Watch out, your neti pot can kill you.

[Mergath]

Seriously.

 

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/16/two-dead-in-louisiana-after-unclean-water-used-in-neti-pots/?hpt=hp_t2

 

Apparently, water from the tap can carry Naegleria fowleri- that amoeba that swims around in warm lakes and killed a few people this summer- and if you get any in your neti pot, you're basically sending it on the expressway to your brain.

 

I would have a great deal more skepticism, but since two people actually died this way in Louisiana, it seems it is possible.

Edited December 18, 2011 by Mergath

[annandatje]

Thanks for the posting that. I've always just used tap water even though instructions recommend distilled water or boiled tap water.

[LaxMom]

"Deaths from Neti pots are even more rare..." :lol: yes, I'm sure they are.

 

So, is this well water or municipal water? Have there been any local stories specifying? Because you'd think the salt would kill a fresh water amoeba, right? So now I'm wondering what else they can withstand.

[Alte Veste Academy]

I read that a while back and while I am happy to have the information, I'm seriously bummed about it. I faithfully used my neti pot before and it improved my allergy symptoms tremendously. Since I've started using distilled, I have barely used it at all. I do not like using cold water and warming it is too much of a pain. :glare: Still, it's better than dying.

[Mergath]

"Deaths from Neti pots are even more rare..." :lol: yes, I'm sure they are.

 

So, is this well water or municipal water? Have there been any local stories specifying? Because you'd think the salt would kill a fresh water amoeba, right? So now I'm wondering what else they can withstand.

 

Yeah, that line made me :lol: too.

 

I'm not sure, there wasn't a ton of info in the article. I've never used one myself, though I have family that do, and I know there are people here that use them. If I do start using one, I'll probably go with distilled water just to be safe.

[LaxMom]

Transmission/Reservoir

*********** Naegleria fowleri have been isolated from soil, swimming pools, cooling towers, hospital hydrothermal pools, and sewage sludge (Visvesvara et al., 1990).* Most reported infections occur after swimming in warm bodies of water.* Introduction of trophozoites to the nasal passages of humans is the first step in Naegleria fowleri infection.* There are no animal reservoirs of N. fowleri.* The bodies of water and soil contaminated with N. fowleri may be considered physical reservoirs – as a free-living amoeba they can survive out of human hosts as long as the conditions remain favorable.***

:ack2: ok, so water treatment is not going to help. Boiling or nuking some distilled water til it's warm, then.

 

Source:

http://www.stanford.edu/group/parasites/ParaSites2010/Katherine_Fero/FeroNaegleriafowleri.htm

[angel marie]

you have to use distilled or sterile water in these devices. that goes along with cpap machines and all other things like this. it is important to read the instructions and follow through with them...;)

 

 

 

angel R.N.

[elegantlion]

Well, crud, I used tap water in mine, while in Louisiana. :glare:

 

 

I understand this statement, but I don't get it. So the carp (not the fish ;)) in tap water is okay to ingest in our bodies, just don't stick it up your nose?

 

And don't you just love the bolded statement "previously boiled". IOW don't stick boiling water up your nose.

 

"Tap water is safe for drinking, but not for irrigating your nose," said Dr. Raoult Ratard, Louisiana state epidemiologist in a statement. Ratard urged neti-pot users to fill the pots only with distilled, sterile, or previously boiled water, and to rinse and dry them after each use.

 

Ugh! I think I'll stick with Benadryl, the neti-pot always makes me feel like I'm drowning anyway.

[angel marie]

Well, crud, I used tap water in mine, while in Louisiana. :glare:

 

 

I understand this statement, but I don't get it. So the carp (not the fish ;)) in tap water is okay to ingest in our bodies, just don't stick it up your nose?

 

And don't you just love the bolded statement "previously boiled". IOW don't stick boiling water up your nose.

