found out how contagious they are, so I have a few questions.
1: How do I deal with the guilt that comes along with not bringing this up earlier? I’ve been really in my head about this and have been feeling incredibly guilty for putting my family and possibly my friends at risk when I could have just brought it up when I noticed the infection, or literally any time afterwards. I was and still am extremely embarrassed about this.
2: Will I need to inform close contacts outside my household? Close family friends and such.
3: How difficult is it to clean the house for treatment, and when should the cleaning start? I can’t seem to wrap my head around the cleaning process and I’m worried about adding stress to my family’s life, especially right after the holidays.
4: This last question is pretty specific to me; I have a pretty bad fear of vomit, and it’s causing my to worry that my parents will be so disgusted that they will throw up. If this isn’t a question you can answer that’s fine, but how would people usually react to this? Would it really be that intense? I doubt it, but I’m still freaked out.
Thanks for your time if you can get around to this one.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Hi Cameron,
Thanks for writing in. That took courage. Sadly, pinworms tend to be embarrassing, but they really should not be. Certainly, your doctor will not be embarrassed to talk about them and to help you get treatment.
Regarding guilt — as a child and even as a young teen, you didn’t know that they were contagious. You do not need to feel any guilt for not informing folks. But now that you know, you need to take action to protect yourself and others.
As Dr. Greene says, “Anyone who sleeps with the child, or any family member or friend with itching should be treated. In stubborn cases, it’s a good idea to treat all family members regardless of symptoms.” That means you do not need to discuss this with friends or family members unless you have slept with them. Of course, if you have a romantic relationship, and if you have been physically close, that person will be at risk … and could pass them back to you after you are cured.
All sheets and linens need to be washed at the time of treatment, but they aren’t like lice that require the whole house to be cleaned.
As for your last question, I do not think anyone will vomit when you discuss this. Likely your parents will say how sorry you are that you’re going through this and help you get treatment right away. Of course, I don’t know your parents, but most adults understand that things like pinworms are part of life and you just need to deal with them.
I hope that helps.
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Britany
Hi. I don’t know how long we’ve been dealing with pin worms. The symptoms started to intensify in the past 3 weeks before I finally spotted one on my child’s poop. That was on nov 6th, we treated that night that combantrin. I’ve been following all the cleaning and hygiene measures religiously. We treated for a second time last Saturday November 21st. It is now nov 29th a week since our last treatment. My husband did pass some dead worms.. he showed no symptoms throughout this entire pinworm ordeal. My two children’s symptoms have vanished since treating, ive also been checking them during the night and haven’t seen any worms. I’m still itchy though but especially during the day. I’m not extremely itchy but still slightly irritated. Should I treat again or seek recommendations from a doctor? I’m really trying to avoid the doctors office because of this whole covid pandemic. Please help me . 😢😢
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Hi Britany,
What an ordeal. So sorry you’re going through this — especially now.
During COVID most doctors are doing as much as they can via phone or Zoom. Your doctor will have your specific history and know how you tend to react to medicines so it’s best you give them a call.
Hopefully, this will all be behind you soon.
I hope that helps.
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Nicki
Ok this i know is gonna sound crazy!!!!!! But WE’VE BEEN FIGHTING THRM 10YRS!!Only 1 person. They go and come back. We have new house new everything???? Can’t figure this out!!! Oh and she’s almost an adult!!! Someone please HELP
Added:
Jimmi
Thanks for sharing! You are doing amazing work! Love this website ❤️. My parasite infection began with extreme fatigue. I also noticed that my belly was pretty swollen. I felt like a bus had hit me, and my appetitive had come to a complete halt. So happy 😊 I found “Noworm365” in Google and got the treatment (vermox-mebendazole). Decreased appetite was a red flag for me because I am always hungry.
Added:
Mi
I think i have some pinworms. I purchased 3 tablets of abendazol but i cant find more of it. I took 1 tablet yestarday. The headache stoped. Iss there someething else that can kill those worms and eggs? On mang pages they say pumpki. Seeds help but they only sell them baked and the pharm toldd me they dont help. I see little worms all over my body. Its so bad.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Mi,
I’m so sorry you are going through this.
If you see little worms all over your body, this may not be pinworms. Pinworms live in the digestive system, not on the skin. Before you try other treatments, you may need to be checked by a doctor for a definitive diagnosis.
I hope that helps.
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Bill
I have pin worms for more than:
15 years (the white thin ones).
They never left me or transferred to anyone I know I have been in contact with. Never has anyone said they had it (obviously they didn’t’ know I had them)
I still don’t tell anyone that I have them but I am trying to get rid of them. I have gone through several(!) times the full 2 tablets of Vermox a day followed by another doze in 2 weeks to prevent reinfection, and to be honest even when I am taking the tablets I can feel the itch. They never seem to go away, they seems to be immune to Vermox. I have been takin the tablets for years and nothing… they are still here.
I am not sure how to get rid of them, but I am tired of them.
These things eat the sugar in your body, so in way they prevent you from consuming too much sugar and save you from sugar-related problems, but enough.
I cannot get rid of them! Time to see a doctor?
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Bill,
That sounds traumatic at best. What an ordeal.
I’d say it’s time to see a doctor and we’d love to know what they have to say. So interesting!
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Pls A
im a 13 yr old girl and i keep on getting pinworms and i have no idea why, ive gotten them around 5 or 6 times this year and i keep getting the reese medicene and it kills them for like 2 and a half months but they always end up coming back. when i was younger i got them as well but not as much and sometimes they would even go into my vagina which was rlly annoying but they went away after a while and didnt come back for around 5 years. my parents say its bc i have poor hygiene when i dont really think i do:( i shower pretty much everyday for around 20-30 min and take care of myself pretty well. i dont know if its because my room has the eggs all over it or if something is just wrong with me bc my brother (26) has never had them in his whole life and his hygiene wasnt as good as mine is. please help me they are so annoying and itchy and they are ruining my life:(
Added:
Tamara
I need to get rid of my pinworms e need to purchase something too help.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Hi Tamara,
Dr. Greene says, “Treatment is with a single dose of an anti-pinworm drug such as albendazole (Albenza), or pyrantel pamoate (the active ingredient found in Reese’s Pinworm Medicine, which is available over the counter or online).
I hope that helps.
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Pinworm H
hi im 13 and i have pinworms. I have had them for a while now and i am super freaked out to tell my mom. I really dont want to tell her because i dont know how she will react. i hate them so much can someone tell me how to tell her i have them without freaking her out. i hate pinworms and they are ruining my life. please help me.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Dear Pinworm H,
Pinworms are icky. No one likes pinworms, but (here’s the good news) they are both common and easily treatable. I don’t know your mom, so I can’t say for sure, but I bet she will be very understanding.
How about saying something like, “Mom I need your help. I’m embarrassed about this, but I think I have pinworms. Can you help me get medicine for this so I won’t have them anymore?” You can even tell her you looked it up online and Dr. Greene says, “Treatment is with a single dose of an anti-pinworm drug such as albendazole (Albenza), or pyrantel pamoate (the active ingredient found in Reese’s Pinworm Medicine, which is available over the counter or online).
I hope that helps.
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Ally
I’ve had pinworms for a while now like since I was 12 they went away w medicine, but I still have had them for years. Do you think the medicine will help this?
Added:
Parent of 2 school kids, lazy procrastinator of home cleaning
My first day free of itching, I am just recording here what preceded it. Perhaps, I missed an important event or the worms decided to have a nap. I took ~2 glasses of red wine, chewed on ~100 ml of pumpkin seeds, a carrot or two. I took a hot shower after feeling the itch, washing the anus and the crotch thoroughly for ~10 min with soap, even bending and opening the anus to the shower’s hot stream to get some hot water inside. I changed the underpants, socks, shirt and pants. I felt more itching in half hour, took another shower and changed the underwear, pants etc. again. I remember feeling a relief as the itching disappeared. I was brave enough to have some non-acidic food: a random piece of whole-grain bread, a ready-made guacamole mix, bruschetta (italian style spicy tomato salad, also ready to eat). I had an itch-free night of sleep. Continuing my not-so-fasting diet of wine, bread, guacamole and bruschetta today.
Added:
VitViline
Thank you! The article is very well written; clear, accurate and easy to understand. I had some problems with parasites. 😮 It is often a waste of time to try and find eggs in stools as they are extremely difficult to detect. Best for me is just to treat with Albendazole or Mebendazole (Vermox). I got them from “NOWORM247” (just search on Google) to save $$❤️ . Albendazole and vermox are broad spectrum antihelmintics and most likely to be effective. Your article helped me a lot to be free from parasites forever! Thanks!
Added:
onthevergeof
Hello, has there any research been done on pinworm resistance to medications? I am nearing a year of having had them, and I won’t go into how this infection has ruined my life to its last bit, but I have tried Mebendazole and Albendazole and both drugs have been utterly ineffective. Not that the symptoms reemerged – they never went away to begin with, so we’re not talking plain reinfestation. I don’t know what to do at this point. Pyrantel pamoate is not sold in my country. Or rather it is, but only in pet medications. Mebendazole and Albendazole are the only two drugs I can use, and they do absolutely nothing. Hence, I feel forever doomed. I keep reading stories on the Internet of people who say they’ve pinworms for 5, 10, 12 years, and I am very very afraid I will be one of them, simply because the drugs do not work. Preventing reinfestation with 100% accuracy is impossible, as I live with my parents, and they are unwilling to properly clean all their clothing. Meds would have been the only option, but they don’t work. It’s a vicious cycle I don’t know how to escape. In the meantime I’ve isolated myself from the whole of the world, because I *do not* want to infect anybody else.
I am seriously considering taking cat drugs just so that I give another active substance a try, namely pyrantel pamoate (which is also the active substance of Reese’s). But it’s hard to convince myself I’ve reached such a low point in my life. Doctor visits have been fruitless, I will not go into that – what matters is that I am positive that I do indeed have pinworms. What would you recommend, please?
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Dear onthevergeof,
I’m so sorry you’re going through this. Other people have expressed frustration over not being able to rid themselves of pinworms, even after doing all the medical community has suggested.
Are there readers here with help? If so, please chime in. “onthevergeof” needs your help.
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Janie
Dear Ontheverge,
I too seem to be experiencing a highly resistive form of this “pinworm”, although mine don’t look like the white threads described by most websites. I recently returned from international travel to Honduras, Belize and Mexico on a Cruise ship. I am certain I contracted the parasites while on this tour. I am wondering if you found anything that “seems” to be working. I just yesterday started trying colodial silver and am finding symptoms that appear to be “die off”. I’m getting stomach cramps and lots of painful gas, plus the worms that are coming out look to be dead. Even so, the nighttime itching persists..HORRIFFIC!
My next attempt is to get the help from my Primary Care Doctor to get a referral to an infectious disease doctor, so far I can’t find one that will see me unless i am admitted to the hospital, which is even an option, although I hate hospitals.
If you have found anything that works, would you please contact me?
Added:
Lori Rustin
I really don’t know if this would help relieve the itchy from pinworms, but have you tried any of the hemorrhoid creams that are sold to stop itching? Obviously, even if they did help with the itching, they wouldn’t help with pinworms, but maybe you could get some sleep!
Added:
Sirwan Ali
THank you for this useful information.
Added:
A
A
I am 17 and I have been having an itchy vagina for a long time now (tickling- itch -slight pain). very worried that it might be pinworms as I have seen mucus- like stringy bits in my vagina for a long time now. I am not sure whether It is just thrush or something like that instead as it is just in my vagina, but these stringy bits don’t really look normal and I’m not sure what to do.
Im really worried about it and have booked an appointment with my doctor for a couple weeks time. If the doctor took a vaginal swab, would this be enough to diagnose the pinworms?
please help!
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Dear A,
Sorry you’re going through this. Yuck.
Making an appointment with your doctor is the best next move. She should be able to diagnosis this and get you help right away. It’s unfortunate that you have to wait two weeks to see here.
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Roger Me
I’m an older adult now but I remember as a child my mom used to give us kids a teaspoon of sugar with 3-4 drops of turpentine in it. I know, I know. Turpentine is poison, even a skull & crossbones on the label so I always wondered why mom gave this to us knowing it was poison. Since it didn’t kill us or make us sick, I assumed that such a small amount of Turpentine isn’t dangerous and is effective at killing worms and their eggs. My mom, grandma, and other relatives all practiced this. We had to take it and would burp and taste the awful Turpentine for several days afterward and then it went away. As far as worms go, as a kid, I never knew if I had any or not, don’t recall ever seeing any. My mom gave us this treatment once a year until we were near our teen years. Seems she only gave that to us when we were little. I hated it. The taste was awful. I always wondered why mom was giving us poison to cure something. I would not recommend this treatment to anyone and certainly would not give it my children.
What are your thoughts on this? Was it a good way to kill and/or prevent the worms or was she old school stupid and likely could have seriously hurt us?
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Dear Roger,
I’ve never heard of this treatment. Certainly, some of the things we use in medicine now are very harmful in large doses. Tylenol, for instance, can be deadly in large doses.
Has anyone else heard of this “treatment”?
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Karen
Yes, I’ve been reading about it quite a bit lately ever since researching turpentine therapy. Apparently it was, and still is, an effective therapy for parasites, Candida, STDs, etc. The 1899 edition of the Merck Manual includes turpentine as a remedy for these ailments among other such as lung infections. The 1899 Merck Manual is available online through the Project Gutenberg site. Google Dr. Jennifer Daniels and turpentine therapy.
Added:
Magazin
To treat pinworm infection, your doctor may recommend over-the-counter pyrantel pamoate (Reese’s Pinworm Medicine, others) or prescribe medication to all members of your household to prevent infection and reinfection.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Magazin,
You’ve hit on a key point — prevent reinfection!
@MsGreene
Added:
Ella
Reading the comments and trying to figure out why these treatments aren’t working for me have been enlightening… Truthfully, I have began looking at other sources for these life changing nuisances keeping me up at night and irritating me throughout the day.
I took Pin X, as these days in the good ol’ US of A we cannot get medenbazole (or Vermox) without a prescription and even then at $800 a pill. That price tag alone will have anyone here flagging. Just imagine my grandmother bought mebendazole at a few bucks a bottle and dosed me as a kid because we I played outside with no shoes. $800 per pill is a true shame really.
But onto more encouraging things… So, the Pin X sorta worked (or in my case the Walgreens generic version which I will call Pin X for ease of communication). In the morning, before eating anything, I drank the banana flavored goop at the dosage specified in the directions. You’ll dose yourself by body weight; there is a nice chart in the box to help you on your way. Fairly soon after taking the Pin X, my stomach felt different (maybe calmer) and much later that day my itching was cut down by quite a lot, but not completely gone.
Since I had read someplace that the pyrantel pamaote only paralyzes the worms and doesn’t kill them, I drank the salt-water flush laxative at midnight of that same day in order to flush them from my system before they “woke back up”. The laxative was the key to my lasting comfort. I haven’t believed much in flushes and cleanses but things change. I did the salt-water flushing thing wherein I drank a specified amount of pink sea salt and water solution that I learned from my parents friends some years ago
Soon after completing the flush and still so puzzled why I got these in the first place, I turned to look for answers and found a few things that are worth mentioning here. 1. If you have a pinworm infection that does not respond to antihelminthics (pinworm meds), you might be dealing with something else the closely resembles a pinworm infection (i.e. fly larvae) I found this literature about fly larvae infections being mistaken for pinworms in more than one case in 2012 and 2016:
http://medind.nic.in/iau/t12/i3/iaut12i3p332.htm
https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2016/08/17/army-refutes-claims-of-massive-parasite-outbreak-at-fort-knox/
In the cases covered by, http://medind.nic.in/iau/t12/i3/iaut12i3p332.htm, “The nearest to a cure, presently, is colonic irrigation using PEG. It helped our patients to flush out the larvae. Purgatives also will have the same effect. [2]” This roughly translates to a strong laxative used in conjunction with irrigation of the colon.
I didn’t do the PEG and Colonic, but I may if things get like they were again…
Added:
Teresa Morgan Smith
The dermatologist missed my parasite diagnosis.
I’ve had pin worms for 9 yrs. I’m a RN, had to go on SSID due to open wounds
It’s freaking me our. I’m on my 4 th treatment, I still have pin worms
ive had colon OP, I WASNT DIAGNOSED
TERESA
Added:
Diane Williams
Teresa,
Millions of us in America and worldwide are suffering. NOBODY can get a positive test, even though we are pulling out 1,000’s of FEET of rope worms, pin worms, round worms, its an infestation. Once you learn that drs are not trained to treat parasites, nor are they ALLOWED to, the alopathic medical religion standard of care is designed to kill you. Parasites are how they make their money, and they are the cause of all disease, but they only promote the growth of parasites. Everything you need to heal yourself is grown on this planet. Look into HEALING AUTISM with Kerra Rivera, she heals people with worms.
Added:
Ashley
So, it is okay to give a second dose of Reese’s pinworm medicine to a child if they have come back 2-3 months later? It’s not going to harm them?
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Hi Ashley,
Dr. Greene says, “Treatment is with a single dose of an anti-pinworm drug such as albendazole (Albenza), or pyrantel pamoate (the active ingredient found in Reese’s Pinworm Medicine, which is available over the counter). Most children (over two years old) and adults experience no side effects. One dose of this medicine kills the worms 95% of the time but does not kill the eggs. Hence, retreatment in two weeks is a good idea. Doing this is almost 100% effective at eradicating the pinworms.”
Thus if the worms come back, it’s likely your child was one of the 5%. So sorry! One more treatment at this time will be the same as starting over, since you’ll now be killing adult worms again, and there may be eggs left.
I hope that helps.
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Mays
I’m 18 f from Canada and I have pinworms. We are now the 23rd of December 2018. I had taken the medication the 19th at 8pm. I have noticed a change. I can feel the pinworms some times but not much. I have a lot less itching but I have a white discharge or white in general when I check my underwear. Also. My stools are green. Do you think it’s possible the the medication will affect my stools or it’s what I ate? And how long do wait to have sexual intacourse with my boyfriend?
Added:
Bormey
Hi im a 15 ,last month i found out that i have so i freak out ,and told my mom about it.my mom and dadis divorce and i live with my dad.so, it hard but i got the medicine and clean my bed ,mopped the floor ,washed my hand regularly.and after taking three 400g of albendazole the symtoms doesnt go away for a few day,but it eventually goes away.so, i didnt took the second treatment. But after one month i felt a slight itch but didnt bother with it ,a few days later i knew i had pinworm.i took a flashlight and look into the toilet
And saw my worst nightmare small moving thread.now,ive taken another three 400g for three days.the doctor said i dont need to take a second treatment .but my mom told me to take it after a week ,and one more time after that week.and two week ,then one month ,after that she said i should deworm myself every three months.so can i do that ? Will it reoccurs again ? Im so scared, i cant sleep nor want to eat because of fearing that it would get me reinfected.what should i do ????!!!!
