Thousands across the US have caught the “explosive diarrhea” parasite this summer. Folks who have caught the bug are sharing what it’s actually like, from feeling nauseous for weeks on end before “living” on the toilet, expelling “pure water” nonstop.
“It’s bad. Literally just pure water coming out of you,” user Brixie02 wrote on a New Jersey Reddit forum. “Not like regular diarrhea. You feel super weak.”
As of Monday, 4,173 people across the US have gotten cyclosporiasis, and it’s sent 308 people to the hospital. At least 41 states are reporting cases of the food poisoning parasite.
Some people have dealt with it for over a month. User LeadingCommon2239 said theirs has lasted that long. Now they’re on antibiotics, which helped, but they could tell it’s far from over.
“The cramps are still there and the gas IS INSANE,” they wrote. “I feel so uneasy every day. Like gas gets trapped in places I’ve never had issues before and it is scary because it is painful.”
User m_alice88’s husband had a similar experience with diarrhea in “bouts” over many days.
“It’s not always severe and ‘explosive,’” they said. “For him, the diarrhea was on and off but for like 10+ days in a row, plus bloat, weight loss, etc. and when he did have a bout, it was very watery.”
Labretrievermom says they had two weeks of diarrhea before people at work started testing positive for it. The user says they went on antibiotics after testing positive for cyclospora and two strains of E. coli.
The CDC says cases are only expected to rise.
That’s because cyclospora can incubate in a person for weeks before they start showing symptoms and seek help. But also because even at the doctor’s office, it’s hard to diagnose. Routine stool tests miss the parasite.
Questions — and diarrhea — linger as med bills skyrocket
Anonniemuss has dealt with cyclospora coming and going three times over the last month.
Their first wave landed them in the ER with an $850 copay, they said. “It was the worst stomach cramps I had ever experienced in my life, [I was] vomiting even water, and had lost 10 pounds.”
The illness cleared up, came back, and repeated the cycle once more. They said they’ve lost a total of 20 pounds this month, and now their 4-year-old just started having diarrhea.
Cyclospora requires a specific stool test to find it, which anonniemuss said wasn’t administered the first time, and they weren’t tested at all the second time. It was only the third time, when they requested the test, were their suspicions confirmed.
Folks like Busy-Literature-6737 suspect cyclosporiasis but remain in the dark as their diarrhea lingers without an official diagnosis, which can be expensive.
“I had explosive diarrhea, fatigue, lots of gas, cramping before needing to go and some faint lingering aches, feeling like I didn’t empty enough, it wasn’t watery but it was like mush,” they said. “It seemed to get better and then it came back. I’ve been having half solid half diarrhea now. I’ve been considering getting tested but I’m trying to save money.”
M_alice88 says their insurance won’t cover the test, which for them costs over $300. “Cases are for sure very underreported because of this. It’s maddening. I’m looking into how to report it officially now because this is insane.”
Other users are flocking to forums to get unofficial opinions about whether their symptoms look more like cyclosporiasis or norovirus or something else.
What to do if you think you have cyclosporiasis
Multiple users are reporting warning signs before the cyclospora diarrhea unleashes. Ka_benne says they had a couple of nights of sweating before diarrhea came a week later. LeadingCommon2239 says nausea came on out of nowhere and lasted for weeks before the diarrhea started.
If you think you have the disease, go to the doctor and ask for a special stool test. It’s possible that there aren’t many oocysts (the parasite’s eggs) in one sample but may be plentiful in another day’s stool — which means coming in over several days to do stool testing.
Once diagnosed, doctors will give you an antibiotics like Bactrim to kill cyclospora in the body. You may also get antidiarrheal meds or IV fluids to prevent dehydration.
Without treatment, symptoms can last a month or longer and it’s possible it will go away on its own. But not seeking treatment puts you at risk of dangerous complications like severe dehydration, which can lead to organ failure.
Cases continue climbing following a massive recall of iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico, which distributes to major food companies like Whole Foods, Sysco, and Taco Bell.
Now, parsley and cilantro may also be fueling the spread.
To stay safe, don’t buy pre-cut salad kits or veg, strip outer leaves of leady greens, wash things thoroughly with scrubbing, and cook whenever you can rather than eat veg raw.