 

"Tap water is safe for drinking, but not for irrigating your nose," said Dr. Raoult Ratard, Louisiana state epidemiologist in a statement. Ratard urged neti-pot users to fill the pots only with distilled, sterile, or previously boiled water, and to rinse and dry them after each use.

 

Ugh! I think I'll stick with Benadryl, the neti-pot always makes me feel like I'm drowning anyway.

 

yes, it does sound kinda crazy, but what is happening is the the bad bug is getting put in a sterile space in your body--the sinus cavity goes straight up to your brain. digestive track is not sterile. :001_huh:

 

angel

[goldberry]

I thought it was kind of ridiculous the way the headlines read, as if the neti was causing the deaths. The real problem is the amoeba in the tap water, which itself is kind of disturbing, even if it is supposedly ok to drink.

[angel marie]

I thought it was kind of ridiculous the way the headlines read, as if the neti was causing the deaths. The real problem is the amoeba in the tap water, which itself is kind of disturbing, even if it is supposedly ok to drink.

 

yeah, i'm afraid the nette pot "itself" is in hot water with how media has portrayed it. i bet the company is scrambling.

[Mergath]

yeah, i'm afraid the nette pot "itself" is in hot water with how media has portrayed it. i bet the company is scrambling.

 

Yeah, there's just no good way to spin the fact that your product functions as a handy vehicle for brain-eating amoebas. It's too bad, because I know a lot of people who swear by them. My mom being one of them. She's not going to be happy when I tell her she has to start boiling her neti pot water.

[ereks mom]

Yep, we talked about this a few months ago after a Louisiana man died as a result of contracting a parasite by using his neti pot.

 

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/199837/20110818/brain-eating-amoeba-parasite-death-infection-freshwater-amber-strickland-courteny-nash-victims.htm

[Mrs Mungo]

I love my neti pot. The directions do say to use sterile water.

[LaxMom]

Yeah, there's just no good way to spin the fact that your product functions as a handy vehicle for brain-eating amoebas...

 

Well, no, there's just no good way at all. But neti pot killings ARE rare. Maybe we could make that the primary message and get the "low hum voice guy" who tells all about the various ways the drug in the commercial might kill you to talk about the brain eating amoebas. He makes liver failure seem fairly jolly...

 

Brain eating amoebas. Not. Cool.

[Myeightkiddies]

We had a family meeting about this since we have lots of lakes, rivers, etc. here in Florida. In the dry winter months (dry for our typical humidity), my nose suffers, so every morning, I use to put a little water in the palm of my hand and sort of inhale (just enough to moisten my nose). Needless to say, I haven't done that since this summer.

[LaxMom]

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I snort water when its dry, too. Which is another occasion to use previously boiled, and not currently boiling, water.

 

Seriously this IS making me feel slightly paranoid... How big are these things? Can they float in steam? How hot does the water have to be to kill them? (not entirely certain I want dead brain eating amoebas in my nose, either, quite frankly)

 

Oh my. It's past my bed time.

[tex-mex]

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I snort water when its dry, too. Which is another occasion to use previously boiled, and not currently boiling, water.

 

Seriously this IS making me feel slightly paranoid... How big are these things? Can they float in steam? How hot does the water have to be to kill them? (not entirely certain I want dead brain eating amoebas in my nose, either, quite frankly)

 

Oh my. It's past my bed time.

 

We spend summers at a lake in NM -- the locals tell us to avoid inhaling water up the nose as the brain eating ameoba thrives in warm stagnant waters like lakes. Especially in August for us.

 

One boy in AZ died of it 2 years ago. Basically, the contaminated water enters directly to the brain via the sinus passage/cavity. If you drank the contaminated water, your stomach acid kills it and you may get diarrhea, but you'd be fine. Up the nose is a no-no.

 

http://www.newser.com/story/126004/brain-eating-amoeba-kills-second-child.html

 

Makes complete sense not to ever use tap water -- use distilled instead.

