Woman eats tapeworm eggs for weight loss. Here's what happens to her brain

Washington DC, United States

A very unique case was reported of a woman who purchased a box of tablets - which had tapeworm eggs filled into it - with the help of cryptocurrency.

Speaking about the case on the YouTube channel Chubbyemu, US-based cancer specialist and host Dr Bernard Hsu said that the woman - named as TE - decided to buy the eggs because she was not able to achieve her weight loss goals through diet and exercise.

He said that the woman found the pills through posts on social media which had used phrases like 'controversial' and 'forbidden' to lure consumers.

"TE was intrigued. A "forbidden" method is one that must be so good, and so powerful, that it’s the one true secret that she needs to know," said the doctors.

Initially, the woman got the results she had hoped for but she slowly started to suffer occasional stomach cramps. Her concerns grew when she felt weird sensations.

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"She thought she could feel something flapping and slapping around her cheeks while she was sitting down. When she was about to flush, she looked back and saw some tan, rectangular pieces floating around in the bowl creeping out of the bulk mass," said the doctor.

After some weeks, she noticed a lump had formed under her chin and if it was pressed, TE would pass out. She also felt a lot of pressure in her skull and battled intense headaches, bloating and severe abdominal pain. 

When she sought medical help, doctors performed various tests on her and after not being able to find anything unusual, gave her some medicines.

However, the medicines only gave her temporary relief from the headaches. She now had new bumps and a new problem.

"She would have periods in time where she’d suddenly wake up in the middle of the day and she couldn’t remember anything from the last few hours," explained Dr Hsu.

Woman develops multiple lesions due to tapeworm eggs

Because of this, the woman had to again return to the emergency department, and this time when the doctors checked her brain, they found multiple concerning lesions in it.

The doctors found more such lesions in her neck, face, tongue, and liver in other scans. 

When doctors asked multiple questions to her about her diet and habits, the woman accepted that she had consumed tapeworm eggs.

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The woman had bought tapeworms of two species of parasite - Taenia saginata and Taenia solium.

Taenia solium leads to the formation of hard nodule-like cysts and can harm sensitive tissues like the brain. 

Dr Hsu said that it can also cause vision changes, personality shifts, and diminished cognitive function.

"In an able-bodied human, weight loss with diet and exercise is physically doable, and that has much less risk than letting extra organisms intentionally live inside of you," the doctor said. 

The woman was given medicines for her infestation. She was also given steroids to decrease inflammation in her brain and clear the eggs from the body. 

(With inputs from agencies)