Scared from brain eating amoeba (N.Fowleri)

[MagpieWitch]

Hey guys. Yesterday I went in a huge anxiety-panic-depression episode because of N.Fowleri fear and I can't calm down from it. I don't want a whole entire week and more of me anxiously waiting for the brain eating amoeba to kill me and I know that us HA sufferers often have this one.

The deal is I was feeding my aquarium turtles (red eared sliders) and my mother usually does that but she wasn't around so I had to. Anyway they get really excited and they begin splashing and as I was giving them food they splashed some of their aquarium water in my face.

And that's when panic set in and I went into a bad panic episode because I thought that some of the water went in my nose. I didn't feel a drop on my nose but I did feel on my cheeks and forehead. I went and washed my face and my hands, then cleaned my nose. But I can't calm down, I've had this scare out of various reasons for few years now and all of the articles I read began coming back to me.

My irrational side of my head is saying that a small drop with some amoebas was shot up at my nose since the aquarium is below my head level and I just didn't feel the droplet going up my nose and the amoeba will travel up and eventually into my brain or will settle and wait in my nose to get pushed up into the brain someday. This is fueled by the fact that on WebMD it says it can be found in aquariums too.

My rational side says that aquariums can also mean big aquariums like the ones in zoos and such, where there is a lot of vegetation and not aquariums with plastic plants like mine. Also we cleaned out the water and replaced it with fresh tap (highly chlorinated water, my city is known for having a very clean source of water) only a week ago and my dad says a particle cannot shoot up my nose like that, gravity doesn't work that way.

I also recall someone once telling me in order to get the infection water has to be forced up into the nose so that the amoebas can attack at the roof of the nose where the nerve endings are, but I just really get creeped out thinking an amoeba will travel up my nose slowly until it reaches my brain and kills me.

Worst of all I woke up really nauseated this morning and I now think this is the start of the end and just keep crying and thinking how I will die infamously from feeding my turtles. Anxiety is horrible and I just can't wait for my therapist to be back from vacation. I am writing here because from where I am standing it seems like the end is here but I know with anxiety that someone else from aside can be a better judge on whats real and whats not.

[Fishmanpa]

You've chosen what I call the big three when it comes to HA fears... Rabies, MS/ALS and now the brain eating amoeba. All of which are some of the most incredibly rare deadly diseases known to human kind and none of which you have.

It really would be in your best interest to speak with your doctor about your anxiety and get some professional help. The forum is great in that you're not alone with your struggles but it's not a replacement for real life help.

Positive thoughts

[MagpieWitch]

Thank you for this reply. Its just that my parents will be out of town for two weeks and I am 21 so an adult but I am scared this amoeba thing will go down while they aren't around and I will die alone it's just a huge fear.

[ServerError]

To get this terrible infection, you need to go sploshing about in stagnant, warm water, and have some of that water get way way up into your nose, right to the back. And even then, you probably won't get it unless you're really unlucky.

There's just no way you have this and you shouldn't waste any more time worrying about this impossible turn of events.

If you have a fear of being alone, alongside other anxiety issues, you should work on getting this professionally treated.

[MagpieWitch]

Guys I am still on about this, I am on day 4 since contact. I have some pain around my nose and eyes and feel nauseous at moments.

Will symptoms of this disease be sudden and severe and should I worry about the above??

[ServerError]

Again...


To get this terrible infection, you need to go sploshing about in stagnant, warm water, and have some of that water get way way up into your nose, right to the back. And even then, you probably won't get it unless you're really unlucky.

There's just no way you have this and you shouldn't waste any more time worrying about this impossible turn of events.

If you have a fear of being alone, alongside other anxiety issues, you should work on getting this professionally treated.

[Fishmanpa]

If you're still on about that, then that's on you. You're talking about something that affects less than a dozen people worldwide per year. That's less than 12 cases in almost 7.5 BILLION people!

Good luck and as always...

Positive thoughts

[ServerError]

There are actually 7 billion people in the world, so the odds are even more remote!

[Fishmanpa]

There are actually 7 billion people in the world, so the odds are even more remote!

Right! :wacko: typo... fixed it! ;)

Positive thoughts and impossibilities...

[ScaredLizard]

This is one of those times probability vs possibilities would come in hand. ANYTHING is possible BUT what is probable? That you have brain eating amoeba from your turtles who are in a contained environment? Or that it's anxiety?

[MagpieWitch]

Hey guys. I wrote another thread here a week ago about a fear from a brain eating amoeba cause I got some of my aquarium water splashed in my face (I felt few drops on my cheek)

Today is day 7 since and I know that's how long it takes to develop and I am having a headache so I am suddenly very scared for my life.

I should note that I've had a similar headache for few days now, like a pressure on my nose and above my eyes and three days ago I had a horrible eye pain when I moved my eyes. Now when I bemd down I have a thobing pain in my temples and otherwise a pain thats either in the back of my head, my jaw and sides like someone is crushing my skull together and sometimes in my nose and forehead.

I can't say if I feel smell because my sense of smell has always been a little ****ed up, sometimes I smell things that arent there. I did feel the smell of cigarettes and nail polish today tho. And so far I don't have nausea, vomitting or fever.

I also haven't properly eaten for over two weeks like I am talking less than one meal a day so I don't know what to make of this. I am alone in this city and I don't want to infamously end because my aquarium turtles splashed water on my face.

