WARNING! scabies or not

[bighelp]

I would like to ask everyone who thinks they have scabies and can't get rid of it with treatment to READ this!!!
I was diagnosed with scabies by 2 dermatologists and did 4 treatments with different medications and creams. It did not get better. That is because it was not scabies! It was atopic (or systemic)dermatitis. That is an allergic reaction to something that continuosly gets into your body. In my case it was nickel from my dental braces. When they were taken out the whole nightmare went away. And the doctors insisted I had scabies! PLEASE STOP AND THINK. I want the best for you all! It may not be scabies!!!!!!!!!!

[bighelp]

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE ask me if there are any questions, I'm in Europe right now that is where the doctors told me right away it is not scabies. I was in Florida where I got misdiagnosed twice.

[Sam]

Thanks bighelp. Even though people may not respond to your post, know that many people have and will read it and evaluate if this may be their problem. I was diagnosed by a skin scraping so I know it is scabies for me, and it can be a bear getting rid of it. Thanks again for your information.

[Shannon]

Bighelp, you mean that you have an itch since you were wearing the dental braces. How long did you wear the braces before you realized that it causes the allergy?

[bighelp]

Shannon wrote:

Bighelp, you mean that you have an itch since you were wearing the dental braces. How long did you wear the braces before you realized that it causes the allergy?

Dear Shannon, I've had braces for 6 month but the itch didn't start until 2 month ago. My orthodontist said it can't be metal allergy because my lips weren't swollen and it didn't start right away. I went to the doctor a week ago in Hungary and he told me that it looks like scabies but it is not. He said that slowly the nickel from the braces was absorbed into my body through the saliva and it took month until it was built up in my body so much that it couldn't tolerate it anymore.
The itch was awful, I couldn't sleep, my body was covered with rashes.
He said to get all the metal out of my mouth and he helped me to get an appointment for the same day. They took everything out and replaced it with titanium. That was a week ago and I'm the happiest person alive. All my simptoms are gone. I realize that many people may suffer from the same problem thinking they have scabies. I hope they find this article, because they may not have the chance to come to Europe to see a doctor, like I did. Hope this helps Shannon

[bighelp]

Here are some hints to tell you if it is NOT scabies:
- Only you have the symptoms in the family
- Don't see any burrows
- Never actually seen a mite.
- Did more than 2 treatment and still have it
- It itches in the morning as much as at night
- Have the rash mostly on the trunk area and on your NECK!!!

[FrancesFinallyCu red]

beg to differ above post (bighelp)

my mom ended up with scabies as a result of me having them and passing them to her but my father who sleeps in the same bed as her never got them (tells me much more right there, lol)anyway i also ended up (unfortunately) transmitting them to a friend of mine and her son or husband never got them either.

also i did HUNDREDS if not thousands of treatments and still had them, another false (imo) statement.

and you can also have scabies in localized areas at times as well,including trunk and neck areas-- been there.

also there were times when i had not a single visible burrow on my body or did i ever see one of them, kinda hard to do with the naked eye anyway if you ask me.

and i also itched in the morning sometimes just as much as i did at night although the BITING (pinpricks) were more noticeable and frequent at night but even those i still had sometimes during the day too.

point being,it is DIFFERENT for everyone, each case is individual and unique although there are some shared things everyone who has them endures and goes thru.

[Mary]

FrancesFinallyCured wrote:

beg to differ above post (bighelp)
my mom ended up with scabies as a result of me having them and passing them to her but my father who sleeps in the same bed as her never got them (tells me much more right there, lol)anyway i also ended up (unfortunately) transmitting them to a friend of mine and her son or husband never got them either.
also i did HUNDREDS if not thousands of treatments and still had them, another false (imo) statement.
and you can also have scabies in localized areas at times as well,including trunk and neck areas-- been there.
also there were times when i had not a single visible burrow on my body or did i ever see one of them, kinda hard to do with the naked eye anyway if you ask me.
and i also itched in the morning sometimes just as much as i did at night although the BITING (pinpricks) were more noticeable and frequent at night but even those i still had sometimes during the day too.
point being,it is DIFFERENT for everyone, each case is individual and unique although there are some shared things everyone who has them endures and goes thru.

