Morgellons Symptoms

[Franky]

Just posting this list for quick reference for new people. Also I would like to give credit to morgellons. org for compiling the list.

The Following Six Signs or Symptoms Are The Basis of Morgellons Disease

1. Skin lesions, both spontaneously appearing and self-generated, with intense itching. The former may initially appear as “urticarial-like”, or as “pimple-like” with or without a white center. The latter appear as linear or “picking” excoriations. Even when not self-generated, lesions often progress to open wounds that heal abnormally and usually incompletely. (e.g., heal very slowly with discolored epidermis or seal over with a thick gelatinous outer layer.)

2. Crawling sensations, both within and on the skin surface. Often conceptualized by the patient as “bugs moving, stinging or biting” intermittently. Besides the general dermis, may also involve the scalp, nares, ear canal, and body hair or hair follicles. The sensations are at times related to the presence of easily seen insects, arthropods, and other human and non-human associated parasites that require serious attention from the observing clinician.

3. Fatigue significant enough to interfere with the activities for daily living.

4. Cognitive difficulties, including measurable short term memory and attention deficit, as well as difficulty processing thoughts correctly. Described by patients as "brain fog".

5. Behavioral effects are common in many patients. Many have been or will be diagnosed as Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. A minority do not show this pattern. Almost all, if previously seen by well-read physicians without prolonged observation, will have been labeled as “Delusional Parasitosis”. Temporal relationship to skin lesion onset is not known.

6.“Fibers” are reported in and on skin lesions. They are generally described by patients as white, but clinicians also report seeing blue, green, red, and black fibers, that fluoresce when viewed under ultraviolet light (Wood's lamp). Objects described as “granules”, similar in size and shape to sand grains, can occasionally be removed from either broken or intact skin by physicians, but are commonly reported by patients. Patients report seeing black “specks” or “dots” on or in their skin, as well as unusual 1-3 mm “fuzzballs” both in their lesions and on (or falling from) intact skin.

OTHER COMMONLY REPORTED SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS

1. Change in visual acuity.

2. Numerous neurological findings. A variety of neurological symptoms have been reported. Some patients have been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Multiple Sclerosis, and other well-known and recognized disorders, while others display significant symptoms not falling into any well-defined neurological category.

3. Gastrointestinal symptoms, which may include dyspepsia, gastroesophageal reflux, and/or changes in bowel habits often similar to Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

4. Neuropsychiatric symptoms and signs, ranging from mood or personality changes to diagnosed disorders including Attention Deficit Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and occasionally frank psychosis. Temporal relationship to skin lesion onset is not known

5. Acute changes in skin texture and pigment. The skin is variously thickened and thinned, with an irregular texture and irregular hyperpigmentation pattern. The changes resemble age associated sun-exposure skin damage, but typically appear acutely

6. Skin examination often reveals excoriated and/or crusted lesions which, on examination with lighted magnification, are seen to have inclusions of variously colored (white, blue, black, or red) fibers. Skin examination may also reveal multiple hyper-pigmented macules, and an increase of what appears to be villous hair on arms and face.

7. Arthralgias are reported by many patients.

8. Associated diagnoses which have been commonly reported in this patient population include Borreliosis (better known as Lyme Disease), Fibromyalgia, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

OTHER COMMONLY REPORTED OBSERVATIONS

1. Most patients will have sought care from multiple medical care providers. A large number will have been diagnosed with Delusional Parasitosis likely because of the juxtaposition of unexplained skin lesions and sensations and psychiatric overlay. Unfortunately, almost none will have received an appropriate diagnostic physical examination (particularly a microscopic or biopsy examination of lesions), but will have been diagnosed by history alone with grossly incomplete observation.

2. Most of these patients feel abandoned by the traditional medical care system and have sought alternative care providers or have self medicated, seriously compounding an already difficult medical situation

LABORATORY AND OTHER DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATION

To date, there have been no formal laboratory or imaging studies done in this patient group. There are some reasonably consistent clinical findings, however, that need further examination, in controlled studies, to be corroborated or refuted.

