Ants crawling out of a body

[cuas]

Weird but true.
My mother is 75 and she is at this moment in SD. She lives in Aruba with one of my sisters. She told my sister that ants are coming out of her body. My daughter did not want to tell her that it was impossible but did nothing about it. One day she called my sister and told her to wait because she felt that one was coming out. Indeed one came out. My sister told her if I do not see it i do not believe it, but my sister believe in brujeria.
Now that they are in SD they told my other sisters. Did not believe it but it happened again, This time the ant did not come out but they saw the ant's head and went back inside. When my other sisters return to NY and told me the story I called my mother because I need to know what is going on. My mother told me that she feels the ant making it's way out and when it comes out she kills it. She has little holes in all her body where ants came out.
I have slept in the room where my mother sleeps in Aruba and I have seen ants making their way in and when questioned she told they are the same ants.
My mother is not diabetic but has no feelings in her feet and lower legs and wounds are hard to heal. Also she takes sleeping pills. My conclusion is while she was deep sleeping, ants crawled inside her.

My question is can she be taken to a general doctor or is there a specific doctor that can give her some medication to kill the ants that are still inside her.
Please I need help. Any information where to go what to do before she leaves SD on the 4th.

 

[amparocorp]

take her to a doctor, any doctor, now. better yet go to the emergency room at the hospital now! today!

 

[Lambada]

cuas, how very distressing & totally believable. This isn't brujeria - I've seen bodily maggot infestations in parts of Africa. From the description it could be myiasis, lice, botfly, fleas, bedbugs or maybe even a form of scabies so clearly diagnosis is needed by a doctor. Many of the parasitic insects are microscopic (very small) - obviously not the case where your mother is concerned.

I'll give you some reading material/pics to help narrow it down: it might be better if your sister went forearmed with some possible ideas when taking your mother to the doctor.
Exotic Myiasis

Principles of Pediatric Dermatology - Chapter12 : PARASITIC SKIN INFESTATIONS SKIN MANIFISTATIONS DUE TO PROTOZOA

Human Botfly Infestation Story, which happened in Costa Rica.

Some photos
Insect Photos

I'm NOT recommending this, but in Africa (miles from any medical facilities) we made the maggots come to the surface of the skin by cutting off their air supply - heavy grease (Land Rover lubricant was all we had!). But if your mother's body has a lot of holes then the maggots will still get their air, so she MUST consult a medic.

 

[robbie]

How interesting Lambada that you mention how they got the maggots out in Africa.
When we were in the DR 2 weeks ago we were watching a show on tv where a fellow in Africa had 19 in his body. They did exactly that, cut off their air supply until they came up just under the skin then popped them out.
The fellow was in so much pain.
Cuas, anything can happen, I'd get your mother to a doctor asap as the others suggested. Good luck and good health.

 

[Lambada]

How interesting Lambada that you mention how they got the maggots out in Africa.

It was how I did it, actually, :ermm: totally unqualified but in the Sahara & two days drive from the nearest folklore doctor & four days away from a medical facility so...........when people saw our white Land Rovers they always thought we were UNESCO or somesuch & would come for help and what can you do? You can't say no. Getting the things out has to be done very carefully because they have hooks & will cling on (like tics do). That is what causes the pain. So after the WD40 got them to the surface, I would douse with alcohol (we always had plenty of that!) to relax them so they didn't cling. Tweezer them out without breaking, then pop them in a lidded jar and when we'd got all that we could see, douse them in petrol and have a sort of ceremonial cremation. Always went down well with the locals.

I'm presuming cuas that if your mother has diabetic neuropathy (no feeling in legs & feet) then maybe she isn't in as much pain as she could be? This doesn't lessen the fact that you don't want to leave the hook parts behind when extracting the maggots. And if a doctor does some extraction, unless they're an experienced maggot remover, it might be an idea to have someone else watching.

Something else for you to read here:
MYIASIS

Scroll down to Management & Therapy which gives you an idea about treatment options (medical ones as opposed to what I did!).

 

[cuas]

Thank you for all the information. Tomorrow morning my sister will take her to see a doctor. I emailed my sister some of the information posted so she can tell the doctor. I hope they will believe her. My mother has stayed in 3 places, DR, Aruba and NY. I do not want her to go back to Aruba with the same problem. At least in DR if you pay you can have any test done and cheaper. It seems that she has to see a dermatologist.
Thanks again.

 

[Lambada]

It seems that she has to see a dermatologist.

Maybe a medical entomologist would be a better bet? This isn't exactly a skin disorder. Anyway I'm sure the dermatologist would be able to refer on. And I'd be really grateful if your sister keeps you updated, to learn how this problem is dealt with now in the DR. There has to be a better way than the folk remedies I used 40 years ago...........:ermm:

So if you get time, cuas, please come back & tell us.

