Do you use a towel that is washed daily in hot water and not used by anyone else, included people passing through the washroom who may use it to dry their hands quickly? You may also want to "hover" when in the lady's room.
- Thread starter LindseyKaufman
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Oh, no!
I asked my SIL (doctor), she said that scabies can sometimes take a couple of months to go away even with doing all the suggested things. Saying that getting scabies from animals is highly unlikely. The "mite" that infects the animals does not survive or reproduce on humans. Coming in contact with an animal that has scabies may cause you to have brief itching if it gets under the skin, but it will die in a few days. With that said she said it is probably time to see a physician rather than a dermatologist.
Am headed to the US shortly so if I do not have results by then, I will see a doctor there.
I just want to give closure on this “problem” I had with scabies. After seven months of following treatment from two dermatologists, I decided to go to a third. (The first two prescribed Permetrina, oxina de zinc, and hydrocortisone cream.) I also took ivermectin.
I found what was called a skin clinic with several dermatologists in Santiago. As soon as I arrived inside to see the doctor, I knew I was in the wrong place! The clinic specialized in esthetics. The doctor said she still could help me. She ordered up a ton of tests for me and said to come back. When I went to pay, I was told they don’t take Universal insurance.
I did get all the tests done and sent her the results. Immediately she called me and said that she needs to see me again. I explained to her that I must find another doctor that takes my insurance and asked if she could recommend one.
I tried calling many times to make an appointment with the recommended doctor who is located in Union Medical in Santiago. Their phone system is horrible. It would ring endlessly without anyone answering.
Decided just to go there and arrive
Very early so she could fit me in, if needed.
Went to the tower and room number listed on the Union Medical website. It was not her office. They could not figure out which tower or office she was in. So I asked one person after another, going from tower to tower to the point where I knew I would never find my car again.
Finally- as Dominicans like to do, another patient for another doctor decided she would find the office with me. She asked
Person after person. We went up elevators and down elevators, from one tower to another to another.
Finally we found the office. No receptionist was there but it happened to be the outside suite of several doctors and another receptionist called someone and then informed me that the doctor I want has appointments at 4:00 - 6:00 in the afternoon. The current time was 8:30 a.m. and I was not prepared to sit all day.
So that receptionist looked in the directory and found yet another dermatologist and my trusty patient tour guide took me again on the journey up and down elevators and to another tower.
Finally we found the other dermatologist’s office! And then what do you know, I got right in her consulting room immediately!
Except- Lord help me- she also only did esthetics!!!!!
But she looked at my test results and knew right away my problem and it was not scabies! One of the tests was for blood allergens. A normal result is between 0-100. My result said >1,000!!!
So all this time I had a skin allergic reaction to something!!!
She told me to stop the permethrin and other creams right away. She prescribed a skin moisturizer from Avene and hydrocortisone lotion and an allergy pill for at night. It was an allergy med I had never heard of but it sure took away the itching! Only thing is each pill is 100 pesos!
So two weeks later and my skin is all cleared up.
I do not know what I was allergic to, but common sense says it was the permethrin that I was using day and night- following the first two doctors’ orders!
I must go back and reread this thread but someone warned me to be careful because Permetrin is an insecticide. And sure enough, he was correct. Thank you, whoever you are!
I guess the moral of the story is this. It is not the first time I had to go to several doctors to get the correct diagnosis. My recommendation to you all here is if you do not get results from one doctor keep trying with others. I went to my first doctor 4 times and each visit she said to use the permetrina and that I am not cleaning my house as I need to . 😡 Finally I wizened up and after 4 doctors and 8 appointments I got the right answer!
And P.S. I eventually did find my car!
I found what was called a skin clinic with several dermatologists in Santiago. As soon as I arrived inside to see the doctor, I knew I was in the wrong place! The clinic specialized in esthetics. The doctor said she still could help me. She ordered up a ton of tests for me and said to come back. When I went to pay, I was told they don’t take Universal insurance.
I did get all the tests done and sent her the results. Immediately she called me and said that she needs to see me again. I explained to her that I must find another doctor that takes my insurance and asked if she could recommend one.
I tried calling many times to make an appointment with the recommended doctor who is located in Union Medical in Santiago. Their phone system is horrible. It would ring endlessly without anyone answering.
Decided just to go there and arrive
Very early so she could fit me in, if needed.
Went to the tower and room number listed on the Union Medical website. It was not her office. They could not figure out which tower or office she was in. So I asked one person after another, going from tower to tower to the point where I knew I would never find my car again.
Finally- as Dominicans like to do, another patient for another doctor decided she would find the office with me. She asked
Person after person. We went up elevators and down elevators, from one tower to another to another.
