Trouble with Giardia

Hi everyone, I need some advice.

Back in August I went on a river rafting trip and started to have symptoms of Giardia. I was treated two months later with Flagyl (metronidazole) but felt terrible for months after. In December a family member was diagnosed with Giardia just as I was starting to feel really bad. He was treated with tinadiazole and was cured (feels fine now). I was treated again with a higher dose of metronidazole and actually was cured. I felt great for a month and half, getting better slowly each day.

Unfortunately I was not on the up and up about giarda cysts able to live. I had not really done a thorough clean of my bathroom. I did so and started to have the symptoms again. This time I tested positive for Giardia. Since then I have went on a round of Alinia, which did not seem to work as I started to get worse again 2 weeks later (smelly stools, pounding headache, etc...). I then went on a week long course of metronidazole, the same that had cured me in January. Unfortunately it is now three weeks later and I am having symptoms again.

When I say symptoms, I mean that my stomach is going nuts, I lose all my energy, stools become smelly and slimy, etc... This time I am going to have some tests done to see if I still have Giardia (which i'm pretty sure I still have). This feels absolutely nothing like I did when I felt 'cured'. Things are getting much worse, not better.

I have been seeing a naturopath who was really helped me with probiotics and such, which has significantly helped me daily. I take a probiotic called floastore which at least allows my body to absorb some of the nutrients so I am no longer losing weight. I also have started to see some gastroenterologist with the hopes that they will be able to help me find a treatment which actually works.

My question for everyone, specially jazzy and shimpy, is what course of medication cured giardia for you? i don't believe I have any other form of parasite, as i was cured of giardia before reinfecting myself earlier, so I'm pretty sure that is all I have. I also want to know what are some testing facilities which are reliable? I don't have the money or the time at the moment to go to brazil or NYC and was hoping I could find something a little more local or that I could mail in (I live in the pacific NW).

I want to see if the tests come back positive or not before I start spending lots of money.

I know exactly what everyone means when they say this has taken their life away. i have no energy, no desire to socialize, I get very depressed, and I have trouble focusing on my studies, which is essential for me right now as I am in grad school. Any advice would be very helpful.

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