Mosquitoes and precautions

[joellybaby]

Ouch! I've just had my travel vaccination injections ready for my trip - hepatitis A, typhoid, diptheria, polio and tetanus. These are what we're required to have (http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations/mexico.htm) in the UK if travelling to Mexico, and at least I don't have to pay for the privilege of being a human doily.

They also advise malaria medicine in certain areas, and from the Mexico malaria map (http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations/malariamaps/mexico.htm) Tulum looks to be in the 'minimal risk' area and the doctor didn't advise it, but it isn't very far from the red 'high risk' area where they do, and it does say:

"Malaria precautions are essential in some parts. The infection is unusual in developed tourist resorts but there is some risk throughout the year in rural areas along the west coast and in the south of the country. The risk in Cancun is very small but malaria is present in nearby rural areas".
Especially when swimming in jungle cenotes and sleeping under palapa roofs I'd imagine. What do people think?

I've heard lots of references to mosquitoes on here, but nothing about malaria. To be honest, it's a chore to take malaria tablets as you have to do so for aaages and the side effects can make you feel a bit ropey. So I'd rather not take them, but I am a bit worried - couldn't a nasty mosquito fly from the red part of the map??

Most of you are in the US - any difference there in the official travel advice?

[austxdan]

. . . but we've never gotten any malaria tabs or shots or what not before our trips. We either bring bug spray (eco-friendly) or buy Autan, or other spray down in MX. Along the coastline the skeeters will not really be that much of a problem, as the breeze keeps them at bay. As for the jungle, ruins, etc, it would be best to load up with spray.

That's all we've done, and aside from this occasional twitch :confused: I think I've come through just fine. :p


Dan

[minniemex]

I don't know that much about malaria BUT I don't think I have ever read anywhere about it being contracted in the Yucatan - but thats just my take on it - I have a person who comes in to the station & works for the mosquito control here in Minnesota - I will ask him if he has any resources availiable to make a decision -

[Armchairshrink]

My understanding is that unless you're like, going to be spending nights in a hammock in the deepest, most remote jungle in Quintana Roo, you're not at much of a risk.

However, my boyfriend is currently taking a medication for his arthritis that is actually an anti-malarial, so I'm just going to take a few of his (it's the once-a-week kind) before we go and while we're there. He takes two a day for the arthritis so he's well-protected!

But if he didn't have the medication I probably wouldn't bother.

[Gale in KY]

There is always a risk for Malaria anywhere you have mosquitos..that would include our own backyards. I have never used any preventatives, other than a good repellant.

As a rule, if you stay on the beach, the buggers won't bother you..they can't take the wind. If the wind dies down from the sea, you will notice them. If you are heading inland, yes, they can be a problem.

There are actually very few cases of Malaria in Quintana Roo compared to other areas of Mexico annually, and there is always more risk in the inland and residental areas where water tends to stand...mangrove is also an area where lots of repellant should be used.

The risk of Dengue is growing, In October there was an outbreak in the residential areas of Playa with over 200 cases. Again, standing water is the culprit as it provides a perfect breeding ground. This worries me much more than Malaria. Repellant applied liberally and often is your best defense. I do this as a rule because there is nothing more irritating to me than an ichy mosquito bite, and they seem to have their radar set on me anytime I am within 50 miles of a mosquito.

I am curious as to what arthritis medicine is also an anti malarial though..wondering if it is what I take..pm me with the name if you don't want to put it up here publically..I might be more protected than I realize!

[Armchairshrink]

Gail -
According to my bf's doctor, the medicine is the standard anti-malarial medicine and it is sometimes used as a "first line of defense" against rhuematoid arthritis, but that's an off-label use. It apparently can sometimes reduce joint swelling but the doctor says nobody's really sure how it works or why it does that. It can also cause blindness if used too much/too long! But the dose for preventing malaria is pretty safe. Unfortunately I can't remember the name right now.

My boyfriend also pointed out something I'd forgotten - quinine is an anti-malarial. So maybe we should all just make sure we drink a few gin & tonics in anticipation of our trips!

