Do I have brain eating amoeba?
I recently have been suffering from sinusitis and severe allergies (in Minnesota). I decided to use a neti pot to help with my symptoms. I bought one from Walgreens and it came with saline salt solution packets. Unfortunately I forgot to boil the water and so I ended up using tap water with saline salt in it. I did this twice, two days in a row. I know that it is super rare, but I am starting to get really worried about the brain eating amoebas that can affect you from using tap water in a neti pot. I have had a few panic attacks about this and I have talked to a couple nurses and poison control twice. They all said that I will most likely be okay. I have had some headaches and dizziness since then as well as minor ear aches, but I am not sure if that is because of anxiety or not. I also suffer from chostocondritis, which makes it difficult for me to breathe and it gives me chest and throat pain. I think I have mostly been scaring myself into feeling worse and panicking, so I am kind of just here for reassurance. I know this amoeba infection is even more rare than getting struck by lightning, and my city tap water is relatively clean, so I think it’s mostly my anxiety.
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@mercedes713 Please listen to the experts, it is EXTREMELY unlikely that you were infected by 2 uses of tap water, and now you have learned and will never do it again.
Symptoms that should concern you would be fever, nausea and vomiting, and a stiff neck. In that case, contact your doctor or go to urgent care right away.
How long ago did this happen?
3 days ago.
How are you doing today? Where in Minnesota do you live?