Added:
Lori Rustin
The second does makes sense — to kill the eggs. I think your mom is being obsessive to do more than that. You need to eat!
Added:
Michelle
Go buy some fresh pineapple and garlic and eat as much as you can for three to four nights before bed. Pineapple kills parasites eat eat eat
Added:
Amelia
I am 15 years old, and i just found out last week that i have pinworms. I don’t know how long i had them and i flipped out when i saw a white worm on my rectum. I tried telling my mom but she doesn’t think i have worms. Please help…
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Hi Amelia,
Sorry, you’re going through this.
Dr. Greene says, “Stool and blood tests are not very helpful in diagnosing pinworms. Seeing a worm clinches the diagnosis. [Using a mirror] check [the area around the anus] with a flashlight during the night and first thing in the morning. Look for white, wiggling threads. If it’s not wiggling, it’s probably just lint. Occasionally a wiggling worm will be seen on the surface of a stool. Pinworms are so common that children with nighttime anal itching are often treated without any lab test at all. The classic diagnostic tool is to apply a piece of transparent tape to the skin near the anus first thing in the morning. This tape can then be attached to a glass slide and examined under a microscope for the presence of eggs. Your doctor can supply you with a pinworm lab kit, if necessary. Remember, though, that these eggs are infective!”
It would be smart to get data for your mom. If you do have pinworms, they won’t go away unless you treat.
I hope that helps,
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
jessy
im jessy 20years old.
i am in periods, around at 3am i got severe itching in my vagina. so i went to washroom changed my pad and get back to my sleep. But i cant sleep coz of severe itching in my vagina again i went to washroom and i washed my vagina and saw a small worm on my finger..
i really felt nerves screamed and weeped for an hour…..
how to get rid of this?
what i have to do?
is there any necessary to consult a doctor?
its really annoying to have such kind of worms in my vagina…
please help me….
Added:
Whosiwhatsit
OK so about 15 years ago I had pin worms…I’d had them for bout 5 years. (I’m from a family where I really couldn’t tell my folks about it…there would have been beatings and unbelievable shaming placed on me and I just couldn’t handle that for a medical problem that felt like a minor but gross nuisance to me.) I knew it was pin worms due to some super stealthy studying. Anyway I had them from about the age of 14 to the age of 20 when they suddenly disappeared. (I would have medicated myself but it was a small town and I couldn’t have the pharmacist accidentally spilling the beans to my folks) My question is; could they have gone dormant or something? Should I worry that they might return? I’m much older and wiser now andlive so far from my family that I can purchase any medication I’d like so please tell me if I should worry about a (for lack of a better word) relapse.
Added:
Sierra
Hello,
I am 21 and am unsure if I have pinworms or not. I really need some help, I’m panicking and worrying that I will have them forever based on what I have read on the internet. Here’s my story. I was an assistant kindergarten teacher. Last Thursday, one of my students was diagnosed with pinworm. I am very obsessive compulsive, especially about bugs, so when I heard this I resigned the next day and have not been to work since last Thursday. I immediately began to believe that I have them. I live with my boyfriend, so I figure he must have them as well. Neither of us have seen any worms when wiping, in the toilet, or in our stool. This is gross, but I tried to check my anus in the mirror today and did not see any worms. I bought the medication and we took it on Sunday, I am planning to take it again this Sunday and then the two Sundays after that to be safe.
I have some doubt at this point that he and I have pinworms, because we are not itching as much as other people seem to be. I only saw worms one place that is scaring me. I emptied the trash can and saw a bunch of brown stuff at the bottom, with little white worms inching around in it. I threw the trash can away. The only thing that had been in it were paper towels and some used feminine hygiene products from a week ago. I am thinking either I have them, and they were in the feminine hygiene products (even though I didn’t see them on there when I pulled them out and put them in the trash), or I brought home the eggs and they landed in the trash can and around the house, but maybe I haven’t caught them yet.
I don’t know. What do you guys think? I’m really scared that I’ll never be able to be intimate with my boyfriend again. Please help me.
Added:
Becca
I really wouldn’t worry – the worms you saw in the trash were probably maggots (fly larvae)…google a pic.
My son gets dewormed every 6 months. In fact we all should occasionally as we all have some worms unfortunately!
The worm meds will kill them :)
Added:
Kelsey Mayo
Thank you for this very helpful page! My nine year old was so relieved after I read her a comprehensive article on pin worms by Dr. Green.
We were both amazed that the worm anatomy is so complex. It’s fascinating!
We have treated once, and will follow up with another egg targeted dose in 2weeks. Thanks!
Added:
Cheryl Greene
So glad this was helpful. And we very much appreciate you letting us know!
@MsGreene
Added:
kelsey mayo
You’re welcome! This is one of the sights that makes the whole messy internet worth while!
Added:
Cheryl Greene
@DrGreene says “awwwe!”
Added:
lacie
I have had pinworms for a couple of years now before realizing what they actually were. i took medicine and it got rid of the problem, but now a 2 months later, they are back,…. what do i do?
Added:
Monnie
Can you have pinworms and tapeworm at the same time? My daughter recently had pinworm and I also started experiences the itchiness symptoms, so I assumed that is what I had too. I also took the pinworm meds, but the itchiness did not go away completely. The itchiness started to subside after the second dose, but I still felt like something was coming out of my anal region. Today I passed a very long wormlike stool, and prior to that my stool looked like there was rice in it (I assumed it was pinworms coming out), so now I’m thinking I could have tapeworm or both. Is it possible to have both tapeworms and pinworms? Ps. I came back from a trip to mexico about a month ago.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Hi Monnie,
What a predicament. You must be beside yourself.
As it turns out, tapeworms are really long (they can be up to 30 feet in length — wow). They are flat and they look like ribbons. However, their bodies are made up of segments, and each segment is about the size of a grain of rice. Perhaps the stool that looked like it had rice in it was the segments of tapeworm.
Tapeworms are rarely found in the US, but if you were recently traveling in an area where they are more common, you could have picked it up there.
I hope that helps.
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
N
I am a 13 year old girl and I think I have pin worms I don’t want to tell anyone so how do I get rid of pin worms on my own???
Added:
Cheryl Greene
N,
Thanks for writing in.
I know having pinworms feels embarrassing, but it’s very common and you don’t need to be embarrassed. If you can’t talk to your parents (though they would likely be very open and willing to help), consider reaching out to a school nurse, or counselor, or your pediatrician or the nurse at your pediatrician’s office. You’ll likely feel better just having someone to talk to about your situation.
As Dr. Greene says above, “Treatment is with a single dose of an anti-pinworm drug such as Albenza (albendazole), pyrantel pamoate (the active ingredient found in Reese’s Pinworm Medicine, which is available over the counter at your local drugstore), or Emverm (mebendazole).”
I hope that helps,
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
XoxoMom
Ty for this article. Very detailed on these critters. I like to try safe remedies for family instead of trying regular meds- i have a 5 yr old daughter that has a mild case, it seems, even though she has alot of symptoms involving pinworms… HA, tummy ache, itching, teeth grinding, uncomfortablenes, irritable. I have a rx for emverm- (Worried about side effects/due to being sensitive both her and I) that we havent used yet due to its price. Trying Over the counter Pin-x which seems to be working – but they are still there. Would you know how long it takes to work? I see that there other home remedies like wormwood, onion juice, acv, garlic, DE and carrots – we are trying all except wormwood. Pls let us know what may be suggested. Ty for the info… concerned mom..
Added:
XoxoMom
Meant reeses pinworm not pin-x
Added:
H
Recently I took a laxative to help with the pinworms as I heard that helps
Since then I haven’t seen one pinworm and it’s been about a week
Normally, I would see several & especially in my stool
I ordered medicine before taking the laxative and it just came in.
I’m wondering if i should still take the medicine even though I’ve seen no pinworms , or what?
Please reply asap
Thank you
Added:
Steph
As I have learned a harsh lesson previously by only dosing once and having to sanitize and redoes all over again: it is very recommended to take pin-x or it’s generic form at least twice. Once at the beginning and twice at the two week mark. This is, as said by others in the article, to prevent the eggs that are not killed by the medication to be killed now that they have hatched at the two week mark.
Now, I took a final dose at the 4 week mark just in case any straggler eggs were not killed, but I have been told it is not necessary.
Also, I have found no articles on the internet stating that even bleach will kill eggs but heat treatments do work. I purchased a very high heat steamer and sanitize furniture and toy surfaces when there is an infection. This way I know they are not on surfaces. It creates ‘safe zones’ in the house while you wait out their life cycle durations on the medicine.
Added:
H
I’m 17 and I have pinworms
I can run to the store myself and get them and I am plenty old to know what I should do as far as getting rid of the eggs and making sure that they don’t come back , but my only question is , do I have to be 18 or older to purchase the medication for pinworms? I didn’t figure that I did but I just wanted to make sure before I went and tried. (I don’t have parents so I can’t have them buy the medication)
Added:
T. Christine
Hello; we are a family of 5- mom, dad, 15 year old and, 12 year old, and a 7 month old. We are on a second round of meds after the first one 2 weeks ago.
I (mom) still feel and can see the worms at my anus after having had both doses…I am extremely clean and have followed all necessary precautions above and beyond the norm.
Let alone how we even contracted the worms to begin with….I’m at a loss as to why I can still feel the ‘wiggling’ around down there after both doses.
I’ve been washing the area 2x daily, re-wash my hands alone afterwards, and wash my hands incessantly in general. My kids, husband, and I never have our hands down our pants scratching as we don’t ever have that itch feeling….only I feel the wiggling as I’m really sensitive to it.
I’m going mad- am I missing something? Or is this normal and should go away after this second dose a few days ago?
Added:
H
Can you tell me how old you have to be to purchase the pinworm medication please ?
I’m 17 & I didn’t think you had to be 18 but also not 100% positive so I was just wondering if you could tell me?
Thank you
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Hi H,
Thanks for writing in.
I don’t think you have to be 18 to purchase Reese’s Pinworm Medicine. It is a simple over the counter medicine that can be purchased online or at a local drug store.
Does anyone here have direct experience?
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Sally
T. Christine–scroll down and read my posts–you aren’t alone. Some of us just seem to have a much harder time getting rid of the pw. My theory is that it has to do with your intestinal health, since I have IBS and food sensitivities. I think that I am never successful in clearing them completely, and all it takes is 1 pw to start the cycle all over again.
Added:
Sally
OK, guys–I had to come back and update you, because, guess what? I changed naturopaths and we did stool samples at a very comprehensive lab. No pinworm, but I did test positive for another parasite, an overgrowth of bad bacteria, and yeast. Since then, I’ve taken Flagyl for the parasite & hopefully it is gone, and I’ve been treating the yeast/bad bacteria by taking anti fungals (natural) and a very restricted diet (few carbs, no sugar/alcohol/yeast). It turns out that whenever I slip off the diet and stop taking the antifungals, all of my symptoms–crawling, itching, burning–come right back again. That means that what we thought was pinworms was actually probably a candida overgrowth issue throughout my body (I also get rashes and itchy nose/ears). Anyway–wanted to let you know because I can’t be the only one who has been suffering for so long and treating for the wrong thing. I’m not sure why it wasn’t obvious to my naturopaths from the very beginning that this was my problem, since I also have multiple food sensitivities and other symptoms common to Candida overgrowth, but probably because my most dominant issues–the crawling and tickling/burning at night so closely mimicked pinworm activitiy, and because we did have a case in our house. Hope this helps someone!
Added:
Ann
Hi Sally,
I am so glad for you that you finally got to the bottom of the issue. I suspect I might have the same problem since everything you’ve described is on point with what I am experiencing. Would you kindly share what kind of comprehensive lab you ordered?
Added:
steven stalnaker
steven i am a 15 year old boy that has little white thread like critters that is causing a nusance and i took reese’s pinworm medicine and i have them again i want to get rid of them.
Added:
Lenni Doyel
What a bummer. The Reese’s directions say if treatment doesn’t work, see a doctor.
Added:
Susan
I am 52 years old, I have had some sort of parasitic problem for years. I moved into a townhouse and there was bugs coming out of the wall and I poisoned them with my right hand and suddenly my skin has gone the chronic I had the strangest marks all over me I got a cut on my foot and three of these white things came out of me my veins are all swollen And my ears have an infection, I took the chewable tablet, and now my vagina area is itching, none of these little tiny white things that are coming out of my skin or alive when they come out, I’ve had them so long I even pooped blood my intestines are a mess, My stomach, I am so full of these things. I wake up in the morning and I looked at my hand and I see the beginning of these little white things coming out of the veins in my hand in my hand looks deformed from all the veins popping out, I also have Epstein bar and no spleen, I really think I need more treatment is there anything I can do I cannot even Show my arms or legs, and the doctor told me to be very careful I am contagious, and my feet have been numb for years I had an infestation of rats I also worked with animals, I rescued 47 animals, peacocks, chickens, miniature horse, goat, cats, and And a great Pyrenees dog. I’ve had scabies, but for years I have had this problem every time I look in the toilet it there’s always something weird in it. My doctor told me bedbugs, because it appears that something is borrowin and a great Pyrenees dog. I’ve had scabies, but for years I have had this problem every time I look in the toilet there’s always something weird in it. My doctor told me bedbugs, because it appears that something is burrowing. I was actually baker acted and thrown in the loony bin twice for this so I do not tell anybody anymore. My body is becoming the form and there are marks all over my body it’s as if they are traveling through my veins it’s disgusting I can’t even recognize myself anymore. And my teeth are now affected their breaki I was actually baker acted and thrown in the loony bin twice for this so I do not tell anybody anymore. My body is becoming the form there are marks all over my body it’s as if they are traveling through my veins it’s disgusting I can’t even recognize myself anymore. And my teeth are now affected they Are breaking, and the crackling in my ear is actually a bacterial infection, I already have intestinal problems, due to a car accident the seatbelt crushed my intestines so I have Juli are breaking, and the crackling in my ear is actually a bacterial infection, I already have intestinal problems, due to a car accident the seatbelt crushed my intestines so I have ileus. But since I took that pill. I am very concerned about my who Hah ;-). Is there an over-the-counter drug because I am riddled with parasites I have been rescuing animals for years and then I stopped I got so sick I kept telling my mother it’s as if someone stealing my food I was eating everything in sight and I’m doing it again . At one point I went down to 99 pounds And I am fivefoot nine. So I took the chewable tablet and I am on antibiotics for 10 days. I have a constant fever hovering around 100. I wish people had listened to me. I had to save one of my peacocks she almost died from worms. I’ve had a crazy life, , I have rescued so many sick animals and they were totally infected with worms, I ran my own farm and never asked for any money from anybody, in fact animals would just find the farm I had a 6 foot fence and they would jump over or people with throw their animals over the fence and I would fix them. I never wore gloves and a mask or anything . Everybody said I should be sainted LOL, it is so bad I have to take subutext and alprazolam and my heart has become a regular and my blood pressure. And I have constant constipation due to the car accident I did not go to the bathroom for five days, and made it 10 times worse. I tried to pull these things out of my skin when I see them starting and I always break them in half. I am wearing a diaper pad and a tight pair of underwear so I do not infect anybody. Is there another over-the-counter drug I can take. It’s destroyed my skin my teeth my heart. I really wish that I lived with better medical care I live in Florida and a very bad place and all they do is Baker act me. Then I go to the doctor and they actually examined me they don’t do that when you’re in the nut house. They actually said I was going through a drug-induced psychosis, my brother told him a bunch of lies about me he hates me. Before they examined me I was whisked away to the nut house where I could not go to the bathroom and my prognosis from my last intestinal blockage was sepsis and death. Please help me.
Added:
Michelle
Go get fresh pineapple and fresh garlic and eat as much as you can in an evening. Also take a few shots of strong tequila or whiskey and go to bed. Do for 3 / 4 nights!!
Friends in Columbia say this will kill them!!! I hope this helps! Dr are no help,,, they only want u to take meds that don’t work!! Sad situation!!
Added:
Sam
Hi, I saw something noodlelooking in my stool yesterday. I actually see things like this in my stool all the time. I do have IBS so maybe I’m just not digesting well. I also had spaghetti the day I saw small noodle looking things in my poop. but I’m extremely paranoid about these creatures. I don’t have an itchy anus what so ever, and if I do it’s probably just not clean enough. I feel healthy and I never see any pinworms in my underwear when I wake up in the morning. Am I just paranoid?
Added:
Emily
I have the miracle cure. Two words. Dietemacous Earth. Mix some into juice or Gatorade and drink once a day for as long as you believe new ones can hatch.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Hi Emily,
Thanks for the tip. I do know the diatomaceous earth you buy at pet stores is not for human consumption. Where did you get yours?
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
KingCoMama
I buy my diatomaceous earth at Mud Bay pet store. This De is food grade. I drink one tablespoon in first coffee of the day and again around 2pm. ALL my pain from bursitis, plantar fasciitis, arthritis, insomnia, pinworms GONE!!! I started with only one tablespoon a day for a few weeks at start. Now using 2 TBLS. I was a bit sleepy at first, now I feel great!!!!!!!
Added:
Cheryl Greene
KingCoMama,
Thanks for your reply. I’ve been told diatomaceous earth at pet stores is not for human consumption. Does the label say it is HUMAN food grade? Have you checked other places to get info on that brand?
Thanks again,
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
LoDink
Hi Cheryl,
I take Diatomaceous Earth by Pure Organic Ingredients. It “meets U.S. Food Chemicals Codex (FCC) Standards & is Safe for Human & Animal Consumption”. I found this on Amazon after my Functional Medicine MD mentioned DE as a good parasite preventative for me (and potential treatment if used long term).
Added:
Sally
Cheryl,
I buy it from natural food stores. You can also order on Amazon, but if you get from a reputable local store it might be safe. Just have to be sure that it says “food grade” on it.
That said….our family is still battling pinworms (I’m one of the people who has been dealing with this since 2016). I started taking DE daily about a month ago, since nothing else has worked. I’ve only been doing a tablespoon a day, though, I think I need to up it.
Hope this helps.
-Sally
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Thanks Sally and hang in there. This must be so frustrating. I can’t even imagine!
Best, @MsGreene
Added:
Jennifer
Sally, I saw in an earlier post you had your liver checked when taking Albenza, we are taking Ivermectin which is similar but less expensive but I worry about that too. How does one check liver function?
Added:
Sally
Jennifer–you need your doctor to run a blood test that will check liver enzymes. Hope this helps! -Sati
Added:
TWS
Does dr Greene accept private patients
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Hi TWS,
Dr. Greene does have a practice, but he is completely full. So sorry!
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
LoDink
Hi Sally,
I hope the DE did the trick for you. Did it pan out for you as hoped? And at what dose?
