How many of you have been hit with the beaver fever (giardia)?

[mountainhawks]

I spent a handful of days about 3 weeks ago on a steelhead trip in Idaho. The way we fish this particular area is wade fishing nymphs. Throughout the course of the trip iced up eyes on the rods were a problem about every 20-30 minutes and i became incredibly proficient at using my mouth to basically bite, lick, slobber, melt the ice off the eyes when it became impossible to cast (you're welcome for that visual). Throughout the course of the 4 days I probably ingested a fair amount of river water through this process. Fast forward to last week and I get hit with a wave of fatigue like I've never felt, accompanied by loss of appetite and a run in with the porcelain throne (not extensive but off and on for a couple days). I went to urgent care and had a full blood test along with a ct scan of my abdomen and both came back negative to anything other than slight dehydration. I'm going on a week and a half now and the trips to the bathroom have mostly returned to normal but the fatigue/nausea kind of comes and goes in waves and still struggling to eat, when I do it's followed by gurgling in my stomach and left side and some decent gas. I've also had off and on weak cramps along my left side of my abdomen the entire time. No fever at any time and no other symptoms but I'm beginning to think I may have ingested that lovely little parasite. I'm going to my primary care dr. on Thursday but was wondering if anyone else had any stories of the beaver fever (you can spare the fine details), I'm going crazy googling symptoms. Thanks!

 

[dirtclod Az.]

Sounds like you ingested a parasite,real common here due to cattle and horse feces in the water.
See doctor and get prescribed some anti-biotics.

 

[squirrel]

Its only fatal if your friends let you have a weapon.

 

[dcopas78]

I never contracted giardia, but I and a few other people that were working a pipeline job about 20 years ago contracted cryptosporidiosis from contaminated groundwater. It was totally unintentional, we worked in the water quite a bit because the GW level was high in the area the pipe was being put in. I suspect that in the course of getting the pipe connected, we inadvertently ingested some water. There were 3 of us that got it, all about the same symptoms. I lost 30 lbs in 7 days. Never been as sick in my life as I was that week. Antiparasitic drugs are the only thing that will work, and they have their own nasty side effects. Bad thing about crypto is once it is in your system, you'll probably carry the spores for the rest of your life, and they can cause flare ups. I've been fortunate that that hasn't occurred. Hopefully, it never does!

 

[NR_Hunter]

stay off google!!! You’re gut could be thrown off for a million reasons and I know it seems like a long time but a week and half isn’t that long. Your regular doc will likely order some tests, and have you crap into some test tubes and if those don’t tell you anything they’ll send you to a GI specialist. I’d be willing to bet your symptoms pass pretty soon on their own.

 

[el unit]

I've had beaver fever, but not the giardia kind. No details to share on here.
As far as avoiding giardiasis, hold your fly rod eyelets under water for a few seconds and let the non-frozen water thaw the ice.
Good luck!

 

[ntodwild]

I have had Giardia 2 days into a week long backpack. NO BUENO sir! As one poster mentioned "As long as my friend kept a gun away from me" it was just a matter of a very VERY uncomfortable hike out, Dr. visit and some really DARK moments over the course of a few weeks before I was anything back to normal. I have to admit I had some moments of "why am I alive". It's not fun!

Lets just say I am pretty diligent these days with where I filter water and the very stringent process of events when I do filter. The NW (Washington) is riddle with free range cattle, thousands of miles of well used trails and as inviting as water in the summer time or anytime for that matter can be I don't ever want to experience that again!

I can laugh about it now.............

 

[Pelican]

I got giardia about 10 years ago on a river trip. I had the same symptons as the OP, but they were not that severe. One test is all it took to diagnose it and some drugs took care of it. I think I got off easy compared to some.

 

[fishing4sanity]

I am sorry about your stomach problems, but if there's an update to this story please include more pics of the FISH. That's a great looking fish!

I picked up a parasite that had things flowing from both ends, sometimes simultaneously, terrible terrible experience. I had three different treatments before they got rid of the little buggers. I'd suggest getting your Dr. a sample and go from there. It might be something other than a parasite, but if it is, better to start treatment now.

 

[Gr8bawana]

I've been incredibly lucky over the years in that I have not gotten a bug. I've drank from a seep in the rocks in the Ruby's, water coming out of a rock outcropping in the Schell creek range, a pipe feeding a stock tank in the desert while dove hunting, water from a creek in the Jarbidge wilderness and most dangerous was water from a faucet in Mexico about 40 years ago, maybe it wasn't so bad back then.

 

[elkduds]

Food from beach vendor in Mexico, back in the day... no bueno for 1 month, amigos.

 

[rmyoung1]

I had giardia back when I was in college. A trip in the Beartooths and a long drink from a cool stream quenched my thirst... then two weeks passed and it got really ugly. Not fun. Your symptoms sound familiar. I actually tolerated it for three months. Do NOT do that. Each episode gets progressively worse. Your doc can get you on some Flagyl, and you'll be good as new in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, stay away from foods high in lactose. I still get cold chills whenever I see a plate of pasta with alfredo sauce. Those suicidal thoughts on the throne are for real.

 

[mountainhawks]

Thanks for the replies, hopefully I can get it taken care of sooner rather than later from the sounds of how it progresses. And the dipping trip wasn’t working, the air was so cold that within seconds of lifting out of the river my rod was locked up again .

 

[rtraverdavis]

I’ve never had giardia, but those are a couple of really nice steelhead.

 

[Mountainguide]

Yep, get a prescription for flagyl and you’ll be fixed up

 

[LopeHunter]

Twice. First time was ignorance thinking mountain stream was a perfect place to drink up some cold water. Second time, no idea how but manifested after a hunting alpine country where crossed some streams. Maybe touching wet clothes to wring out stream water then touched face or my water bottle cap to unscrew. Nasty effects and cringe at the smells and how long took to feel was a normal day where could eat food and not immediately begin to plan how to remain very near a restroom.

 

[F250]

I have had giardia twice. Both times confirmed by testing. It an illness reportable to the CDC. Both times contracted in remote areas of Canada. I lost a lot of weight both times, and my guts would make enough loud gurgling noise to keep my wife awake ! Keep some good magazines by the throne for a while !!

 

[hank4elk]

I have had a mild dose while my ex-sigO got it bad once & not the same incident. 90's. Talking to health officials back then was told it is basicly rampant thru restaurants too....but who knows.
Source could not be identified. Had our well, spring home source tested & the cabin water system from springs. Nada.
I have only drank filtered water outside of my home since,unless I know the source. Never drink from springs any more after growing up drinking water from any source.

 

[LuketheDog]

I had giardiasis once, it's one heck of a diet...whether you need to lose a few pound or not...

 

[mtguy]

Hell - i've had beaver fever since i was about 13 years old. Only cure i know is old age and the occasional penicillin shot