24 replies to this topic

[Cmlgl]

Am I the only one who suffers the most at night. I can feel skin layers peeling off under my nail. My skin is burning and stinging and itching all at the same time.

[jlaw]

so not the only one! Two nights ago I could feel myself clawing off skin and scabs - still wasn't enough! Unfortunately, this is also a strong characteristic of scabies. One of the first things my derm asked me - 'was it worse at night?' When I said yes, he immediately diagnosed scabies. So watch out for that question on the 16th!

[pricklypear1971]

I'ce packs. I usd to fall asleep with them packed under my arms. Put more in the freezer in case you wake up.

[squirmingitch]

Night is THE worst! Sleep deprivation night after night after night. It may be a feature of scabies but it's also a feature of dh. A few shots of vodka helps.
Besides what Prickly suggests with the ice packs keep the A/C low & very cool & sleep only with the thinnest coverings you can get away with. When heat builds up the itch goes crazy. I have it on the back of my scalp & find it's much better if i sleep on my sides so the heat of my head pressed into the pillow doesn't build up on the back of my scalp.

You might try wearing gloves to bed to help you keep from scratching it raw. If you don't have gloves --- put socks over your hands.

[intolerant baker]

I am glad you started this thread! I get really bad at night and was treated THREE times this year for scabies (nobody did a skin scrape to diagnose)before my primary made the gluten connection. I really thought I was the only one, esp. since they assume scabies when you get itchier at night.

[Cmlgl]

It's my third trip to this derm in a year. She ties to say scabies I'll laugh. I co sleep with my husband and 3 kids.... Someone would have caught it in a year! Lol

[squirmingitch]

If derms want to say scabies then make them PROVE it by doing a skin scrape. They always want proof of everything --- let's make THEM prove something. They work for US not the other way around.

[intolerant baker]

If derms want to say scabies then make them PROVE it by doing a skin scrape. They always want proof of everything --- let's make THEM prove something. They work for US not the other way around.

I am learning so much these past couple of months. All the medication did was irritate my skin further (shocking!) I feel lucky to have a PCP that really listened to me and took me seriously

[squirmingitch]

I am learning so much these past couple of months. All the medication did was irritate my skin further (shocking!) I feel lucky to have a PCP that really listened to me and took me seriously

You are very fortunate with that PCP ---- certainly not the norm as the numbers bear out. It's always good to hear there are a few good docs out there.

[jlaw]

It's my third trip to this derm in a year. She ties to say scabies I'll laugh. I co sleep with my husband and 3 kids.... Someone would have caught it in a year! Lol

This is exactly why I was happy to keep pursuing the DH thing! There is absolutely no way that it was scabies because not one person I know had it after a year. We don't co-sleep but we do sleep in the same room and the kids are always in and out of our bed. And at *least* my husband should've caught them! ...but the derm told me 'scabies is not always contagious'. When I questioned him, he said something like 'well it is in children but not in adults'. ????

[JaneWhoLovesRain]

Some doctors are useless when it comes to diagnosing dh. Converstion I had with the first doctor I saw went something like this -

Dr: You have eczema.
Me: No I don't.
Dr: Yes, you do. Do you have family that has allergies?
Me: Yes.
Dr: Well it's eczema, it goes hand in hand with allergies.
Me: But it itches terribly, It's waking me up in the night.
Dr: Oh, you have "mites." (polite way of saying scabies)
Me: I DON'T have scabies.
Dr: Yes, you do, as soon as you said it itches in the night,I knew that's what you have.
Me: But I haven't had any contact with anyone.
Dr: Have you shaken anyone's hand?
Me: You can't get it by shaking hands.
Dr: Oh yes you can, that's all it takes, you'd be surprised how easy it is to catch.
Me: I don't have it any of the scabies spots (webs of fingers, wrists, breasts, groin, underarms).
Dr: You have an atypical case.
Me: Do you think I could have the celiac rash?
Dr: Oh no, that doesn't itch.

No skin scraping was done nor did he look for burrows and I had virtually no skin to skin contact with anyone in the days/weeks preceeding my big break out.

At this point I totally tuned him out and "fired" him. Why doctors are so quick to diagnose someone with scabies when it would be extremely unlikely and not look for the real cause is beyond me and borders on negligence.

cmigl - to answer your orignal question - yes, mine itched terribly at night. I would wake up and have to scratch and scratch and scratch, it felt like I was digging into my bones. Nothing seemed to help, I would wake in the morning and see blood on my pj's. I wish I had thought of putting socks on my hands, that sounds helpful, even though i probably would have thrown them off at the first itch.

Jane

[mushroom]

Me: But it itches terribly, It's waking me up in the night.
Dr: Oh, you have "mites." (polite way of saying scabies)
Me: I DON'T have scabies.
Dr: Yes, you do, as soon as you said it itches in the night,I knew that's what you have.

Good heavens, everything itches worse at night, whether it be mosquito bites, psoriasis, DH.... You get under the covers warm in bed and the heat makes it itch. What an idiot. My psoriasis used to drive me nuts at night.

[Hopeful1950]

My rash is always the worst early evening and at night.

The psychiatrist I consulted after 3 dermatologists told me I was crazy explained why (and it's not because little bugs are coming out at night). Although scabies will be more active at night, most rashes will also itch more during the evening hours.

Here's why: When we wake up in the morning our body's natural steroid levels are at their highest and they decrease as the day progresses. This is why fevers are higher at night, flu symptoms are worse, DH ITCHES MORE, etc. etc.

Why does a psych know this when regular docs don't?

[jlaw]

Wow Hopeful....that is amazing and I guess makes sense. I heard about being under the covers and heating up, but my night time itchiness would always start even before I went to bed...around evening.

[squirmingitch]

My rash is always the worst early evening and at night.

The psychiatrist I consulted after 3 dermatologists told me I was crazy explained why (and it's not because little bugs are coming out at night). Although scabies will be more active at night, most rashes will also itch more during the evening hours.

Here's why: When we wake up in the morning our body's natural steroid levels are at their highest and they decrease as the day progresses. This is why fevers are higher at night, flu symptoms are worse, DH ITCHES MORE, etc. etc.

Why does a psych know this when regular docs don't?

Good info. Thanks Hopeful! Yes, why does a psych know that when regular docs don't?