help, could this be scabies?
Help please I'm going slowly mad.
So on Monday I started to get itchy all over, by Tuesday it was terrible and by Wednesday it was unbearable. Had no marks on my body up to then. I made an emergency doctors appointment, he gave me antihistamines and antibiotics and took blood. When I got home I noticed some red, raised bumps on the tops of my arms. (Inside) Later on that day I slathered myself in Dermol emollient and that soothed it for about 10 minutes.
Anthistamines are not working (I don't think- I don't know if they're supposed to completely take away the itching because I'm still itching but not really as bad as before) although not actually scratching as much as I don't want to make it worse) and I've noticed lots more red bumpy bits on my body - tops of my thighs, behind my knees and tops of my arms. There's also some on my tummy. Today I bought some E45 and E45 anti itch cream. I've put it on twice and both times it's soothed the itching for about 30 mins.
I have no idea if this could be atopic eczema/dermatitis but looking online in does seem possible. Waiting on my blood test results but in the meantime just looking for some reassurance that this could be eczema/dermatitis as I'm worried it could be something more serious ie kidney problems/liver problems.
I've never felt anything like it, the itch is so intense although it has eased off maybe 20% or so.
Help!
Edit: another thing I've noticed is that it's worse when I've nothing to do like when I get home from work, or laying in bed, in the evenings. Today I spent hours cleaning and didn't itch at all really until I sat down and thought about it.
Edit again: I'm freaking myself out that it could be scabies.
So on Monday I started to get itchy all over, by Tuesday it was terrible and by Wednesday it was unbearable. Had no marks on my body up to then. I made an emergency doctors appointment, he gave me antihistamines and antibiotics and took blood. When I got home I noticed some red, raised bumps on the tops of my arms. (Inside) Later on that day I slathered myself in Dermol emollient and that soothed it for about 10 minutes.
Anthistamines are not working (I don't think- I don't know if they're supposed to completely take away the itching because I'm still itching but not really as bad as before) although not actually scratching as much as I don't want to make it worse) and I've noticed lots more red bumpy bits on my body - tops of my thighs, behind my knees and tops of my arms. There's also some on my tummy. Today I bought some E45 and E45 anti itch cream. I've put it on twice and both times it's soothed the itching for about 30 mins.
I have no idea if this could be atopic eczema/dermatitis but looking online in does seem possible. Waiting on my blood test results but in the meantime just looking for some reassurance that this could be eczema/dermatitis as I'm worried it could be something more serious ie kidney problems/liver problems.
I've never felt anything like it, the itch is so intense although it has eased off maybe 20% or so.
Help!
Edit: another thing I've noticed is that it's worse when I've nothing to do like when I get home from work, or laying in bed, in the evenings. Today I spent hours cleaning and didn't itch at all really until I sat down and thought about it.
Edit again: I'm freaking myself out that it could be scabies.
0
Comments
Thanks, I really am worrying that it's scabies. Although nobody else in my house has it (but I could've caught it from someone and then passed it to them and their symptoms just haven't appeared yet as it can take up to
6 weeks apparently)
I am so worried about scabies, I'm making myself feel ill. I just want reassurance that it's not scabies and I can't wait until Tuesday
what chemicals or sprays did you use ? And did you wash hands properly ?
I didn't - I hoovered, threw lots of old clothes away, I didn't actually use any products, except a small bit of polish. Yes I did was my hands. Can I ask what my cleaning today has to do with my itchy rash? It started on Monday ;-)
Yes I read that, I don't have anything between my fingers, but the bumpy rash has spread a fair bit tonight so who knows whether or not I'll have the burrows by the morning?
I'm 99% conviced I've got it
If you've had this itching all week and there is NO sign of anything between your fingers then I think it's more than likely to be something else. The fingers and hands are usually the first site of the scabies mite, which then spreads to other parts of the body.
It sounds like an excema type reaction to something as yet unknown, which can be a bit like finding a needle in a haystack!