[minniemex]

My boyfriend also pointed out something I'd forgotten - quinine is an anti-malarial. So maybe we should all just make sure we drink a few gin & tonics in anticipation of our trips!

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[Gale in KY]

You mix 'em, I'll drink 'em!:D

Here in the states, there seems to be more concern about getting Hepatitis preventative than Malarial risk before travel to Mexico. I have never done either, but many do. The only reason that the Cancun area is of lesser risk is because the resorts spray to keep the mosquito populations under control. They do this at all the resorts along the RM Corridor frequently.

After I saw that dolphin cage video, I thought seriously about getting hepatitis vaccinations before my next visit..:eek: The water quality has been an issue in the more populated areas of the RM..resort areas..and is a concern at times in Tulum. I do hope the influx of tourism dollars will bring a good sewage system to the area.

[AdGuy]

Gale's right...Dengue is the real threat. When we were there in December there were warning signs posted everywhere. Jennifer is a Director of Infection Control at a large hospital in Jacksonville and deals with this type of nasty (along with SARS, Bird Flu, AIDS, TB, Anthrax, etc.) all the time. She got a kick out of the warnings...

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/FloridaAdGuy/December2006TulumPictureson16MB286.jpg

[HthreeO]

the only reason I drink GNT's is because of the anti-mosquito benefit:D seriously though- i have always eaten a lot of garlic/onion stuff and the mosquitos do not seem to like me. Myth or medicine?? does anyone know?

[minniemex]

I eat alot of onion & garlic & they still love me!! http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_12_13.gif

It has to be something else!! We need Mythbusters on this one!!

[beachreader]

Mosquitos stay pretty close to home, I think (at least here in the States) that they live their entire lives within like 100 feet of where they were born, so it's unlikely that a red-area skeeter would make it all the way.

However, an infected human or animal can move to a non-red area and a non-red skeeter can feed on it and thus things spread.

I've never been worried about malaria except for my one trip to Africa (we were going out into a red area), and those pills are NASTY! I wouldn't want to have to take them again, that's for sure.

Dengue Fever, though, now I'm a bit more concerned. I'd never even thought about it until someone on TA posted that they were infected this year (I think 2007), and they stayed in Tulum. She thinks it was at the ruins that she was bitten, but who knows. She was apparently awfully sick for weeks after getting home and said there's not much that can be done.

So I'll definitely be loading up on the spray a bit more next time I'm down there. I've heard that lemon eucalyptus oil is a good natural repellent that maybe I'll use on my face, but Deet is apparently still the most effective, bad as it is for the environment. I hate choices like that. I might bring some coils for the room too, for nighttime. Don't think they do much at all around here, but NJ mosquitoes have survived onslaughts of everything we've thrown at them over the past 50 years. I'm just hoping the Tulum buggers aren't quite so sturdy.

[beachreader]

Oh, and when I stayed at AIs, usually at least once a trip I was around when they were spraying. That is some seriously noxious shite and should probably be outlawed, but there weren't any bugs to speak of...

[Jessie James]

My friend was a hotel manager in Playa a few years back and ended up with Dengue at one point. Said it was pretty horrible. The mosquitos come out at times pretty heavy at night if it had rained. I've gotten chomped up pretty good at times while I slept even with nets. Chances are pretty slim though that you're going to catch anything. We always spray ourselves before we crash and as well the net. Don't let it ruin your trip worrying about it.

[minniemex]

I like the new stuff they have come out with - Cutters with Autan (msp?) - it seemed to work great while I was down there - I know that the Mexican repellants have the same stuff in them - it just doesn't smell as harsh or feel as greasy as deep woods off -

[firecop680]

I have never heard of it... Is it also carried by moswuitos? What are the signs that you might have it? And, what kind of repellant protects against this? Just a few quick questions...

[Gale in KY]

Dengue is carried by mosquitos.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/dengue/

The good news is that the type that was identified in Playa this past fall was not the hemorragic kind..but a nasty illness regardless.