Added:
Sati
In my situation, it turned out NOT to be pinworms. It was confusing, because although I was testing negative and saw nothing, I had nighttime itching and crawling sensations–every night, and all night long. But it turned out that after I took the medicine to combat them, it likely messed with my good bacteria balance, and what I was feeling was an overgrowth of candida (I think).
Added:
Jenna
In Austin, TX, where did you buy it? And how much did you put in drinks?
Added:
Kathy
I first took my son to the doctor when he was all itchy and found out it was pinworms almost 3 weeks ago. He took the Reese’s pinworm medicine and it didn’t seem to work because he was still itchy and I still noticed the eggs and worms on his butt in the mornings. I gave him another dose of the medicine a week later like instructed and almost immediately he was better. Itchy bum was no longer for about 4 days. Then the little buggers were back. I have him another dose of the Reese’s as the second round of attack but nothing happened. I asked the pharmacist if I could give me son another dose and he said that would be fine. Nothing happened. I have him another dose of the medicine yesterday, about 5 days later, and he woke with all those worms and eggs again. What else is there to do? My doctor tried giving me a prescription for Vermox but I couldn’t afford the $800 price tag. Why is the Reese’s not working?
Added:
Alexandra Carmichael
Hi Kathy,
Thanks for writing in! I’m sorry to hear it’s been such a persistent battle with the pinworms. This might be an obvious question, but are you changing his sheets and washing any clothes he was wearing while he was infected? Maybe they’re hanging around somewhere?
Hope that helps!
Alexandra (caring helper at drgreene.com, not a doctor)
Added:
Jane
I just found out that I have a contaminated well with Coliform Bacteria, I have been having this itching around my rectum for a few months. When I was looking up information on Coliform Bacteria, I ran into this pin worm information. My question is, do I need to go to a doctor or can i treat it without a doctor, and if it isn’t pin worms will the over the counter meds hurt me?
Added:
Alexandra Carmichael
Hi Jane,
Thanks for writing in! I’m sorry to hear about the itching. Reese’s Pinworm Medicine can be purchased at the drugstore or follow the link above and buy it online. The treatment is two doses. The second dose is given 2 weeks after the first.
Washing the bedding on the treatment day may help and is often recommended. There’s not a downside to cleaning the bedding on that day, just a little hassle.
Hope that helps!
Alexandra (caring helper at drgreene.com, not a doctor)
Added:
Tifanie
My sister is 12 and she’s been complaining how inside of her Anus itches, she said it’s like wriggling a little and how it hurts a little bit time to time, I have no idea whether it is pinworms or not. Please help!!
Added:
Alexandra Carmichael
Hi Tifanie,
Thanks so much for writing in! Dr. Greene says, “Check your child’s skin with a flashlight during the night and first thing in the morning. Look for white, wiggling threads. If it’s not wiggling, it’s probably just lint. Occasionally a wiggling worm will be seen on the surface of a stool.” Also, telling your parents is a good idea!
Hope that helps!
Alexandra (caring helper at drgreene.com, not a doctor)
Added:
Tifanie
Thank you so much for replying, and I also tried the method but we didn’t find anything. She also said it stopped wriggling about 3 days ago which is strange ’cause wouldn’t it continue wiggling? And if I saw nothing did I do anything wrong or is it not pinworms.
Added:
Roshni
I had itching in the vaginal area. Just after my monthly cycle. I got informed by my sister-in-law that it might be pinworms in my vagina. Iam scared. Will over the counter drugs taken orally will kill it. Or should i perform any vaginal cleaning methods. If so please mention the procedures.
Added:
Alexandra Carmichael
Hi Roshni,
Thanks so much for writing in! There are many things that can cause itching, so I wouldn’t immediately assume that vaginal itching means you are infected with pinworms. If you’re still experiencing itching that doesn’t go away with normal bathing, it’s probably wise to see your doctor or gynecologist.
Hope that helps!
Alexandra (caring helper at drgreene.com, not a doctor)
Added:
Sally
Everyone, I feel your agony (and itch). A pinworm infestation is the very worst thing that has ever happened to our family. Unfortunately, we are still dealing with it (round 2). Still, I’m posting our story in case it helps someone else.
A question, first, though–has anyone found anything to help them sleep? Or anything to dull the wiggling/burning feelings at night? I’ve tried Valerian and Melatonin for sleeplessness, both of which work for a bit, but nothing seems to help during the long hours from 2-5am. Oh, and I’ve tried smearing everything from clove oil with garlic to Noxema on myself but none of it helps at all with the sensations. :-( I’m really desperate for relief so I can finally get some sleep.
Ok, our story.
Our entire household has been suffering from this since January of 2016.
Initially it was my daughter, and after she screamed for me to come & see the worms wiggling, I got her the OTC pyrantel pamaoate. We all took it 2 x, did all the protocol (washing bedsheets/clothing daily, vacuuming, cutting nails/frequent hand washing), but it didn’t work. We took it again, and again, and in the meantime, fought with an insurance company that did not want to prescribe the Albenza for me, who was still having symptoms, because none of the stool or tape tests showed worms or eggs.
After about 4 months of this, Albenza was finally approved, and I ended up having to take it for 6 weeks straight. I also took black walnut extract internally for 6 weeks, and digestive enzymes and probiotics inbetween meals. (I tried everything else–pumpkin seeds, diatomaceous earth, garlic, etc. but none of that seemed to help.) I was the only one left with symptoms at that point. During the day I could almost forget, but at night, I would awaken with a start to the wiggles, and then be kept awake all night with itching and burning. The sleeplessness and constant need to wash everything was driving me insane. Around August of this year, I finally started to feel better. Little by little the symptoms decreased, until I was sleeping through the night again! I was so relieved.
And then they came back.
In early November, my daughter started complaining again of itchiness. I treated our whole family instantly with the pyrantel pamaoate, (and myself), and also with Mebendazole. Since then I have been taking Mebendazole once a week, and the other family members have done the 2 week/1 dose at a time thing. We also have been taking a weekly dose of pyrantel pamaoate. But the truly disheartening thing is that this time around, it isn’t only me with the lingering symptoms. My daughter has them as well. We are going to try Albenza again, but I really hate exposing her to all of these nasty chemicals. Especially since it seems that she is being reinfected somewhere (both times she initially felt the symptoms first). I no longer let her go on playdates or sleepovers at anyone’s house, and I’m hoping that along with the Albenza will be enough to help us kick it for good this time.
The worst thing about this for me is the sleeplessness. I’m exhausted all the time. The second worst is the continual need to be so obsessive about washing/cleaning. Also very tiring. And I worry about what this is doing to my little girl, the weird focus, and the stress on us all is crazy.
Lastly, it is infuriating that the medical community cannot do much to help if you have a case that keeps recurring for so long, but their attitudes are often terribly condescending. I went to see an infectious disease specialist back in the spring, before I took the Albenza, and he smirked at me. Told me it was usually a pretty simple thing to cure, if you had proper hygiene, and if we couldn’t, that it was probably psychological. Nice, huh? (Sound familiar to anyone?) While I have no doubt that there are cases where the patient is imagining that his/her symptoms are pinworms, it is patently obvious that it is not the case for our house, nor is it for many, and dare I say MOST houses dealing with this scourge. (I thankfully have a compassionate GP who has encountered the tenacity of pinworms with other patients, so she is supportive, but the reality is that there is only so much she can do.)
The final insult? Albenza is also incredibly expensive in the U.S., folks. The last time it cost me about $600–after insurance–for a 6 week treatment. I am shuddering to think what it will cost this time, especially if my daughter ends up needing it, too.
Know how much it costs for the same treatment in Asia? For a 2 week supply? About $30. So, for a 6 week supply, it would cost about $90. Drug manufacturers are making a killing on us. Which, if they worked, would have been well worth the cost. But here we are again. And this time it might be $600 x 5 of us, if we all need to be treated with the longterm dose. And THAT’s assuming we can all get the prescriptions we need…
Am hoping this final round of Albenza does it for us, I’ll come back to update in the hopes that it helps someone else! Hang in there, everyone! Hope 2017 treats you all much better, and that we kick these little buggers to the curb once and for all!
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Oh, my. I am so, so sorry.
Do come back and let us all know how it goes.
Does anyone have other alternatives to offer Sally?
Thinking of you … @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Lauren
Do you have animals…could they be spreading it? Start tracking activity of your kids, any soil they come in contact with should be considered and any young children that come into regular contact with each other. I would try nd keep the kid home while treating so you will know for sure it isn’t your home. Do regular checks on your kids two hours after bed to see who brings it home first you my be able to figure it out that way.
Added:
Amanda
Sorry to hear this. It sounds like this is rare. I will say a prayer for you and your family and I hope you get answers and find relief. In the mean time, take care of yourself. Allow yourself to enjoy the day. I know it’s easier said than done when you are in the middle of this. I did get through it and I hope you will too.
Added:
Olivia
Hello my name is Olivia, I am from the UK. I would like to know if having pinworms in your vagina, stops you from having children?
Added:
Katelyn
I’ve got pinworms now–all because my friends 4 year old cousin stuck his hand in my mouth. There’s no other place I could’ve gotten it as children are the most likely carrier. As a 21 year old girl, this is very embarrassing. I can’t believe this. I don’t have poor hygiene, I keep my nails short, this is just irritating. I fully understand your pain
Added:
Anna
Sally I am sorry to hear what you are going through. It is exactly the same thing I am going through right now. It started with the little one June of 2016. He was doing well with the two doses of Albenza but I just couldn’t shift or get rid of the problem. I started with 2 rounds of albenza which didn’t help at all, then Reese’s medicine, then at least 6 rounds of Combantrin (Canadian version of Reese’s in pill form), and even 2 rounds of stromectin . The problem seem to come back after 10 days post treatment each time. At my wits end and no help from neither my family doc nor an Infectious Disease specialist, I am about to try Mebendazole. Please let us know how you are doing
Added:
Sally
Hi Anna,
I tried Mebendazole first this time, didn’t help. We are now on week 2 of Albenza and unfortunately so far the symptoms are only at bay for a few days after each treatment, then they come roaring back.
One thing I forgot to mention last time that made a big difference the first time we dealt with this? I went on a work trip for a week during the treatment, so we didn’t have all the cross contamination going on. Then we all went on a 3 week trip over the summer, so we left our house, and I am betting that one of these 2 trips made the difference.
Another thing that I will point out is that it is crucial to move your bowels every day when you are dealing with this. I have digestive issues so no matter what I eat, or how much water & exercise I get, this is sometimes a problem for me and I think that this is part of what has hindered my progress. Sorry, that’s TMI, I’m mentioning only because I think it is really important and might help someone else.
Unfortunately doctors don’t know how to help when they have exhausted their protocols.
Wishing you the very best of luck with this, let’s keep each other posted. Hang in there. HUGS!
Added:
Mia
Hi Sally,
Please tell us, how far are things now? Did u manage any improvement in the middle of all this? Do u guys still have it?
Added:
Sally
Hi Mia,
Still dealing with it. :-( I have now been taking the Albenza weekly since early December. Pretty soon I am going to have to stop, but I recently did have somewhat of a breakthrough, so I’m keeping at it for a few more weeks.
I’ve started taking Miralax (gentle osmotic laxative) daily as well as ground flax seed and chia seed in yogurt for breakfast, which has helped me keep very regular. I also have removed nearly all sugar from my diet (I had removed processed before but was still eating sweet potato, fruit. etc.) I did notice quite a reduction in symptoms after I did that (about 3 weeks ago) but I do still have symptoms. (I should also mention that I am checking my liver function every few months, because Albenza can be hard on it, so if anyone else is doing this, they should be sure to keep an eye on their liver, too.)
Tomorrow I am going to see a new naturopath in the hopes that she has some other ideas for me. I feel like I am much closer to being better–this routine has me feeling about 50% better, but…I still feel the occasional wiggle during the day, and some nights are still brutal…tickling, wiggling, itching & a little burning.
One more thing that I am now doing, which has saved my sanity, is to take a sleep aid. I’m taking Lunesta. I fought it for over a year, because I’m pretty opposed to getting hooked on medication, but I was getting so little sleep that it was really affecting my health, and making it dangerous for me to drive. I couldn’t take time from work to nap during the day, so I caved. The good news is that it has really helped me get some quality sleep during the work week. I don’t take it over the weekend (I take melatonin instead) in the hopes that I won’t get too dependent on the Lunesta.
Added:
Michelle
My mom and I have been battling this too,, eat as much pineapple and raw garlic in an evening as you can and do it for at least 3 nights and shots of strongest tequila or whiskey no joke,, it will kick them!!!
Friends in Columbia told me this trick! Meds don’t work!!!
Added:
Como651
I know what you are going through. I first got the itch a few months ago and it seemed to go away after a short time then returned worse around a couple months later. I started going on line and reading about possible causes. Everything pointed to pinworms after I used an anti fungal cream for a week which did nothing. I never saw any visible signs of pinworms checking myself or after going to the bathroom but after talking to my brother about the symptoms he said I definitely had pinworms since he had got them before. I immediately started taking Reese’s pinworm medication. Did the single dose as prescribed. By that night the itch was reduced around 80 percent and through the next night but gradually started to come back by the third night but not to the degree it had been. I then started taking diatomaceous earth a heaping table spoon a day for first couple days then twice a day for a week and one week after my single dose of Reese’s I started taking two doses a day. Once in the morning and once at night for three days. After this second round with 6 times the amount of meds spread over 3 days I confirmed my suspicion and found one pinwirm on my toilet paper. I am absolutely 100% sure what it was by all the images I had seen of them online. It was around a half inch long. After the second round of meds my symptoms were down to around 10% of what they initially were. Before any treatment I was awake about 3 hours a night scratching my anus. It was excruciating itch. The itch was like bad mosquito bites but with what felt like an occasional tiny prick that itched. Almost like I got fiberglass particles in my butt. If not for positive confirmation of seeing one worm on my toilet paper I might have thought I was losing my mind. I’ve read many forums where people say they have the symptoms but medical tests turn up negative and ignorant medical professionals who have not dealt with this or have seen pinworms easily rid of with one dose of meds have no idea how hard they are to eradicate in some people. I can’t say why one person can get rid of them in one dose of meds but another has tried every med and herbal approach on the planet and still struggles with them. The bottom line is those who continue to suffer are not crazy. They are not making up the symptoms and they should not second guess themselves because some ignorant doctor or even parasitic specialist says they don’t have pinworms. I’m going on around three months of first having symptoms and none of my two kids or wife has shown symptoms. After the second round of meds I started trying herbal cures like raw garlic cloves, 8 cloves in past three days with teaspoon of dried Oregeno leaves. I have been on diatomaceous Earth for over a week and did two smoothies with orange and lime peels with 1.5 tablespoons of raw papaya seeds ground up in it. None of this has done much. Symptoms have resided to around 10% of original. I feel less itch but more squirming around my anus now that the itch is less. The itch was masking the squirming at first. I also started powdering my butt crack and anus with diatomaceous earth before bed and after showering in the morning. I have a dedicated tooth brush to brush my anus each morning and night with running water to remove any eggs before putting on the diatomaceous earth. I also boiled down the skins of ten manderine oranges then strained about 1.5 cups of the concoction it produced and chugged it. If all the holistic remedies this probably worked the best since I was symptom free for around 12 hours after but they slowly came back again. I read on one forum that someone explained as we grow older our intestinal walls can grow creases that the worms can hide in to avoid any of the paralyzing meds that are supposed to make them lose hold of your intestinal wall allowing you to pass them. Not sure how much truth there is to this. I personally think that the worms migrate further down your intestinal tract near your anus to escape any meds and harsh environment brought on by herbal remedies. I think this because I feel more squirming in the day now not just night. Parasites are adaptive and nature has been selecting those fittest to survive for millions of years. If you are suffering from symptoms of pinworms but medical professionals haven’t been able to cure you or find proof and think you are crazy don’t listen to them. Trust your instincts. I think I’ll try eating 1.5 cigarettes worth of tobacco next as old military suggestions say to do to treat parasites in the field.
Added:
Sally
Oh dear, Como651. I’m so sorry! I totally know what you are going through. Yes, I have tried virtually everything, and yet….can’t quite kick it. I, too, have often thought about how it MUST be that there is something bout the structure of my digestive tract that makes me more susceptible. I have IBD and have had digestive issues my whole life. It is totally obvious to me that the treatments never fully get rid of my guests, because, apart from a 2 month window last summer, I have never had the symptoms fully go away. The doctors look at me like I’m nuts when I say that, and tell me that it isn’t possible. And yet. Here I am. By the way, not only have I followed the treatment protocol strictly in terms of diet/medicine, I have been washing my darned sheets/clothes and towel every day. Every. single. day. I can’t believe that our washing machine hasn’t broken yet (it isn’t sounding good.) :-( Hang in there. If I discover anything else that helps, I’ll post! Check my earlier response to Mia–might be something useful for you in there.
Added:
Jennifer
Sally, I just read your story through this thread and we are having the same issues going on nearly 18 months, I feel for you. My daughter has been infected at least 4 times. We’ve taken Ivermectin which is cheaper than Albenza but I’m concerned how effective it is. I’m worried about the it as well though, how does one check liver function? Is that something a doctor does or naturopath? We have seen naturopath for this yet but I am starting an intestinal cleanse for our family this week after we finished the Ivermectin. Also, cut sugar/ starch from our diet and increasing fiber. Just some background on cost- Mebendazole used to be the treatment in the US but they took if off the market here a few years ago (personally I think it’s bc clinical trials found that it cured certain cancers) BUT when they took it off the market Albenza’s price increased bc it was sold and the company who bought it (can’t remember now) claims they had to pay so much to acquire the drug from the maker. Anyhow, it’s outrageous that it costs that much. i’m curious if Ivermectin is as effective if so you may want to consider asking about it next time around or if you already have please let me know. I paid about $12/ script for my family for it for one dose and we’ll probably need 3. Thanks for any info you may have.
Added:
Sally
Sorry, Jennifer–I haven’t been to the site in a bit so missed your question. I answered above re the liver function test, but a doctor has to order that for you. It is a simple blood test. So sorry you guys are dealing with this, too!
I’m not yet sure if this will be at all effective, but my naturopath did 2 things, 1) prescribed me a soil-based probiotic and 2) put me on the homepathic CINA. Apparently some probiotics may have ingredients that actually feed the pw (horrors), so it is worth trying. I’ve also put my daughter on CINA, since homeopathics seem pretty harmless. Ivermectin is Mebendazole, right? I tried that for about a month, and it did nothing. Albenza was more effective last time, this time, though….I’ve still got symptoms, and we’ve been dealing with this for about 6 months. :-( Keep us posted on your progress, please!
Added:
Dela
For the night time itching take a q-tip with a good amount of mentholatum or vicks vapor rub smear it over your anus and push a little inside with the q tip.
Added:
Tina
Is Albeza the same as Albendazole? It’s that expensive in the US? Why?
