Scabies!

[Blanket26]

We've been struggling with scabies for weeks. Several rounds of cream and it keeps coming back on my 1 year old!
I've bought some Derbac M to try. Has anyone had more success with this?
And if so how do I keep it on my 1 year old for 24 hours as he eats with his hands and puts them in his mouth. Can I use derbac m on his body and cream on his hands overnight.

Please help! I'm desperate and this is really getting me down now. Dr's are useless

Yes it is licensed but doctors don’t tend to give it and it’s only the dermatologists that usually do. Drs can prescribe it but many won’t still and if the permethrin doesn’t work they usually misdiagnose you or you have to wait to be seen by a dermatologist which can take ages on the nhs when your itching like hell. I got mine from my private dermatologist in London who imported it as in the uk 2 doses of ivermectin is about £120. In other countries it’s a few pounds.

Well I had the drs appointment yesterday. He doesn’t think I have scabies . Said I could get a 2 nd opinion if I wanted. I think he thinks it is in my head now but I still have spots and itchiness but not loads. He has put on my notes no evidence of scabies. I would have felt better if he said to me you probably just have the odd one or two remaining but instead felt like I am going mad ! I bought some der bac on the way home as the dr said don’t use any more permethrin only supposed to do it twice . I lost count how many times I used it ! How is everyone else getting on ?

Don’t worry I had the same response from my Dr originally and also other dermatologists until I found one who took me seriously. He was a life saver as as you said they make you think your going crazy when you know your own skin. I’m exactly the same. Unfortunately unless you let yourself break out you will not get the diagnosis you want as a few spots doesn’t warrant treatment. You have two options let yourself break out or keep what you have at bay. Eg using natural things like sulphur 10% soap or cream- this is what they use for pregnant women who can’t use premethrin or take ivermectin. They also use it for babies. Its success rate isn’t great but it is classed as a scabicide. You can use Eurex cream which has crotamiton in it which also kills the mites and also helps with the itch. It’s used for other things including eczema I believe. Tea tree soap or shower gel is good as if it is something bacterial then it’s good for that and fungal, mites also don’t like it either but I don’t think it kills them as such. I use the soap bar v55 from Amazon which is tea tree, sulphur and salicylic acid. The salicylic acid is good for getting rid of old skin cells and therefore will help to renew your skin if you are in post scabies. It is a long process and I used to get very anxious about it but I don’t now and become resigned to it. I no longer feel itchy but get the odd couple of spots which I spot treat with premethrin with a cotton bud so the tiniest amount on the actual spot. It makes me feel better that I’m doing something about it. The spot always goes. Sudocrem is also good as it’s an antiseptic and I’ve been using this on my son as he’s only 2.5 yrs old. I’m not sure if it’s a sweat rash or scabies now but it helps calm it. I alternate that with Vaseline which is meant to suffocate the mites. This is all the knowledge I have. The other option is going to a dermatologist explaining your son was diagnosed with scabies and you want the ivermectin pill as you have been told to all treat. You could also ask your nhs gp but unfortunately I just don’t think the nhs gps see enough cases to know what to really look out for and it can present differently in everyone. Even dermatologists misdiagnose sometimes and it’s confused a lot of the time for eczema. It is known by the world health organisation as a neglected tropical disease and there is not enough people getting it to warrant further research for a vaccine. It’s such a horrible thing to catch but just remember your not the only one and it will go one day if you stay on top of things. Don’t get anxious and keep reminding yourself that even though you don’t like the though of a mite under the skin they are microscopic and your body is made up of all kinds of mites. Rosaca which is a form of acne I believe is actually caused by a harmless mite. Our beds are full of dust mites and our sofas. Unfortunately this one makes us itch and we have an allergic reaction to it. That’s all it is. Keep the house clean, bedding, towels and clothes wash every day on high setting and tumble. Don’t bother ironing- the wash and tumble is enough and it’s too stressful having to iron on top. Hoover the sofas every few days as again it’s impossible to do it everyday or put a throw down and wash that. Don’t walk around the house in bare feet that way you don’t really have to do the carpets constantly. Wear clean pjs to bed every night- you and your partner and that way with clean sheets and pjs and less skin to skin contact your less likely to keep passing it back and forward. Don’t worry about appliances etc having mites on. If it makes you feel better clean them once a week. I think you would have to be heavily infested to catch it off a remote control. The chances are low so just risk it. The main thing is your sanity is kept intact and you don’t feel isolated or alone by this. Xx

Hi Blanket, not heard from you in a while. Have you been successful? Hope the little one is much better now and you’ve managed to get rid of the rash. X

Really fed up now. Don't know what to try next. Starting to doubt what it actually is. Have literally tried most things on this thread. Seriously don't know what to do next.

I have no advice but here to say I feel the same. I’m hopeless that we’ll get rid of them. Every time I feel like we’re getting somewhere we have a major setback and feels like we’re back to square one. It’s driving me crazy!!!

Thank you so much Tinydancer your posts are always so helpful and reassuring. I realise we already have some of the Eurex my son was prescribed that when they thought it was stress so I will use that if you say the Croat in in it kills the mites . Even if it just kills one or two as you say it’s satisfying that you feel like you are fighting them. I keep having long salt baths. I find at the moment my hands and feet get the itchiest . I wonder if they are harder to kill there for some reason.
I was reading that standard scabies you only have about 15 mites on the body but it is the crusted sort that is really contagious and there can be millions. I do have some spots that feel crusted like hard skin which is very worrying and that is likely to be the type that is resistant.