My friend in Xcalak swears by Deep Woods Off..asks us to bring some with us when we come down, as you cannot get it in Mexico. DEET is the key, use a repellant with DEET.

Lee..I would love to know what Jennifer thinks the risk of infection is in Mexico..an expert's point of view..and how we can best protect ourselves. This will never prevent me from going, but I would like to be as well prepared as possible.

[firecop680]

Lee..I would love to know what Jennifer thinks the risk of infection is in Mexico..an expert's point of view..and how we can best protect ourselves. This will never prevent me from going, but I would like to be as well prepared as possible.

I second this!!

[AdGuy]

I'll ask her tonight but I can guess what her answer will be...wash your hands! That seems to be the best preventitive for most of the nasties out there. Maybe the mosquitos don't like clean hands? :rolleyes: Seriously, I'll post her 'words of wisdom' on Monday.

[beachreader]

I was in a ladies' room yesterday at one of my accounts, and the woman in the stall next to me left without washing her hands, didn't even stop at the sink.

I was so grossed out, I felt like running out and asking her what she was thinking (after I used a paper towel to open the door, of course).

[joellybaby]

I think I can manage some G&Ts! Will be interested to hear from Jennifer too on dengue.

I'd be interested to hear other people's preferred bug repellents as I don't remember ever using it. Why is DEET bad for the environment? Are coils something you burn? I've seen candles with citronella sold here for summer barbecues etc that repel midges and thought I might take some of those.

Someone at work I'm talking to has warned about sand mites too - sound nasty! Anyone heard of them?

Well, I won't go worrying about it, but it would be nice to know the best tips for avoiding risk.

[beachreader]

Not sure if they're the same thing, but sand fleas generally come out (if they're going to come out) at dusk, so if you're going to be sitting out on the beach in the evenings, I'd make sure to have some extra stuff on your feet and ankles.

You can Google DEET and will surely find tons of stuff on why it's bad for the environment, but it's one of those things that many of us try to avoid and then the bugs drive us back to it.

The coils are similar in material to incense, and burn the same way. I use citronella candles in the summertime here, but I really don't think they do a damned thing to keep them away. They just sort of smell nice, and there's always the chance they're working better than nothing (and people keep giving them to me, so...).

There are many natural repellents that people swear by (you can probably Google a list of those too), but their efficacy seems to depend on the individual person using them.

I've heard good things about lemon eucalyptus oil, and since it's a small bottle I'm bringing that down for my next trip, but I'll also be bringing something stronger in case it doesn't work.

[HthreeO]

MinnieMex- you blew that theory right out of the water. well, it wasn't a theory just a guess.
Aren't mosquitos attracted to carbon dioxide like when we exhale? And if so, then why aren't people covered around their face and head with bites?

I have experienced sand fleas in Northern Belize and while the bites are very unsightly, they are relatively painless. My lower legs had hundreds of bites on them. I was off the beach by 4 PM and on a swing in a bar on stilts about 8 ft off the ground. The mosquitos were intense at sunset but I really think it was the sand fleas. I used bug spray down there all the time.

[minniemex]

H3O -
on a swing in a bar on stilts about 8 ft off the ground
it seems those buggies like you as much as they like me - if there is a bug around it bites me & ignores hundreds of other people to get to me!

[sonofabeach]

I honestly did not find mosquitos to be a problem while in Mexico last month. One night on the beach I got bit once and that was about it.
There are far worse in my backyard right now.
Besides if they would have bitten me they would have probably gotten drunk

[AdGuy]

I was in a ladies' room yesterday at one of my accounts, and the woman in the stall next to me left without washing her hands, didn't even stop at the sink.

I was so grossed out, I felt like running out and asking her what she was thinking (after I used a paper towel to open the door, of course).

Much more common than you'd think (or hope) beachreader...and the worst offenders are doctors!! :eek: A favorite 'game' of ours is to point out the folks who didn't wash their hands after using the restroom. Usually, I win because guys tend to be more lax at this than the ladies. :) BTW, good job on using the paper towel upon exiting...Jennifer would be so proud!! :D

[beachreader]

Well, I don't always do the paper towel thing unless there's a trash bin very close to the door; it depends on how "public" the restroom is. Since this one was at one of my accounts, I might not have done that if I didn't know she'd just touched it ahead of me.