Finally we found the office. No receptionist was there but it happened to be the outside suite of several doctors and another receptionist called someone and then informed me that the doctor I want has appointments at 4:00 - 6:00 in the afternoon. The current time was 8:30 a.m. and I was not prepared to sit all day.
So that receptionist looked in the directory and found yet another dermatologist and my trusty patient tour guide took me again on the journey up and down elevators and to another tower.
Finally we found the other dermatologist’s office! And then what do you know, I got right in her consulting room immediately!
Except- Lord help me- she also only did esthetics!!!!!
But she looked at my test results and knew right away my problem and it was not scabies! One of the tests was for blood allergens. A normal result is between 0-100. My result said >1,000!!!
So all this time I had a skin allergic reaction to something!!!
She told me to stop the permethrin and other creams right away. She prescribed a skin moisturizer from Avene and hydrocortisone lotion and an allergy pill for at night. It was an allergy med I had never heard of but it sure took away the itching! Only thing is each pill is 100 pesos!
So two weeks later and my skin is all cleared up.
I do not know what I was allergic to, but common sense says it was the permethrin that I was using day and night- following the first two doctors’ orders!
I must go back and reread this thread but someone warned me to be careful because Permetrin is an insecticide. And sure enough, he was correct. Thank you, whoever you are!
I guess the moral of the story is this. It is not the first time I had to go to several doctors to get the correct diagnosis. My recommendation to you all here is if you do not get results from one doctor keep trying with others. I went to my first doctor 4 times and each visit she said to use the permetrina and that I am not cleaning my house as I need to . 😡 Finally I wizened up and after 4 doctors and 8 appointments I got the right answer!
And P.S. I eventually did find my car!
No. Bournigal is now two hours away for me. Santiago is one hour and 15 minutes, so I always head in that direction.
In hindsight, which has 20-20 vision, there is far too much medical advice given by well meaning posters, but you know what free advice is worth. Without face to face exams, blood testing, ex-rays, sonograms, etc most free advice is only good for a common cold. Or dogs and horses.
Understood. I bet if you went to that Dra, the problem would have been quickly identified. But I understand the time trade off very well.
Realizing that many Dominicans go to a pharmacy, tell the person behind the counter (not even a pharmacist) their symptoms and walk out with medicine, what say you about that? They don't use DR1 or "Dr. One."
Hey, if you take your medical advice from a forum about a country, well, that is a deep subject prone to error.
I prefer to do my research for myself and my dogs for any medication for particular conditions and symptoms.
But the DR system is better than having to wait and pay to see a doctor (because most doctors are not good here anyway) to get a prescription while here you could have gone to the pharmacy and purchased an antibiotic, or other no addicting drug instead of waiting up to two weeks to go through a medical process while you suffer.
I am sure you do the same Winde.
All of the pharmacies have trained pharmacists on staff - and likely most of them know what works best, maybe more so than a doctor
I do exactly the same, I do, I do.
I don't think many pharmaices have trained pharmacists. I think there is one in Cabarete across from the Belgian Bakery, but I doubt there are any others with "Training" in Cabarete or Sosua.. There might be another, just have not heard of that being a thing here.
No pharmacy can operate without licensed pharmacist(s), you should ask when you go in. Hildago in Playero always has one there as does CarolX.
This condition started before mid July.lots of opinions that turned south. What happened here?
most doctors here if your Gringo or Canadian they will tell you there's something wrong with you when you're absolutely healthy they think your a cash cow i have had that experience and how did I double check I flew to the United States and went to Hospital in New York City they told me I'm perfectly fine..
only Americans and Canadians that use the doctors here are the ones with low self-esteem getting a boob job face job or butt implants and they don't have the money do it in the states so they risk their lives take a nice picture on Instagram and get a thousand likes like it or not this is what the world has come down to
I am perfectly happy with my urologist. She knows her stuff, speaks English, learned her trade in Barcelona, and is a pleasure to talk to as well. I have yet to find a fit for Cardiologists but the ones I have seen are adequate. My wife, who is Dominican has a good gynecologist but other doctors she has seen fit your description.
Same. I'm not the brightest star in the sky, but I think I know what I can and cannot take without a doctor's visit.
I have visited several doctors here and have never had one give me a false diagnosis as far as I know. But then I'm not American or Canadian.
absolutely I research any drug prescribed to me.
About 10 years ago, I suffered for about 2 years with a fungal infection which wasn't properly diagnosed by my Canadian dermatologist. When I finally realized that seeing a DR dermatologist was the way to go, she prescribed ketoconazole. My research on that drug was very troubling but took it anyway, and the scratching stopped and my liver still seems to work in spite of the warnings.