I’m German and I never paid for medicine. Now I live in Thailand and I cover my own out-patient cost and I’ve just come down with pinworms (yuck). Purchased Albendazole 400mg as Tablets at 28 Thai Baht per Tablet (about 1 USD per Tablet).
Is that the same kind of medicine? Just grossly overpriced in the US? To me… that’s a crime. Anyway, wouldn’t it be possible to order it from Asia? Even I’d be willing to send some over, but I don’t know maybe there’s a law against it.
Added:
Hope
Sally:
Your story sounds so much like mine. We’ve been dealing with this for a year and a half. Since September 2015. I bleach door handles and knobs, wash all of our clothes in apple cider vinegar, constantly wipe down tablets and phones with Clorox wipes. I wear a mask to strip our beds and wash bedding every single day. My children and I are down to a fitted sheet and a fleece blanket apiece to try to quell these awful things. We have treated and treated and treated and they keep coming back. I’m so stressed out and anxious about it. My son has anxiety attacks every time he feels one and then is terrified to go to school for days after because he is afraid he will feel the crawling all day long. We were recently tested for reinfection and my daughter is the only one who tested positive but I saw one in my son’s rectum. I continue to see them in my stool so I know it is still pw. I am such a mess, I wouldn’t be surprised if my husband didn’t leave me after this mess. He’s the only one who has never had a single symptom. To make matters worse, my children’s grandparents are now showing symptoms, as is my 1 year old granddaughter and her mom and dad and my 19 year old daughter who does not live with us. I fear my life will never be normal and have had to go on anti anxiety meds to cope. These also have horrible side effects. I’m at a loss and have even considered suicide to just be done with this mess. We’ve seen an infectious disease specialist twice and she can do nothing more for us. I did take DE for two months but they still came back. The DE made my children deathly ill. I’m sure it was just die off but they were incredibly sick and it scared me so I discontinued use. I have no idea how we could possibly still have them but have no doubt that we do. We have remodeled and repainted every surface of our home. Replaced mattresses and pillows and couches. We are not trying to sell our house to move out of the community in fear that we are being reinfected at school. I honestly don’t know what else to do. This has been the worst thing I’ve ever dealt with in my life and I my son has Type 1 Diabetes. This has been more traumatic than that. I am desperate for help but your story has given me hope. Thank you.
Added:
Michelle
Hi! Did you ever get rid of them. Going through the same thing and losing my mind.
Added:
Sati
Yes! The lingering sensations turned out to be Candida flare ups. When I addressed that properly, the mysterious tickling/crawling feelings went away, thank goodness! Thanks for checking.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Sati,
Thanks so much for your reply. Great to know you found a reason for the mysterious symptoms.
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Bec
We have been having trouble with recurring pinworm infections for years. I never had them at all until my late 30’s, when I suddenly realized all three of my children had pinworms. They had probably had them at least a year before I caught on that the itchy bottoms at night were pinworm. I finally saw the worms. After that, it’s been a continual cycle of 4-6 months of having to retreat. We have moved three times over the years, and the infections always come back. We are pretty clean people, I am not a bleach fanatic but I keep my house pretty clean!
Lately my symptoms recurred. I took a Reese’s treatment but this time, instead of the normal relief I have the next night, I still had very distinct wriggling sensations (you know it when you’ve had it). Is it ok to retreat 2 nights in a row? I am wondering if I didn’t shake the bottle well enough or get enough of the active ingredient
I also just saw that my cat has worms this morning. As I am aware that pinworms are species-specific, I wonder if I have caught something different from my cat, and if Reese’s would even be effective for that.
This worm ordeal is so so tiring. I know people who have treated it and never had it return, but the story is very different for me and my family :(
We have even all taken the $900 medicine which, thankfully, our insurance mostly paid for. But IT STILL CAME BACK
Added:
Mia
Hi, a very important question, how to treat vaginal pinworms?! Since it is said that medicines work only on intestines?! Please.
Added:
Amanda
Mia,
Just sharing my story: I thought that I had vaginal pinworms, but after seeing my doctor and she took some cultures, to find out I actually had bacteria vaginosis. I also took a pinworm paddle test and found out I did not have pinworms anymore-anywhere! Likely, I gave myself the bacterial infection, as when I found out I had pinworms I was cleaning myself down there often! Which is a no no! And to be honest I was relieved to find out that it was that- and not pinworms! I hope you hear good news! Hang in there, I know this is a trying thing to have. But you will eventually get through it!
Added:
anon
Hi, i found out i have pinworms a few days ago by having a weird movement in my anus, and checking and actually seeing it (SO GROSS) but had no itching what so ever. I immediately told my parents and they got medication, i haven’t felt anything since i took the meds 3 days ago. I have been showering almost twice a day washing hands and changing my bed everyday. I barely see any in my stool and if i do it’s dead and not moving.. soooo am i in the clear?? or how long should i wait? and if i never felt any itching does that mean the worms never laid eggs?
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Anon,
It’s great that you don’t feel any symptoms and you’re only seeing signs of dead worms.
The worms likely laid eggs. You need to take the second dose of the medicine in two weeks to make sure you’re clear.
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Cilla
Me and my 7 year old daughter have pin worms we have tried everything we keep getting reinfested for 2 years now I don’t know what to do anymore plz help
Added:
Mia
Hi, how long is the interval period before you notice you get them again each time?!
Added:
Amanda
Praying for you and your daughter. Have you been referred to a specialist doctor? If not, maybe request this from your regular doctor. 2 years is a long time to be suffering from this. Hang in there, hope you get answers soon.
Added:
Cheri
I have been having the same problems in my family. I have been considering doing the Kalcker protocol but possibly without the CD (chlorine dioxide)…. not sure. I have been looking at the debugyourhealth website, written by a Phd mom (not medical) who has cured her family’s parasite problem. She also references Dr. Yu in the USA. She recommends not going the herbal remedy route as it just aggravates the parasites without killing them. I think the medical community is missing a piece of the parasite puzzle.
Added:
Daphne
Hi I’m from Canada and I have pin worms and my Doctore proscribes a medicine for it today but I still keep seeing them when I use the washroom how long does it take for them to go away this is not the first time I have gotten them once when I was little 2 time when I was pregnant and now again it’s been 5 years since i haven’t had them what can I do please help
Added:
Alyy
So this is the 2nd time I’ve had pinworms this year. The first time I was staying at my grandparents and didn’t tell anyone. They went away after a while. So now, I’ve had them for about 3 days and the itching is so bad!!! Non of my family members are showing signs of pinworms and I haven’t told my parents yet. Does anyone have any easy home remedies?? Or tips?
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Alyy,
Pinworms are far more common than most people know and are nothing to be embarrassed about. I encourage you to tell your parents. You may need their help to get the medicine you need.
Reese’s Pinworm Medicine can be purchased at the drugstore or follow the link in the article above and buy it online. The treatment is two doses. The second dose is given 2 weeks after the first.
Washing the bedding on the treatment day may help and is often recommended. There’s not a downside to cleaning the bedding on that day, just a little hassle.
I hope that helps.
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Kim
Hi my name is Kim
Is it to late to do a treatment for the pinworms when you have diarrhea ?Howany treatments will I have to take ?I don’t have insurance to go to the doctor but it’s been going on for about a week Friday I will be able to buy the over the counter meds but I’m scared it’s to late and I may have to go to the hospital,i have no idea I’m scared ,I’m 20 years old and this is the first time I have dogs and cats but they don’t have worms ,I have been eating a lot of pork but it’s never under cooked and it’s cooked for hours before we all eat .I would really love to no if this is not going to keep happening to me that I do the treatment and they will be gone !!!
Added:
Amanda
Just wanted to post here, in case anyone, like myself, was worried you were going to have pinworms forever or you just felt like you couldn’t see the end (depressed, anxious)… it is beatable! You will get through it! My family used over the counter meds, and strict hygiene/ cleaning. Unfortunately, it took me, the poor mom who was doing all the cleaning, the longest to get rid of it. But I did, and you will too!
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Amanda,
Thanks so much for the encouragement!
@MsGreene
Note: I answer a lot of questions on DrGreene.com, I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, Dr. Greene’s business partner and wife, but I am a not doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Maria K.
If that’s really true, thank you sooo very much for the good news! Pinworns were a very baf experience my family and I endured the last year and suddenly my life turned 360 degrees. I became phobic and am suffering from severe anxiety till today. I constantly wonder if we really got rid of it, constantly wonder if it gets back woukd we be really able to beat it again in case we really did last time!?..thank you
Added:
momof2
im going through it right now we took our first dose of meds and it feels like we can feel them back after 8 days (hub and i) the kids seem to have no symptoms at all now! so half the home is done just praying the second dose will get it all! *pray*
Added:
momof2
our oldest had it first and we all didnt get treated cause i was BF at the time 4 months later dad and i felt like we had them went to doc sure enough so she precribed me, dad and the oldest meds (baby is too small to take meds but she shows no signs) these things are evil!
Added:
Maria K.
Hi mom of 2. From our experience, my oldest son of 12 kept in having the symptoms till day 5 after taking the first pill. As to me, I kept feeling them and seeing them till day 8 too. That is normal. A doctor told me that it does take up to a whole week before symptoms disappear. I hope this info helps you.
Added:
Momof2
Maria.K thank you! Yes that does we keep stressing out and we messed up by googling it and that just made w everything worse in our heads! 😩
Added:
Amanda
Prayers for you and your family! Stay strong and focused, you will beat this! And it will feel so good when it’s all over and behind you!
Added:
cathy
Love all the prayer comments; makes me feel good at this site. thank you!!!!!
Added:
Lucy
Hi if i just act like the pinworms arent there will the eventually go away and if they will how long will it take im so embarrassed
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Lucy,
It’s very unlikely that they will just go away. In fact, it’s much more likely that they will multiply if you just ignore them. But they are pretty easy to treat.
Reese’s Pinworm Medicine can be purchased at the drugstore or follow the link above and buy it online. The treatment is two doses. The second dose is given 2 weeks after the first.
Washing the bedding on the treatment day may help and is often recommended. There’s not a downside to cleaning the bedding on that day, just a little hassle.
I hope that helps.
@MsGreene
Co-founder & Executive Producer DrGreene.com, Mom
Note: I answer a lot of questions on DrGreene.com, but I am not a doctor. I am Dr. Greene’s business partner and wife. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Ken
I’ve had pin worms for about a week now. I can’t sleep, witch affects my working in the morning I’m miserable. I went to the doctor, got my medicen and took the first pill today. I’m supposed to take the second pill in 2 weeks. I just want to know when will it kick in? When will I stop feeling them at night?
Added:
Jessica
I’m 12 I don’t know what to do. I have E.O.Gs tomorrow!
Added:
😭
Hi. I have seen these worms once about 5months ago and are just seeing them now again noticing itching and when I drink water my stomach hurts and feels like bad cramps. Is that normal? What should I do?
Added:
😭
I fuigered out the 5 month thing,but I still don’t know about the stomach ache caused by water
Added:
Cheyenne
My name is Cheyenne I am 10 and I have pinworms and it itch like [redacted]. And I am embarrassed to ask my mom to take me to the doctor. So if you have a cure let me know 😥😥😥😥😥😥😥😣😣😣💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Cheyenne,
So sorry you’re going through this. I know the itch is terrible.
You can buy medication at your local drug store, but at 10, you may need your mom’s help. The medication is call Reese’s Pinworm Medicine. You can follow the link above and buy it online, but that requires a credit card, so again, you’ll likely need your mom’s help.
The treatment is two doses. The second dose is given 2 weeks after the first.
Washing the bedding on the treatment day may help and is often recommended. There’s not a downside to cleaning the bedding on that day, just a little hassle.
I hope that helps.
@MsGreene
Co-founder & Executive Producer DrGreene.com, Mom
Note: I answer a lot of questions on DrGreene.com, I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, Dr. Greene’s business partner and wife, but I am not Dr. Greene.
Added:
CDM
You need to tell your mom so she can take you to the doctor and so everyone in the house can be treated
Added:
Maria K.
Hi Dr. Green,
Can pinworm eggs remain dormant in the body for a WHOLE year to suddenly appear after it?!
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Maria,
This may be a new infection.
Sorry!
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I answer a lot of questions on DrGreene.com, I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, Dr. Greene’s business partner and wife, but I am a not doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Mia
Thank you sooo very much for your reply! The reason I wanted to ask you is cause I visited 2 parasitologists! It scares ne when the former told me that “well yes, pinworm eggs can actually be dormant and it can take them from 2 weeks to 1 year before they hatch whithin the body”?! I am in total shock. Who shall I believe?! As you know this means a BIG difference with timing the medication. I mean at any moment whithin a year they can hatch?! could he be mixing his answer with probably other kinds of worm on mind?!
Added:
Mary
Hi I’m Mary, I’m a 30 year old female and I have pinworm. I had it several times as a child and am very aware of that particular itch. I felt it about six weeks ago and consulted my GP. She preformed a visual inspection of my anus and said she could see “lots of white things around the anus”. I was prescribed Albenza (two tablets each time two weeks apart) and the crazy night time itch went away in a few days. The bed was washed several times and house fully scrubbed down those first few days. I repeated the does after two weeks as told. Then on the fifth week after the first dose I notice the itch was back, called my GP and she gave me the same prescription and directions. It’s a few days after week six now and the last week and few days I have bathe everyday, been super careful with hand washing, washed the bedding everyday, vacuuming almost everyday (sofa included), cleaned the toilet everyday, short nails, washed our dog, bleaching everything like mad, my boyfriend who shares the house has also been medicated with the OTC stuff but has no symptoms. I’m becoming very depressed about this as I feel disgusting and won’t have people over to my house in fear they will get it. Is it even possible to have the itch after only a week and two days after taking a dose? I never even hear of adults getting this.
Added:
Izzie
Hi there, I have a question about Ovex and how effective it is(?) I discovered I had pinworms about a month ago, and obviously I panicked as telling my parents was then too embarrassing to think about. So I read up and due to a few convincing sites decided that garlic was the way forward. And so for the next week I cut up many cloves and ate/ swallowed them with water (disgusting, by the way). After about 6 days my symptoms disappeared, but just over a week ago they came back again (definitely there as I caught a few). I tried the garlic trick for a the next few days but it didn’t work, and as I was losing sleep I resolved to tell my mum. Anyway she bought an Ovex tablet which I took on Wednesday afternoon (it is now Saturday night) and every night since then I’ve still had pinworms?!! I’ve been catching a few and some appear during the day time. I figured this would happen for a day or 2 as the Ovex would need time to work but now I’m panicking again? Should take another or is there another treatment that is more effective? And is this normal? Thanks
Added:
Tracy
How long do you continue to feel symptoms after taking an over the counter pinworm medication such as reeses pinworms medicine? Also my family of 3, including a toddler are on our 3rd dose. I am fearful my family will never rid this thing as my toddler puts everything in his mouth. We are cleaning everything but paying special attention to hand washing after bathrooming, diapering, and before meals. What percentage of people usually get rid of pinworms? And how long does it usually take? It’s really effectingredients our lives and I am becoming depressed and anxious.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Tracy,
I’m so sorry for what you’re going through. This sounds miserable.
Here’s some more information from Dr. Greene that might be helpful:
“The life cycle of a pinworm is 4 to 6 weeks. Without treatment, infestation will continue as long as fresh eggs are being swallowed, unless a person develops immunity to pinworms, which is unusual before age 15…Where pinworms are a constant problem, treating every 3 months may help to prevent re-infestation.”
I hope that’s helpful. @MsGreene
Co-founder & Executive Producer DrGreene.com, Mom
Note: I answer a lot of questions on DrGreene.com, I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, Dr. Greene’s business partner, but I am a not doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Mia
Hi Tracy, I’m a mom of two boys. I’ve suffered from pinworms a year ago. I would love to share some details with you, I’ve been there at it. Depressed and anxious and all.
Added:
Tracy
Mia,
How very kind of you to reply. Please feel free to share details, would appreciate any helpful advice.
Added:
jayden
so I got piworms when I was like 7 for the first time and we didn’t figure out what it was till I was 9 they would come and go every few months and now I’m 13 and this is still happening I take the medication and it works but then they just come back. I read this article saying that when you get them they keep coming back and never go but a lot of people thought it was fake idk if it is I just want them to go and never come back.
Added:
Talina
My 4yr old daughter who has pinworms. Visible in her stools they come outwith 6-8 worms attached. I have treated her twice with Combantrin chocolate squares but still getting live worms on her stools. 10 day gap between treatments.
7 days after her 2nd treatment still seeing live worms.
I’ve washed all her bedding and thoroughly cleaned. Also have 3 other children none of them seem to be affected.
Added:
Kim
I commented below as a reply.
But I have 4 children. One of the four has battled pin worms we assume from exposure to a farm. She is 9 yrs old. Very healthy. And happy. About a year or so ago she brought to my attention she felt crawling in her anal area. So I looked on the toilet paper and found pin worms. To my disgust, never have dealt with them, I made a dr app I was told it’s pin worms and to get a OTC med. so I followed his advice. Treated once and a following dose in two weeks. So all seemed well. Then about a month ago if that, she tells me they are back and now she feels them in her vagina. I ask to see. She was embarrassed. Took her to pediatrician and he told me she had a possible virus and looked into a bladder infection. Frustrated I treated her again. Knowing they where back. One dose and one two weeks later. Maybe they never left? So the other day she complains feeling them again. ??? Now what ??? And she is a bed wetter so she gets fresh different bedding that rotates every few days when she has a accident. Or routinely once to twice a week. Along with my other children and my husbands and my bedding. (Gets washed 1-2 a week) we all suffer from a list of allergies so constant Clorox wipes are used along side steam cleaning and routine cleaning as normal. What do I do? How serious can this become and what can I do for her??? My heart breaks!!! There are 6 of us in the home none but her have ever had them.
Added:
gerard
Hi I am 15 years old boy and I seem to have pinworm. I am not interested in going to a doctor as it is quite embarrassing. I was wondering what is the best way to properly get rid of them. They are literally ruining my life. Please reply as soon as possible thanks.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Gerard,
Reese’s Pinworm Medicine can be purchased at the drugstore or follow the link above and buy it online. The treatment is two doses. The second dose is given 2 weeks after the first.
Washing the bedding on the treatment day may help and is often recommended. There’s not a downside to cleaning the bedding on that day, just a little hassle.
I hope that helps.
@MsGreene
Added:
Kim
My 9 yr old little girl has suffered from the for white some time. Treated her twice as soon as she brought it to my attention but she came to me saying the never went away months later. She was embarrassed. So I treated her again. A few nights ago she claimed she felt them in her other part. She took a bath but no real relief. I did take her to dr a month ago and was told it’s most likely a flu. And last year I took her in and was told to buy OTC meds. I did and treated her. What now?
