Scabies

[wadman]

14 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

Concerning the sheets in my house...

I plan to remove all bedding.

Send to some cleaner that can wash and dry at over 50 degrees C, or discard, in fact.

Then buy new bedding.

 

The cost of bedding is NOTHING compared to the psychological hardship of being infested with a mite that is too small to see.

 

A true hassle, is the scabies mite.

 

The life cycle of the mite is such that one could move out of the house for a few days, a few weeks, and expect that all mites might be dead before one returns.

 

There is much good info on the internet about scabies.

 

If one has a partner, then both must be treated simultaneously.

Fortunately, I live a alone.

And, must just treat myself.

(Physician, heal thyself!)

 

 

 

A more foolproof way to get rid of scabies on clothing and bedding is to freeze them. Bag it up, put it in the freezer, leave it there for 3 full days, and they will be dead for sure. 

[GammaGlobulin]

4 minutes ago, wadman said:

 

A more foolproof way to get rid of scabies on clothing and bedding is to freeze them. Bag it up, put it in the freezer, leave it there for 3 full days, and they will be dead for sure. 

 

Whether freezing bedding or putting bedding in a sealed bag at any temperature, the mites will die within two or three days.  So, I think that freezing is not a help.

 

BUT, I WILL tell you that:

 

Where I grew up, on The Main Line, outside Philly, PA, we had never even heard of scabies.

 

Now, my guess is that I have scabies.

What a lousy situation.
At least, I do not have lice, by the way.

 

I can honestly say that, when I was young, living on The Main Line in PA, I had never heard of anyone having scabies or lice.

 

 

No scabies here!

But, maybe a louse or two, in the house...

 

 

[wadman]

3 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

Whether freezing bedding or putting bedding in a sealed bag at any temperature, the mites will die within two or three days.  So, I think that freezing is not a help.

 

Putting bedding in sealed bag for 2-3 days will almost certainly kill the mites, but not 100%. One scenario is if you have some tiny bits of skin on the bedding where the mites are. Which will provide food for the mites. 

 

I had scabies about 10 years ago. Got rid of it with permethrin treatments (repeated a few times). If you have to go through the treatment, and the itch of the scabies themselves, you want to eliminate reinfection as much as possible. 

[GammaGlobulin]

27 minutes ago, wadman said:

 

Putting bedding in sealed bag for 2-3 days will almost certainly kill the mites, but not 100%. One scenario is if you have some tiny bits of skin on the bedding where the mites are. Which will provide food for the mites. 

 

I had scabies about 10 years ago. Got rid of it with permethrin treatments (repeated a few times). If you have to go through the treatment, and the itch of the scabies themselves, you want to eliminate reinfection as much as possible. 

 

Yes.

Thank you.

Seems like the best advice.

Might be best to just send all bedding to a dry cleaner, for example. (Oh Wait! When is the last time I saw a Dry Cleaners Shop in Thailand?)

Here in Thailand, few people use hot water to wash clothes, and fewer still use clothes dryers.

 

Personally, I might just get rid of everything, and then start over with new bedding, new mattress, new EVERYTHING!

 

Scabies are more insidious than cockroaches.

Scabies are small.

Cockroaches in Taiwan are BIG, and much easier to deal with.

 

Scabies represent, at least for me, a huge pain in the neck...and...

A huge itch on my hands.

 

Speaking of  The Itch....

I have always loved Marylyn Monroe...

No scabies on her, I imagine....

 

 

 

 

In my humble opinion:

 

Just the listening to Rachmaninoff for about one hour is enough to kill off most parasites in and on the human body.

 

 

[ozimoron]

No need to replace bedding. Scabies dies quickly without a host but the eggs can live a week or so. The lotion before bed will deny new mites a host. They are not like bed bugs.

[wadman]

34 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Scabies represent, at least for me, a huge pain in the neck...and...

A huge itch on my hands.

 

Speaking of  The Itch....

 

Don't know if you are doing this already. You can take Cetirizine to relieve much of the itch. Cetirizine is an anti-histamine commonly taken for allergies. It's an over the counter drug, no prescription needed. 

[GammaGlobulin]

11 minutes ago, wadman said:

 

Don't know if you are doing this already. You can take Cetirizine to relieve much of the itch. Cetirizine is an anti-histamine commonly taken for allergies. It's an over the counter drug, no prescription needed. 

 

Thank you for your suggestion.

Also, good that others might benefit from your suggestion, as well.

 

 

[HugoFastor]

35 minutes ago, wadman said:

 

Don't know if you are doing this already. You can take Cetirizine to relieve much of the itch. Cetirizine is an anti-histamine commonly taken for allergies. It's an over the counter drug, no prescription needed. 

Cetrizine is Zyrtec, which is from an older generation of antihistamines that cause drowsiness. I wouldn't suggest it. Fexofenadine, which is Telfast, is a non-sedating antihistamine and a better choice as it is more effective against itchy/allergic reactions and causes no drowsiness. It's probably 3X the price of Zyrtec, but you can find lower cost locally made generics. One pill is all you need for 24 hours. 

[GammaGlobulin]

52 minutes ago, HugoFastor said:

Cetrizine is Zyrtec, which is from an older generation of antihistamines that cause drowsiness. I wouldn't suggest it. Fexofenadine, which is Telfast, is a non-sedating antihistamine and a better choice as it is more effective against itchy/allergic reactions and causes no drowsiness. It's probably 3X the price of Zyrtec, but you can find lower cost locally made generics. One pill is all you need for 24 hours. 

 

No need to treat my pruritic condition, since, like Job, I probably deserve it, just due to my past sins.

 

I have also had the seven-year itch for many years, and the symptoms never subside.

 

The main concern is to rid myself these dastardly mites.

 

I can easily accept the 7-year itch.

But, I am unable to tolerate the invasion of these parasites which are now inhabiting the surface of my body.

 

Out

OUT!

You Mites!

 

Inhabit me NOT!

 

 

These lousy creatures from the black lagoon...

So very insidious.

 

NOTE:  I wonder if Monroe ever had scabies?