Do I have brain eating amoeba?

Posted by mercedes713 @mercedes713, 4 days ago

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?

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@sueinmn

@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?

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3 days ago.

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In reply to @mercedes713 "3 days ago." + (show)
@mercedes713

3 days ago.

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How are you doing today? Where in Minnesota do you live?

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@sueinmn

How are you doing today? Where in Minnesota do you live?

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I live in Rice County, I feel relatively the same, besides some congestion and a sore throat.

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@mercedes713

I live in Rice County, I feel relatively the same, besides some congestion and a sore throat.

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Chances are excellent that no dangerous amoeba have ever been in your municipal water supply as chlorine kills it. The last reported infection in minnesota was 10 years ago, and occurred from swimming in a lake.

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Thank you so much, you have helped me feel much less anxious.

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@sueinmn

@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?

Jump to this post

@sueinmn is tap water safe to use in the neti pot, or is boiled water essential? I live in Canada.

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