Hah!
I love how many characteristics they share with parasites.
Nutrition-thievery.
Host behaviour changing.
At least they don't lay eggs in you.
( Cawl, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 15:39, 1 reply, 16 years ago)

oh yeah
he's my own endo parasite at the mo - something my dad loves telling all his colleagues (seriously - he told his colleages that 'my daughter has an endoparasite now, but it'll be an ectoparasite in September!' any normal man would say 'I'm going to be a grandfather', but not my pa...)

plus there's the immune system depressing, and the altering of host physiology. it's all fun and games!
( ascorbate, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 15:41, Reply)

Is your dad a biologist of some kind,
By any chance? Hahaha!

Also, regarding parasite behaviour, can't forget Pica, in some cases!
( Cawl, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 15:44, Reply)

On a pica-related note,
The contents of a mental patient's stomach on display:
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Glore_Stomach_Display.jpg
SFW!
( Cawl, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 15:49, Reply)

mmmmm nails
nom nom nom
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 16:06, Reply)

She had pica
(named for the latin for magpie - pica pica - which is possibly the most AWESOME THING EVER)
where you have a desire to eat non-nutritional substances, such as dirt, paper, or in this case, nails.
Often triggered by anaemia.


EDIT: Didn't see the "pica" bit. Soz. Well at least you now know that the latin for magpie sounds like a noise a pokémon makes.
( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 16:31, Reply)

*sighs*
I got that image FROM the pica page.
I knew that. STOP WASTING MY TIME.
( Cawl, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 16:33, Reply)

YES I know.
Because I saw that page when I had my hypochondriacattack and was convinced I had everything under the sun.*

That was for the benefit of people who DON'T know about pica. And I didn't even look it up!



*personal favourite self-diagnosis was of THIS
( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 16:36, Reply)

Self-diagnosis is a
Slippery slope.
Next it'll be s-d'd Arse-burgers.
( Cawl, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 16:40, Reply)

I hate self-diagnoses, really
As much as professional ones. Though I have had some mis-diagnoses: rhinusitis when I just had a cold, and everything from non-Epsein-Barr virus to the flu when I broke out in a horrible rash and didn't move, eat or drink for 3 days. Fun. Though mis-diagnoses are typical I guess, I'm not lambasting the medical profession, believe me!

As for the Arse-burgers... I have NEVER diagnosed myself with that.
( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 16:44, Reply)

yes
he is, and luckily I have avoided Pica. In fact, my only cravings have been for banana flavoured milkshake, and carrots (not together). oh, and marmite, which some people might consider an 'appetite for substances largely non-nutritive' :)
( ascorbate, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 16:34, Reply)

Ew...
Marmite is not food :(
It's made from fermented hobo-socks.
( Cawl, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 16:36, Reply)

marmite is hugely nutitrious
and delicious to boot
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 16:44, Reply)

^ THIS
I might have a cheese-and-marmite-toastie.
( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Tue 18 Aug 2009, 16:45, Reply)