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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by europerep on September 20, 2010, at 14:47:47
hey there..
umm, yeah, strange question, I know.. the point is this: I have been wondering for a long time now what's wrong with the way my body "treats" food. I think I currently eat something like 3000 calories a day, and I do not gain weight, instead I have to make sure I don't lose any.. it never came to my mind, until I read it a week ago or so, that I might have caught a parasite (tapeworm or something). I will of course have a doctor run a test for this, but this just makes me wonder: is it possible that, instead of being absorbed regularly by my body, the parasite is actually eating up a substantial part of a drug I take (orally)? that would explain why I have to go to 600mg of venlafaxine to get a good effect. I mean the idea is crazy I know, but if it takes away some of the calories I eat, can't it also take away some of the drugs I take?
don't worry, I don't have this condition where one obsessively thinks to be parasite-infested. if they run a test and it's negative the thought will be off my mind, but until then.. hmm.. this both scares and disgusts me.. the problem is, I will probably very soon go into hospitalized treatment to start an MAOI, and I don't want to tell the doctors this idea right from the start, so that they don't think I'm psychotic, so I guess I'll sit around with this thought for another two weeks or so.. but whatever, I've had the calory problem for years now, two weeks more or less won't change anything. if I have a worm, it's probably already 5000km long *shudder*...
I guess this is a rather unusual question, but maybe someone happens to know something?
Posted by Phillipa on September 20, 2010, at 16:17:51
In reply to can parasites influence absorption of drugs?, posted by europerep on September 20, 2010, at 14:47:47
Well if dogs can get them a human also could. I think my pup once had one but tiny bits would come out in the stool which is how I found out. Have you considered thyroid? Seriously Phillipa
Posted by Phillipa on September 20, 2010, at 16:24:40
In reply to Re: can parasites influence absorption of drugs? » europerep, posted by Phillipa on September 20, 2010, at 16:17:51
Mayo clinic here you go. Phillipa
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tapeworm/DS00659/DSECTION=symptoms
Posted by emmanuel98 on September 20, 2010, at 20:00:22
In reply to can parasites influence absorption of drugs?, posted by europerep on September 20, 2010, at 14:47:47
I would tell the doctors in the hospital about this. There's nothing psychotic about having a legitimate worry over something. To lose weight when you eat so much is worrisome. Maybe you just have a super-high metabolism, but it's worth checking out. Doesn't sound crazy to me.
Posted by bleauberry on September 21, 2010, at 18:53:40
In reply to can parasites influence absorption of drugs?, posted by europerep on September 20, 2010, at 14:47:47
I feel that parasites, bacteria, and fungi take a heavy toll on calories. I have the same problem you do.
I believe it is the overactive immune system trying to meet the heavy load that burns all the calories. If the calories aint going to heart rate, high blood pressure, or normal body temperature, where are they going? I don't think the bugs are eating them up. I think the body is burning them up just trying to stay in the fight.
As for the high dose effexor, I don't know. Some people need extraordinary low doses and others very high doses.
Here's food for thought. If you have some infectious thing inside, they are making exretions and toxins as part of their daily living. Poop and pee basically. That stuff has an affinity for brain cells, thyroid cells, and adrenal cells. In the brain it contaminates dopamine and serotonin, and plugs up opioid receptors. Maybe the high dose of effexor is needed to build up enough clean serotonin versus contaminated. And since effexor has some unknown impact on opioid receptors, maybe it is somehow displacing toxins from those receptors.
Doctors tell me I should be happy I'm so skinny because everyone else has a problem of overweight....they would all love to be as skinny as you and me. Wrong. They wouldn't. Maybe they think it would be nice to lose all that weight, but no, they don't want to be this skinny. No one wants to force themselves to eat so much just to keep from losing weight.
My reply to the doctor is that he is wrong, something is amiss when someone is that skinny. I have low blood pressure. I am chilled often. Low to normal heart rate. Ok. Where are all the calories going? Well, one of two things. They are either not getting absorbed, or they are being chewed up by something. Either way points to the same conclusion....some pathogenic organism that is in overabundance. Could be parasites, worms, bacteria such as lyme, or fungal such as candida.
You want a complete thyroid panel...t3, t4, reverse t3, and cortisol. See what the energy glands are doing.
The tests are rather expensive, but you can get the liver tested to see how fast or slow it is working. If it is working real fast, that would explain the loss of calories and the need for a high dose.
This is the end of the thread.
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