Added:
Amanda
So my 9 year old son has pinworms we found out on Saturday night today is Monday and I had to wait until today to get the treatment from Walmart. How long does the treatment take to work and when will he be able to sleep conformable again I feel so bad for him we all have to get treatment I have 3 other kids what’s the best way to make sure they don’t come back. I’m not even sure how he got them im freaking out please help
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Hi Amanda,
Pinworms are very common in children. Although they are very unpleasant, there’s no need to freak out, just continue treatment and be sure to thoroughly clean.
Dr. Greene has a complete article for you — Pinworms: A-to-Z Guide from Diagnosis to Treatment to Prevention.
Best,
@MsGreene
Added:
Amanda
What can you give him so he can sleep
Added:
Lita
My 17 month old has taken ivermectin twice in under 2 weeks, I can still see adult worms moving on his anus what should I do?
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Lita,
At this point, it would be wise to your son to the pediatrician.
Best,
@MsGreene
Added:
Alexia
Put coconut oil on the rectum because it will make it where they can’t come out at night to lay eggs.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Very interesting idea. We’d love to hear if anyone does this and how it works.
Best, @MsGreene
Note: I answer a lot of questions on DrGreene.com, I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com and Dr. Greene’s business partner, but I am a not doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Cat
My son had pinworms a few months ago, and we used hydrocortisone cream for the itching while we waited for the dewormer to do its thing. He’s autistic, plus has extremely sensitive skin. It was really, really bad. He was screaming in agony, flailing his arms and legs. We did see dead worms stuck in the cream in the morning.
Just tonight I noticed live worms in his stool again, so we’ll have to treat again. No screaming so far though.
Added:
Emma
Hi, I’m Emma and tonight I found out I had pinworms- I am 12 years old turning 13 and AND the worms are around 1mm long. Am I in the early stages of pinworms? How do I tell my mum? What can I do about it? Someone help me because I’m really scared and disgusted and I’m scared to tell my mum.. please help
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Hi Emma,
I know it seems really yucky, but you really need to understand that’s pinworms are super common and your mum won’t freak out.
Simply tell your her symptoms and that you think you have pinworms, and ask for her help.
There’s over the counter treatment available at drug stores. If you have a 24 hour drug store where you live, you can even get medicine tonight. It’s that easy.
Hope that helps,
@MsGreene
Added:
Smart dust
I got pin worms 6 mos ago. When my foot got infected I immediately went to the doctor. The Permethrin cream and 3mg Ivermectin did nothing. Since then the worms have spread from head to toe. I have lost all my hair and my nails turned yellow. During long baths, worms will move under the nails. I took photos of a worm coming out of my foot. I have spent over $100k seeking a doctor. I have been to 6 ERs, 2 Primary care physicians, 1 GI Doctor, 2 Eye Doctors, 1 Diet Doctor, 2 Infectious Disease Doctors, 1 OBGYN, 2 Dermatologists. Nobody has inspected me witin 6 ft radius. The fear of worms is high level. No doctor in FL will treat worms as all they do is sell psych meds. The worms are hatching through my abdomen skin and I hurt all the time. My vision has black spots and worms in it. I cannot do a BM without an enema. The filarial worms sit on all my pores and I have to keep my feet in zip lock bags since it hurts when the new worms punch into my feet. My left foot is 3x normal size and feels like it is full of worms. Sometimes the worms fall out of my anus in ackward places like a hotel lobby. I tried contacting the CDC, Health Depart, and Doctors without Borders, and there arent any real people responding if at all. The worms are very active at night so I dont sleep. I lost my job and had to put down 4 cats since they all got it. I had a stool test a while back and it came back negative even though I saw worms in the stool sample. I no longer use a bed because it will get infected. I sleep high up on an entertainment center since the worms are on the floor. I havent driven in 5 weeks since my car is infected. I wear gloves 24-7. My clothes go into the trash daily. Often I wear a hazmat suit at night to slow down the stinging. I clean all the time. My lymph nodes are swollen and a worm punched into my throat 2 days ago. I turned 52 when this started and I was beautiful and successful. The worm holes, wiggling, heart pain all make it so unbearable that I am currently making preparations to go into hospice
Added:
Cheryl Greene
What you are going through is undeniably horrible. But I don’t think it’s pinworms. Or perhaps it’s pinworms and something else like scabies. Pinworms live in the digestive tract, but not in the skin. Scabies live under the skin, but not in the digestive tract.
It is possible to have a parasite in your stool, but have a negative stool sample as some parasites are hard to detect.
Sadly, it sounds like you’ve already exhausted the possibility of doctors and hospitals that might be able to figure this out. Have you considered going to a major medical center in a different state?
Added:
TammyC
I completely understand, especially being in Florida. No one will listen, I have tried holistic medicine to Ivermectin.
Mine started in April 2015, its almost like I woke up one morning and had two patches of hair left and it was by my ears. Then for the first time ever having an ear ache, I had my son look into my ear. He was startled and told me to go to the ER because it looked like a worm. ER said it was a fungal ear infection. Few months after that, mind you constantly trying to figure out what was plagueing me, I started having jaw pain. Few weeks of on and off pain to massive swelling one night landing me back at the ER. In the CT scan it was noted a white stringy substance in jaw line. Next day I was admitted after the antibiotics prescribed for an abscess tooth. Now running 3 different antibiotics 24/7 for 3 days and surgery by a dentist. It took over a week after my tooth was pulled before the pain subsided, only because there was now a hole and these thick flute like things came out of the hole. Still researching and begging doctors to help me I found that dead parasites will come to the jaw area and appear to be an abscess. A couple weeks prior to this, my dentist said I was fine only one extraction that day so it wasn’t an abscess.
I am covered in little white hairs, and my skin feels like cow hide. Since coconut oil and an infrared light has become my best friends, I pray things keep improving. My kids say I’m delusional, whacked, and crazy. Some days I hurt, all my joints are bubbled, feet stay red and swollen. Pinworms I have seen, but there is something else in me. I feel it inching like a worm up my arms and legs. Its horrible, my down below looks like a demon with white pussels coming out of every pore of my body, my hair hasn’t grown back, and there are silver like strands that seals to my scalp, and thick watery substance that drains like sweat then crystalizes on my skin. I itch all the time. When I try to comb my hair these white worms that move really quick I try to smash but some get away. Then there are these spider like things that seem to be after the worms. I have even went to a vet friend of mine but she can’t prescribe me anything and when I tell any doctors around this place what she thinks it may be I am ignored talked about, dismissed and told to seek mental health meds. I can’t work because I don’t want anyone else going thru this, a wig only last a day or two and whatever it is messes it up. Somebody please help. I can’t nor do I want to keep fighting this demon. I’m tired
Added:
Louise
You have morgellens. See the humaworm website for treatment. I know applying peroxide to your skin can help. Best of luck
Added:
Barbie
Lies.
Added:
Alexia
Have you tried a homeopathic doctor and following a diet to get rid of parasites and candida/yeast? There is an intense cleanse you can go on.
Added:
Sam
I am 12 years old turning 13 and the first time i got pinworms i think i was 8 or 9. every few months it would come back and now i have it again. in a year i probably get it about 5-6 times and i take the pinworm medication and i do everything the doctors and internet tell me to do but every few months it comes back, the medication does work but it always comes back. i have read articles about it staying and never leaving, so maybe that’s true. i don’t know what to do and my parents are getting tired and the doctors don’t understand so i just don’t know.
Added:
Sam
i’m desperate for help.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Sam,
Can you tell me the names of the medications you take, the steps you take to clean your home and your own hygiene routine?
Hoping to help,
@MsGreene
Added:
A
Sam,
I hope you guy are well now. But just in case to keep yourself free from reinfect , because worm’s eggs might be everywhere in your house. People who live with you might not get infect from pinworm maybe because pinworm can not live with them. But somebody get reinfect all the time (ohh boy)
So will have to try to find the way to stop re infect. For me, I wear gloves whenever I need to touch my anal , such as when I wipe my anal with wipe then dry my anal with dried tissue. Then I will have to throw away used gloves. Then wash my hands. The cheapest gloves that I able to buy. I found them on eBay. There are 1000 plastic gloves for $9.99
When you do your laundry you will have to wear gloves and mask. So after you done laundry you will take off used gloves and put new ones on , then wipe around your laundry with disinfected wipes. (button of laundry machine , floor around the front load , wherever eggs might fall into.
I have my personal bin in bathroom. Just for myself. I will throw away a lot of gloves because I use each time I wipe my bottom. Wipe toilet seat and toilet around with disinfected wipe all the time. Sometime I use disinfected spray each time after toilet use. I will have to buy a lot of disinfected wipe (found the best price at costco) or disinfected spray
I will never touch my anal with my bare hand.
But only time I touch my anal with my bare hand is when i take a shower and clean my anal. After that I brush my nail immediately in the shower.
I bag my panties and pants by cheap plastic bin bag all the time. I brought 4gallon size from Ebay. How I bag it? Every times when i need to take a shower I will take off my panties and pants in the tub and bag it and tight the top. After that I take a shower.
When I am done. I dry myself with new towel. I always use my towel only once. So I dry myself, legs , arms , body , face . I will never use my towel to dried my anal. After I am done drying other part. I will wear new gloves and dry my anal with tissue. Then throw tissue in my personal garbage bin
wear tight panties. Make sure your anal dry before wear your panties.
You will have to buy 7new towels to make sure you can use new towels every time. Walmart has cheap towels. I brought mine for 3.97$ ea.
You will need to bag your personal bin in bath room very often. So I found 4gallon cheap thin bin bag from Ebay $26.99 for 2000pcs (about this price, can’t remember exactly)
Do whatever it keep pinworm’s egg free from your house and yourself. Do the best. It take time and effort.
Added:
Meg
I’m a 30 year old female (with a 2 yo son). I had been experiencing rectal itching for several weeks before I saw what I thought was a pinworm on my son’s bottom while doing a nighttime diaper change. But I never was able to locate a single worm when I would go looking for them on myself with a flashlight and mirror (even at night when the itching was the worst). We treated everyone in the house with Reese’s pinworm medicine and then did three sets of ova and parasite tests with the dr for my son. They all showed up negative. The stools however were from 4 days after we treated him. The doc thought that if he had had pinworms there would definitely be dead worms in the stool or eggs. He believes what I saw on my child’s butt was “vegetable matter” that he simply “farted out” during his sleep because they did find a lot of stringy textured matter like this in his stool due to a fibrous diet. I had never seen a worm dead or alive in his stool before or after treatment and I do think it’s possible I was “seeing” things because of how paranoid my OWN itching was making me. I am still experiencing the rectal itching unfortunately…and I still cannot seem to find a worm…in either of our stool or in my rectal area, even when I get all up “in there” with the mirror and flashlight when I am experiencing the itching the most… My question is – is it very likely that I would have seen a worm by now if it was in fact worms? They also checked me at the doctor and could not find any upon examination. It doesn’t appear that I have a hemorrhoid or a yeast infection either. Thank you so much for your help!
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Hi Meg,
Have you tried the tape test? Here’s what Dr. Greene says:
Hope that’s helpful,
@MsGreene
Added:
Meg
Hi! Just wanted to update that I finally did see and catch a pinworm and was then able to have the doctor confirm my infection. However, the problem has continued after three doses of pyrantel. I have received a prescription for Albendazole but it is currently on backorder and not available anywhere. We are at 6 weeks since first treatment and since we started a strict hygiene and cleaning routine (supposedly the total lifespan of the horrid creatures) and while I have seen improvement, I do still feel “activity” in my rectal region here and there. My 2 year old has not had symptoms since first dose but per his pedi, we repeated a second dose after 2 weeks, we did this also with my husband who never had symptoms at all. I’m on my third dose and still up at night. Since I have only had the once chance encounter with the parasite and could not ever seem to see/catch one while trying, I’m wondering if it is at all possible that they are laying their eggs just INSIDE my rectum and they are hatching there..thus causing autoinfection. Would so appreciate your thoughts on this. It is so incredibly kind of you to keep this thread open, by the way, and answer people’s questions, purely out of goodness. So thank you!
Added:
Nina
I’m so glad I found this website, and I hope that you can please help my situation.
A month ago, I noticed itching near my buttocks and I saw clear, whitish threadlike worms and I self diagnosed myself with pinworms. I took Reese’s pinworm medicine and afterward, I saw that my bowel movement contained dozens of worms. Over the next few days I continued to see worms in the stool.
Fast forward 1 month, I’ve taken the medicine again ( 2 weeks after the initial dose), been very careful with hand washing, bathing twice daily, changing towels, bedding daily. I took the Reese’s pinworm medicine for a 3rd time (2 weeks after the 2nd dose) and I still see pinworms in the stool. I’m so worried that the infestation has not gone away.
Did I get reinfected or is this the initial infection? I wonder if having worms in the stool a month after starting the medicine is still considered normal, or if I should consult with a parasitologist?
Sincerely,
Desperate for help
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Nina,
At this point, it would be wise to consult with a physician. It may be that either these aren’t pinworms or you need a prescription strength medicine.
Best,
@MsGreene
Added:
Megan
I’m 13 I’ve had when I was little and now I get them once every month or two they won’t go away no matter how many doces of medicine I take do I have a disease is this cautious to my health?
Added:
Brianna
I’m 19 and I first had pinworms when I was around 8. Of course my mom had me take the medicine for it but the problem is….I have them constantly reoccurring every few months. I have them RIGHT NOW. They’ll show up about every 2-3 months and then go away in a couple weeks. I can’t live my life constantly taking the medicine for it because I’m sure they’ll eventually be immune to it. I feel there’s nothing I can do :/ and I’m not someone who just puts my fingers in my mouth all the time and I also practice hand hygiene and everything especially working in the medical field as an STNA. HELP
Added:
Brianna
I’m now 20 and I first had pinworms when I was around 8. Of course my mom had me take the medicine for it but the problem is….I have them constantly reoccurring every few months. I have them RIGHT NOW. They’ll show up about every 2-3 months and then go away in a couple weeks. I can’t live my life constantly taking the medicine for it because I’m sure they’ll eventually be immune to it. I feel there’s nothing I can do :/ and I’m not someone who just puts my fingers in my mouth all the time and I also practice hand hygiene constantly Since I used to be a nurse’s aide. I also change my sheets and practice all the steps to sanitize. I’m wondering if it’s possible to just have them dormant constantly in your bowels.
HELP
Added:
Patty
Hey, I think i have and have had pinworm for the past 3+ months. It feels incurable for me too, i took medications and the symptoms keep coming back no matter how much i clean and clean my bedsheets and everything. Did yours go away? Im sorry that no one left a reply on your comment, this is how i felt when the ER nurse sent me to my doc to have them deal with it and then my doc just perscribed meds and sent me to the pharmacist who just told me to read the papers he was printing out. I felt so alone and doomed. It seemed nobody cares about this problem AND its incurable. I feel better now tho, because i realize i haven’t washed my bedding and clothing every morning like you were supposed to, and that’s why they didnt go away. I am planning to move out alone and do this everyday.
Added:
Chelsea
Ok, I need to inform everyone that it’s very possible that why we keep getting reinfected if because when we need to take our second dosage for any possible newly hatched worms, and that’s because we are taking it TOO late. Do not wait 14 days. Between 11-12 is what it should be. Secondly, and this is a question for Dr Green, can you take Albenza twice a day for three days and then repeat the same in 11 days? That is the dosage for the vermox (mebendazole) anyways! I don’t think the 2 Albenza for one day then same repeat is enough. I have done this THREE times along with the preventative measure and absolute strict diet. What I am asking is the procedure they use in South Africa. Also, if you are unable to provide this info, do you know of any South African doctors I could get in touch with? I am fighting for my life as we all are. This is insane. Thank you and God bless.
Added:
Ally
I’m a girl and I’m 15. I’m so scared right now. It’s 3 am and about an hour or two ago my anus started to itch (which it’s been doing for a night or two) and i started to google it. I found out about pinworms and instantly got scared. I feel like I can feel wiggling in my anus but I’m not sure if that’s real or if I’m imagining it because I’m paranoid. Im SCARED to go to sleep and I’ve been pacing around my house but I still feel a small movement. I don’t know if it’s pinworms or not because I haven’t seen any. I don’t want to tell my dad, whom I live with, because I’m scared I’m wrong and I’m embarrassed if I’m right. Also because it’s 3 am
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Try putting tape over your anus overnight. Pinworms tend come out at night and stick to the tape. It’s a good way to confirm (or rule out) your fears.
Added:
Mat
I’m wondering where the 2-week interval between treatments comes from. Does it have to do with the time it takes an egg to hatch and become vulnerable to the drug? Or is it related to how long an egg takes to die in dry conditions? Anyway, why is it an integer number of weeks?
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Great question.
Dr. Greene says Fertilized eggs can remain alive for 20 days, waiting to be swallowed or inhaled. So 14 days (or two weeks) is not their incubation period. I’m guessing that this is the ideal timing to catch multiple generations.
Anyone know the “real” answer?
@MsGreene
Added:
Anon
I’m 14 and I’ve had pinworms for over a year and have been too scared to tell my parents. The reason being that I don’t want my mom to take me to the doctor as last time he made me lie on the table with my pants down. I’m very self conscious. Can I get over the counter treatment without talking to my doctor?
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Anon,
Yes, over the counter pinworm medication is available. You can even get it online. The active ingredient is pyrantel pamoate and is found in Reese’s Pinworm Medicine and other OTC medications.
Hope that helps!
@MsGreene
Added:
Melissa
OTC meds available..but take them twice a week not one every two weeks. If bad infested they’ve migrated and u need only to bring in proof and explain u don’t wanna be makes in front of Dr and have not told but feel them other places and see them..the meds they give are stronger and will be taken linger..don’t hide this or u can become very ill.. Please..if Dr wants u to lie down on table especially without parent present get a new Dr and think about reporting that one. Perverts come in all forms…it isn’t necessary to show yourself..just make clear u have them for sure and want them gone from rear, urine and other places.. If they say that’s not believable..let them know u will see a Dr u are OK with giving a sample to that don’t require u being nude and when it is confirmed that u are badly infested which causes infection and other problems this Dr can lose his license for medical neglect
Added:
Ramon
We found out my 12 year old son has pin-worm. We got Rx to take care of it. 1 dose now and 1 dose in 2 weeks. That’s fine. but no where in any research that we’ve done, does it say whether he is contagious any more. We continue to wash the sheets, clean the toilets, etc. But question is, when is OK to have friends over again or come in contact with others?
Added:
Cassidy
I’m almost 13 this is not my first rodeo sadly… I had pinworms last year in the fall and now a year later I’ve got them again… Right now it’s two in the morning and I have school tomorrow… I’m really getting fed up with these stupid parasites, my brother never took his medication for the pinworms when I originally got them so when I found out I had them again I just took those but there weren’t enough to be able to redoes in 2 weeks is that bad? I really hate these things and they make me cringe just thinking about the little devils being inside of me, how long will the pills take to work?
