Giardia scientifically known as Giardia lamblia is a stomach/ intestinal parasite. The only way I've really heard of it is because lately a close family member has become infected by this terrible parasite and it turns out he has had it for 2 years! But only lately has it come to the point where he could not stand up because of the pain so he went to the doctor. He has been to the doctor before but the doctor prescribed medicine for excess acid in his stomach not really knowing what the pain was from.
It numbed the pain for a while but for a price of $300 a month. He tried a cheaper medicine it worked pretty dang good for a while but then I guess the parasite built up immunity to the medicine. And no wonder the medicine stopped working it wasn't even meant to stop the parasite. It came to the point where he would sleep half an hour a night if he was lucky. So finally after enduring about 2 weeks of that plus diarrhea, extreme stomach pains, and vomiting he decided that it probably wasn't an acid problem. He went to the hospital where they did a couple test on his waste (Haha) and it turned out it was Giardia. The doctor was surprised when he saw it because that was the 5th case that year and he usually only sees 2. So the doc prescribed “aluminum pills”.
They're called that because of the foul aluminum foil after taste left in the patient's mouth when they are done eating. So he had to take them twice a day for a week and a half the meds worked like magic and by the end of the 5th day he felt better then he had in 2 years. so he finished the prescription and felt like a new man. But only 2 days into his new life it came back he went to the doctor (again) and sadly it turns out that about half the people don't get it cleared out of their system on the first round of medication so now he's on his second prescription.
For any one who's wondering the most common symptoms of Giardia are diarrhea, malaise, excessive gas, bloating, nausea, diminished interest in food, possible (but rare) but still the man who I'm referring to had les interest in food violent vomiting, and weight loss, which he also had.
This is my first published article so please tell me how I'm doing.
