UHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Not Again!!!!!

I am soooo beyond mad at the moment! I thought we had gotten rid of all traces of ringworm in the house, but boy was i wrong! All 5 kittens have it on their face and now I have a tinsey spot on my scalp. I don't know what to do for myself. I can't take the pill my doctor prescribed for me a few weeks ago- because it gave me thrush and made me really sick. I can't use my Neutrogena T/Gel stubborn itch control or any head and shoulders stuff to treat it eithor because none of it is for ringworm It's 11:00 at night, and Colin and I are supposed to leave to go out of town in the morning- there's no way I can get to my dermatologist right now. I called my local pharmacist and that was a disaster- he was a complete idiot and asbolutely no help. I wanted to him! Did i mention- i have extremely long wavy hair that matts often- so I have to brush it several times a day- now i'm scared to death that i've spread it throughout my scalp without even realizing it because it could have gotten on my hair brush or comb. This is definitely NOT my psoriasis acting up- i know what that's like- and i NEVER have flare ups when I use Neutrogena....so this is definitely not that...i'm about 98% sure it's ringworm Has anyone else had to deal with ringworm of the scalp before? What worked for you? Did you loose any hair? / I'm freaking out!! I have gorgeous hair - and I have been planning on donating it to locks of love when I get ready- now that might not get to happen if my whole scalp breaks out / What do i do?? I put some Mentax cream on my scalp and just rubbed it in a little bit- it's the prescription that my dermatologist have me for the ringworm on my arm. Also, I do have some Malabase shampoo left over from when I bathe my ringworm kittens. Do you think it'd be safe to use that on myself? Uhhh...this couldn't have happened at a more horrible time! The kittens are on their Conofite lotion and are starting to clear up really well- but unfortunately now I have it again! I've been "battling" ringworm since August- it keeps going away and comming back! I'm sooooooo mad! I upset to the point that I do not want to even foster anymore ringworm positive animals again- i have such a crummy immune system that once i get it, i can't get rid of it I'm soo miserable! Just the thought of my hair getting messed up really freaks me out. Colin is being an absolute jerk too and is no help - he was like "Well, the way i see it you have 3 choices 1. Don't take anytihng 2. Just put the mentax cream on it (the problem with this is that mentax takes a while to work on me,) or 3. Take the pills and just deal with the thrush. What a jerk! He's being soo insensitive- he has no clue what it's like to be a woman and have to deal with hair on a daily basis. / So now i dunno what to do- i've already put some mentax cream on that tiny spot on my scalp...but i haven't taken the pills yet, because I know i will get thrush- and here's the thing, if i get thursh while i'm out of town- my doctors office will be closed until next week, and i'm all out of my medicine for thrush- so i have absolutely no way to treat it if i take the pills and get it while i'm gone. Also, I do have the Malabase bath shampoo that i used on the animals- do you think it'd be ok to wash my hair with it to try and prevent it from spreading?? I'm soooo freaking out right now and my pharmacist was absolutely no help. / Also, what do i do about brushing my hair, etc- i don't wanna spread it in my scalp- but i can't go without brushing my hair. I would really appreciate any advice or opinions right now. What do you think I should do as far as the medicine goes- should i take the pill and try to get rid of the ringworm at the risk of getting thrush again or should i just use the cream in my scalp- which takes forever to work??

No advice really just wanted to say Im sorry your going threw all this right now. I hope it doesnt spread that would be awful!

Thanks Amber. I'm just soooooo freaked out about it spreading. My hair is realllllllly long and wavy- and if it spread....that would be a nightmare. I'm scouring websites right now for any and every suggestion for scalp ringworm. I think i do have the ringworm of the scalp, but colin is saying he thing's it's just my psorasis?

I am so sorry, Nikki. I am sorry I am no help because I have never had to deal with ringworm. I hope it is cleared up soon and that it doesn't spread! I wouldn't take the pill if it is going to make you sick. It won't be worth it.