Added:
Cheryl Greene
After treatment, the symptoms may last up to a week. Sorry for the bad news.
People infected with pinworms need to take a second does of meds in two weeks to keep from getting reinfected. Well worth the extra effort to get rid of them.
It’s wise to vacuum the bedroom daily for three days in case there are unhatched eggs in the carpet or on furniture. And of course, be sure to wash all your bedding.
So sorry you’re going through this, again.
@MsGreene
Added:
Kendall
Unfortunately, I am a 19 year old female and happened to be babysitting 5 kids yesterday from the age of 4 months, 4 , 6, 9, and 11. I took all these kids to camp and this morning I was violently woken up to a crazy itching (down there) and my first thought was that I had a yeast infection! So I ran to the bathroom to put some monostat on it (as I had the routine down by now) and holding the mirror up I found a pin worm. I’ve had pin worm when I was 10 about three times that year and so I know not to panick but the only problem is, you can’t see their eggs. So what looked like only one, was probably a female who just hatched 10,000 eggs on my vulva. They are extremely active at night and when I had them fr the first time when I was 10, my doctor had to turn the lights out and wait a couple minutes before she checked my anus with a flash light and that’s when she discovered them. It’s a common thing! Just wanted to give a little story for awareness! I have them right now and although it may not be pleseant, it’s better that I know rather then falsely treating a yeast infection!
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Thank you so much for sharing your experience.
You are absolutely correct, it is common. It is very unpleasant, and it’s much better to know that you have pinworms and treat them than to treat for something you don’t have.
Hope you kill those 10,000 unwanted visitors very soon.
Best,
@MsGreene
Added:
nisha
im a 27 year old married women. from the last 4 days i have been suffering itching inside my vagina. i think its pin worm. what to do? how can i overcome from this issue
Added:
A
I’m a 14 year old girl I’ve had tiny worms in my excretion for a year now I think. There are around 5 in each one. I am never itchy down there, haven’t seen the worms anywhere else and can’t feel them. I also suffer with constipation I think. Often I’m on the toilet for 1/2 hour and am sweating with the strain. After times like these I get massive pains in my stomach.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Dear A,
It’s time you see a doctor and get rid of the worms. They are common. Doctors are very used to treating them. The treatment is easy and effective. There aren’t usually side effects, but it’s always wise to discuss possible side effects with your doctor.
While you’re there, discuss your constipation. You should not have to strain like you are describing. Your doctor can help you adjust your diet and / or give you medication that can help.
You’ve suffered too long. It’s time to get this one taken care of.
Hope that helps,
@MsGreene
Added:
Smart dust
I have had worms for 6 mos. The docs all say I am delusions of parasitosis. Nobody has looked at me. I took a stool test and it was negative because the worms are too big. Spent 50K and docs and they dont treat worms in US.
Added:
Irvan Seacreast
I took Albendazole tablets for treating pin worm… but my anal region is still itching… what should I do?
Added:
Mona
I had them when I was a teenager. I got the treatment from the doctor but at night they became very active and it’s so uncomfortable that all I thought to do is scratching. Until grandma told me to buy fresh mint. I put few leaves up and they are attracted to the smell and love the taste. So they leave you alone and start eating the mint. The good thing is the mint also kills them.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Wow! That’s great information. Has anyone else tried this? What was the outcome?
Added:
Chelsea
Very interesting! I have never heard of this one before. Fresh mint. What property in it kills them? Thank you for your post!
Added:
Cheryl Greene
I’d love to know, too. Anyone with experience or expertise?
Added:
Mintbootiful
hahahaha I just like the idea of having a refreshed feeling Ill try it
Added:
Cal
Hi! I took Reese’s Pineorm medicine 8 days ago and will take the second dose when the 2 week mark hits. The anal itching is back though, what should I do?
Added:
Mary
Hi im dealing with that now
I been drinking onion water is good its is helping a lot raw garlic 3 time a day and onion water 3 time a day ,you can goggle onion water. Headed to store for oregano oil 3 drop in lemon water every day. Late nite i mixed together ground clove and Vaselineand garlic
Together and rub it around my anal area and make a difference so try that.I this help.
Added:
Mona
Use fresh mint. When you go to bed put some fresh mint leaves. They are attracted to the smell and love the taste. They will leave you alone and feel relieved. The good part is the fresh mint kills them too.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Do you put the fresh mint in your bed or do you insert it in your bottom?
Added:
Anonymous
Hi I am a 11 y/o girl from sneinton and I think I have worms I have had them before and I have anxiety so I bite my nails a lot I think my mum will shout at me and say that I’m like a baby I hope some 1 can help me x
Added:
Cheryl Greene
I’m so sorry you are going through this anxiety, but if you think you may have pinworms, you really need to tell your mum and ask for her help. You can’t get better without treatment and at your age, you need her help to get treatment.
Good luck,
@MsGreene
Added:
Leah
Thank you that really kind I have done tat and they r treating my anxiety Leah x
Added:
Mrs. S
A few days ago my 11 yr old son told me he had worms. We called the doctor, they ordered a script and we were supposed to treat the whole family. But the pharmacy called and instead of saying our medicine was ready, they said the insurance refused to pay for it because it was $900!!!!! But they told me there was over the counter stuff we could get. So with all this going on I freaked out just because it’s gross…. so I had my husband check me because I wasn’t sure if I was imagining things or if I had an issue with pinworms myself. The prognosis wasn’t good. He pulled one off me and showed me.
So last night we all took the yellow liquid stuff from Walgreens, but I was convinced I felt stuff going on in my vagina. My husband thought I was crazy. No itchy butt today and I feel much better…. EXCEPT for the fact that I still feel like these little buggers are having a darned fiesta in my baby maker!!!! Not cool! So I’m thinking, theoretically these are intestinal creatures…and the medicine we take is ORAL, it goes through our digestive tract and out our butt (which is where we get the itchiness from the pinworms). So it would make sense that this oral medicine kills the worms because it passes right through the part of our bodies where they live, and then OUT it all goes! But MY problem is that my vagina isn’t connected to my digestive system or my mouth… so while I feel like my back end is good as new.. here it is at night time and I’m feeling definite sensations that I would prefer not be happening! Grrr.
So I’m wondering if it’s ok for me to put some of that yellow stuff up inside me like a yeast infection cream? Please please please, I pray I can because some things (like worms) just don’t belong in my baby maker! And to make matters worse, the day before we realized I had them my husband and I had sex and now I’m wondering if he could get them in his penis? Passing worms back and forth via sex is a horrifying thought. So vaginal medication yay or nay, penis infestation yay or nay, and lastly, intercourse infestation yay or nay?
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Hi Mrs. S.
You are correct, the “yellow liquid” goes straight through the GI system without being absorbed. It is typically taken twice with the second dose two weeks after the first. It is not particular effective for vaginal pinworms. The prescription drug, Ivermectin does work for vaginal pinworms, and should not be particularly expensive.
It’s easy to pass pinworms back and forth from person to person if they are physically close even if they haven’t had sex, though pinworms are not common in the penis.
Vaginal medication — ask your doctor about Ivermectin.
Penis infestation — unlikely.
Intercourse — as a woman, I feel your ick factor. If you wait until your second dose of medication you’ll likely feel better about the whole experience.
Hope that helps,
@MsGreene
Co-founder and Executive Producer, DrGreene.com
Added:
Maria K.
Hi Mrs. S. I wonder have you finally and eventually gotten rid of them? I’ve been through it too, a year ago, exactly with the same situation as you, and I ended becoming phobic. All I want is to get my normal simple life back! Hearing from you can be of great help.
Thank you in advance.
Added:
Linda K.
So true about eggs getting caught up in an animal’s fur!! I am 63yrs old an have gotten pin worms for the 1st. time in my life. Was unaware I had them no itching or other symptoms just some weight loss, till one day I saw what seemed to be tiny white eggs in my underwear an that was it!! Didn’t no what to do an was left untreated for quite sometime. Felt them crawling all over me at night on my face hair ears etc. I am OCD an a very clean person. Couldn’t afford meds from Dr so I bought Reeses from Walgreens. So far ok. but my 13yr old indoor only long haired cat’s fur is stuck together an when I brush her you can see tiny worms in her brush. I’m always wiping her down an trying to keep her eyes an nose clean cause they are really sticky!! Am at a loss for words please help us!!! God Bless to all who are suffering this!!
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Linda,
Sounds like you need to get your cat treated as well. I don’t know if there’s a low cost option for cat care, but until you’re both treated, you are likely to give them back and forth to each other — even if you are treated.
Does anyone here know of free or low cost veterinary options?
@MsGreene
Added:
Kelly Mason
I think I have pinworms as well. Spree muscles and Kelly system small little wiggles in my bowel movements, .I feel them all over my body especially at night. I have the sensation of pins and needles also with a strange wiggle or s. Terrible pins and needles all over. I’m trying colloidal silver. Any help, above would be greatly appreciated. I’m very anxious, immuno-suppressed, and so very sick of feeling so sick. My doctor is doing tests, but I continually suffer without any support. My husband believes about half, maybe of what. I say. I am miserable and frightened.
Added:
David Lasanta
I have had these for a few months now, but I noticed them so I use wipes.
Added:
Sophia Hinchcliffe
Hi I am 33yr old female and I have pinworns all through my body. It started 9weeks ago. I feel them in my ears, eyes, nose, through my body. Before anyone says this isn’t possible please (without wanting to sound rude and in the nicest possible way) do you research, and think about the anatomical structure and how the body works, logistically it is very much possible and I have since learnt that lots of people suffer with this. This is why I can’t understand how Drs can be so pigheaded, they of all people should be able to understand how this happens. I have seen a therapist and I am perfectly sane. My best guess is having acid reflux helped them migrate out of the stomache to my trachea and into my lungs and from there they have been carried via my blood to the rest of my body. I am in hell, tried Reese’s, wormwood tinctures, iodine, colloidal silver, albenzadole, ivermectin, pumpkin seeds, probiotics, DE the lot and it seemed to be getting better but last night it came back. I just don’t know what to do anymore all the tests come back negative, and the Drs are so dismissive. Before all this I was a happy go lucky, positive thinking yoga teacher but I have lost all positivity and hope.
I have MS and am have become frightened every time I take any medication (I have been mri’d and the dr had said thus is not ms related as I have no lesions). Hubby and I were also trying for a baby before this and I have low egg reserve but whilst this is going on we’ve had to stop fertility treatment and trying and with each month I feel my dreams of having a child slip further and further away. This is destroying my life. The Dr told us to just try but I can’t knowing this could be passed.
Any tips on how to reach/kill them when they are outside of the intestines would be very much appreciated.
Added:
Louise
I have still not got rid of mine 2.5 years on) and ive tried everything but my latest strategy is inspired by a woman who got rid of hers by doing the Wahls Paleo Plus diet then taking a spoon of this herbal mixture every day for three months:Black walnut powder 1/4 cup
Artemisia Annua (Sweet Annie Wormwood) powder– 1/2 cup
Ground cloves powder– 1/4 cup
Olive leaf powder– 1/4 cup
Cat’s Claw powder – 1/4 cup
Pau d’arco powder 1/4 cup
Cascara Sagrada powder– 1/2cup
Best of luck
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Louise,
Thanks for sharing your experience. Finding an herbal cure for pinworms would be helpful to many. I have a couple of questions:
1) Are you sure all these ingredients are safe?
2) Are their side effects?
3) This sounds like a full recipe. How much did you take each day?
Thanks again,
@MsGreene
Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.
Added:
Amblin Brown
I am 12 years old and I have pinworms. I am scared to tell anyone. I have only seen three. Put after the second one I started taking more showers and trying to clean my self more better. But the pain keeps going at night. And sometimes I just rush to the shower at night a take a warm shower. My biggest question is “How did I get these worms?” Are we born with them? Do we catch them from being outside? Please help me Dr. Greene.
Added:
Lili
Hello, you need to tell someone you trust, we are not born with them. We get infected when we touch something someone that has the worms has touched before, for example door knobs, wash you hands often and dont eat your nails. The medicine they sell over the counter works but tell an adult you trust so you take the right amount. Wash clothes you are wearing right away and wear clean underwear always. Good luck, you will be ok once you take the medicine.
Added:
....
Hi I am a 11 year old girl and tonight when I went to the toilet I found 1 little moving white thing and I don’t know what it is, I am embarrassed and a bit scared to tell my mum so can anybody please help by telling me what they are and what I need to do to get rid of them. HELP!!
Added:
Katie
Hi hun! You should definitely tell your mom. It’s probably just pinworms- which is really common in children. She will want to talk with your doctor. No need to feel embarrassed!
Added:
Leah
Hey I am also an 11 year old girl from Nottingham and I have had pinworms before. Tell your mum or dad and don’t be embarrassed,try Daily hygiene issues like washing under your finger nails and showering ur vagina and anus (bum) every morning or go to the doctors and get some medicine hope u find this help full I have been through this to x
Added:
Melanie
Hello , i am a mother of two. one who is 3 and one who is 1 years old.
my 3Year old i just noticed he had warms. he was complaning of pain these past couple of days, but i thought it was cause of loose stool he’s been having and everytime i looked i never seen anything until tonight.
-now my question is.
my 1 year old. what can i do for her, is there any possible medication out there for her?
and is it necessary to treat us all if some of us don’t have warms right this moment?
please this is real new to me. any information could help.
Thank you
Added:
not a dumb mother
My 10 y/o daughter was very upset when she told me she saw worms in her stool. She freaked out and flushed before she told me. We went to our pediatrician (a “top doc”) who was skeptical and dismissed us stating that he has only seen 4 cases in many years and that they are only seen in developing countries and among people with poor hygiene. He refused to treat her and instructed me to put scotch tape across her anus on Sunday night (two days after the visit) and take it off in the morning and look for eggs. From what I know the eggs are microscopic, so I know he was just blowing us off. Well tonight my daughter summoned me to the bathroom and I saw MANY dead pinworms in her stool. I wonder how many of his asymptomatic patients are walking around with pinworms because he is a nonbeliever.
Added:
SRH
We have been battling pinworms and then went out to dinner tonight. When we came home I looked in a glass my son had been drinking out of and I am sure had his hands all in. It looked all milky and like it was filled with little stringy squirmy worms. Very small. Is it possible that they could have been eggs on his hands and then he stuck them in the glass ?Could they hatch in water? Totally freaked me out.
Added:
Ingy
The tiny kids in my daughters family got infected with pinworm, this infected their aunt and uncle with a newborn baby, of two weeks old who now also has pinworm. And they say medication can NOT be given to a kid under 2 years old. Please Dr Greene what should one do for this baby, besides taking all the neccessary hygeinic steps.
Added:
mimi
Hi I am a 14yr old girl and belive me I am no stranger to pin worms!I started getting them when I was about 8 and ever since then I’m sure they come monthly..my mum always says are u sure u have them? I am definitely positive.Its very uncomfortable and at night times I am constantly itching my lower parts and rubbing but I rub onto my underwear and it really hurts my vaginal area but I cant sleep and I have school tomorrow.I keep having regular trips to the bathroom because It gives me cramps (diareah) and I use baby wipes and tissue to scrub below.If I am honest I have a bath once a week and wash my hair everyday ….im really concerned because I need my sleep
Added:
Reagan
You should go to the doctor. Also over the counter medicine called Reese’s also helps cure it and it very affordable
Added:
jack
What medicene to get for pinworms
Added:
KT
Om only 11 and i have pinworms andi also have not told my parents because im to scared to.and i cry every night thinking about this gross,embarising,horrible creature living inside of me. Im scared im gonna die of this disgusting creature. Please call my mom: [REDACTED] thank you ,oh and my name iS [REDACTED]
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Dear KT,
Thank you for writing. It’s very smart to take some step to get the care you need. In the future, though, be very careful not to leave personal information when you post online. We’ve taken it out for your safety.
There are some things you need to know about pinworms.
— Pinworms are more common than you think. Lots of people get them.
— Pinworms are not linked to any social or economic class.
— Doctors are very, very used to treating pinworms and won’t think anything negative about you because you have them.
— For most people, the treatment is simple and effective.
Now, you need to tell your mom. Legally, we can’t do it for you (sorry). But you can do it! Tell her you have a problem and you need her help. Ask her to take you to see a doctor and get treatment. You do not need to do this today. There is no reason to wait any longer.
Please write back and tell us how you’re doing.
Best,
@MsGreene
Added:
JUSTIN
hi im 15 i have the same promblem the first time i found out was a weekago they make me want to use the bathroom a lot and im a guy and im just to imbarssed to tell someone can u tell me wat i should do about the promblem please thanks.
Added:
ananomous
tell your mom or dad or gaurdian whom ever you live with , its not as bad as it seems! as soon as they know they’ll be able to treat it properly so you wont have to deal with them any longer
Added:
Kerry F Figuried
Pinworm medication is the only remedy that I found. Have your Mom or Dad buy tjis product at Walmarts or Walgreens. Best medicine for killing pinworms. I tried every home remedy and nothing beats Pinworm medication.
Added:
madi
its me again i think one burrowed into my clitoris what do i docause i saw 2 white bumps i was able to get the one out and its very tender
Added:
madi
hi im a 15 year old i just found alot of pinworms in my anus. i am very worried because i think their is a chance i could have injested some. i will give u more info if you email me. the inching is very very bad what should i do
Added:
Ryan
Hi, I’m 17 years old and I got pinworms about 4 years ago so I went through the hard process of telling my mum. I got medication and everything seemed fine until a few weeks later I noticed them again. I decided to go through it again.telling my mum.getting medication.waiting. but about a month and a half later they were there AGAIN. Since then I have left to live there as they go for about 1 and half months then they come back for a week. I just need any help I can get.
Thanks
Added:
Alyssa
Im 16 year old and i have pinworms im embarrassed to tell my mom can i treat it on my own? Also does my boyfriend need medication then if i have them?
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Hi Alyssa,
I know it’s embarrassing, but you really need treatment. Telling your mom is the best course of action.
If you’ve been intimate with your boyfriend, he should be treated as well. It’s not unusual for infected people to pass pinworms back-and-forth unless they are all treated at the same time.
Hope that helps.
@MsGreene
Added:
Lynn
Hello, my 10 year old son had them 2 weeks ago & was given albenza. I cleaned the whole house & bought sun flower seeds & pumpkin seeds. I also have him drink apple cider & water 2 times a day. I put lots of garlic in his food, bought garlic pills, probotics, grapeseed extract & so far he’s had no reoccurring symptoms. He takes his second dose of albenza on Wednesday. They can be cured but you have to maintain a high protein diet & cut down your sugar intake. Hope this helps.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Thanks so much! Please let us know how it goes.