If you think you have the start of crusted scabies then this would be an excellent time to get a skin scrape from a dermatologist to confirm it actually is. As you said crusted scabies is when hundreds of mites start to breed so there is a good chance that a dermatologist will be able to see one through his microscope. Its when you have regular ones its super hard to catch one mite when like you said only 10 may be on you. Don't rule out other things either, it could be something else. Does anyone else in the family have symptoms other than you and your son? If it is scabies the best thing and the only thing that will get rid of crusted scabies is topical treatment and multiple doses of ivermectin. Are you sure its not psoriasis or anytime of fungal infection? Have you seen a dermatologist yet? If not get on the waiting list from your Dr or go private. Make a diary of if its spreading to other areas of your body and how quickly if so.

Remember to keep your bedding clean and hot wash everything and tumble. Hoover sofas when you can or put a throw over and wash that regularly.

How is everyone getting on? My little guy is a lot better. Still get spots but they come and go and not the same pattern as scabies. He is also only a little itchy sometimes. It’s been just over 2 months since our last treatment with the ivermectin cream. I’m hoping what he has is all post, but definitely not textbook as he still has spots popping up.

Quick question how is it possible we all have it since November and my 8 months old and my nice 7 months old does not have it ?

Hi where did you buy ivermectin lotion could you share the link please? And if there is any online site to buy ivermectin tablets please?

I had it prescribed 0.5% and had to give to a compound pharmacy as UK doesn’t sell this strength - only 1%. The stronger strength has also been used as seen by some studies but I didn’t want to risk as my babe is only 1.5 years old.

My 8 months old hasn’t gotten it how’s that possible? Could he be asymptomatic?

Symptoms can take up to 6 weeks to appear as it takes the immunity time to develop an allergic reaction to the mite. If you are getting treated unfortunately the whole household needs to. We all did multiple rounds of permethrin and malathion and only the iverctin lotion seems to have worked albeit we are still monitoring as spots come and go

We have it since November and we all have been treated with what you mentioned except the ivermectin lotion. The little ones didn’t. Get it tho till this date. We have not treated them. Do you think they can be carriers and give it back to us?

So after being told by two drs at my GP surgery hat I did not have evidence of scabies and to not use any more permethrin I had a rheumatology appointment and the consultant examining my knees said I did indeed have it so she is going to write to my GP . I am trying to get an appointment on Monday so they can prescribe something stronger. The permethrin and der bac have not cleared it up and I was right and not going mad which is how the gp made me feel.

So sorry, I wrote a reply but mustn't have clicked post!
How is everyone getting on?

Im glad youve had success and things are looking better. Where are the spots appearing on your boy, is it still hands and feet?

The spots/blisters come on hands and feet about once a month - which i think is a consequence of treatment and not reinfection and then he has spots on the body anywhere really that come and go. Last week he has been totally clear. Hope all goes well with your little one

Thank you, how many blisters does he get and how long do they last on hands and feet?

How are you and little one getting on? I was clear for a month and a half and the little one had no spots either but what looked like eczema rash behind his knees (he's never suffered before with it) but seeing as no spots appeared and I was clear I put it down to that. Now he's started to get what looks like chicken skin lots of white tiny pimples almost like little goosebumps all over but white and obviously they haven't gone away. Its on his legs and arms and some on his face. Can scabies present like this does anyone know? As this appeared I started getting a couple of spots too which I put permethrin on (only on the spots itself) and they have gone. I can't help but wonder if its fungal however I've tried clotrimazole cream on us both and it didn't do anything. I also wash in tea tree a natural antibacterial so my skin should be squeaky clean.

Have you had any success @Blanket26

The number of blisters varies but it’s likely infantile acropustulosis which is common post scabies in younger children.

It truely is a “mind fuck” excuse the language. I find it incredible how Drs and even some dermatologists who are trained in rashes misdiagnose and have you trying all sorts of creams because they don’t know themselves.

It’s so sad when I think the stress this puts on people. I’m a strong person and it’s taken its toll on me. It’s exhausting and tiring when you just want your little one free of whatever it is.

All I know is if it is scabies then it’s ridiculously hard to get rid of even in the final stages which I believe we are in as neither of us itch now.

Im wondering if someone in the family is asymptomatic and therefore keeps passing it back. Despite treatment how would we know if it had been effective on them if they were asymptomatic in the first place. Eg my partner has spots but has never had clear skin prior to all of this so how can I tell if it’s scabies or not when he doesn’t itch. Also none of his kids from his previous relationship have any symptoms and they are with us two days a week.

This is why I wonder about bacterial or other infections. How have me and my son been the unlucky ones. 🤷🏼‍♀️😵‍💫

Jumping on here desperately looking for advice. My 21yo son is at his wits end with what he has been told is scabies.

He’s done three treatments, including properly washing / isolating clothing and bedding. A GP prescribed ivermectin tablets. He gets brief relief then back with a vengeance.

He’s using eurax cream and taking antihistamine.

No-one else at his uni house or home has been infected.

We’ve got an appointment with a dermatology consultant in mid-April but he’s really struggling. He’s doing finals at uni too. Is there anything else he can try?

New mattress , new protector for the bed. Does he have a partner who needs to be treated. I don’t want to depress you but it is hard to get rid of . I have been struggling trying to be rid of it since before Christmas. The drs don’t take it seriously enough and are miss diagnosing so it is getting a real hold . Read this whole thread for more ideas. Tiny dancer has been wonderful and reassuring.