REVIEWED BY:

William T. Harvey, MD, MPH
Michael Ledtke, MD
Ginger Savely, RN, FNP-C
Raphael B. Stricker, MD
Gregory V. Smith, MD, FAAP

Medical Advisory Board
Morgellons Research Foundation

[ladycolorado]

thanks, jano, i want to let folks in here like us to know that the treatment steps actually WORK> and i know i push the cumin alot but hope folks try it. i want for folks to remain whole why so important.

[AlwaysHaveHope]

Thank you for all of the information! I really appreciate it.

[Franky]

AlwaysHaveHope your name hits it right on the head. Without hope all we have is a bad ending.

[beverlybdmd]

I have been looking for a folder or thread called "diagnosing Morgellons" but I guess "Symptoms" is a pretty close second...

I have just found one of the most subtle, but clearly indicative, findings for Morgellons that I have noticed so far:

Does Your comb, or brush, keep having those greasy, grayish, fuzzy little lint balls accumulate at the base of the bristles?

I might be wrong about this indicator. However, I never had this problem before my Morgellons became severe, and when my treatment really kicked in, the problem also stopped. Yesterday, I needed to fix my hair, and went to pick up my husband's comb. (He claims to have no symptoms, although I can sometimes feel them on him.) I quickly put it down, when I found it full of gray lint at the base of its teeth. I had washed it out under hot water only 2 days earlier, because I noticed that it looked like he hadn't been cleaning it lately.

Oh boy, what next. wonder how long it will take before he actually shows symptoms or starts believing this is real.

[linnysue]

Originally Posted by beverlybdmd

Does Your comb, or brush, keep having those greasy, grayish, fuzzy little lint balls accumulate at the base of the bristles?

I might be wrong about this indicator. However, I never had this problem before my Morgellons became severe, and when my treatment really kicked in, the problem also stopped. Yesterday, I needed to fix my hair, and went to pick up my husband's comb. (He claims to have no symptoms, although I can sometimes feel them on him.) I quickly put it down, when I found it full of gray lint at the base of its teeth. I had washed it out under hot water only 2 days earlier, because I noticed that it looked like he hadn't been cleaning it lately.

Oh boy, what next. wonder how long it will take before he actually shows symptoms or starts believing this is real.

Beverlybdmd, he doesn't believe Morgellons is real? I'm so sorry. I didn't realize you didn't have the support of your husband. I'll pray for that.

As far as my combs and brushes go, I just started cleaning them and spraying them off with eco-vie and an enzyme cleaner. I haven't noticed the lint, but my head has this strange itch, tickling, sensation lately, so I thought I'd take some extra steps to keep my combs and brushes clean.

P.S. I like the idea of a "Diagnosing Morgellons" board. Franky?

[deluded]

Originally Posted by beverlybdmd

I have been looking for a folder or thread called "diagnosing Morgellons" but I guess "Symptoms" is a pretty close second...

I have just found one of the most subtle, but clearly indicative, findings for Morgellons that I have noticed so far:

Does Your comb, or brush, keep having those greasy, grayish, fuzzy little lint balls accumulate at the base of the bristles?

I might be wrong about this indicator. However, I never had this problem before my Morgellons became severe, and when my treatment really kicked in, the problem also stopped. Yesterday, I needed to fix my hair, and went to pick up my husband's comb. (He claims to have no symptoms, although I can sometimes feel them on him.) I quickly put it down, when I found it full of gray lint at the base of its teeth. I had washed it out under hot water only 2 days earlier, because I noticed that it looked like he hadn't been cleaning it lately.

Oh boy, what next. wonder how long it will take before he actually shows symptoms or starts believing this is real.

