Scabies Bedbugs
Scabies Attack!
Author: Scarlett Webb
Scabies was something that I had never heard of until last year, and would have lived my life very happily, had I not been forced to deal with this unwanted, horrifying bug!
My daughter and I had been looking forward to a trip to San Diego for years. It was really my daughter's dream to go to the San Diego Zoo to visit the pandas and swim with the dolphins at Sea World. That's all she talked about. So when a special deal came up on Expedia, we took it! We were going to stay at one of the absolutely best hotels on the water in Coronado Beach for a great price and we were thrilled! The hotel was beautiful, with every amenity that you could imagine. We easily navigated the bus system and did everything on that trip that you could wish for. It was the perfect vacation... until we got home.
Well, actually a few weeks had gone by, when my daughter started itching. Her arms were red and covered with tiny red bumps that formed lines. I put some Bactine on her arms and figured we'd wait until the next day. During the night, I woke up with the most intense itching I had ever felt. I thought it was sympathy itching and tried my best to go back to sleep. Nothing worked. It became worse as the night progressed and I woke up tired and cranky.
My son came into my room that morning with the same symptoms. I began to worry. What on earth was going on here? Were we being invaded by fleas? I took the day off from work and we all went to the doctor's office, where I heard the most horrifying news ever. It was scabies! What?? She calmly explained that scabies were mites that burrowed under your skin and laid eggs! They reproduced quickly and covered your whole body. A million questions went through my mind. How did we get them? I'm a cleanliness freak and if I do say so myself, I keep as germ-free an environment as I can. She asked if we had traveled in the past few weeks because they are often passed in beds. They are sometimes called bedbugs. "Oh, no," I thought, "so much for the perfect vacation!"
Not to worry, she said, this prescription will get rid of them in no time. But, she warned, wash ALL the bedclothes and pillows every night, or they'll come back. I freaked out! Bugs under my skin! No way could I cope! I didn't know which was worse...the itching or the thought of bugs eating me alive!
But as parents, we do cope. I dutifully went to the drugstore and filled the prescriptions. We all covered our bodies that night from head to toe with this awful stuff, which burned and smelled terribly. When I read the possible side effects which ranged from nausea, vomiting, seizures to central nervous system damage, I had serious reservations, but felt that I had no choice. We tried to sleep but none of us could. The itching became unbearable and at night it intensified. My daughter had nightmares that bugs were crawling over her. And the sad truth was that she was right.
A few days went by, and still no relief. Besides the itching, there were other complications. We couldn't have visitors, because scabies is contagious. Each night when I got home from work, I dutifully stripped the beds and brought everything, including the towels we had used, to the laundry-mat. Imagine washing everything on your bed, including mattress covers, pillows and comforters EVERY NIGHT! And then, doing it again the next night, and the next night, and the next night. It was costly, a lot of work, and not exactly my idea of a good time. I was feeling very sorry for myself, and my poor kids. I certainly didn't want to try another dose of that medication.
I finally decided to do what I usually do and look for a natural cure. I'm into natural cures for everything, and they had always worked in the past so maybe that would be the answer this time too. Within minutes, I had researched the Internet for a natural scabies cure. I found a product which was a blend of potent botanicals used for decades to deal with scabies. It promised to give immediate relief and also to be perfectly safe, all of which sounded great to me. I called the company and spoke to a representative, who told me not to worry. She promised relief in a couple of days and promptly overnighted the product to us. She was absolutely right. The next day, we felt a little better and after a few days, the red marks covering our bodies diminished as the scabies bugs died off. Relief at last! Finally, after so much grief, the scabies were gone.
My daughter and I laugh now when we look at the pictures of our trip. It will no longer be remembered as our dream vacation to San Diego. Instead, it will be forever etched in our minds as the time we got attacked by the Scabies!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/scabies-attack-25705.html
About the Author
Scarlett Webb is a writer who loves to learn new things and share them with the world. Her children are a constant source of inspiration to her. Visit:
February 4, 2012
7:38 pm
Bedbug bites usually occur overnight. They are itchy and about the size of flea bites. They can travel with you, so you should thoroughly check your luggage. If you did not file a report with the hotel on the day you checked out, there is little that the hotel will do for you should it turn out to be bedbugs. What happens is that, after you file a report (and get a copy of it before you leave), the hotel will call their pest control specialist to come in and diagnose bedbugs. Once bedbugs are diagnosed the hotel’s insurance company will handle your claim.