Edited December 18, 2011 by tex-mex

[Mergath]

Maybe we could make that the primary message and get the "low hum voice guy" who tells all about the various ways the drug in the commercial might kill you to talk about the brain eating amoebas. He makes liver failure seem fairly jolly...

 

:lol:

[anabelneri]

I understand this statement, but I don't get it. So the carp (not the fish ;)) in tap water is okay to ingest in our bodies, just don't stick it up your nose?

 

 

 

My next (paranoid) concern is bathing my small children. I don't know about any of y'all, but my kids manage to snort water regularly while washing hair or even just taking a bath. Especially when they're younger.

 

Urg. Wouldn't you think that they would want to be providing clean water into homes? Why are they taking chances with anything that eats brains? grumble grumble grumble

[scrappyhappymama]

Oh dear. One more thing to worry about. :glare:

 

eta: Not being snarky. It's just... there's always something, right?

 

I've used distilled water about half the time, but really do prefer warmish tap water.

[DianeW88]

I use distilled water and boil that. Not taking any chances that an amoeba or two survived the original distillation process. :lol:

[Alte Veste Academy]

I thought it was kind of ridiculous the way the headlines read, as if the neti was causing the deaths. The real problem is the amoeba in the tap water, which itself is kind of disturbing, even if it is supposedly ok to drink.

 

I agree with this except that screaming NETI POT! ensures that people using neti pots will actually read the article and be more likely to change their behavior. Without the neti pot being in the headline, many would be more likely to skip reading the article.

 

I use distilled water and boil that. Not taking any chances that an amoeba or two survived the original distillation process. :lol:

 

:lol: I'm feeling sorry for myself because I've basically stopped using my neti pot. Cold distilled water? Not soothing and not as effective. Boiling water every darn day and then waiting for it to cool before using it? What a pain. Oooh, maybe one of those coffee cup warming devices? I could keep it in the bathroom, pour some distilled water into it before my shower? Maybe it would be a suitable temp when I get out.

[Mergath]

My next (paranoid) concern is bathing my small children. I don't know about any of y'all, but my kids manage to snort water regularly while washing hair or even just taking a bath. Especially when they're younger.

 

Urg. Wouldn't you think that they would want to be providing clean water into homes? Why are they taking chances with anything that eats brains? grumble grumble grumble

 

I was wondering about that too. We do showers here, but my dd still manages to inhale water regularly. As did I as a child. And I grew up in Minnesota, so I spent every single summer in a lake of some sort.

 

What I'm wondering is, is this just so, so rare that we don't need to worry? Or is this amoeba becoming more prevalent in our water for some kind of environmental reason?

[laundrycrisis]

How long to do I have to boil water for it to be sterile ? I figure if I boil a bunch, let it cool and then store it in a clean bottle, I can rewarm it for sinus irrigation, right ?

[UnsinkableKristen]

Yeah, there's just no good way to spin the fact that your product functions as a handy vehicle for brain-eating amoebas.

 

 

:lol::lol:

Edited December 18, 2011 by UnsinkableKristen

[*********]

How long to do I have to boil water for it to be sterile ? I figure if I boil a bunch, let it cool and then store it in a clean bottle, I can rewarm it for sinus irrigation, right ?

 

The info I read said to only store previously boiled water for three days.

 

You really only need to bring water to a rolling boil to kill pathogens, but most people advise boiling it for five minutes to be exta safe.

[homeschoolmomtutu]

Yeah, there's just no good way to spin the fact that your product functions as a handy vehicle for brain-eating amoebas.

 

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[PollyOR]

Thanks for posting this. We rarely use our neti pot, but when we do the water has been out of the tap.

[curlygirlzx2]

you have to use distilled or sterile water in these devices. that goes along with cpap machines and all other things like this. it is important to read the instructions and follow through with them...;)

 

 

 

angel R.N.

 

 

Thanks for the info. regarding cpap machines. My dh uses tap water and I'll make sure to tell him to use distilled or sterile water.