Well, i've just scanned through 5 medical websites that specifically address ringworm of the scalp -it's saying that it must be treated differently than you would treat ringworm on your body- all 5 sites were saying you have to treat ringworm of the scalp with an oral medication - so I guess i have no choice if I don't want it to spread I guess I might just have to take it and suffer through the thrush again. I dunno.

These are the symptoms of ringworm of the scalp that were posted online on several of the reputable medical websites. Now i'm starting to wonder if i even have ringworm of the scalp or not- because the only thing that tiny spot is doing is flaking something aweful- other than that though, i don't have any of those other symptoms (at the moment at least). I'm thinking that even if it isn't ringworm, i should go ahead and take the oral pill just in case to prevent it- and if it is ringworm, maybe i've cought it early enough to prevent it from spreading? I think i'll go ahead and take the pill and just deal with it if i get thrush.....all the sites i've come across so far are saying the only way to treat ringworm of the scalp is by an oral mediciation- so it looks like i have no choice- what do you think guys?




Symptoms
Itching of the scalp, may be slight or absent
Skin (scalp) lesions
Round, scaly
Gray or reddened
Bald appearing patches (hair is broken off or actually missing)
Possibly small black dots on the scalp
Occasionally localized area of swelling, raw skin, or pus filled lesion on the scalp (kerion)

Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

Well, i've just scanned through 5 medical websites that specifically address ringworm of the scalp -it's saying that it must be treated differently than you would treat ringworm on your body- all 5 sites were saying you have to treat ringworm of the scalp with an oral medication - so I guess i have no choice if I don't want it to spread

I guess I might just have to take it and suffer through the thrush again. I dunno.

Click to expand...

Oh I just remembered some medicine my sister has to take kept giving her thrush. The meds for the thrush wasnt working so she started reading up on different ways to get rid of/prevent thrush and she saw somewhere (not sure where) that gargling peroxide helps with thrush. You have to dilute it with water though. I think its half and half.

I think you should go see a doc before you start with anything.
even if its just a normal doc.

Nikki, if it IS ring worm in your scalp.....you WILL have to go to the Drs for an antibiotic.
Jordan has a spot that is right on the hair line.I called the Dr and he said to use the Lamisil/Lotrimin.But, if it goes into his scalp, he has to be seen and given some antibiotics.
I'm still dealing with it with all 4 kits too.I am sooooooooo sick of this!!!

So I thought thrush was a fungus too? I would think it would be weird taking something to treat a fungus that causes a fungus. But maybe I'm wrong about that. But first of all you should make sure it's not exczema. I treated myself for ringworm and it was exczema I have. But...if it's thrush in the mouth...I think you can treat it with gentian violet. That's what I've done on a doctor's recommendation when my daughter had thrush.

How come is it we always have to get sick just before a long weekend, LOL?

Weren't you just complaining about your scalp itching a couple of days ago ?do you think that was what it was? I feel bad for you and the kitties, I hope you can get it all cleared up soon, I have never delt with it and I oh so hope I don't ever have to...

Originally Posted by 4crazycats

Oh I just remembered some medicine my sister has to take kept giving her thrush. The meds for the thrush wasnt working so she started reading up on different ways to get rid of/prevent thrush and she saw somewhere (not sure where) that gargling peroxide helps with thrush. You have to dilute it with water though. I think its half and half.

Click to expand...

I will definitely try that to prevent it. Thanks for the suggestion. I've used peroxide before to treat little ulsers in my mouth,etc and it's worked wonderfully, so i don't mind rinsing with it if it will potentially prevent it Thanks Amber!

Originally Posted by theimp98

I think you should go see a doc before you start with anything.

even if its just a normal doc.

Click to expand...

Well, that's the problem -it's after midnight here now- and Colin, Fosters, and I are leaving fist thing in the morning. We won't get back until friday (day after thanksgiving.) All of my doctors offices will be closed until monday due to the holiday, so i can't get in. That's why i tried calling the pharmacist, but he was a total weirdo and was no help.