Scabies are mites that bury themselves in your skin. I saw this in a nursing home once…looked like little red lines all over the person’s body. And they itch like no other. Scabies would be harder to prove you got from a hotel, because they may show up later, and they could have come from anywhere (your airplane seat, the pool towel you borrowed from a friend, the clothes you purchased at a garage sale, etc).
Definitely see a doctor, both are very treatable. Bedbugs are awful to get rid of if they’ve been introduced into your house. They could be anywhere (sofa, loveseats, chairs, beds, your suitcase). Good luck!
February 4, 2012
7:38 pm
Bedbugs are different from scabies…bedbugs tend to look like mosquito bites along your body..if you think you have bedbugs..you need to wait until the middle of the night (this is when they come out) and look with a flashlight under your mattress and around your headboard..if you have them you will be able to see them…Scabies is something totally different..they live inside of your body..If its scabies you need to see a doctor..if its bedbugs call an exterminator…good luck
February 4, 2012
7:38 pm
It sounds to me like you have fleas or mites. You might want to look into it.
February 4, 2012
7:38 pm
Hard to tell in the pic. By the circular pattern it might be ringworm but not sure. Might also be eczema or poison ivy.
February 4, 2012
7:38 pm
I’m not a lawyer and I don’t know the exact legal recourse (I do think you might have to prove the managers had prior knowledge), but I know you can file complaints. I would file one with the board of health in that state and locality (talk to everybody you can), and I would also file with the Better Business Bureau. You won’t necessarily receive any restitution ($) for your pain and trouble, but it will hopefully force the hotel to clean up their act. At least it will bring them negative publicity. Also, please do an online review so that people like myself see these comments when they do a google search and don’t book a room at this nasty place!
August 19, 2008
11:03 am
How can you decontaminate a mattress in a motel or hotel for bed bugs, scabies etc?
What legal action or recourse do you have if you stay at a motel and the managers know the mattresses are infested with bedbugs,etc and you are severely bitten?
October 5, 2009
6:50 am
can bedbugs give u scabies or anything with symptoms of scabies?
October 10, 2009
8:59 pm
I stayed at a hotel on the 3rd of October and now Im covered with itchy patches on my skin. Bedbugs or scabies?
I didn’t get itchy until a few days ago. Maybe on the 7th or so.
The itching is unbearable. Do you think it could be scabies or bed bug bites?
We did actually see bed bugs on the last night and complained – but I’m thinking it might be scabies since I didn’t get itchy until a few days ago.
July 10, 2010
8:28 pm
PLEASE PLEASE HELP mysterious bug bites and Ive ruled out bedbugs and scabies, WHAT ARE THEY?
today after a week long mystery of being biten me and my sister found 3 actual live bugs on my sister and 1 on myself, they are very tiny barely larger than a spec of dust, Im assuming they are a form of mites, however…….they are visible to the naked eye and based on the #’s we seen it’s doubtful they are typical scabies, certainty not the norwegion variety. The bugs themselves are mini and round, they range from a forest green to a grey/black….anyone have any clue what they are??? the bites are not scabbing over. They are very small and in clusters but again not consistant with bites from scabies and neither is the pace of the onset of symptoms, since i caught them off her within 2 days of moving back home from the rainforest (she had them about a week before I arrived)
August 13, 2010
6:15 am
What is this itchy rash on my upper arm!? Bedbugs,Poison ivy,Scabies? HELP!?
I noticed small red bumps on my inner, upper arm (near elbow) when I was laying down for bed. It has now grown and is slightly raised and looks like scratches with two small scabs. I thought it might have been bedbugs since about 3 weeks ago I was at a hotel. (I haven’t found any traces of bedbugs, but they are hard to spot) btw, I do have a dog. It itches like CRAZY! It isn’t weeping (like poison ivy does). I have had it for 2 days
http://www.flickr.com/photos/52966832@N03/4888135320/ please check out the pic (sorry it’s kinda fuzzy)
Thanks in advance =)
I haven’t really been outside where there would b poison ivy. I have seen ringworm before and it is more of a circular shape. Anyways, i’m psycho cleaning just in case it’s some kind of BUG! ewww