Dear Dr. Beverly...Since my symptoms started, Sept 1st, (though I know I have really had this much longer), I have seen a lot of strange things, and lint and fuzzballs seems to be a big part of it...In the beginning, when I was trying to figure out what I had, it seemed that I had Norwegian Crusted Scabies, because of all the symptoms, but then I would get thrown off track by seeing something else that did not fit, like these little fuzzballs or peices of lint that I would find attached mostly to the furniture, and it had a black bug of some type inside...I read that the pupa stage of the flea would attach itself to furniture in a peice of fuzz or lint and was hard to vacuum up, but needed to be pulled off of your couch or seat in the car...sometimes vigorous vacuuming would get it...but you could not kill them while in this stage by spraying pesticides, that it would not penetrate the lint, and they could lay dormant in there for yrs...you had to pull it off or wait until it emerged into an adult flea and spray again...(don't know if you were supposed to call it to find it then or what..)'
Then, I also started finding these other fuzzballs that were molded into something, like an animal or bug or worm...they were full of worms...or even a little piece of lint, that contained some microscopic worms...I am told that there is an amber goo that is really sticky that Chester gets all over a lot of stuff that she even has a hard time getting off until she uses vinegar and super washing soda(baking soda type) or something...kind of wonder if that could be in the comb...or brush...just an idea...that if you have a mini pocket microscope from Radio Shack, which has mag of 60x and 100x..., and see if that is what it is...

I don't know if you saw what I posted about finding a replica of a crocheted angel that hung on my vanity mirror, lying directly below it on the dresser, made of nothing but green peices of lint or fuzz...It was about an inch and a half tall, and had arms, wings, head with hair and halo, and also had a gown and the only thing that wasn't a peice of green fuzz, was a little peice of white thread, looped in just the same place as the other ornament hanger was. It also had a face on it, and I felt like it was a gift left for me, or it was just to let me know that they were still there...makes u really wonder...as if they had a brain...Kentucky haze

[phillyfanatic]

I definately have the lint balls, but not my brush(not enough hair). My husband's brush looks nasty, but unlike you, I won't clean it for him since he doesn't believe it exists, either. Our marriage has suffered, terribly b/c he doesn't believe, refuses to look under scope, and doesn't even acknowledge the symptoms our twin 7 y/o boys are showing. I have that sticky yellow goo all over; on furniture, showers, cabinets, pillow cases and even wipes off of our skin.
Hugs, Philly

[beverlybdmd]

Kentucky Haze, Now that is quite an eerie story! Watch out where you share that one.

My hypothesis on it is that your little angel is infested by a single unified colony of parasite. That colony has also infested some other fabrics and clothings or carpets or pillows or blankets around the home; one of which is green. The secondary colony was simply growing together and mimicking the likeness of its parent colony.

You may want to take your sweet angel and zip-lock baggie it with some menthol crystals or Bounce dryer sheets, or soak it in eco-vie.

Just a theory, but a more logical one than the parasites want to send you a message...

[ladycolorado]

Originally Posted by phillyfanatic

I definately have the lint balls, but not my brush(not enough hair). My husband's brush looks nasty, but unlike you, I won't clean it for him since he doesn't believe it exists, either. Our marriage has suffered, terribly b/c he doesn't believe, refuses to look under scope, and doesn't even acknowledge the symptoms our twin 7 y/o boys are showing. I have that sticky yellow goo all over; on furniture, showers, cabinets, pillow cases and even wipes off of our skin.
Hugs, Philly

hi philly. yes lint bllas here and "goo" which gets on our skin. this crud makes a medium for the fibers and specks to adhere to is my belief. so that we may pick up these things by touching objects, and also my belief this is what makes our skin crawl also. why had times was even being stung in the treatment baths at times. i use palmolive oxy plus dish soap to cut this film off of me (it's oxygenated) . kinda grayish green and gross. probably contains bacteria and fungus too. i find when wash with this soap and use a plastic mesh bath puff gets this crud off of me. and the treatment baths work better. a shower with this dish soap, not forgetting eyes and nostrils and scalp then repeat using selsum blue medicated helps me . however, now that i have a groshon catheter and taking iv meds and getting treatment i cannot soak cant get catheter wet. so i get in tub with water only up to waist level , and sponge bathe avoiding the catheter and the clear dressing. to wash hair, i use a pitcher and lean forward to rinse get hair wet and stuff. i still get kind of itchy at times but to a lesser degree with the iv meds. the reason why important to know about this film associated with disease is that i think what makes the crawling feeling so bad. to have relief must be removed, so critters can stick to us so well. anyway my opinion from my own experience. (LC).