Originally Posted by crittermom

Nikki, if it IS ring worm in your scalp.....you WILL have to go to the Drs for an antibiotic.
Jordan has a spot that is right on the hair line.I called the Dr and he said to use the Lamisil/Lotrimin.But, if it goes into his scalp, he has to be seen and given some antibiotics.
I'm still dealing with it with all 4 kits too.I am sooooooooo sick of this!!!

Click to expand...

Well, I don't have any antibiotics at the moment (and the only thing I can take is a Z-pack (i'm allergic to just about every other antibiotic out there). I do however have the oral mediciation he gave me to treat the ringworm- it's called: Grifulvin V MicR (it's what you use to treat severe ringworm
and it's also the stuff that made me really sick and gave me thrush). I guess i'm just going to take it anyways since i can't get into the doctors office and wash my mouth out really well and hope i don't get thrush.

Originally Posted by halfpint

Weren't you just complaining about your scalp itching a couple of days ago ?do you think that was what it was? I feel bad for you and the kitties, I hope you can get it all cleared up soon, I have never delt with it and I oh so hope I don't ever have to...

Click to expand...

Yup- i sure was! I got the worst matt in my hair last night right at the nape of my neck (my hair is really long and wavy- so once in a while it will matt- and when it does it hurts soooooo bad to get it out!) but it was itching then last night- i just didn't think anything of it- the one suspecious spot is in the middle of my head by my forehead.

This is what the antifungal pill is and a little bit about it.:
http://www.walgreens.com/library/fin...fulvin&id=2228



this is the company's website
http://www.aboutgrifulvin.com/productinformation.asp


these are the possible side effects of the medicine.
Possible side effects
When side effects occur, they are most commonly of the hypersensitivity type, such as skin rashes and hives. Other side effects reported occasionally are oral thrush, nausea, vomiting, epigastric distress, diarrhea, headache, fatigue, dizziness, insomnia, mental confusion and impairment of performance of routine activities.


the fist time i took it i got thrush, nausea, vomiting, diarreah,dizziness, and fatigue....i was really sick from taking it- that's why i'm leary about taking it again. Also, since I have so many GI problems and IBS- medicines that cause nausea and diarreah are not a good idea with me.

ok...i'm gonna take the pill now...i figure it's worth a shot

Good luck!!! Ringworm sounds terrible, I hope it goes away without you having to suffer too many side effects *hugs* Is there maybe something you can take to treat the thrush and things at the same time?

Originally Posted by enkeli-kitten

Good luck!!! Ringworm sounds terrible, I hope it goes away without you having to suffer too many side effects *hugs* Is there maybe something you can take to treat the thrush and things at the same time?

Click to expand...

Thankyou. / Well, that's just the thing- i don't have thrush yet...but the last time i took this pill, i got thrush as a result from it. I took all of the medicine at the time that i had thrush (it was a mouth rinse)..and that cured it up withing not even two days- it works wonderfully! The thing is, i don't have any more if it to take with me in the event that i do get it...so i'm just hoping i won't get it this time around. I'm going to just take the pill and then brush my teeth and rinse my mouth out every time i take it to try and prevent it hopefully. We'll see. I would much rather have thrush for a few days (as it is very treatable), than have my hair fall out of this is ringworm...so i'll go with the lesser of two evils i suppose

Awww Nikki, I sure hope this is all a memory for you very soon!

Oh Nikki, I am sorry..thankfully I have never been through the ringworm disaster so I have no advice for you..Just want to offer my support and hugs...it sucks you have to keep going through this

When Bakker had ringworm, DH, me, my mom and sis got it too. We applied lotromin/lamasil on the spots and it worked. (applied as directed) The kits all took that Grisfulvin ($$$$) stuff. Could you perhaps try that tar based shampoo??? As for the mats on your hair-I get them all the time at the base of my neck and my hair stylist said thats because the hair in that place doesn't have hiar follicles???