Added:
Stephanie
Just wondering how it went for your son ? I’m reading all these horror stories about people being reinfected and having it all there life. I’m very nervous !
Added:
mimi
Hi there, I am curious…. U may be helping with your sons diet there which is food because less sugar = less worms but some other things u may want to consider is hygiene:change bed sheets daily,regular washing things like that and also make sure that if he/she scratches her anus they wash their hands after because the worms and worm eggs will become trapped in their nails ): Hope all gets better for u kid because I am 14 and I have been going through a lot of suffereing since I was about 8/10 so ik how it feels
Added:
Mel
Hi lynn, this was really helpful. My 10 year old son had it as well. Was your son super itchy? We can’t get any sleep around here.
Added:
J
I’m 16 years of age and I have pinworms I’m not to sure how long I’ve had them I thought nothing of it until I searched it up and I knew I had pinworms, i know I should be scared and worried but I am I’ve never had them before I’m starting to really freak out, i haven’t told my mum yet cause I’m really ashamed and scared and embarrassed :/ I don’t know what to do? Should I tell my mum? Is there a way that I can get rid of these nasty little thing cause I’m really really freaking out here please help?
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Dear J,
You absolutely should tell your mum. Treatment is pretty easy, but you’ll need her help. Together you can work on making sure all your bedding is cleaned properly, etc.
I know how embarrassing this feels, but doctors see this all the time and don’t think twice. It’s very common and NOT a sign that you did anything wrong or unsanitary.
Hope that helps,
@MsGreene
Co-founder and Executive Producer, DrGreene.com and mum
Added:
Jasmine
thank you so much.
but is the treatment 100% sure cause I feel so ashamed I don’t feel comfortable with my own body anymore realising what I have it’s disgusting , i have a boyfriend and I’ve read that he could possibly catch it and I really don’t wanna tell him about it it’s really embarrassing but all I want is for it to go away ?
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Hey Jasmine,
If you don’t get treated, pinworms will not go away on their own. Treatment is really the only course of action at this point.
If you’ve been intimate with your boyfriend, he needs to be treated, too. Even if you’re physically close, he needs to be treated.
Not pleasant, but the alternative is worse.
Hope that helps,
@MsGreene
Added:
Jasmine
how long after the treatment will it work? Like how long does it take this work? Because i read somewhere that it doesn’t kill them and that they come back within a week :/
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Read the label on the medicine you are taking. Some medicines require multiple treatments.
Added:
Ashley
My family got pinworms about 6 weeks ago and we were devastated! We believe it was contracted by our 1 year old and then moved along to me and dad. Even though this is a very upsetting occurrence, it is important to remember that if you follow hygienic measures and medicate yourself they will be gone in no time. It is also VERY important not to get lost down the Google rabbit hole because it will make you feel hopeless and like you’ll have them forever, which is not the case.
We took over the counter Reese’s pinworm medicine (1 dose then another two weeks later). We also cleaned the house top to bottom, cleaned all laundry and linens (even if they weren’t ‘dirty’) everyday in hot water and hot dryer setting, vacuumed and steam mopped every day for the first 2.5 weeks, changed and washed bed linens everyday for 3 weeks, never reuse towels/hand towels, and we still aren’t wearing clothes 2x (we are washing daily but probably don’t still need to be doing so). We wore gloves and masks when handling the initial laundry/cleaning because you can inhale the eggs and reinfect yourself. We also wore gloves and masks for 3 weeks when changing our sons diaper and they immediately were wrapped up and put in the garbage outside. Finally, and the most important, is the hand hygiene. We wash our hands constantly and our sons hands too! Especially after going to the bathroom, changing not diapers, preparing food, and before eating. This is the best method in preventing reinfection.
I hope this helps! Believe me, I was traumatized but you can do it! It is beatable, you just have to be diligent!
Added:
Rick
How are things now?
Added:
Tracy
Thank you for posting this. I have a toddler and we are doing the things you listed above. It is nice to hear that there is hope and that this will be over soon!
Added:
Sarah
My 6 month yr old baby had what I thought was a pinworm in his stool. Would it be safe to treat him? He sleeps with me, wearing a diaper, onsie over that, & I’ve been putting 2 pairs of pants on to contain any eggs. Would that help do you think? Should I treat myself just in case? Is it safe to breast feed him still after treatment? Thanks! Worried for my lil guy.
Added:
Katie
After treatment when will the adults die?
Added:
liz
I’m 14 years old and I’ve heard that pinworms aren’t likely to I guess get when you’re older but for the past few weeks I’ve been feeling ticklyish feelings around my anus and vulva. I don’t know if it’s pinworms or not but I’m also getting acne around my anus. I’m scared and I’m embarrassed to let my mom know. Also if I take medication for pinworms will the pinworms come out alive in bowel movements? Thank you.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Hi Liz,
I know this is embarrassing, but you really don’t need to suffer with this. A pediatrician or gynecologist should examine you and provide treatment. It won’t likely go away without treatment, so sooner is better than waiting.
Hope that helps,
@MsGreene
Added:
Gloria Rose
My son and I ended up with pinworms. We are not sure how we both got it or which one of us had it first, it we saw our doctor and he gave us a chewable tablet (vermox) he said one tablet will kill all adult worms but another tablet must be taken 2weeks later for it to have a better effect.
It was embarrassing to go to he doctor and say anything but I was direct. THere is nothing to be ashamed about. Tell your mom so she can take you to the doctors. The doc will advise you on what to do.
Now it’s been 2 weeks and I haven’t found worms in my poo yet but my son still has them. When you take the tablet which tastes like Orange Crush pop, they will die within the next day or so. When they come out in your poop after the tablet usually they are dead. After the tablets on the second dose you go see a doctor about 5 days later. We haven’t hit the 5 day mark yet so I’m not sure how the rest of it goes but be sure to talk to your mom.
It may be embarrassing but your mom would understand and support you through it all. I wish you luck and I hope it’s not the worms. Your bum gets itchy before and after treatment. Don’t scratch! lol
Added:
Lana
Please try or at least read about food grade diatomaceous earth. It’s natural and supposedly kills all parasites within one week.
Added:
Jjg
Im a little worried. I’ve had these for a few years straight and I’ve been too scared to say anything because im terrified of the doctor. But now I’m really worried because I’ve been looking up stuff about this. Is there anything I can do without making a huge deal out of it?
Added:
Jade
Yes, you can go to a grocery store or pharmacy and buy a medicine that is called Pinworm medicine. You will find it next to the laxatives. Take one single dose. Easy peasy.
Added:
Barbara
No one carries this medicine anymore. What are we supposed to do?
Added:
Djones
Ebay and amazon sells them.
Added:
Dee
Walgreens sells it.
Added:
C
Has anyone tried Humaworm herbal formula? Just curious.
My daughter,7, has gotten pinworms 3 times this year! I’ve given her albendezol (spelling?) each time to the correct dosage and timing. I don’t believe the meds are working. She had a paddle test and no pearly eggs were seen. But again, she felt the wiggle and when I checked, there it was, the pinworm wiggling its way out.
So now I’m going to try Humaworm. I hate dosing my daughter with meds. Even though th pediatrician said it’s harmless.
Dr Greene, did any of your own children have pinworms, and if so what was your experience?
Added:
C
Has anyone tried Hunaworm herbal formula? Just curious.
Added:
Sarah
My 8 year old daughter had pinworms 3 months ago, my pediatrician gave all three of my children a dose of stromectol ( ivermectin) and told me adults don’t usually get it. My husband and I had no symptoms but as a precaution took some of the OTC pinworm meds. Fast forward 3 months and I wake up witha wiggling sensation and am actually able to grab the worm and it’s wiggling, I went immediately to the 24 hour pharmacy and bought the OTC meds (pyrantel ) I treated the whole house in ten morning. We’ve washed sheets, vacuumed, steamed tile floors, incessantly clean bathrooms and wash hands. The I called my Dr and asked for a dose of some stromectol for me as well which they prescribed for both me and husband. Kids / husband – no symptoms. I have also repeated the OTC meds after one week and have drank diatomaceous earth for last 2 nights, and I’m still being woken by tickling /wiggling feeling in my anus, when I check it I can’t see anything, no lint or anything, so I get inthe shower and wash my bottom with as hot of water as I can stand , change undies and go back to bed. Is it even Possible that I could still have adults worms giving me the symptom, is it irritation from eggs, wouldn’t they be washed off? Please help , not sleeping, going mad, and my husband thinks I’m over the top, he’s not the one being woken every night by this mess. Please help.
Added:
Al
My mother had success with putting salt on the itchy area when I was a child. Also adults could use garlic suppository.
Added:
Maria
I have pinworms and so does my 7 yr old grandson. I treated myself and him, according to protocol. We get rid of them then a few months later get reinfected. He lives with his grandfather (stays with me on weekends). The problem is that his grandfather has never heard of them and says I’m neurotic when I try to educate him on what’s going on. He says he’s not going to clean everything and wash all the bedding, etc. “All the time”. I suspect that he also has them since our grandson has a hard time sleeping alone (since his parents left him). What can I do? He is wetting the bed and itching all the time. He does wash his hands & uses his own bathroom, that I go over and clean. I read that pinworms can cause poor concentration in kids. Is this true? And I’ve had a lot of weight loss during this last year we’ve been battling this. Is the wt. loss dangerous? I’m concerned since his grandfather won’t co operate with eradicating this problem, if my grandson will develop learning impairment or any serious health problems. Also, I read that the eggs can get into food like bags of chips, etc. How long can the eggs survive there and can they mature into worms in a bag of chips?
Added:
elma
I have them. Can they kill you?
Added:
liz
of course not! they’re harmless, a little itchy though
Added:
Kevin Harrison
hey Dr. your site have been informative. I am so worried about my 5 Y.O. who is infected. sometimes there are like 15 worms crawling from her anus at once, so let me ask. how many pin worms are hatcced from one egg? i am awating your e-mail.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Pinworm Lifecycle — “The estimations of the number of eggs in a gravid female pinworm range from about 11,000 to 16,000. The egg-laying process begins about five weeks after initial ingestion of pinworm eggs by the human host. The gravid female pinworms migrate through the colon towards the rectum at a rate of 12 to 14 cm per hour. They emerge from the anus, and while moving on the skin near the anus, the female pinworms deposit eggs … After depositing the eggs, the female becomes opaque and dies. The reason the female emerges from the anus is to obtain the oxygen necessary for the maturation of the eggs.”
Added:
Brandi
They can lay up to 10,000 eggs in one night. That’s just one female worm after that female lays the 10,000 eggs the female does indeed die. Thought that would help. Garlic helps get rid of them too.
Added:
Olevia
What’s is the cut off age for albenza? Is a 6 month old okay to take albenza? II read that if the child is less than 10kg do 200mg, but then other sites say don’t use in less than one year old why?
Added:
Blue Camels
I HAVE to call “bullshit” on the whole “pin worms exit when you are sleeping thing”.
How do they KNOW when you are sleeping?? Most sites say the same thing but NEVER explain how that is possible. Pin worms are not intelligent creatures… so how do they KNOW when the person is sleeping??? I’m calling this as an “old wives tale” unless someone has a scientific reason to back it up.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Great question. Anyone with data?
Added:
:/
My guess would be that since children are so active, the worms wait until they’ve been still a while.
Added:
Julie
They come out when it’s dark
Added:
Stephanie
Why does a salmon swim upstream to their exact place of hatching from being in the ocean all their adult life to spawn eggs? Why are sea horses monogamous? The answer: instinct/nature! When you are laying down at night your body is the most calm and still, at times you are in REM sleep which is when your body is completely paralyzed; this is probably the easiest time for egg laying to occur on the anus. Although laying eggs do occur in the daytime it is not as frequent as night.
Added:
Mamaof3
My son is in his second round of pin worms in less then a year and we always see them in the light during the day or early evening, so I think it’s a matter of seeing them by chance not by time of day!
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Great input. Thanks!
Added:
Common Sense
Before you call bullshit on this one…Have you ever heard of instinct? Have you every thought why jellyfish know how to move to certain sea temps to reproduce? Or Sea Cucumbers know where to get their food? Or lets take the PinWorm as an example? How does it know the best place to live and reproduce is in you Colon? INSTINCT…So those old wives, full of common sense, knew what instinct is and was. It may sound outlandish, but this earth is full of amazing and intelligent things…even ones that live right up our children’s butt.
And chicken of the sea? It’s tuna!
Added:
Olivia
I do not think they are inntelligent but I think that when the person is sleeping, it has a perfect time for when the human being is still to just, discustingly crawl out
Added:
BG
Why did you capitalize so many words, it doesn’t emphasize anything.
Perhaps rather than over reacting and suggesting a physician is lying you could have a little look or, use some common sense?
The room’s CO2 level is greater, the temperature at the anus/butt area is greater as it is usually cover and these factors encourage their movement.
Added:
Sandie
Some animals, and insects are nocturnal, some are active in the daytime, or most active (mosquitoes) at dawn and dusk. Pinworms don’t know when you are asleep, but they know when it is nighttime , which is when they become active. It’s just coincidence if you happen to be asleep at that time.
Added:
Momoftwo
Simple, they are nocturnal creatures…just like other animals that sleep during the day and come out at night. Since they have evolved with humans, they inherently know the best time to emerge and transmit their eggs.
Added:
beans
I’m 28″.. I have them a lot as a kid and they always came out at night. Now I have a son who is 7 and has had them like every other month for the past year n I check him all hours of the day an nothing. Soon as ten p.m comes around he calls me when he feels something I check n they are there. I have a very clean house due to ocd and he keeps getting them now I have them for the first time in over 17 years n tjeu def creep out at night. I just don’t know what to do.
Added:
Annie
Your body temperature lowers when you are asleep and they can detect that. Presumably by a process of natural selection, those worms that didn’t wait until the host was asleep were more likely to be scratched away before they had time to lay their eggs. It’s not to do with the worms ‘knowing’ the host is actually sleeping, it’s to do with the drop in temperature, which generally does indicate sleep ( but could be at other times also, sitting still on the couch, cooling down after exercise for example).
Added:
Shelly
They come out when you’re “relaxed” which is most often when you’re sleeping.
Added:
Dr. Mumund
They have a nocturnal instinct to come out.
Added:
sally
My 6 year old has had pin worms on and off every 3-6 months for the last year!!! I’ve been cleaning everything I can get my hands on. We were gone for 3 weeks this summer and hoped all the eggs would have died during that time. Was this wishful thinking? What do I need to do to eradicate this from our home???
Added:
sally
My 6 year old has had pin worms on and off every 3-6 months for the last year!!! I’ve been cleaning everything I can get my hands on. We were gone for 3 weeks this summer and hoped all the eggs would have died during that time. Was this wishful thinking? What do I need to do to eradicate this from our home???
Added:
Help!
Hi, I have had worms multiple times before, I have gone to the doctors about it and they have given me medicine. I am 12 and my mum knows. I am really worried because I seem to have the medicine and then in about 2-3-4 months it comes back again. It’s starting to get really annoying and I am cleaning everything like a freak
Thank you :)
Added:
Marissa
I have a concern
I have twin boys that are 2 and sometimes I use cloth diapers on them. It’s been a few days since I’ve washed their diapers. So today as I was washing their diapers I noticed a bunch of small white worms in the stool. I’ve never seen any worms in their poop as I’m changing their diaper. This has happened once before. I would like to know if I should be concerned or not. I don’t want to treat them if they don’t have anything.
Added:
Sam
That’s most likely pinworms
Added:
Hay
My doctor suspected my daughter had pinworms..I was horrified because I had them when I was 11 or 12. So we treated her and her itching went away then I began to itch looked in the mirror and see the white string thing but it wasnt moving but I treated myself with Reese pinworms medicine. It did not help so then I went to the doctor and was prescribed albenza. I have already taken my 2 week doses and I am still itchy from time to time mainly during the day. I do have an external hemorroid and am wondering if that’s possible that that’s what’s causing my itching/wiggling feeling. I have noticed the itching is worse when I’m in the hot weather being active. But every now and then at night I itch. I am worried because I have been cleaning my house daily! Bleaching my bathrooms, vacuum daily, clean countertops, light switches, door knobs daily. Clean my sheets every 2 days. Wash my hands like an OCD person. I don’t know what more I could do. And when I feel that sensation I go look but I don’t see anything! I’m praying I am rid of them and it’s just my hemorroid causing problems because this is all I think about all day every day. It’s driving me crazy. Would it be ok to follow up with one more treatment of albenza?
Added:
JJ
The above story could have been written by me!! I also have an external hemorrhoid and it has NEVER
itched before. I am going CRAZY with this thing! Like the above comment, I have been cleaning like a MAD WOMAN!
Added:
Andrew
HI I have had this anal itching for a long time and did not know if it was naturall so i didnt say anything, it been maybe over a year and im 15 now what should i do
Added:
Monica
Hello, my name is Monica and I’m 15 years old. For quite a while, I’ve seen thin, white things in my stool but I have never seen anything move. My butt, is never really itchy. I get the occassional itch but nothing major. I just have a tendency to scratch there for some reason. My stool is slightly mushy. Not like diarrhea or anything but close. I don’t know what this is and I’m slightly freaked out. I’m not afraid to tell my mother but I’m worried about what doctors may do. Any idea what this may be? Is it worms?
Added:
Cheryl Greene
I can’t tell you what it is, but your doctor will likely ask you for a stool sample so he or she can make that determination. I know that sounds difficult, but your doctor will provide a stool collection kit and explain how it’s done. It will be worth it to figure it out and get it taken care of.
Added:
Erin
Hi Dr.Greene,
Just last night I started to feel some itching in my anal region, and discovered I had a pinworm infestation. I took the appropriate measures and bought Reese’s for myself, my housemates, and my boyfriend (not a fun conversation). I’ve taken the first dose of medication, and plan to cut processed carbs and sugars out of my diet for the next two weeks to try to eliminate the problem. I’ve replaced all my bedding and towels, and wiped down my entire bedroom. I feel I’ve done everything I can. However, I keep reading horror stories from people who’ve been suffering from recurring pinworms for months and sometimes even years, who claim to have taken the same steps. How common is reinfestation? I’m aware of the pinworm life cycle, and curious if I could take a third dose 2 weeks after my second just to be sure the problem is eliminated. Please let me know, as I’m not sure I can undergo the humiliation/financial burden of having to medicate all my loved ones again!
Added:
Jay
Hello Dr Greene, and all dealing with this apparently very common, embarassing, and frankly disgusting problem,
My 4 Yr. old grand niece was recently diagnosed with pinworms. Both her mother, her and I live in the same apartment. And we all have had signs/symptoms of pinworms. We have all been treating with ALBENZA. 7th day now after 2 pills for them both, and 5th day after 2 pills for me. With a 2nd dose ready for all after 14 days. Also been bagging clothes daily, cleaning everything, showering daily and washing hands like ALL THE TIME!
