If you've had scabies

[Scabiesor]

Did everyone in your household get infected?

I have a feeling I have scabies. Weird pinprick/burning feeling that pops up here and there and some red dots that come and go.

I have had no physical contact with anyone so if I do it will have been unlucky through travelling or trying on clothes or something.

Can't make a GP appointment so will try to find a private dermatologist.

I have read such horror stories. It will be a pain if I have it but I can manage it. However I am really worried in case my DC get it.

I know this will just be anecdotal but I'm wondering if you had it, how much it spread in your family.

Thank you

Yes, twice! From working in a nursing home 30 years ago now.

No-one else got it but it did take a while to get rid of!

Yes me and husband both caught them

I had it over Christmas one year but none of the other 6 in the house got infected somehow! Not saying that it isn’t but with scabies the itch at night is so bad that you actually can’t sleep! You can get the cream over the counter in the pharmacy, the one I used was called Eurax if you wanted to give it a go before you can get an appointment. You apply it all over, your scalp, under your finger and toenails, every crack and crevice, leave for 24 hours and then wash off. Repeat it again in a week. The symptoms can last for a week or two but that usually kills it off. Just be sure not to share towels/bedding/clothing in the mean time.

No but it was when I was about 16 so I wasn't sharing a bed or have very close, touching type contact with my family, not like if I was a younger child or in a relationship.

In our house of 6 only DH and I got it and I have no idea where from. Never been so itchy in my life!!! Took two treatments to get rid of them.

Thank you, I have some extremely cuddly little ones so quite worried.

I did think about doing a preventative treatment but I wouldn't want to treat the DC unnecessarily. And if I just treat myself I'll never know if I actually had it and it might take me longer to spot on the DCs then.

Not sure if my reasoning makes sense though!

I don't really have much to show a doctor just now apart from phantom itching so I don't know if they'll be able to help at all yet.

It is very, very itchy, especially at night.

I don’t think I’ll ever forget the itch! I do remember the GP checking the webbing between my thumb and index fingers, you’ll sometimes see their little burrows in there 🤢

Did you all get itchy quite suddenly and it was relentless from there, or was it mild and on and off at first? I had two reasonably itchy days last week, seemed to completely disappear for a couple of days, now I'm itchy again but only mildly. It's a mystery.

@Scabiesor From memory it started off mild and then gradually increased to where it became unbearable, especially in warm areas e.g armpits, groin, anywhere warm really. I can’t remember having days where it wasn’t but that’s not to say I didn’t, it was quite a while ago!

I can't remember much as it was years ago, just very itchy. Where is your rash, scabies is often bad between the fingers and warm areas like inside the arms but I never got it on my face.

The first couple of days my face and scalp were particularly itchy, even between my eyelashes. I also had a couple of hives on my jawline (which made me think an allergic reaction was more likely) and then different places randomly all over my body.

Now it's still random. Sometimes my side, sometimes my thighs, sometimes my tummy, sometimes my elbow. But it sort of itches/pinprick feeling for a few seconds at most then stops.

That's what I also was unsure of, does scabies itch all over or in the actual areas where the mites are??

It doesn’t sound like you have it tbh, it would be really bad by now if over a week ago.

@Scabiesor Yeah that doesn’t sound like it, especially when you mention the hives and face. Also scabies has to be very advanced before there’s a visible rash. I had it roughly 10 days/2 weeks before I got treated and still didn’t have a visible rash. The itch is constant, you can’t ignore it.

It seems it is very rare on the face and head in adults so that is probably a good sign @Scabiesor

So reassuring thank you! I did see the face was rarely affected but I didn't know if I maybe was having an allergic reaction to the whole thing without having actual mites on my face.

I think I will try to relax and stop avoiding cuddling my children 😬

Doesn't sound like scabies.

You'd know if it was scabies, you'd literally want to peel your skin off due to the unbearable itch that basically nothing soothes!

Just as I was starting to relax I felt an itch on my back, I have just checked it and there are actual spots there.

I am soo confused, this happened yesterday on my front, they flared up then disappeared to almost nothing.

I don't usually have sensitive skin at all this is very new and unusual!

Here it is, not itching now, it only did for a split second. If anyone has experienced this and has any ideas beyond scabies let me know!

Yes. Twenty years ago. Stayed over at my friends boyfriend’s house with her when she was house sitting. Very uncomfortable, but did not spread. Followed the instructions on the treatment to the letter, observed high standard of hygiene. The itching stopped within a week.

I was super itchy and it was unbearable at night. Supposedly you get it between your fingers but I didn’t. It was mostly on my shins and neck. Nobody else caught it from me, or even my partner who shared the bed.

Scabies usually form a linear pattern rash and is red which that doesn’t look like. If you have time tomorrow maybe speak to the pharmacist, they’ll be able to help!

Pityriasis rosea is a spotty, itchy rash you can get, usually on the front and back, I have had that as well, 😬, it usually lasts up to about three months and is viral but harmless

Thank you! At least now I have a picture to show if these disappear by tomorrow like they all seem to be doing.

My hands are so dry and scaly anyway it's hard to tell if there is anything there but they are not itchy at all.

Another hive has now appeared at the back of my thigh. Just a single but large hive. It almost looks like a mosquito bite. Another one has appeared at the top of my back, and one on my neck. All over the course of the last hour. They itch as they appear and then it stops itching.

Either this is mites burrowing and the generalised itch will soon start or I'm having a chronic reaction to something.

It is very puzzling, really appreciated all your inputs!