British Skin Foundation
Please help with: Mystery condition
Moderator: talkhealth
Please help with: Mystery condition
Can anyone please identify this condition? I've treated with permethrin four times to no avail - and I've been extremely thorough with all the environmental procedures for sterilisation.
The condition is briefly deleted by the application of permethrin to my entire body, including head and face. But within a week, it returns, starting on my head, then pinpoint face-tickles, then spreading down from there.
Despite the obvious evidence against, the (non-specialist) doctor says this is scabies. It obviously isn't - I haven't seen these markings in any of the online posts about scabies, and I don't have the characteristic marks between fingers or toes.
The condition is briefly deleted by the application of permethrin to my entire body, including head and face. But within a week, it returns, starting on my head, then pinpoint face-tickles, then spreading down from there.
Despite the obvious evidence against, the (non-specialist) doctor says this is scabies. It obviously isn't - I haven't seen these markings in any of the online posts about scabies, and I don't have the characteristic marks between fingers or toes.
Re: Please help with: Mystery condition
UPDATE:
The dermatologist confirmed it's definitely not scabies, as it didn't respond to the treatments. He said the reason I stopped itching for a week or two after the treatments was because those creams are doing more in your skin than just being insecticides.
However, he has no explanation of the markings. Indeed, he didn't even try to explain them, stating they are scratches, presumably from my nails whilst I'm asleep. This is blatant nonsense, and I said so, but he dismissed my reasoning without further thought - very poor behaviour.
Quite apart from the fact that I have well-kept nails that couldn't do any such scratching, it's not like these markings appear as a scratch-line originally and then turn into the dots. They appear as the dots. Also I wear long-sleeved, skin-tight pyjamas which would prevent this. And his silly idea completely ignores the fact that the markings always - and only - appear the day after I take an ivermectin pill. Also, several different such markings in the same area all in different directions, as in the photograph, further rules out the idiotic 'mindless scratching' theory.
Blood tests ordered all came back normal.
However, I have a theory, and it seems to be borne out by my current condition: in December, I started taking NAC, a supplement which enhances the immune system, especially when taken with vitamin E. I had somehow managed to forget this - I think because I started CoQ10 capsules at the same time - and so I didn't test not taking it when I later became itchy. I tested the Q10 capsules by stopping them for two weeks and noticed I remained itchy, so I must have forgotten I started the NAC at the same time. About a week ago, I stopped taking the NAC and within three days I had significantly less itching, and now almost none.
Further tests are going to be ordered, however, and I'm going to go through with them to check I don't have compounding conditions, most especially because of the mystery of the markings.
The dermatologist confirmed it's definitely not scabies, as it didn't respond to the treatments. He said the reason I stopped itching for a week or two after the treatments was because those creams are doing more in your skin than just being insecticides.
However, he has no explanation of the markings. Indeed, he didn't even try to explain them, stating they are scratches, presumably from my nails whilst I'm asleep. This is blatant nonsense, and I said so, but he dismissed my reasoning without further thought - very poor behaviour.
Quite apart from the fact that I have well-kept nails that couldn't do any such scratching, it's not like these markings appear as a scratch-line originally and then turn into the dots. They appear as the dots. Also I wear long-sleeved, skin-tight pyjamas which would prevent this. And his silly idea completely ignores the fact that the markings always - and only - appear the day after I take an ivermectin pill. Also, several different such markings in the same area all in different directions, as in the photograph, further rules out the idiotic 'mindless scratching' theory.
Blood tests ordered all came back normal.
However, I have a theory, and it seems to be borne out by my current condition: in December, I started taking NAC, a supplement which enhances the immune system, especially when taken with vitamin E. I had somehow managed to forget this - I think because I started CoQ10 capsules at the same time - and so I didn't test not taking it when I later became itchy. I tested the Q10 capsules by stopping them for two weeks and noticed I remained itchy, so I must have forgotten I started the NAC at the same time. About a week ago, I stopped taking the NAC and within three days I had significantly less itching, and now almost none.
Further tests are going to be ordered, however, and I'm going to go through with them to check I don't have compounding conditions, most especially because of the mystery of the markings.
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- Posts: 6
- Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2022 8:02 pm
Re: Please help with: Mystery condition
I hope you doing fine now, but if not maybe an allergist will help you out?
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- Posts: 125
- Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2022 12:12 pm
Re: Please help with: Mystery condition
I hope you're doing well right now, but if not, perhaps a dermatologist can help?
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- Posts: 256
- Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2022 11:50 am
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Contact: Contact advhccenter
Re: Please help with: Mystery condition
If you think you have an underlying disease that hasn't been diagnosed, you can ask your primary care provider for a referral to a specialist. And if you or your doctor suspect the disease could be genetic, you can always make an appointment at a medical genetics clinic