Parasites

Moto · Since 03 Sep 2006 2698 Posts Still a gojo pimp! Moto Mouth

So a friend and me took off of work today (Friday) to go kiting. However, he woke up and was very sick. He found out that he has a parasite. The Doctor said that as of right now there is no way to tell where he got it from - but when he mentioned he spends a lot of time in the Columbia the doctor said that it could have came from there.

So have any of you gotten parasites or sick from the Columbia? Just curious.

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

Don't know about parasites but did feel pretty sick to my stomach one day after I was out at the sandbar. I figured it was probably from the columbia.

wylieflyote · Fri Jun 15, 07 9:04 am

Funny you should ask this question just now. After almost 2 decades coming to the Gorge, I come home with a "Gorge Hack" cough 2 weeks ago for the first time. I've heard of it many times from friends, but this is my first. Annoying cough that last maybe a week. Must have been that hour long self rescue from Wells to Spit.
Sounds like what you are referring to is Giardia lamblia AKA, Beaver Fever?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giardia
I am NOT a doctor, I just had this once after swimming with the sea lions in La Paz, MX. Heinous cramps, diarrhea.

tinyE · Since 21 Jan 2006 2004 Posts not really an XTreme Poster

tha answer is easy.... if you don't want to get sick in the columbia, go play in the willamette for a year.... then you will have built up an immunity for the relative cleanliness of the columbia. Twisted Evil

forrest · Fri Jun 15, 07 9:24 am

I used to just drink the water when I got thirsty. I don't do this anymore, but I never got sick.

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

Sasquatch · Since 09 Mar 2005 2103 Posts PNW Bigfoot

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

What can you do to get better? Just wait it out?

Mark · Fri Jun 15, 07 10:25 am

Could be worse....

I smuggled a bot fly back from the jungles of Gautamala in my leg. Shocked

http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/botfly.html

hedquista · Since 13 Apr 2007 72 Posts Salt lake city

giardia is a nasty thing. it can stay in your body anywhere from a few weeks to up to a year. along wiht the aid of a doctors help you can get it out of your body but just try not to drink the water. to be gross you get the bugs from contact with your mucus membranes ie. your mouth nose ears and your eyes. but the rivers are all dirty and you have a good chance of picking it up anywhere.
so get a better immune system and that should fix all your problems.

Garret · Since 07 Sep 2006 254 Posts Portland Obsessed

Here is the official report-- so drink up Very Happy

and what is a little Giardia amongst friends

Although concentrations of arsenic, chromium, copper, and lead were not present at levels of concern with regards to aquatic-life toxicity, sublethal effects and signs of endocrine disruption have been linked to low levels of these compounds. While chromium was only detected in the Willamette River, arsenic was found at higher concentrations in the Columbia River than in the Willamette River. The median copper concentration from each of the three monthly sampling sites was 1.0 microgram per liter, a level shown to have inhibitory effects on juvenile coho salmon

Of the 173 pesticides and degradation products analyzed, 29 were detected at least once, oftentimes with 2 or more compounds occurring in a sample together. Fourteen compounds were detected in the Columbia River, 25 in the Willamette River.

mschulz · Since 29 May 2007 530 Posts Reno, NV Addicted

Garret - You just made an excellent point on why we should all contribute to Kite for Cancer.

Moto · Since 03 Sep 2006 2698 Posts Still a gojo pimp! Moto Mouth