Till you have been back to the doc the best you can do is try and alleviate the symptoms.
Most skin irritations are made worse by heat so try and keep the skin cool, especially where skin meets skin like at the backs of the knees. A cold wet cloth can soothe.
E45 cream may help a little but 1% hydrocortisone may give more relief till you see the doc. Its available over the counter from most supermarket pharmacies. Follow the instructions.
However hard, try not to scratch ! If you must, just rub with the back of your fist so you don't break the skin. If you break the skin the itching it will be ten times worse. Again, a damp cloth kept in the freezer will feel wonderful.
Thank you both, you've reassured me
I have calmed down a bit now knowing it might not be scabies. But I'm one of those people that will still be freaking out even though it's likely it's not, as like I say I have nothing between my fingers.
Glad you're feeling a little calmer now. I understand your distress but getting too stressed out will get you all hot and bothered and will make you feel worse; it'll make you itch more.
Try your very best to stay calm. Try and keep cool. Try not to scratch (rub if you really, really must).
I've heard white vinegar wiped on the skin is good for calming and cooling down the skin. Might be worth a try (as long as you don't mind smelling like a chippy!).
Good luck.
He gave him a bottle of lotion which he applied all over, literally neck down to his toes if i can remember and he let it dry and slept in it and had a bath the next day, i think he did it once more about a week later and that was all.
The only other thing we did was take ALL the bedding from teh airing cupboard and all the beds and all the towels in the house and washed everything at 60 degree wash, our doctor said the scabies mite can survive the 30 degree ecological wash option thing and to wash everything all at the same time , so nothing could pass from one set of bedding to the next in the airing cupboard.
Scabies can be caught by anyone, sharing a towel or buying a second hand garment, please dont worry if you do get diagnosed with it as its not hard to treat, my son got given antibiotics with his but that is only because he didnt stop scratching until we got the lotion and solved it
Did he have any rash on husbands/wrists or between his fingers?
It was my son, not my husband and the doctor said he thought he got it from sharing swimming towels as he goes swimming a lot after school with other lads
Yes I know, sorry my stupid iPhone likes to change small words (was meant to write 'his') into longer different words (in this case it was husband)
Okay now I'm worrying again because you say your son didn't have any marks on his hands with scabies. Gahh I'm really panicking, I just need someone to tell me it's not scabies to put my mind at rest. Going to ring the docs first thing tomorrow and see if I can get in.
Looking at pityriasis rosea it does seem the most likely - it also says the rash gets worse after a bath and last night as soon as I got in the rash was bright red and angry looking. 2 mins after getting out it went back to a pale pink. I also think I had the 'herald patch' on my tummy, I had an oval shaped pink itchy patch for about a week before I started itching all over and getting this rash I've got now.
All the signs point to pityriasis rosea but like I say, I'm one of those people that will just worry and worry about something (in this case scabies) until I'm told otherwise
Hi, no I'm not. The spots aren't white but I'm talking about pityriasis rosea, not rosacea
Even though I have no marks on my hands or wrists, or nipples or genitals? Or any burrow marks? And nobody in my house is scratching? And I had the 'herald patch' that comes with pityriasis rosea?
(Don't know if I'm trying to convince you or me that it's not scabies lol)
You wouldn't always get the marks on hands, etc or any noticeable burrow marks. If it was pityriasis the piriton should be helping.
The antihistamines have eased it, I'm not sure if they're supposed to completely take away the itch or not. And since my last post quoting 20% I'd say I'm at about 65-70% itchy compared to Tuesday/Wednesday. So they are helping, I just didn't know whether they were supposed to completely take away the whole itch (and still don't!)
When I say dead easy, what you have to do is wipe over your whole self with the stuff, a few times. Actually I doubt that it is scabies because of your description, but I have not read all the messages. If your doctor does not cure it very quickly, ask to see a dermatologist. They will recognise all sorts of skin problems and know what to do.
So it's another 6-10 weeks of creams and antihistamines!