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[KaraShannon]

 Hi all

Since I moved I've been itching, it was mild at first.  Then one night I found a bug crawling on me and was convinced it was a bed bug but when I checked in a specialist group I was told it was a weevil and harmless.  That was weeks ago and seen nothing like that since. 

But I'm feeling grossed out and still as if my skin is crawling a lot of the time.  It does die down here and there and I think that perhaps I've solved things. 

I spoke to 7 different pharmacists to request a scabies treatment, just to be on the safe side as sometimes when I itch I get a tiny white or light brown thing under my nail.  All of them said I don't have any sores anywhere to suggest scabies and they were not comfortable to give me the treatment.  One pharmacist told me she'd give it to me but stock nationwide is low.  So that was probably the real story with all of them.

So no joy with the pharmacists I went to the doctor.  She listened but checked my scalp (for a second) and said no sign of headlice, though she said my scalp looked sore 'probably from the scratching.'  (I somehow get the feeling people are constantly resorting to a behavioral explanation for everything at the moment, I mean I was scratching because there's a problem and that's why I was there).

Anyway, no treatment from the doctor, just anti histamines which I won't take unless absolutely necessary as I've always reacted very badly to them (cold sores, unwell etc).  Also the anti histamines have been prescribed for a reason, I don't normally have itching and I wouldn't normally have to take them, so it hasn't addressed the cause.

So the last couple of days leading up to my period I've been sleeping deeply and more itchy.  And while I say that I don't think for a minute this is hormones because I am pulling stuff off me when I itch.  I just think the point I'm at in my cycle is making it more acute.

I just feel pretty alone with it at the moment as the only significant others in my life are telling me that I'm stressed and after 6 weeks or so I'm a little fed up of not being believed.  It's bad enough having the problem without people telling you it's all in your mind.

So the itching was awful yesterday, I had bought a tea tree shampoo and used it, and have a feeling it's, if anything, encouraged the problem.

So last night I smothered my head in conditioner and for the first time, relief from the itching (not gone, but feeling like I'm winning).  I have itching on the body also and have smothered myself in a rose skin cleanser which is thick like a moisturiser, again there is considerable relief from the itching.

Can anyone help me think this through logically?  It's not likely to be bed bugs because the only bug I saw, while similar, was actually a weevil with some very obvious differences.  It's got to me some sort of lice hasn't it?  Finding small little things on me, and on my clothes when I take them off at night, you know when you get 'pilling' lots of little balls of fabric forming, well there was lots of that, but to the extent that I don't think it was that and think perhaps I have lice.

Awful subject and I've no idea where I've caught them from because I haven't been around kids, I've only had one relative visit my property from miles away, who never visits and they were only here 5 minutes.  So, then could it be in the property?  But lice live on people and whatever this is is definitely interested in me, so ...  What else might live in a property?  Was it the new carpet I had fitted, but it looks so clean etc. 

I'm going to shower off all the conditioner and body moisturiser in a bit and then cover myself in fresh moisturiser, I'm hoping it will smother whatever it is. 

What would others do?  I feel really alone with all this because going for help in the normal way hasn't resulted in any help 

[Penguin]

Is this a rental property? Private or council? I would contact whoever runs your property and talk to them about it as it is potentially an environmental health issue. We own our house and, when we had dog fleas from changing the carpet after previous owner, we paid for council to come out and deal with the problem. There may be some kind of treatment that can be done to the property that covers whatever insects they are.

[CLKD]

If U have been checked over by a professional then it is itch/scratch/itch syndrome. 

Nits are obvious [apparently].  Scabies is so uncommon that most GPs won't have seen any cases.  Due to lack of VitC. 

Bed bugs .......... you would be bitten all over by now, although there were reports recently that there is an increase across the service industry  : blamed on people buying 2nd hand furniture.  Cynical?  Moi  . The bits in your nails is likely be small scratches of blood due to scratching.  Nothing more, nowt less. 

Anti-histamines should not cause cold sores.  These are due to the herpes zosta virus associated with chicken pox.  If they have caused problems 4 U in the past, this needs investigating.   

A lack of oestrogen is generally the cause for over all body itchiness.  DH and I use a good moisturiser, I'm currently fond of 'Vaseline' essential healing in a yellow tub/bottle/tube ...... DH swears by Nivea  .   

[KaraShannon]

Thanks Penguin, it's rental and I have held off speaking to the landlord as yet because I don't want them to think it's me!  But it's been since I moved here.  There was also weeks of delay from being told it was mine to being told I could move in and I wonder what that was about.  But my state of mind isn't good at the moment now lol.

I was going to see if I feel any better after showering and re 'smothering' my skin in cream etc, if there's a big different then maybe some form of lice..........but I would have to continue to improve.  Feel pretty rough most mornings atm

[KaraShannon]

If U have been checked over by a professional then it is itch/scratch/itch syndrome. 

Nits are obvious [apparently].  Scabies is so uncommon that most GPs won't have seen any cases.  Due to lack of VitC. 

Bed bugs .......... you would be bitten all over by now, although there were reports recently that there is an increase across the service industry  : blamed on people buying 2nd hand furniture.  Cynical?  Moi  . The bits in your nails is likely be small scratches of blood due to scratching.  Nothing more, nowt less. 

Anti-histamines should not cause cold sores.  These are due to the herpes zosta virus associated with chicken pox.  If they have caused problems 4 U in the past, this needs investigating.   

