Scabies…the parasite from hell.

Last week on Thursday morning I notice a very itchy rash breaking out on my wrist. It became worse as the day progressed and quickly spread to both arms and legs. I spent the next few days trying to figure out what in the heck it was. I’m not usually prone to getting rashes. I kept thinking maybe it was scabies from what I had read on the internet but didn’t know how in the world would I have gotten it. I got out the essential oils and aloe vera and figured I would treat the rash for everything. The spreading slowed way down but it was slowly getting worse. By the time Tuesday came around I was a hot mess. I wasn’t sleeping due to the itching and I didn’t want to pay a fortune out of pocket to see a doctor without insurance. I showed up to work in tears. My client sent me home with orders to see a doctor. Instead I went home and lathered myself up with aloe vera gel and essential oils and took a nap. When I woke up from the nap my boyfriend Fred called me. I told him in was worse than ever. He said he was coming to get me and would take me to a minute clinic.

At the minute clinic (which took about 3 hours to get into) I was diagnosed with scabies. Scabies are a mite that are too small to see. They are usually passed from human contact but can be transferred from clothing or bedding. They burrow under the skin and lay eggs. Usually they are in between the fingers, in armpits or creases. Mine were all over. NP didn’t do a lab test but said the burrows made it pretty obvious that it was scabies.

She sent me home with a prescription for permethrin cream, a topical antibiotic to prevent infection and a oral antibiotic in case an infection starts. Fred graciously paid the $139 for the visit. I picked up the prescription for the permethrin 5% cream $72 and the topical antibiotic $12 but declined getting the oral antibiotic. I know how to prevent infection and oral antibiotics mess me up really bad. The last time I took one I had yeast everywhere and it took over a year to clear it up. I finally had to dry fast for 48 hours to get the yeast (candida) back in balance.

Anyway, I got home, showered and cleaned myself with sulfur soap. Then Fred put the cream all over me from the neck down. I went to bed and Fred went home. I was supposed to leave the cream on from 8 to 14 hours. I was reading in bed about scabies treatment and read that it can get on the face and scalp. So I put the cream on those places to cover all the bases. I wanted this parasite gone and if I had to cover my entire body in a pesticide so be it. If I had to die to get rid of these horrible mites then I would rather do that then live with them on me.

I slept really good. The itching wasn’t as bad which surprised me because the pesticide permethrin tends to make itching worse temporarily. I examined my body and there were a couple of new bites. I was very disappointed but thought maybe they were just left over. I left the cream on and went about my day. I washed all my bedding in hot water once again (I had been doing that everyday since I thought it could be scabies) I sprayed down the whole house with essential oils and vacuumed thoroughly. I canceled volunteering for story time at the library as well as my afternoon client Carolyn. Carolyn said that her and her husband got scabies once and it was not fun. I did give a client a ride to the store after thoroughly spraying down the car with essential oils, mostly because I needed to go to the store anyway. On the drive to pick up my client my friend “C” called. I was feeling so down and depressed. She has an amazing gift of encouragement and she kicked it into high gear. I felt much better after talking to her. I had hope again.

At the store I bought some Ivermectin for horses. I had read that doctors usually recommended you take Ivermectin along with using the cream. The NP I saw didn’t do that but I’d read a blog online about using the stuff made for horses. https://lifewithoutscabies.com/how-to-get-rid-of-scabies-at-home-fast/

After getting home I was too scared to take it. So I continued using essential oils and didn’t wash the cream off until around 1pm. Fred came over and we went to see one of his daughters graduate from the 6th grade and get a reward. It was a 2 hour drive or so each way. On the drive there I was feeling really low energy and it was hard for me to listen to empty chatter. I felt like it was draining me more. It’s always been hard for me to be around people that talk a lot. Listening takes a lot of energy. I haven’t figured out how to let the talker ramble on and not be drained by it. I bet Eckardt Tolle can do it! I finally shut out the chatter and allowed myself to not be responsive. I drifted off to sleep, Angel slept too. I had a lovely sleep full of happiness. When I woke up we were almost there.

At the graduation it was great seeing Fred’s kids. They are amazing kids. I had covered up in long sleeves as to not risk spreading the scabies if I happened to still be contagious. We all sat and watched all the 6th grade class get their rewards for the year. Angel was getting restless so I took her out in the hallway while they did the 7th and 8th graders. We had a lot of fun goofing around.

Then the event was over. We said goodbye to Fred’s kids and headed back home. I started to feel really nauseous on the way home, maybe from the permethrin and i also get car sick easily. So I rested with my eyes closed most of the way.

When I arrived at home. I rubbed myself down with essential oils and crawled into my clean bed. I slept deeply. I woke up the next morning (which is today) with even more new bites. Argh! I had figured out a couple days ago that I could order permethrin 5% cream online. I had ordered some, 5 containers for $19 but it wouldn’t be arriving until Tuesday and today is Thursday. I decided to take the Ivermectin for horses. I wanted to make sure I got the right dosage and I found a great blog about it. http://www.greendept.com/maximpulse/permethrin/ivermectin-calculating-a-dose.html

After reading that blog I felt confident that this was safer than using the cream. So I ate some. It was a small amount and didn’t taste terribly terrible. I’ve had worse. Then the minute clinic NP called me with a follow up. I told her I was still getting bites so she prescribed me some more permethrin 5% cream. Yay! After having my morning celery juice I went and picked up the $72 prescription. It crazy you can get 5 tubes for $19 online but it’s $72 at the pharmacy and that’s with a 20% discount. Anyway, whatever. I’ll get more money.

I canceled my client for the afternoon. I texted her about the situation and informed her the rash had started the day I cleaned her house last week. I didn’t like having to tell her but they have 5 kids and if they got scabies it would be a big big mess. She was very kind about it and contacted her doctor. He is going to give them preventative treatment just in case. I am so glad. He is giving them the pill for ivermectin and permethrin 5% cream enough for 2 doses in a row and another dose a week later. It’s good their doctor is taking this seriously and giving them everything they need. I’ve read story after story online about people suffering with scabies and their doctor refusing to believe them or help.

I spent the day resting and reading Anthony Williams book “Liver Rescue”. I wanted to get my mind off of scabies. I also worked in the garden, bought a little Meyer lemon tree, watered thoroughly, looked at all the beautiful fruit on the fruit trees and laid out mulch. It was very healing.

Then Angel and I went on an evening walk.

At bed time I had my roommate Nick put the new tube of permethrin cream on my back where I couldn’t reach. Then I did the rest of my entire body. Angel luckily isn’t showing any signs of getting it but they can take up to 8 weeks to show up. In the mean time the person is contagious. That is how they get spread. People don’t know they have them until it’s too late and they’ve spread them to others. So I put the cream on Angel, too, just in case. I don’t want to take any chances of those things coming back and getting on me again. I want them gone!! I put Angel in her clean bed and got into my clean bed. I pray that there are no new bites when I wake up.

Today’s food: 16oz. celery juice. 64oz. banana, mixed greens and coconut water smoothie. One dragon fruit, shared with Angel. 2 altalfo mangos. Some plums from off the ground under the plum tree, some mulberries from off the trees, homemade dehydrated raw kale chips.

Angel’s food: 8 altalfo mangos, 1/2 dragon fruit, 1 avocado, Mulberries from off the tree and some coconut water.

Thank you for reading my blog and being a part of my life.

With love and gratitude,

Victoria