 

[cuas]

morgellons

Before my mother returned to Aruba she went to see 3 doctors in SD. All 3 said the same thing, ants cannot live under the skin, but tonight I saw a report on Morgellons on Univision. It seems there is no cure but at least we know the name of her condition. Before she only felt when the ants were crawling out of her arms and legs but at this moment she feels the ants crawling under her skin and coming out her head and face and now she is slapping herself. That is how desesperate she is. My sister-in law belief in brujeria and went last week to SD to visit her family and consulted a bruja. She asked my mother to take a bath with a mix of ammonia. My mother said a lot came out (Maybe the insects did not like the ammonia).
She does not want to tell her doctor because like everybody he will think she is crazy.

 

[Lambada]

She does not want to tell her doctor because like everybody he will think she is crazy.

How sad. If these insects have been seen by others then this can't be delusional parasitosis. Have a look at this site
The following case definition has been developed by the Medical Advisory Board of the Morgellons Research Foundation

Morgellons

 

[cuas]

Sorry to bring back my mother's problem. She is back in DR (SD) with the same problem. Let me correct, it is worst. She went to a doctor in SD but nobody wants to pay attention to this problem. My sister took her today to see Dr. Bob in Sosua. Rocky gave me his phone number (thank you). I called Dr. Bob on Tuesday. He told me to bring my mother on Thursday, to be there by 12 to get a ticket. My sister and mother are on their way back to SD. She was seen by a Haitian doctor. Good doctor but does not believe it neither.

My mother will be in SD for 30 days. Can some one recommend me a doctor that is curious enough to examine my mother and at least check her skin and order some tests that can show anormality under her skin.
I know there is no cure but at least the diagnostic and some medications for parasites to control the infestation.
Thank you.

 

[jrhartley]

are you sure its not just the little sugar ants that are crawling on her if she is not very mobile - I can occassionally feel them if i sit at the computer for too long on a humid day

 

[A.Hidalgo]

Credit- Luis Bunuel's "Un chien andalou"

 

[xtoclark]

Before my mother returned to Aruba she went to see 3 doctors in SD. All 3 said the same thing, ants cannot live under the skin, but tonight I saw a report on Morgellons on Univision. It seems there is no cure but at least we know the name of her condition. Before she only felt when the ants were crawling out of her arms and legs but at this moment she feels the ants crawling under her skin and coming out her head and face and now she is slapping herself. That is how desesperate she is. My sister-in law belief in brujeria and went last week to SD to visit her family and consulted a bruja. She asked my mother to take a bath with a mix of ammonia. My mother said a lot came out (Maybe the insects did not like the ammonia).
She does not want to tell her doctor because like everybody he will think she is crazy.

I'm inferring from this post and a few others that there have been actual things seen crawling in and out of her body?

You said she took a bath in ammonia and a lot came out...

If the doctors don't believe you why not collect evidence? I know that when a family member got lice in Thailand we put a few in a bag to show to the doctor. Not only to bypass the language barrier (which I am assuming you don't have here) but also for examination.

Microscopes are common and I assume that this would be the first lab test you would want to run before you start taking chunks off your mother, or how ever they test for it.

It's pretty hard to say "imposible" when you have the little crawlers in a zip-lock ready for their close up.

Just my thoughts, keep us updated on what it is never heard of this one before.

 

[Lambada]

cuas, maybe your sister could contact UASD for a medical entomologist?

 

[cuas]

are you sure its not just the little sugar ants that are crawling on her if she is not very mobile - I can occassionally feel them if i sit at the computer for too long on a humid day

We wish it will be sugar ants. My mother lives with one of my sisters in Aruba and she will not sit still for a moment. She is after her chickens and plants. My sister hired a maid to take my mother out of the kitchen. She can feel when they are coming out. One day she asked my sister to look closely at a point of her arm and bingo an insect crawled out. My sister panicked and wanted to take her to the emergency room but my mother said "They will not believe me."

 

[cuas]

cuas, maybe your sister could contact UASD for a medical entomologist?

Thank you. I will ask my cousin a retired doctor who also do not believe to help me contact a medical entomologist.

 

[xtoclark]

Thank you. I will ask my cousin a retired doctor who also do not believe to help me contact a medical entomologist.

Just wondering if you have given any thought to getting some in a bag first and then going to a doctor?

If you get a chance to bag them could you take a picture of some and post it? I've always been interested in medicine and am really curious as to what it looks like.

Good luck to your mother, hope she finds the help she needs! I know how painful and tiring the process of finding the right doctor can be.

~xto