Scared of Brain Eating Amoeba

[golddustgirl1000]

So...I do my neti pot a lot, like all the time and I'm very aware of the risks of using normal water, I use distilled religiously, and don't let my neti pot get anywhere near tap water...

Anyway, I went paddleboarding this past week, and took off in an area with kinda murky/icky smelling water. Mind you.. I'm in southern california in the Pacific Ocean, cold, salt water... never fell in, but was at the end of a canal...but on the way back home I realized I put my finger slightly into one nostril, and didn't wash my hands before...

Do I need to be worried about the same type of brain-eating amoeba, or other bacteria getting up my nose and into my brain blood-stream.. or is this completely irrational?

[NervUs]

The amoeba doesn't live in the ocean.

[golddustgirl1000]

Even in canals near the ocean?

[golddustgirl1000]

Any other input? Yesterday out of nowehere I got super fatigued, had a headache and felt like 1 million lbs.. today I woke up and feel just as tired as when I went to bed...

[Fishmanpa]

With respect... No... just no. You literally stand a better chance of hitting the lottery than getting this. I don't know what else anyone can say because your scenario is pure fiction.

Positive thoughts

[paranoid-viking]

There are no such things as "brain eating amobas". Come on. Or maybe; I think I heard of some that a few people, maybe 5 worldvide become victim of. Sound like something from a horror movie if you ask me and not reality.

[au Lait]

Don’t worry, you’re safe. There is no possible way that you contracted an amoeba from the scenario you described. It’s extremely rare, only survives in fresh water (couldn’t survive in canals near the ocean - too salty) and you would need to submerge your nose completely under water.

It’s just anxiety telling you the impossible is possible.

[Fishmanpa]

It’s just anxiety telling you the impossible is possible.

That should be anxiety's slogan!

Anxiety - Making the impossible possible to millions! :winks:

Positive thoughts

[golddustgirl1000]

Uhh, so I'm back again... just this past week I started developing vertigo and a ton of neck pain... Last night, I came down with nausea/vomiting/body ache/fever/headache... I did my neti pot 4 days ago.. and now am worried that I used the wrong water, or the water was contaminated....

I know.. I know.. I religiously clean the thing and only use distilled water.. but since having vertigo.. I've been kinda out of it...

do you think I just happen to have the flu on top of vertigo? Trying not to worry, but I've looked up the symptoms ( i know big mistake... ) and now I can't get it out of my head!

[au Lait]

You’re fine. You’re just having another anxiety spike. Remember how nothing bad was actually happening to you the last time you felt like this? This is the same thing. You thought for sure that you had a brain eating amoeba and it turned out you were fine. Take that past experience and use it to your advantage. Remind yourself of all the time you’ve spent worrying about things that never came to be. This is that same state of worrying over things that will not happen. This is how anxiety tricks you. But you don’t have to let it. Every anxiety spiral is a new opportunity to break the cycle.

[golddustgirl1000]

Yeah... except this time I’m like.. sick sick- 101 temp everything :/ thanks for your encouragement

[Annaboodle]

You have the flu from what you've described.

[Carys]

Hiyer, has the US media been reporting on a 'brain eating amoeba' as you aren't the first to mention a fear of it.

A temperature of 101 is a very mild temperature (I have to think now as I'm used to working in Celsius) or for some people hardly a temperature at all depending on their usual body core readings. My body temperature rests high and this wouldn't be a temperature for me. 104 F-107 F is the time to start treating as a high grade fever and if you get to the higher end, then call for a doctor's advice. A mild temperature is your body doing what it should, fighting a low grade minor infection or virus. Take some paracetamol and monitor your symptoms, but it sounds to me like a cold coming.

I'm sorry, I have no idea what a neti pot is ? The 'brain eating amoeba' isn't possible ok, so treat as possible flu.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I'm sorry, I have no idea what a neti pot is ?

I only know this one because swgrl mentioned it ages ago. It's like a little teapot that you use to tip up one nostril and out of the other. I thought it was just used with saline though?

Supposed to be good for clearing stuff out. I remember thinking it sounded like something the CIA would carry around for portable interrogations...that and a plank of wood anyway! :ohmy:

[au Lait]

Yeah... except this time I’m like.. sick sick- 101 temp everything :/ thanks for your encouragement

I’m sorry you’re not feeling well. I didn’t mean to ignore your physical symptoms in my last post. But it does seem like these symptoms are triggering HA, which was what I was focusing on. As others have stated it sounds like a cold/flu. Dizziness can definitely occur during the flu. It’s certainly not a brain eating amoeba. Take care, get rest and drink plenty of liquids.