Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Help! I think I have scabies! Surefire ways to tell?

11 replies

ItchyandVeryScratchy · 23/03/2022 23:46

Has anyone ever had scabies? Or know anyone who has? I am going out of my mind with itchy arms and legs. I am convinced it is scabies! 😱 As I think I can see little lines which google says are "tunnels" (just writing this makes me feel queasy...). Is there any way I can tell for sure without seeing my GP? I have a ton of stuff going on in my life right now and my eczema has flared up but I think that it's a coincidence. The eczema looks different; more flaky. However my young children are not affected? How contagious is scabies? How common is it actually? I hear people talking about their kids getting headlice all the time but never met someone who's had it. Maybe they are just too embarrassed to say though? After all I am typing this online because I don't want to talk to my friends about it. THANKS

OP posts:
PollyPutTheKettleOnKettleOn · 23/03/2022 23:48

Calm down :)

Are you sure the lines aren't from you scratching?

See your gp ASAP and in the meantime take an antihistamine, have a cool shower and apply some eczema friendly moisturiser.

Bahhumbugtoyoutoo · 23/03/2022 23:49

I have had scabies. Nothing to be embarrassed about, it spreads really easily and I think can spread from fabric etc but don’t quote me on that! I think if you look at the skin in between your fingers are there tunnels there? Think it is the easiest way to tell but please just go to your doctor and get the cream for it. It went away really quickly with treatment 😊

Original poster
ItchyandVeryScratchy · 24/03/2022 00:38

@Bahhumbugtoyoutoo

I have had scabies. Nothing to be embarrassed about, it spreads really easily and I think can spread from fabric etc but don’t quote me on that! I think if you look at the skin in between your fingers are there tunnels there? Think it is the easiest way to tell but please just go to your doctor and get the cream for it. It went away really quickly with treatment 😊
What treatment did you have if you don't mind me asking?
OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General health
Coyoacan · 24/03/2022 01:05

I got scabies from a sleeping bag someone gave me. Sorry OP, I hope it isn't true

Anomalocaris · 24/03/2022 01:23

The usual indicator that it's scabies is itching between the fingers and the tunnelling rash.

Spread through skin to skin contact.

Easily sorted by smothering yourself up to the neck (scabies don't go above the neck IIRC!) in permethrin from pharmacy.

NoShitHemlock · 24/03/2022 01:27

Random question - could you be pregnant? Before I found out I was pregnant I became really itchy on my stomach and upper legs and went to the Dr - he diagnosed scabies and gave me a foul smelling ointment and advised boil washing all bedding/towels. 2 weeks later I found out I was pregnant and on my first visit to the midwife I obviously told her. She was absolutely disgusted (made me feel about 2" tall and set the tone for my entire pregnancy) and brought in the Gynecologist who then correctly diagnosed me with pregnancy rash. Apparently its fairly common but some women get it worse than others and I just had a bad dose. Stopped once I had DD as its due to hormones.

NoShitHemlock · 24/03/2022 01:28

*probably not a gynecologist - probably an obstetrician. It was a Doctor anyway!

Original poster
ItchyandVeryScratchy · 25/03/2022 00:16

@Coyoacan

I got scabies from a sleeping bag someone gave me. Sorry OP, I hope it isn't true
ARGH. this is my worst kind of fear 😱 I am trying to think of how I might have caught it. I bought some clothes on eBay..? Maybe that is where i got it / them, if that is what i have.
OP posts:
Original poster
ItchyandVeryScratchy · 25/03/2022 00:19

@NoShitHemlock

Random question - could you be pregnant? Before I found out I was pregnant I became really itchy on my stomach and upper legs and went to the Dr - he diagnosed scabies and gave me a foul smelling ointment and advised boil washing all bedding/towels. 2 weeks later I found out I was pregnant and on my first visit to the midwife I obviously told her. She was absolutely disgusted (made me feel about 2" tall and set the tone for my entire pregnancy) and brought in the Gynecologist who then correctly diagnosed me with pregnancy rash. Apparently its fairly common but some women get it worse than others and I just had a bad dose. Stopped once I had DD as its due to hormones.
Definitely not pregnant, haven't had sex in over 2 years 😅 that was horrible of your midwife, sorry you went through that. Ugh I really don't want to have to boil wash everything, what a palavar!
OP posts:
Original poster
ItchyandVeryScratchy · 25/03/2022 00:21

@Anomalocaris

The usual indicator that it's scabies is itching between the fingers and the tunnelling rash.

Spread through skin to skin contact.

Easily sorted by smothering yourself up to the neck (scabies don't go above the neck IIRC!) in permethrin from pharmacy.

I'm sure i have the tunneling rash and it's worse at night then stops during the day. It's not between my fingers but it is in the bend of my arm.
OP posts:
Sofasogood1 · 25/03/2022 00:35

I'm so sorry op - a pharmacist told me they thought I had scabies once based on a rash and I was UGHARFGHGHUGHGHH. I got through about a million tubes of that cream, washed everything in the house at a million degrees every day and felt AWFUL about it. No advice, just sympathy.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread