Weapons Of Mite Destruction

Hi Everyone,

An apology for taking so long to get back and post. It's been quite an ordeal.

I previously wrote about trying herbals to kill scabies under my "...useless doctor and boyfriend doesn't believe me" posts below.

I still think some of the herbals I tried may work if the scabies infection is new and hasn't had a chance to get well established.

But if scabies are inside sinus cavities, ears, crotch areas and deeply, multiply layered in the skin, then they are very well established, most probably after years of being incorrectly diagnosed, and essential oils, herbals, etc. are just not strong enough to kill them. I've found that even with drugs it is still a battle. The most critical thing of all is to never give up.

I started working on my infection just as some areas of my skin were developing the "crusted" kind of scabies. I actually had a pretty weird brownish-grey layer forming along my collar bone areas and on my feet also, especially around the toes. I battled it with the herbal remedies with partial success. I wish I hadn't been so stubborn and anti-drug and had gotten on the ivermectin sooner, but doing is learning I guess.

Before I go on, I owe a debt of gratitude to ICU for posting on the use of Ivermectin. Thank you, ICU, you are my hero!!!

Ivermectin.
I got Bimectin (Ivermectin oral paste for horses) from a farm supply. It comes in a syringe with notches, easy to administer the correct dose. I followed ICU's protocol, one dose is .2mg/kg body weight. (ICU's protocol says it's for strongyloides/filariasis/morgellons but I thought if it hits those nasties it probably would hit scabies too.)

I didn't like the taste of the ivermectin, so I pushed the dose out on a sterile surface and put it into two 00 gelatin caps. (Bag of 100 caps from a pharmacy.) I used a new flat toothpick to put the gel into the caps. I know, fiddly, but worth it to me to avoid the taste. Took it late at night on an empty stomach, with a big glass of water.

I originally was going to do the CDC (American Center for Disease Control) protocol for ivermectin, which I found online. Their ivermectin dose was similar to ICU's but the days were different. (CDC: one dose each day, on days 1,2,8,9,15, and possibly 22 & 29. ICU'S: one dose each day for 4 days, then 3 days off, repeat for five weeks).
I initially was worried about the ivermectin and its side effects so I did the day 1 & 2 and took a break. I got a promising result but it clearly was not enough. I realized that my infection was so severe I needed as much drug as possible in my system. (Ivermectin stays in the body about 16 hours.) So I went for the four day protocol.

Ivermectin side effects. Mainly feeling sleepy and sleeping more than usual; why to take ivermectin at night. I also noticed some light sensitivity upon waking up in the morning, which goes away on days I'm not taking ivermectin.

Okay, here is something IMPORTANT, if you have a VERY VERY BAD, HUGE scabies infestation all over: I did not follow ICU's advice about Antibiotics at first and it is critical.

I did start taking Benadryl every 6 hours to combat the allergic reaction of the die off from all the toxins of the dead mites and their debris in the skin-I knew about that from previous experience. BUT I DID NOT start taking Antibiotics right away as ICU recommends. My mistake!
After three weeks, the ivermectin had killed off SO many mites, I couldn't get them out of my skin fast enough; it set up secondary infection. My whole body turned into one big inflammation and my skin looked like it had red sunburn all over. My legs swelled up. The massive infection overloaded the lymph glands in my legs. I was having hot and cold chills. I finally got Antibiotics and had to go through three courses of them.

So I HIGHLY recommend what ICU says, if you have a really bad parasite load of scabies, make sure you take antibiotics AND Benadryl AT THE SAME TIME you are taking the ivermectin!!! I had clindamycin a doctor gave me but the antibiotics ICU suggests would be good.
It was difficult and demanding having so many dead mites at once. Went through lots of clean clothes washed in hot water with borax, slept on a camp bed wrapped in plastic, clean sheets constantly.
(A lot has been written about home protocol for scabies; washing stuff super hot, baking in oven or freezing items you can't wash in freezer, wearing clean stuff, keeping environment clean etc. This is all important.)

Okay, Benzemul;
I found Benzemul,a topical application for scabies, while searching online. Why I chose Benzemul instead of permethrin again: two reasons, I found that permethrin did not kill the scabies I have which are probably the permethrin resistant ones, and it also made feel pretty sick, as permethrin is neurotoxic.
I ordered the Benzemul and had it shipped from Australia. It is a 25% benzyl benzoate solution in a lotion that has a fragrance a bit like almonds. About 2 coverages per bottle.
"Application: total body every five days, maybe one or two applications". I found this was not enough for a severe infection. I have used Benzemul several times with good results. I found I like using it on about the 3rd ivermectin day, so I seem to be doing it once a week instead of every 5 days. I have skipped one or two weeks, giving my skin a chance to heal when it was really bad.

IMPORTANT NOTE ON BENZEMUL: ALL skin must be BONE DRY before applying this, as it reacts to moisture with a burning sensation. WAIT to apply after a bath. I even gently blow dry myself to be sure. TEST the solution on a small area before applying everywhere. I found I could use the 25% solution straight from the bottle and I have sensitive skin. Instructions on the bottle say to dilute with water (!) for children or if you must. To me that doesn't make any sense-dilute something with water that reacts to water? No way would I...with some carrier oil maybe, but certainly NOT with water.
Don't put Benzemul on the face. I put it on my (dry!)scalp though.

I did not try putting Benzemul on crotch area. I use either Boudreaux's Butt paste or a 16% zinc oxide baby rash cream that I mixed with some peru balsam E.O.

On days I don't use the Benzemul I use Original Noxzema applied in a thin layer. I sometimes use the zinc oxide/ baby rash/peru balsam cream all over as I think the zinc oxide helps heal the skin. It's good to apply something to the skin to protect it, maybe VCO with Essential Oils mixed in. Scabies love bare skin.

Shower: Bentonite soap and peppermint shampoo from the health store. Add some lavender and clove E.O to the shampoo. Also using D.E. in the shower. Makes a terrible mess, but helps exfoliate the dead mites and kills some too. I use disposable gloves to protect my hands (do my hands first, then put the gloves on) and VERY GENTLY scrub...don't want to further injure my skin with the D.E., it's already under attack. I put the shampoo on my dry scalp at the beginning of the shower and work some D.E. into my hair as well.
The D.E I also purchased from a farm supply, it is meant for animals. I sterilize it in the oven in batches as I need it. Try not to breathe the stuff, the dust is not good for the lungs.

I found the Hot/Cold treatment at the end of a shower helps if you can stand it. Scabies don't like temperature change. I can only stand it on my legs, but if you can do it elsewhere it would be good. Run the hottest water you can bear, for as long as you can, maybe only seconds, then run the coldest water you can bear the same. I found this helped my legs where the infection seemed worse. The Hot/Cold also appears to help the "black nails" where the darn scabies had actually gotten underneath toenails and even a couple of fingernails.

Inside nose and ears...still dabbing in a bit of Original Noxzema on an (organic) cotton swab. Too moist for Benzemul there.

I found disposable gloves really useful as I had a lot of scabies on my hands and palms.

Vitamin C: 500mg three or four times a day. Good for healing, and scabies don't like it. I'm still taking milk thistle to support my liver.

When I had really terrible severe itching at night that was keeping me awake, a few times I used an aloe vera sunburn gel that had Lidocaine in it, on the worst areas which were mostly my back, shoulders and arms at that time. It helped enough that I got some sleep.

Results: I am markedly improved and optimistic. I've had this infection for years so I've come to accept that it's going to take time to get rid of it, but I am happy to be feeling better, and looking better. No insane nightly itching like I used to have.
I've gradually changed the protocol so it's 4 days on ivermectin and 5 days off, after the initial five weeks of 4 days on and 3 days off. I did that because I think I will have to take it longer, for two more months at least. I like the bit more recovery time between ivermectin doses and it still seems to be effective with the two extra days between.

I'm going to have to be patient, although I WANT them gone NOW. It just doesn't seem it's going to work like that. Absolutely nothing kills the eggs, (except freezing or high temperatures, which I can do to plenty of things except myself) so I'll have to wait until each "layer" hatches.

Bonus: About 3 weeks into the ivermectin, I experienced some "fluttering" in my right abdomen, then it went still. I think something else got killed off, maybe liver flukes? Hope so!

Here's to the destruction of mites everywhere.
Good riddance to them!

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