We ALL STILL HAVE ACTIVE ADULT SIGNS.
MAIN QUESTION IS: Does Albenza continuously..actively kill Adult Pinworms for a FULL 14 DAYS?? Or does it work only for the first day after treatment starts?
Please let me know, as i can’t get the info for this anywhere. And Dr./nurse don’t readily know the answer??
Thank you, and good luck to all that are dealing with this problem! I feel for you all!
Jay
Added:
HCO
Question – I was diagnosed 5 days ago with pinworms (I believe I caught them from a friend’s child that I was playing with about 2 weeks ago). Took the first round of Albenza (2 pills), which seemed to have worked temporarily. First few days was WAY better but yesterday and last night were back to the same itchy, sleeplessness. I called the pharmacist at 3:00 a.m. this morning and she said to go ahead and take the second dose of Albenza (which I promptly did!). Note that I took the second Albenza dose only 5 days in to the 2-week routine. I am wondering if it’s alright to take Albenza every FOUR DAYS just so that I can “stay ahead of the game” and make sure to eradicate all worms and eggs and larvae and anything else that they morph in to. Husband’s doctor had him do a precautionary round of Ivermectin, and we moved him to the guest room on Day One. There are no children in our house. I’ve been very stringent about cleaning, showering 2x a day, handwashing many many times, and laundering every item of clothing or towels in hot water as soon as it has been worn or used. Anyway, can I take that much Albenza? If my dr. won’t prescribe me some, I’m about to do an overload dose on OTC Pin-X (thank you, Amazon). Please help. There seems to be so much misinformation out there. There are so many desperate people suffering from this loathsome parasite. I don’t want to infect my husband and yet I don’t want him to live in the guest room for months. Please. Help. Thank you.
Added:
becca ann jordan
hi i am dealing with the same i am doing all the right stuff and been treated but last night started again did you get rid of yours
Added:
Mary
My daughter (3) got pinworms. She took the first dose of Albenza (400mg) on 7/18. I am still seeing live pinworms is that normal? Should I give her Reese pinworm OTC medicine?
Added:
Help!!!
I am a twelve year old girl, I just figured out I have pin worms. I keeps me up at night, I can’t get any sleep and I feel like it is ruining my life!!! I want to tell my mom, but telling her will be the hardest part, how do I tell her? Plus, everything I tell her goes straight to my dad. It is embarrassing, plus it hurts me knowing my mom can’t keep a secret, even when she says she can. I am always up in the middle of the night crying. I don’t know what to do, I hate myself for it. I never knew I could be so insecure. It is getting worse. Please tell me a way I could tell my mom, and deal with pin worms. And maybe some advice on dealing with my insecurity and my mom not being able to keep a secret. As a teenage girl, with all of this pin worm, family and insecurity stuff, plus going into Jr. High (worrying about puberty) this is really scaring me. Please someone help me. I am scared.
Added:
Barbra
Talk to your mom, she will want to help you. Don’t be embarrassed, would you be embarrassed if you had the flu? You didn’t do anything wrong and parents are there to make sure your needs are met.
Added:
Kiara
I’m a 15 year old girl, and I’ve had pinworms. You should tell your mom immediately so you can get treated! I was so nervous when I told my mom, but she took it well and just told me to shower and make sure I put on clean underwear and shorts. I also trimmed my nails (since they’re naturally long) and made sure to wash my hands and try not to touch my butt or vagina at all unless necessary. I also washed my sheets, and my mom took me to the doctor’s. When I was there, all they did was look at my butt (I was scared at first, but it really wasn’t that bad) to see if you they could see any, then just prescribed m medicine, and my problem was gone within a few days! Though it’s been less than a year, and I found a dead one around my butt earlier. I assume that I might be getting them again, so I’m telling my mom first thing tomorrow. Pinworms are the worst, and I don’t want to go through that hell again.
So, it is best to tell your mom right away.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Thanks for the great words of wisdom. It sounds like this is how most parents would handle pinworms, but it’s great to hear about it first hand.
Added:
Dana
Sweetheart, please tell your mom right away. It broke my heart to know that you’re so scared. Your mom won’t think any differently of you and she’ll be able to help you. She loves you and she will know right away how scared you are.
Added:
Maria
Honey, I t ruely understand your worry about telling your mom. I’m sure your mom loves you and will help you. She tells your dad everything because he loves you, too. But i know, first hand, not everyone (including adults) are sensitive or discrete. My mom used to make jokes about everything and blab my personal issues to her friends & my brothers (who teased me constantly). I also grew up insecure. Do you have an aunt, or grandma you feel more comfortable with? Or even a school counselor or nurse? Think about the female adults that you may feel are sensitive, like you. If so, maybe she can talk to your mom with you, to help your mom see that you are a more sensitive girl than she is. You have to tell your mom. But it’s ok to have an aunt or grandma as your personal confidant. Just NEVER a stranger. I’m a grandma who got pinworms frm my grandson. Good luck.
Added:
Jake
So I took 400mg of Albenza two day ago and although I am feeling the wriggling and scratching to a lesser extent, I still feel them. How long do you estimate for the first group of pinworms to go away after this medication, and thanks in advance Doctor
Added:
Kerry F.Figuried
Then tell me how the Canada goose goes North and South knowing where to go every year. Why does the South American Eeel when put in a Country far far from where he was hatched and yet travel right back to its birthplace. How about the Racing homing pigeons. I took them from my home when never away from their birthplace and let them go over 100 miles and what the Hawks didn’t catch come home back to their home perch. Amazing isn’t it? How glorious is my God.
You can go with the home Remedies but the nasty little critters will be back. Go to your Pharmacy and over the counter you will find a generic wormer called Pinworm Medicine. For Adults take 3 teaspoons but for children 12 and under only one teaspoon then wait two weeks if they still annoy you. Go back and take it one more time. This should kill most of them and hopefully they will disappear.
I did Home Remedies with Blackwalnut and Wormwood and this is a gross tasting remedy plus I took Turpentine for a couple of weeks. Results are only temporary. Go to your Dr. My Dr. Told me to get The generic medicine and its working but O saw one again after two weeks and took that one teaspoon.will check it out again. For a week or so. I have an appointment to see the doctor this week. Well we will see.
Added:
maxx
Do they cause weight loss and dark circles under the eyes and a skinny physique? Because I have treated them 4 to 5 times, but still they keep coming back :( Please help me.
Added:
Estelle Clifton
I am looking for suggestions on medications for vaginal pinworm. Vermox is oral so would an antibiotic like Bactrim assist in killing a vaginal colony. I do not want to have my household take poison (Vermox) and then just hope my vaginal pinworms go away naturally.
Added:
Anonymous
I am 17 years old and my question is; is it normal for someone my age to have pinworms?
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Pinworms can happen at any age.
Added:
anon
Okay so me and my boyfriend have pinworms. He checked my anus and only saw like 2-3 and when i checked his i saw like 10. Can he have been the carrier? And also, how do I stop the itching just so I can go to sleep? I have had it three times and mine really itches and he said he has had light itching, but he had so many of them, why does mine itch more?
Added:
katie
Yesterday my daughter said she seen a little skinny white worm in her stool of course I freaked because I’ve seen this befor but I also have a dog so I checked my dogs stool there was a little white worm I now understand dogs can’t get pinworms so any ideah what this is… my dog and daughter sleep together… well did not now…. plz help
Added:
Rose
Sound like your dog has tapeworms from fleas. He needs frontline or Nextguard monthly and drontal from your vet to kill his worms. Your daughters most likely have pinworms.
Added:
Rim
I have my daughter (6 Years) She is suffering from Pinworm. Diagnosed after my wife and I picked a worm to drs and did the lab analysis. Actually every 2 months (after 2 courses of Vermox interval 15 days) she gets back the worm in the vulva. I believe she had Pinworm in vagina and that Vermox won’t help! How to confirm diagnosis and how to treat? (she complains of itching on these nights)
Added:
kiarrah
I’m twelve and have pinworms they are so uncomfortable
Added:
Kelly
And if I did give her already when there were no worms. Because I don’t any any worms. Would that medicine hurt my child’s health? Like liver and other? I am very concerned and please me give your advice :(. Thank you so much Dr.
Added:
Kelly
Dr prescribed one dose 200 ml albenza for my toddler 18 month old and 19 pound. Is it safe for my children? I was reading it says they don’t usually give children under 2 years old.
Added:
Lauren
I am an 11 year old girl and I’ve had pinworms twice. I got medication for it the first time and had leftover for the second time. Now I have new pinworms and no more medication. I don’t want to tell my mom again because then another doctors appointment or something. And then we will use MORE money on medication. I have a few questions. Do they just go away automatically? If so how long will it take? And why am I getting pinworms over and over again?! I don’t touch my anus or vaginal area! I also wash my hands and trim my nails! Please help!
Added:
Dr. Alan Greene
Lauren, you sound like a very thoughtful and responsible girl. In the US, the over-the-counter medicine Pyrantel pamoate (which comes in brand names like Pamix, Pin-X, or Reeses Pinworm Medicine) is the most frequently used pinworm remedy because it is cheap and available without a prescription and works almost all the time, if two doses are given two weeks apart.
Even with effective treatment, getting reinfected is very common. Treating the whole household at the same time can help prevent this. This is also a good time to wash all the bedding. (The hand washing and trimming of the nails you are already doing also helps).
Without treatment, the adult pinworms live about 2 or 3 months. It’s possible for this to go away on its own. On the other hand, because each adult female worm can produce 10,000 or so eggs, pinworms can keep going and going unless treated.
There are other things that can cause anal itching besides pinworms, so it’s best to not ignore a recurring problem.
Added:
Cynthia
I dont know if i have pinworms… Im scared to tell my mom… (Just letting you know im a girl…) i found out today and im scared
Added:
Cynthia
I really freaked out someone please help me
Added:
Cheryl Greene
I know pinworms seem pretty gross and scary, but the good news is, they can be easily treated with a prescription from a doctor. Telling your mom will likely be the hardest part, but you need to talk to her to get help. If it feels too hard to say, write it down and give her the note. Try something like this, “Mom, I’m scared. I think I might have pinworms. I think I need to go to the doctor. I know I didn’t do anything wrong to get them, but it feels scary to me. That’s why I’m writing this note. Please help.”
Added:
debbie
sometimes if they scratch a lot they can get a yeast infection also.
Added:
not saying
Im 11 years old and I found out I have pinworms, but I’m too embarrassed to tell my parents. I’ve hinted once saying my but was itchy and stayed up trying to get it not itchy, but the topic has never come up. What should I do?
Added:
Cheryl Greene
I totally understand that this feels embarrassing, but pinworms are pretty common. You do need your parent’s help to deal with the issue. I suggest you pull your mom or dad aside and tell them what’s up. Simply say, “I’m embarrassed and I need your help. I think I have pinworms and I need to see a doctor.”
Added:
Maya
So I know I have pinworms, I have seen the little white wiggling threads and it itches like crazy. I’m 16, I’m wondering first of all if its normal for someone my age to get this. I was also wondering if I can pick up the medication over the counter instead of going to my doctor. I am hygienic so I was wondering how I got this? I work with kids?
Added:
Crystal
Hi Maya, Working with the kids is the culprit. Many of the kids carry them and it takes some time for them to show symptoms but it’s hard to stay rid of them when working with kids. Good luck.
Added:
Kristen
My 2 yo has just been diagnosed with pinworms. I have a 5 yo in kindergarten. The eldest has, in the past, complained of itchiness around the anal area, but I did the middle of the night check and nothing. Now that the 2 to has a confirmed case I assume the eldest does too and we just didn’t see them yet.
My question is should I notify my kindergarteners school? They will usually send home notes of notification when a child has come to school with a confirmed contagious illness like influenza, strep, or lice. And then maybe signs to look for.
I feel like as a parent information is power, but not sure if classmates should be concerned. Sounds passable enough to be alarming to her classmates moms to me.
Thanks for the information, when I found out I felt like I didn’t keep my child clean despite being an obsessive hand washer and sheet changer. But this makes me feel more at ease that those are helpful practices, but it’s no guarantee we will avoid this icky situation.
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Hi Kristen,
As a mom, I think it would be great to inform your five year olds’ kindergarten teacher or the school nurse. The school no doubt has a policy about pinworms because they are common. She or he will know what to do from there.
Hope that helps!
MsGreene
Added:
Ellen
As a teacher who has gotten pinworms from her students (along with the more common colds, lice, and etc which teachers can catch from their students) AND seen these things spread quickly through the classroom, I know I’m ALWAYS grateful when parents tell me about any contagious illness their children have. I know this is a year later but I hope any parents who read this will take it into consideration :) Also, most teachers realize that pinworms, lice, and so on aren’t caused by poor hygiene, just exposure and bad luck.
Added:
Barb
What does it mean my “my comment is awaiting moderation”?
Added:
Cheryl Greene
Hi Barb,
That’s a great question. It means your comment is waiting for a live person to read it to make sure it’s not Spam. Once that has been determined, your comment will be posted to the site and anyone can respond.
I just read your previous comment. I’m so sorry for what you’re going through. Hope others with real life experience can chime in and help.
Added:
Barb
My sister and roommate have pinworms and live in a house I am responsible for. They say they are airborne, on the floor in the vacuum, everywhere!!!
How long could it take for the last possible egg to die?
Will the house ever be clean of pinworms?
Does bleach, hot steam, or something else kill worms & eggs?
Could fly tape catch airborne eggs? Are worms airborne?
They’ve gone to a motel! Will they contaminate the room???!!!
If so how would the motel cure infestation?
Help!! Is there a cleaning protocol for the house & linens, clothes? What else could possibly need heavy cleaning besides the bathroom?
They stayed three nights at another house. Is that house infected?
My sister asked for $498.00 for three or four doses of a medicine she called “a poison”. Is that for real? Are there other meds. that cost less and just as effective?
anything else to know? I haven’t found anywhere that give the really big picture of cleaning the environment to abate the numerous cycles of the pinworms life. Thank you for you help.
Added:
Anon
I am 17 year old girl and have had pin worms before and was treated with over the counter medication, but they have come back. The medication I took before was two tablets one to be taken at the beginning of the month and one at the end of the month. Do I need to go to my GP or can I just get over the counter medication again and shower morning and night to wash the eggs away? So basically my question is: Do I need to go see my GP? Also, does having pin worms cause white discharge in the female area?
Added:
jacob
PLEASE READ WHOLE PAGE!!!! I had pin worms for a very long time…..yet i couldn’t find a way to get rid of the, till i found this out, so has anyone out there eaten to muvh spicy food at once, then when you go to the bathroom it burns like heck….well one day i was at school, at lunch we have salads…so i got a salad with LOTS of jalapeno pepper slices on it ( i really like spicy foods )….and the next day when i went to the bathroom…yes it burnt like hell, but its been 2 months since i’ve had problems with the pin worms…..please consider trying….i hope this helps.☺
Added:
rahul
I m 22 yrs old male ,some time when I go for Bathroom at night along with the things white tiny worms comes out might be 20 to 30 at a time ….no blood came ever but today’s when I was cleaning blood came out hat a bit from the anal ….what should I do I m getting tensed …plz。help
Added:
jacob
Lots of spicy foods…..when you use the bathroom it will burn the worms, and eggs..,trust me, it works,….good luck☺
Added:
kgomotso
Hi I’m a 22 year old female and struggled with pinworms as a toddler. I have a 3 year old daughter who was diagnosed and treated for pinworms last year. A few days ago when I was sleeping I could feel something tingling down there and when I looked I couldn’t believe but find a small thin white worm. I thought that maybe my daughter was reinfected but just last night when I was sitting I felt the same tingling sensation from my vagina and when I looked it was a small white pinworm. I freaked out and I still am. I’m so embarrassed what could this be and could it be serious?
Added:
Ashleu 123
I have the same situation but my mum don’t believe me I’m 13 and im scared and upset that she don’t belevie me
Added:
Juan
It’s just pinworms, they commonly migrate to the vagina, just tell your parents you’ve seen little white worms in your anus.
Added:
mina
Make her take you to the doctor and maybe she’ll take them more seriously or show her the worms by doing the scoth tape test.
Added:
Camille
Hey, I am 14, I recently found out I have pinworms, i told my mom she was freaking out because she’s never heard of it. We went to the doctor and he said that anyone can get and and all you need to do is get medicine, (over the counter is available) and they should die.
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Scoobs
Today I used the bathroom and there were really tiny worm looking things in my poop. They were like smaller than 1/4 of an inch and blackish. There were over 30. I saw 2-4 move. I don’t get this. What’s wrong with me? I have no bleeding or nothing wrong with me. Only thing is I realized I lost some weight. I’m 17. And I never had this before and I’m getting worried. Please give me some answers.):
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Elizabeth widdop
I have threadworm yet again. Maybe 4 to 5 times a year. I have a partner, a 7 year old girl and 4 month old girl. How will I know if the baby has them? And what treatment would I give her? Please can someone advise me?
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Lauren
If your baby has them you would see them in her feces. And just ask your 7 year old and partner if they have them.
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kat
So if I’m correct, I could get the meds by just going to a pharmacy? I’m really embarrassed, so I could just get it right? And how old would you have to be?
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alexis harper
How do you get rid of pin worms if you can’t afford the treatment for you 3 year old daughter?
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Camille
You can buy the treatment for less than $20 at your local pharmacy or online. That would be enough to treat an entire family.
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Ashleigh
Treat your dog. It’s probably the culprit. And get some diatomaceous Earth and put it around the house. It’s great and so cheap.
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SARAH
No, actually, if you have a dog and they have pinworms, they wouldn’t be the problem, because animal and human pinworms are a different thing.
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McKenzie
Dogs can’t get pinworms, it is species specific meaning it is only found in humans. They are most likely coming back because the medicine only paralyzes the worms but doesn’t kill the eggs. I suggest taking 2 doses; once, and then another two weeks later.
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Jamie
Well, the original post is old, but I’ll respond anyway. I have read that the eggs can get caught up in an animal’s fur and continue the cycle that way (you somehow inhale the eggs or pet the animal and inadvertently bring your hand to your mouth/nose later). There must be a way to clean the fur to rid it of the eggs??
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Kelly
Thank you for the informative article. My three year old son was recently prescribed Albenza after I discovered he had pin worms. He was treated 3 nights ago and still woke up last night crying and saying his “boo boo” hurt, which is how I had discovered that pinworms were the culprit. I plan on retreating him in two weeks, but should I be concerned that he was treated several days ago and is stillwwaking up crying? Will they not be completely killed until the second dose in 2 weeks?
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J love
Hi kelly…
Did you ever find out the answer to your question…
Recently found my son had them… he was treated 3 dayd ago…and bwm I found anither one today. Im thinking maybe the dose wasnt high enough.. I read 400 is recomended he was given 200… should I wait til the second dose…. please let me know how things turned out.
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