[love2read]

Those who are worried about baths and showers now-think nose plugs if it's going to keep you up at night. http://www.amazon.com/Speedo-753101-083-Competition-Nose-Clip/dp/B00070QEN0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1324338944&sr=8-3

[kitten18]

I read that a while back and while I am happy to have the information, I'm seriously bummed about it. I faithfully used my neti pot before and it improved my allergy symptoms tremendously. Since I've started using distilled, I have barely used it at all. I do not like using cold water and warming it is too much of a pain. :glare: Still, it's better than dying.

Yes, me too. I used the Neil Med sinus rinse. I don't think I've used it since this summer. I liked to use really warm water.

 

We had a family meeting about this since we have lots of lakes, rivers, etc. here in Florida. In the dry winter months (dry for our typical humidity), my nose suffers, so every morning, I use to put a little water in the palm of my hand and sort of inhale (just enough to moisten my nose). Needless to say, I haven't done that since this summer.

For that, you could buy just the saline spray. We each have our own bottle with our names written on them with a sharpie. I think the plain saline is only a couple dollars for the bottle.

 

 

 

If I'm going to use room temperature water it seems much easier to just buy distilled water. I think I can buy a gallon for around $1 or $2 and I will be able to keep it under my sink until it's gone (as opposed the 3 days if I boil it myself).

[Elisabeth in IL]

Does this amoebae live in the North or just in the South?

[Trresh]

Thanks for the info. regarding cpap machines. My dh uses tap water and I'll make sure to tell him to use distilled or sterile water.

 

I use a cpap and the medical supply company that brought it out said to use distilled water because it prolongs the life of your machine. I'm not sure if there are any health implications from using tap water in a cpap.

[MyLittleWonders]

Would reverse osmosis water be okay to use?

[plain jane]

Awww man. I was just at the allergist today and the entire office is plastered with ads and flyers for using a neti pot. :001_huh::tongue_smilie::lol::lol:

[KungFuPanda]

Is there any way to use a baby bottle warmer for your distiller or pre-boiled water for those of you who use it daily and like warm water?

[Mergath]

Does this amoebae live in the North or just in the South?

 

From what I read on the CDC website, it sounds like it is primarily found in the southern states, but there is a small chance it can exist other places, as well.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/faqs.html

[Annie Laurie]

Those who are worried about baths and showers now-think nose plugs if it's going to keep you up at night. http://www.amazon.com/Speedo-753101-083-Competition-Nose-Clip/dp/B00070QEN0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1324338944&sr=8-3

 

It's not going to keep me up at night but it does give me pause because my 1 yr old takes showers and we don't shield his face, he sticks his face right in the water and I'm sure he gets it up his nose. He wouldn't tolerate nose plugs, he'd just rip it off and throw it. I don't see how we could wash his hair without getting water in his face so I guess I'll just have to try not to worry about it. And I live in a very warm Southern state too.

[Annie Laurie]

Great. I stupidly clicked on a link in that article called "10 States Where Rare and Exotic Diseases Lurk" and now I also have to worry about contracting Leprosy from an armadillo. :glare:

[KungFuPanda]

Great. I stupidly clicked on a link in that article called "10 States Where Rare and Exotic Diseases Lurk" and now I also have to worry about contracting Leprosy from an armadillo. :glare:

 

:lol::lol::lol:

[Mergath]

Great. I stupidly clicked on a link in that article called "10 States Where Rare and Exotic Diseases Lurk" and now I also have to worry about contracting Leprosy from an armadillo. :glare:

 

:lol::lol::lol:

 

I'm trying really, really hard not to look at that...

 

Okay, I fail. Luckily, all the diseases in my state seem to be tick-related.

 

What I want to know is, do people really wrestle armadillos?

 

And don't feel bad, I have this perpetual fear that my dd is going to contract rabies somehow, and we won't know until she's symptomatic. I spent two hours the other night on the internet researching the Milwaukee protocol just in case. And yes, I have been diagnosed with OCD, in case anyone is wondering. :tongue_smilie: