It's not easy for a person to tell if they have a tapeworm living inside them, including the recent case of a 20-year-old hockey player.

Background Of Carson Meyer

Carson Meyer is a prospect for the Columbus Blue Jackets in the National Hockey League. He just completed his sophomore season at the Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Although Meyer had an impressive first season on Miami's hockey team, he struggled during his second season with fewer goals and more penalties. Outside of hockey, Meyer experienced numerous medical problems during his second season. He had no appetite, lost weight, and felt lethargic. The doctors could not determine the cause of his extreme fatigue.

The Discovery Of The Tapeworm

In February 2018, Meyer sat on the toilet and discovered the culprit.

"I was going to the bathroom, just like normal," Meyer told the Athletic. "And it came out."

Meyer discharged a 25-inch orange tapeworm and he nearly fainted. As it lay in the toilet, Meyer said that the tapeworm's head, neck, and segments were all there.

"I Face-timed my mom and was like, 'What the hell is this thing?' " Meyer told the Athletic. "I was freaking out. Absolutely freaking out."

Meyer's mother, Holly, tried to calm her son down. She suggested that he show his athletic trainer the tapeworm to determine what it is exactly.

"And I did say at that moment, 'This is why everything has been the way it's been, Carson. This was it.' It was scary, but it was a relief," she told the Athletic.

What Causes A Tapeworm Infection?

WebMD says that there are six types of tapeworms that can infect people. A tapeworm can also produce other tapeworms while inside of a human body.

The symptoms of a tapeworm include nausea, fatigue, and abdominal pain. A tapeworm can also cause major complications, such as blocking the intestine.

Doctors typically use blood tests or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to diagnose a tapeworm. Depending on the type of tapeworm, treatment includes oral medication.

Undercooked meat is the biggest cause of tapeworms. In the case of Meyer, he contracted a tapeworm from eating undercooked fish.

Doctors said that Meyer had the tapeworm in his body for a full year. He also checked with the doctor to make sure the larvae was not still inside in his intestine.

He also wants to transfer to another school because the doctors at his current school could not properly diagnose the tapeworm.

TAG Tapeworm, Hockey, Intestines

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