Another question for Jennifer: do germs die off on their own? I mean, say a germy doorknob is locked up for a while, how long would germs live on it? In the absence of water, wouldn't they die off pretty soon?

Sorry, I know this is a complete hijack of the thread, it's just always something I've wondered about based on something our high school health teacher said about toilet seats years ago.

[minniemex]

Sorry, I know this is a complete hijack of the thread, it's just always something I've wondered about based on something our high school health teacher said about toilet seats years ago.

This part just cracks http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_23_26.gifhttp://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_22_5.gif cause it seems to me we have all have "stories" about our high school health teachers - http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_2_16.gif

[HthreeO]

H3O -
it seems those buggies like you as much as they like me - if there is a bug around it bites me & ignores hundreds of other people to get to me!

What I was trying to say is that I think it was the sand fleas that bit me during the day and not the mosquitos at sunset because my bites were already prominent. the sand flea thing has merit. i had never even heard of such a thing before then. i did not know to be aware of them. and agua mala :eek: - don't get me started. lots of new interesting things to be on the look out for.

[Barblin]

wrong thread

[HhowieE]

OK, OK, I know, I am a whimp but dem damn mossies just love me.
And the other bugs, you name 'em and Howie is the smorgasbord table for alla dem. I have a new regimen for my trips now that is working just fine thanx very much.
I dint wanna get bitten too much......... and speaking of the diseases I was concerned about dengue as well, a nasty, nasty leetle sickness, no cure, three kinds, and the buggers can come back and back and back.
Dengue is not too much of a concern where we go, Tulum and Punta Allen but bigger in the cities, Merida, Valladolid it can be more prevalent. The one type of mosquito that carries dengue prefers clean water that is more commonly found in the cities rather than the standing water in the mangroves and jungle areas.
Our trip this year included time in both cities so a new approach was needed.
We used, hold on now, don't beat me up becauase of the chemicals OK?
Permetherin on all our clothes and 99.99% deet mixed with water to a 30% deet, 70% water mixed spray..............it was the cats *ss.
Only place we got hit is when we forgot happy hour was coming.
Used the permeth on the beds and mossy netting, around the doors and windows too.
So..............long comment, sorry.
Don't worry, just prepare and your enjoyment will soar.

Saludos,
Ron

[skiptown]

Dengue fever and Hep A are the two biggies to gaurd against. Dengue , there is no vaccination for so repellent works best. Hep A is the one shot we got before coming down this time. Seems like very little bother to protect from something that can make you very sick..

Where does one get lemon eucalyptus oil?

[beachreader]

Any decent health food store, Whole Foods, any other groovy place. I have a little bottle here that I use for aromatherapy from time to time. Actually, I don't love it so much for aromatheraphy as it's a bit medicinal, but now that I know the real use for it, I'll try to stick it in my bag for next trip!

[PhyllisB]

I think we need to keep this thread on the front page, and maybe add "Dengue" to the title. See if we can scare some people away! ;) :D

[ziggy]

FYI, I have a product called Repel lemon eucalyptus insect repellent lotion. It is a 4 oz tube that I think I bought at Whole Foods a few years ago. This is their web site which now lists many many products. You may find resources for other retailers who carry their products there. I have used this successfully in the jungle when going to cenotes.

http://www.repel.com/

This is a product I only use for Mexcio, here in Florida, at dusk, in the summer, nothing but 100% pure DEET works as well.

[marlene]

I lived In PDC for 2 years and I got dengue,amoebas,but never had malaria.There isn't anything you can do for dengue but let it run it's corse.

[bine96]

Dengue fever and Hep A are the two biggies to gaurd against. Dengue , there is no vaccination for so repellent works best. Hep A is the one shot we got before coming down this time. Seems like very little bother to protect from something that can make you very sick..

Where does one get lemon eucalyptus oil?