A lack of oestrogen is generally the cause for over all body itchiness.  DH and I use a good moisturiser, I'm currently fond of 'Vaseline' essential healing in a yellow tub/bottle/tube ...... DH swears by Nivea  .

Sorry CLKD,

There are things I'm pulling off me and it is not blood, they are small things suggestive of lice.  I'm really wondering if there's any other infestation anyone knows about, because if not, then I'll go with lice and start doing thorough treatments.

Scabies, not to be confused with scurvy, which is due to lack of vitamin c......but I'll let you off as you're not well atm x

Because anti histamines dampen down the immune system the doctor agreed that this could be enough to let the virus activate and cause cold sores, but yes, technically they don't cause cold sores.  I will also get really bad cold sores when stressed, the stress doesn't cause them, it just dampens the immune system.

[CLKD]

You are so good ........ scurvy of course. 

Have U thought to put the 'critters' into a small pot with a lid and take to a pharmacist or a Vet. to have a lookC under a lens?  I'm intrigued now , I know - too much time on my hands 

Yep far too much time: 

NHS site - the scabies mite usually is spread by direct, prolonged, skin-to-skin contact with a person who has scabies. Scabies is found worldwide and affects people of all races and social classes.


Can scabies live in a mattress?

If infected, scabies can live up to 2 months on a person if untreated. However, once exposed to a 50°C (122°F) temperature for at least 10 minutes, these microscopic mites will die. Notably, scabies can live for 48-72 hours on a mattress.



The most common symptoms of scabies are a rash and intense itching that gets worse at night. The scabies rash looks like blisters or pimples: pink, raised bumps with a clear top filled with fluid. Sometimes they appear in a row. Scabies can also cause gray lines on your skin along with red bumps.


There is treatment available from the pharmacist on diagnosis. 

[Penguin]

Are there carpets are you using their beds / sofas etc? Try intense hoovering and putting everything washable in as hot a cycle as possible.

Personally I'd not give it long before contacting landlord. Could you stay somewhere else overnight and see if you get bitten or not? That would show it is definitely environment.

Good idea re catching one of the little blighters and taking to a vet! Our house was fine when we moved in, previous owner had a dog and a cat. Didn't have an issue until a year later when we pulled the carpets up to renovate and the fleas came out of hibernation! Our two dogs flea ridden in a couple of days and we started getting ankle bites etc. Despite owning the house ourselves, we were able to pay our local council to come and treat the house when we went out for the day. Pleased to say no problem since.

Don't put up with this any longer than you have to. Calamine lotion may help calm down the itch.

[CLKD]

Oh I remember ankle bites  .  Tenancious little critters, fleas.  I could write a book ! 

[KaraShannon]

You are so good ........ scurvy of course. 

Have U thought to put the 'critters' into a small pot with a lid and take to a pharmacist or a Vet. to have a lookC under a lens?  I'm intrigued now , I know - too much time on my hands 

   eww, what a subject.  I'm not clear what they are, white spec burrowed in skin, which would fit with scabies, but then another time more like just small 'things' that maybe are lice..........never had them so don't know, as a kid I got treated if a friend had them, so somehow managed to avoid.

Oh I'll get over it, my anxiety is high as well, but this is also going on 

[CLKD]

Oh I love fleas ........ survivors.  Did U know that they will sit on surface tension: I used to remove them, live, from my dog's coat and put them into the toilet.  However, they would jump up to bite the next bum or if down the sink, even after a good flushing.  They jump back up! 

Never had nits. 

[KaraShannon]

Oh I love fleas ........ survivors.  Did U know that they will sit on surface tension: I used to remove them, live, from my dog's coat and put them into the toilet.  However, they would jump up to bite the next bum or if down the sink, even after a good flushing.  They jump back up! 

  well that's cheered me up 

[CLKD]

U weren't eating were you 

[KaraShannon]

Are there carpets are you using their beds / sofas etc? Try intense hoovering and putting everything washable in as hot a cycle as possible.

Personally I'd not give it long before contacting landlord. Could you stay somewhere else overnight and see if you get bitten or not? That would show it is definitely environment.

Good idea re catching one of the little blighters and taking to a vet! Our house was fine when we moved in, previous owner had a dog and a cat. Didn't have an issue until a year later when we pulled the carpets up to renovate and the fleas came out of hibernation! Our two dogs flea ridden in a couple of days and we started getting ankle bites etc. Despite owning the house ourselves, we were able to pay our local council to come and treat the house when we went out for the day. Pleased to say no problem since.

Don't put up with this any longer than you have to. Calamine lotion may help calm down the itch.

thanks re calamine lotion, had forgotten about that.

everything here is mine and new, this is a lifelong rental / option to buy through my work, so I bought new stuff. 

That's why partly I hope it's me.  Just trying to think logically.  Unless it were bed bugs (and no evidence it is), there shouldn't be anything in the property.  Unless fleas.  If fleas I should know if it doesn't calm down with lice treatment.  So I'm going to treat as if it's lice and mention to a pharmacist again today.  I'll call the doctor tomorrow again for advice as they've seen me once over it.

Thanks for helping me think it through.  I'm having to constantly remind myself to think logically about it, not emotionally

[KaraShannon]

U weren't eating were you 

no, on go slow, I must get out and get some lunch, the one thing I don't have yet is a fridge or freezer here so having to dash out and with a hair full of conditioner etc, that's going to be a task just to get out.   

[KaraShannon]

If anyone wants a good photo of what menopause looks like, I could provide one right now 

Ok, this is not a menopause issue, but it would make a good photo for it anyway