Glad to see you are cured Frances. You were posting a long time ago and I always enjoyed your posts. Thanks for coming back and helping. Mary

[Been There]

bighelp wrote:

Here are some hints to tell you if it is NOT scabies:
- Only you have the symptoms in the family
- Don't see any burrows
- Never actually seen a mite.
- Did more than 2 treatment and still have it
- It itches in the morning as much as at night
- Have the rash mostly on the trunk area and on your NECK!!!

Your information is incorrect but don't feel bad, many physicians know less than you about sarcoptic mites.

Scabies mites are likly to be anywhere on the body.

Itches anytime but more at night.

Only one person may be symtomatic at a given time but it's just a matter of time before it spreads to other humans and animals.

Sarcoptic mites are not visible to the naked eye, even with a magnifying glass they appear to be specks or dots.

Multiple treatments kills mites but reinfestation is common so 2 treatments may not be enough.

Some people don't see burrows or know what a burrow looks like. Even doctors have a difficult time finding burrows for a scraping.

[FrancesFinallyCu red]

thanks mary, it can happen-- although i was beginning to doubt if it ever would really.(been about 4 months now that i have been scabies free) and i always enjoyed all your posts too.

[bighelp]

Dear Frances and Been There!
Because of people and DOCTORS like you,who are convinced that it cannot be anything else but scabies I went through hell for 2 month. I did not write all this for people who have scabies, I wrote it for those who are mistreated for scabies because the symptoms are so similar. I wrote down everything I trully experienced so take it or leave it!!!

[Frances]

whoa, wait a minute here buddy (j/k) i never said it cannot be anything but scabies!!! of course there are those who get mis-diagnosed with them but what you said is just not so for many of us who do have them or have had them.

you said number 1:"only you have symptoms in the family" well i am here to tell you that is not true for me and others that i have known w/scabies.my mom had scabies and sleeps in same bed/lives in same house as my dad who never got them.

you said number 2:"dont see any burrows" again, i had scabies and there were times when there were no visible burrows.

you said number 3:"never actually seen a mite" how the heck can the naked eye see something that is so tiny/microscopic?!that one refutes itself right there, since they are only visible under a microscope.

you said number 4:"did more than 2 treatments and still have it" let me tell you something i cant count the times or treatments i had but it musta been in the 100's and i still had them and could not get rid of them!!!so again, false, for at least one of us and that one happens to be me!!!

you said number 5:"it itches in the morning as much as at night." for me, at times, IT DID.

you said number 6:"have the rash mostly on the trunk area and on your NECK!!!" thats where they loved to congregate most at times is on my trunk area and they also were on my neck at times too including my face and scalp so again, not so and disagree.am living proof that all of these statements are false, again for me at least they are.

but i do believe you were mis-diagnosed as you state and others it happens to as well as scabies sufferers get mis-diagnosed (i did lots, in fact, when going to dr. for meds) too many times as well.

but am here to tell others dont think you dont have scabies if some/all of these things apply, you may still have them because i had scabies and all of these things applied to me and were a FACT at one time or another thru-out the time i had scabies.

again, different for everyone.

[zooks]

Hey Francis
you mentioned how they gradually entered your skelp, I have had this for almost 2 months, and now they have moved from my legs and arms, back and chest (all gone in these places) to my neck and hair - I actully can feel bumps on skelp.
I have just been putting permethrin on my skelp, and in my hair as well. and leaving it over night. Was it you that recommended eucerien cream and if so how did you use it? Just apply it to soften the skelp? I could be wrong, so if it wasnt you then sorry -

I also have to ask, did you begin this with a lot of visual bumps, rashes, burrows that deminished to practically nothing? And I know you had this for a long time, but how long of taht time were you treating with ivermectin/permethrin?

