Question: Hi Doctor. I had creeping eruptions in my foot a few weeks ago and was prescribed 500mg of Mebendazole to be taken once per week for three weeks. It has cured the worms, so that is good.

It may be unrelated, but, six days later I experienced tightening in my chest and a "lump" in my throat which has since been diagnosed as GERD. On the eight day I took the second mebendazole not believing it to be related. For the GERD I was advised to take chewable tablets thrice per day which I had been doing.

After about twelve days I experience some discomfort in my left arm, it's a bit like the feeling if you sit uncomfortably for too long and move, but it is more or less 24 hours per day. The GERD was unnoticeable by that time (six days of GERD, 12 days since taking the first medicine for worms), it felt like almost gone. I then took the third mebendazole on the 15th day, as prescribed, and within minutes my chest became very tight. That was yesterday, and today my chest feels a little less tight. I am still feeling the discomfort in my left arm and some very mild stiffness in my neck. I have also been experiencing muscle twitching since two days (before the last mebendazole). The neck/arm problem could be caused by the way I had been sitting at the computer. I have since changed that and it is not as bad as it was, but is still noticeable. The doctor here prescribed a medicine to be taken "once per day for 30 days" but did not really explain why; something to do with strengthening my nervous system. I have not tried those yet.

I have had a bloodchem test, an ECG and urine tests and the doctor reported all as being well within normal ranges. I regularly play football, eat meats and vegetables and fruits every day, do not smoke, had been drinking 3-4 cups of coffee per day but have not had coffee for 3 weeks now, drink possibly 2 pints of beer per month but do sit at a desk for long hours.

I am a bit worried because I don't really know what is going on. Is this more serious than GERD? Are the symptoms related? Did mebendazole cause this as a side effect (it almost certainly had an effect the third time around)? I am also unsure of what the next steps are and how long I should continue to observe conditions before being more worried.

Thank you very much in advance for your time and help. I hope you are able to help me a little.

Hi Dr Albana,

Thank you for replying to me and reading my diatribe above : ) The concerns I have today are about my arm - at times it feels as it would if somebody put their thumb against the armpit and applied gentle pressure. It is irritating but also, I am not sure what is causing it and it has been a number of days now. The GERD concerns me simply because I have read different things about it and don't really know how to go about solving it or how long it should take.

I hope you will be able to answer a few questions for me that might help me to relax a little.

- Do you know what may cause that feeling and how long it might take to clear up please?

- Likewise with the muscle twitches... can you help me understand what the cause might be, please?

- How long does it normally take for GERD to clear? Does it clear or is it normally a permanent condition? (A lot of internet articles suggest the latter).

I understand that your answer will be generic and may not apply to my exact circumstances so will not hold you to it : ) Just really want to get a good idea to put my mind at rest a little.

Thank you very much, I really appreciate it.