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Q: I have been sick with CFS/FM for ten years and for last several years have been trying to rid myself of roundworms. It is obvious I need the help of a specialist and I hope someone can help me. I have been infected for several years throughout my body; even though I have taken anti-parasitic medication with some success, I am unable to clear my body completely. I recently passed a very large roundworm, and I can feel them crawling in my body. My greatest concern is that I can feel one crawling between my skull and my brain. This causes pain, burning and pressure inside my skull. I am so sick and scared, this is very disturbing to me. I am afraid of damage done to my brain and body.

I am hoping that you will be able to refer me to someone who specializes in treating systemic roundworm. The doctors I have seen admit to being inexperienced and do not know how to help me. My attempts to locate a specialist have been unsuccessful. I would be most grateful if you could help me in any way. - K

A: Infectious disease specialists are internal medicine doctors who have been trained in the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. These physicians have had extensive education, post-graduate training, plus 2-3 years of additional instruction in infectious diseases. Infectious disease specialists are experts in infections of all the organ systems, focusing on infections caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi.

Roundworm is a multi-cellular form of parasite with specialized organs. An infectious disease specialist would be highly qualified to diagnose and treat roundworm or another parasite infection. To find a physician in your area specializing in infectious diseases, please visit: http://www.wellness.com/find/Infectious%20Disease%20Specialist

Cold-laser Device for Home Use?

Q: I was interested in "Pat's" letter about the use of a cold-laser diode. I found significant relief with cold-laser treatments done in a doctor's office. However, the treatments are fairly expensive and not covered by insurance. I would be interested in purchasing a cold-laser device for home use that is not terribly expensive and that is guaranteed to be authentic. Maybe you could look into a reliable supplier for the benefit of pain sufferers? – Anon

A: Low-level laser, or cold laser therapy, is a therapeutic tool used to treat many conditions. The machine emits a very low voltage ray, which is intended to help reduce pain, inflammation or infection. The treatments typically involve several sessions in a physician or healthcare practitioners office. They directly focus a laser on a specific area of the body.

There have been many studies conducted to prove the effectiveness of cold lasers. However, this research was carried out using lasers that are typically found in a medical facility with specific frequencies and timing. There is no way to tell if a store or Internet bought low-level laser machine will exert the same effectiveness as in the studies. If you know of a healthcare practitioner who has a machine, it may be worthwhile finding out the manufacturer of their laser to contact in case they make a home version.

Return “Weekly Inspiration”?

Q: While the “funlinks” are nice, I miss the Weekly Inspiration. Please, please, please can it return? – Patti

A: Thanks for letting us know you miss the Weekly Inspiration. We will try to have both a Weekly Inspiration and a Fun Link whenever possible. And we invite you to contribute links and inspirations. Write us a letter!

Permission to Reprint Article in Our Support Group Handout?

Q: We would be very grateful to have your permission to include your featured article of 4th June “Improving Patient-Doctor Communication” as part of all our future membership packs… I man our helpline from time to time and am very concerned by the number of people who do not have a good relationship with their Doctor and also do not know how to put this right.

Our charity has approximately 400 members, with new ones joining from time to time. The membership pack is sent out once they have paid their initial membership fee and we are currently attempting to find more useful items to include in it … This article fits the bill exactly!

I do hope that you will give us permission to reproduce this, and thank you for all the helpful advice and information contained in the newsletters. – Janet

A: Yes, you may have permission to reproduce this article for your membership packets with attribution to us. For future reference:

Where to Buy that 'Healthy' Cocoa?

Q: Re: “Cocoa Could Be a Healthy Treat for Diabetic Patients: High-flavanol cocoa improved blood vessel function ‘from severely impaired to normal’”

The article says we can't buy this product in the supermarket. Where can it be purchased? And the name?? – pashyo

A: We haven’t been able to pin down exactly what product was used for this study. However, we found one reference to a similar study done in 2003 in Germany. They claimed the high-flavanol cocoa product used for that study was Positively Healthy Cocoa Beverage, which is a cocoa-rich, skimmed milk shot-style drink from U.K.-based The Positive Food Co., a member of the Masterfoods Group of Mars Inc., McLean, Virginia. We have not been able to identify anyone who currently sells that product, but perhaps some ‘alert readers’ will suggest sources of 'healthy' cocoa.

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Note: This information has not been evaluated by the FDA. It is generic and is not intended to prevent, diagnose, treat or cure any condition, illness, or disease. It is very important that you make no change in your healthcare plan or health support regimen without researching and discussing it in collaboration with your professional healthcare team.