I know you have experience, just like wonderful scabies-3, who has helped me so much and deserves to be rid of this more than anyone else, so I just want to learn as much from you as possible.

appreciate your advice

[Scabies3]

zooks wrote:

Hey Francis
you mentioned how they gradually entered your skelp, I have had this for almost 2 months, and now they have moved from my legs and arms, back and chest (all gone in these places) to my neck and hair - I actully can feel bumps on skelp.
I have just been putting permethrin on my skelp, and in my hair as well. and leaving it over night. Was it you that recommended eucerien cream and if so how did you use it? Just apply it to soften the skelp? I could be wrong, so if it wasnt you then sorry -
I also have to ask, did you begin this with a lot of visual bumps, rashes, burrows that deminished to practically nothing? And I know you had this for a long time, but how long of taht time were you treating with ivermectin/permethrin?
I know you have experience, just like wonderful scabies-3, who has helped me so much and deserves to be rid of this more than anyone else, so I just want to learn as much from you as possible.
appreciate your advice

zooks,mix some benzyl benzoate with alcohol and spray on scalp. it really helps. and bill recommends putting a primer coating of sulfur on your scalp, too, diluted with warm water. ivermectin will help kill the mites in the scalp. been there swears by that. I layed down this evening to get ready to sleep (or at least attempt to sleep, after spot treating a bunch of areas), and I started to get bit by 2 of my pillows. ensure your pillows are washed in hot water and covered in plastic with no holes in the plastic. 2 scratches doctor told her to change pillows alot, and don't wear socks around thehouse.

[Frances]

yep, mary has point about making sure there are no holes in the plastic covers cuz if there is one they are sure to find it i tell you.

had to replace mine recently because although my cats are de-clawed they still have the hind ones and like to lay on my bed and have made holes in it over time.

and yes, i still use one on my bed just in case.its been about 4 months now that i have been scabies free but i just feel more secure having it on now, thats just me.

[Frances]

dont wear socks around the house?i always wore socks after applying my perm at night and i put gloves on my hands too...why did the dr. say no socks?

[Frances]

zooks, the 1st time i had scabies of course i had no idea what the heck was going on until i went to the dr. about it.i had burrows between my fingers and thats exactly where he took skin scraping from and diagnosed that i had them.anyway thats another thing that made me positive in the following times i got scabies that i did in fact have them because symptoms were always the same.

anyway, this last go around there were times when i saw no visible burrows at all.other times i would scratch madly (especially wrist area and ankles) and after having done that the little tracks/line of tiny dots would appear and scab up to where i could see where they actually had been in my skin.

i also would get these tiny raised bumps, pimple looking things which i knew were the bugs also on my elbows but thats the only place that they appeared on my body like that.usually when i had those i would just spot treat w/perm or sometimes get cotton ball and put bleach full strength on my elbows and the next day they would be gone and no more itching/bumps.

there was a man that used to post here and dont know if he is still around but like mary and been there i learned much from him too.he always recommended the eucerin cream although i never tried it.seems it works well for others.i used baby oil mixed w/perm on my scalp, coated my hair with it and on my face.i think it has better smothering abilities myself, lol but who really knows.

oh also about visible signs there were times and this is my last case of them only and towards end that i got raised areas/red welts especially where my bra area hit and my jeans hit my waist, i would always spot treat those too sometimes instead of treating whole body.

honestly in the end/right beforethe i was finally cured i was only spot treating at the time.it had gotten much better for me and i had really gotten burned out on all the full body treatments-- cleaning and such but one thing i know is i would have never gotten to that point in the first place if i hadnt done those things, so...

[FrancesCured]

also just a tip/suggestion that helped me and i learned from this site, there were times in the middle of the night when i would literally be jolted out of my sleep by one of them biting me (even with full body treatment on sometimes one would still elude me and escape) and i finally started keeping my spray bottle or cream mixture by the bed at night so when that happened i could immediately reach for it and spot treat that area.they do travel but not that fast so if you catch it quick you can get the little sucker.

[zooks]

Frances
thanks for describing your symptoms. I had it terribly at the beginning, even though I am what I would consider healthy, I think because the perm wasnt working - that I did develope a crusted scabies. In fact I know i did. So now that its all gone, I just get a little bump here and there, and hubby gets a line now and then. So coming from such a bad state to how we currently are - some times I dont even know what I am looking at any more.
I appreciate you describing your symptoms. So much of what you describe is still happening to us. like the itching and when you scratch small bumps come up etc. So the fight is still on, can't wait to get away from this house.
Anyway your description REALLY helped

[frances]

you are welcome zooks :)