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Scabies and Pregnancy - Doctors are not helping us very well!

Posted , 3 users are following.

matt48
matt48

Hey,

My other half and i have a rash that doctors wont give a 100% answer too. I broke out first and a day later my other half broke out in the same places as me. Arms, Stomach, fingers, wrists, thighs and feet. She has some on her back but i do not. The Doctor has decided that it may be Scabies but cant be 100% sure as mine were going down with an anti histamine, I was told that this could just come back and flare up again though. We also have two children under the age of 3 who have no signs of any rashing or itching which we have been told is very odd as they would have broken out first. My other half is pregnant (23 weeks) We are finding it hard to find 100% safe ways to treat her for this. The doctor has given me "Permethrin" To see if it can help me but also said that he is not sure if its safe for my pregnant wife. He put my partner through for blood tests and recommended for a dermatologist as he is still not sure if it is actually scabies but is having a guess (This was the skin doctor of our clinic....)

I have now completed the treatment and have a few questions.

Firstly, Is there nothing my partner can take which is pregnancy safe? Pharmacist's wont help or risk advice and the doctors are not sure if the treatment is safe.

Secondly, Now i have been treated, how long will it take for the rash itself to go down or improve noticeably?

Finally, Now i have been treated, Can i re catch scabies again from my other half as we cuddle, share bed etc? - I was told no, but that seemed a bit odd to me.

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Tarun
    Tarun

    Posted

    Hi Matt

    In answer to your first question I can't see an issue with Permethrin (Lyclear cream I presume ?). If this is not appropriate then Derbac-M liquid is a suitable alternative. Treatments for scabies involve topical products i.e medicines applied to the skin. Therefore the amount of absorption into the bloodstream is extremely low and both of these products - however I would be more inclined towards Derbac-M in pregnancy.

    For the second question, the rash and itchiness can persist for 1-2 weeks after the infection has cleared. Usually this is treated with an antihistamine such as Piriton, or Eurax cream. However if this persists then it may mean that initial treatment was unsuccessful and a further course might be indicated.

    Scabies is spread by direct skin-skin contact, so if your partner does have it, it is important to get it cleared ASAP. Hope this has helped.

    Tarun (hospital pharmacist)

  • jools3
    jools3

    Posted

    Pemethrin just didn't work on me at all - I tried it for a lot longer than the Doctor recommended with no real results.

    After lots of research & trial & error I stumbled on a procedure that totally worked for me. Here you go:

    Fill a jam jar with very hot but not boiling water & screw on the lid. Wrap a tea-towel around it & then hold the side of the hot jar on your wife's scabies sites for as long as she can bear - AT LEAST 10 minutes.... & yes, it is uncomfortable - I did it for 15-20 mins.

    Then apply Hydrogen Peroxide - try to get the strongest that you can from the chemists (between 3-12%). Get a cotton bud & trace the tracks of the burrows - really scrub the peroxide into the scabies tracks.

    The heat will eventually kill the adults & the HP will break down their burrows/tracks; you will notice that the skin will go white which means that it is dying. This procedure is not pleasant but if done properly & regularly it really works - I had almost given up hope til I tried this.

    Remember that the eggs will hatch after about 7 days (I think) so to be on the safe side do this everyday for 2 weeks.

    FYI - I sustained no scarring from this procedure.

    Good Luck!!

  • clara49464
    clara49464 matt48

    Posted

    Matt every thing I have read confirms you can catch it again. One thing I read about to do was to use window cleaner and amonia, half & half to spray the bed pillows ect.... and wash all washable items in hot water with amonia.  As for help on the scabies, I read where one person put tooth paste on the areas and applied clear tape to it and pulled it off if you seen black spots on the tape that is the scabies mites. But i found that if you use Head & Shoulders Shampoo to wash the areas and rinse throughly then pat dry, then apply tape as many times as needed, then apply the cream the Doctor prescribed, then apply Vaporizing Chest Rub, then start using the tape agin until you feel comfortable. I also realized this also picks up some of the eggs too. I think this was the best way for me and it has helped me with the itching a lot. I do it everyday until I feel comfortable that they are gone . Realize the eggs hatch so doing ti everyday at least 3 times a day will help, that is what I do. I hope this helps you.

     concern person:

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