Scabies

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Feb 17, 2008

this made me remember an incident we had with a patient who came in and was discovered to have lice. i was itching all day after we learned about it. i ended up going to a pharmacy and getting an over the counter product that was, i believe, coal oil based and showering with it. outside of going to a doctor, there are over the counter products you can use for this, for your peace of mind. go to a drug store and ask the pharmacist what you can get over the counter to use.

if you do have scabies (actually got those when i worked at a va with some homeless vets), it takes a couple of weeks for the symptoms to appear. mostly it will be redness and itching in the folds of your skin such as your inner elbows, wrists, under your arms, around your midriff where you have a fold of skin that tends to hang over. scabies like warm, moist places to burrow into. and, you can't see them because they are microscopic. you have to launder all your bedding and clothing (they live temporarily in clothing) as well as apply the medication to get rid of them.

good luck. hope it's just in your mind.

EmmaG, RN · Feb 17, 2008

My dermatologist told me that those in healthcare who are exposed will often have an 'atypical' presentation of scabies (perhaps just a few 'bumps' on extremities). And while the initial episode takes a couple of weeks to produce the symptoms, with subsequent exposures they appear within a few days (it's basically an allergic reaction).

colleennurse, ASN, RN · Feb 17, 2008

Thanks for your replies. I saw the patient a few weeks ago. My concern is that I am pregnant and due in 5 weeks. So I will b e very irritated if I did get it. I have a prenatal appt in a week, so I will ask my doc if the itchig has not gine by then. Cause I am not sure what I will be able to use. Oh well. I guess I have to wait and see. I am being neurotic now and keep checking my skin. One of the joys of being a nurse I guess :icon_roll