[ServerError]

I explained to you in your other thread what it takes to get this illness. And even then, you have to be really, really unlucky.

Do your turtles live in a swamp or stagnant pool of some kind? Did you wade in and start splashing about with them? Did you get water get up your nose, all the way to the back? If you did, you just might be one of the handful of unlucky people who get this terrible illness.

But I'd put you in the 99.999999999999999999999999999% of people who get splashed by water and don't come to any harm.

[SeagullTerror]

Dude, you don't have brain eating amoeba, people get headaches. Especially with anxiety and stress, as the fellow above me said you have to be the literal unlukiest man in the world. I have HA worse than yours, ik what you're going through. Just calm down, it's probably really just a headache.

Godbless

~Key

Sent from my HTC Desire 510 using Tapatalk

[Fishmanpa]

If I break down your post, it's a totally irrational fear...


Hey guys. I wrote another thread here a week ago about a fear from a brain eating amoeba cause I got some of my aquarium water splashed in my face (I felt few drops on my cheek)

Today is day 7 since and I know that's how long it takes to develop and I am having a headache so I am suddenly very scared for my life.

Followed by rational thoughts and reasons. A 3 to 1 ratio at that! I think you need to read your own post!


I should note that I've had a similar headache for few days now, like a pressure on my nose and above my eyes and three days ago I had a horrible eye pain when I moved my eyes. Now when I bemd down I have a thobing pain in my temples and otherwise a pain thats either in the back of my head, my jaw and sides like someone is crushing my skull together and sometimes in my nose and forehead.

I can't say if I feel smell because my sense of smell has always been a little ****ed up, sometimes I smell things that arent there. I did feel the smell of cigarettes and nail polish today tho. And so far I don't have nausea, vomitting or fever.

I also haven't properly eaten for over two weeks like I am talking less than one meal a day so I don't know what to make of this. I am alone in this city and I don't want to infamously end because my aquarium turtles splashed water on my face.

Those things would make anyone feel off... Yeah... read what you wrote, 1000X if necessary. Your (self) reassurance is right there written by you! :)

Positive thoughts

[HappyBread]

If it bothers you that much- Have you ever considered seeing a doctor..? I mean if you go to one, you'd know for sure if there's anything wrong with you.

Go for a check up and confirm it straight away in a day instead of worrying for weeks / months. If you're not willing to spend the money to go for a check up then hey, your life doesn't seem to mean much to you then why worry so much about it- y'know what I'm saying?

Go see a doctor and POOF! Problems will disappear :)

I agree with the others here, it's likely nothing as I've never heard about people getting sick from getting splashed with turtle water. My dad used to care for them, handles them all the time, had no such issue.

My friends family does that as well and had no issue. You're likely fine and just paranoid due to something that perhaps you read?

Either way don't worry about it eh? You should be healthy but just overthinking it.

If you truly are worried, again, check up will be a quick remedy for ya ;)

[Fishmanpa]

If it bothers you that much- Have you ever considered seeing a doctor..? I mean if you go to one, you'd know for sure if there's anything wrong with you.

Go for a check up and confirm it straight away in a day instead of worrying for weeks / months. If you're not willing to spend the money to go for a check up then hey, your life doesn't seem to mean much to you then why worry so much about it- y'know what I'm saying?

Go see a doctor and POOF! Problems will disappear :)

With respect, paid reassurance lasts until the worry returns or moves onto something else. Besides, they would laugh at this one (professionally of course ;) ). Eating less than one meal a day in addition to probably being dehydrated combined with anxiety would give anyone a headache!

Positive thoughts

[AntsyVee]

If it bothers you that much- Have you ever considered seeing a doctor..? I mean if you go to one, you'd know for sure if there's anything wrong with you.

Go for a check up and confirm it straight away in a day instead of worrying for weeks / months. If you're not willing to spend the money to go for a check up then hey, your life doesn't seem to mean much to you then why worry so much about it- y'know what I'm saying?

Go see a doctor and POOF! Problems will disappear :)

I agree with the others here, it's likely nothing as I've never heard about people getting sick from getting splashed with turtle water. My dad used to care for them, handles them all the time, had no such issue.

My friends family does that as well and had no issue. You're likely fine and just paranoid due to something that perhaps you read?

Either way don't worry about it eh? You should be healthy but just overthinking it.

If you truly are worried, again, check up will be a quick remedy for ya ;)

I think Magpie's dad is a doctor. I wonder what he thinks about all of this?

[MagpieWitch]

Yeah my dad is a doctor and he has been dealing with my anxiety for five years now so he doesn't take me seriously.
Also there is technically no way to know if you have the brain eating amoeba so there is that.
My dad however said that if I do develop the meningitis from the amoeba, he will be the first one to know.

[AntsyVee]

Yeah my dad is a doctor and he has been dealing with my anxiety for five years now so he doesn't take me seriously.
Also there is technically no way to know if you have the brain eating amoeba so there is that.
My dad however said that if I do develop the meningitis from the amoeba, he will be the first one to know.

You just answered your own concerns.

[MagpieWitch]

I don't know how any of the people that replied to this thread have the patience to deal with any of this.
But if I don't die from the amoeba and if we lived somehow close I would have bought all of you a drink for putting up with this.

[AntsyVee]

Save the drinks for us and get yourself some therapy ;) trust me, it'll do more good in the long term

[ServerError]

I wouldn't say no to a trip to Macedonia!