Just went to get my hep A/typhoid shot yesterday. The good news is that now it protects for a whole 20 years, not just 3 years as before. One less thing to remember!;)

[ashlern]

Talked w/the travel advisor at my local health clinic. They go off what CDC says and she recommended that I have Hep A, tetanus/diptheria, typhoid fever, and I think some of those standard shots we got as children. They also recommend (and prescribed me) an anti-malarial and antibiotics.

I'm hesitant about filling my anti-malarial script if it isn't really necessary and does nasty things to you.

FYI -- if anyone goes to get a typhoid shot, help yourself by taking some tylenol before b/c that shot hurts like ****

[minniemex]

I was just doing some searching ~ actually, I was looking to see how high mossies fly, but I did find some great info regarding repellents ~

Which repellent works best?
N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) remains the standard by which all other repellents are judged. DEET was developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and was registered for use by the general public in 1957. It is effective against mosquitoes, biting flies, chiggers, fleas, and ticks. Over 25 years of empirical testing of more than 20,000 other compounds has not resulted in another marketed chemical product with the duration of protection and broad-spectrum effectiveness of DEET although the recent additions of picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus are remarkably close in effectiveness to DEET. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that all family members over the age of two months can use DEET-based repellents with up to 30% concentration with confidence.

DEET-based repellents have been around for more than 50 years but that hasn't kept the folks who make these products from innovating with new fragrances, new formulations, new product types, and, best of all, products that feel nice when applied. The DEET-based repellent fragrances are pleasant to use and range from fruity to woodsy neutral scents. Unscented products have a slight alcohol odor (there's alcohol in the formulation) until they dry on the skin. Folks who tend to be allergic to fragrances should try the unscented products.
Today's products start out at a concentration of 5% (lasts 90 minutes or so) and range up to 100% (for approximately 10 hours of protection from bites). Pick one that matches your activity. For an outdoor family barbecue in the evenings, a 10% product is fine. It will help protect from bites for approximately 90 minutes to two hours. Products are available in aerosols, pump sprays, lotions, creams and even towelettes. These are individually packaged and are also sold in a handy plastic container that allows the towelettes to pop up one at a time. There are water resistant and water repellent products. One brand uses a microencapsulation process that helps the DEET release over time after you have applied it. Another goes on dry from an aerosol can, just as powder antiperspirants do.

For those who are in tick country, it's important to use a product with at least a 20% concentration. Lower concentrations of all EPA-registered repellents are not effective at warding off ticks.

Most apparent repellency failures with DEET are due to misapplications, so care should be taken to apply it thoroughly (avoiding the eyes and mucous membranes) and to reapply when necessary. This is crucial to maintain the DEET vapor barrier above the skin. New polymerized 30% DEET cream formulations provide excellent protection not significantly exceeded by higher DEET concentrations. Physicians recommend that a formulation of no more than 10% DEET be used on children, but formulations of over 30% can be used in areas of high disease incidence if label directions are followed.

In April of 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began recommending two new active ingredients as safe, effective repellents.

The first of these is picaridin, a synthetic developed by Bayer Corporation in the 1980s. This repellent is the most widely used repellent in the world outside of the United States and is marketed as Cutter Advanced. Picaridin is odorless, has a pleasant feel and doesn't plasticize like DEET. Studies have shown it to be as fully repellent to mosquitoes as DEET and can also be applied on infants as young as 2 months. The 15% picaridin formulation, Cutter Advanced Sport, is also an effective repellent for ticks.

The other repellent, often the choice of those wanting a natural product, is oil of lemon-eucalyptus, sold as Repel®. Repel is a 40% formulation of naturally-derived eucalyptus and has a pleasant scent and feel without any plasticizing properties. It is also effective at repelling ticks.

Here is the site I got the info from ~ http://www.mosquito.org/mosquito-information/faq.aspx#9

And to answer my question ~ 25 feet for most mossies.

[beachreader]

Thanks, very helpful!

[katzgar]

according to the CDC permethrin is also very effective. you spray it on clothes and allow it to dry, it persists through up to 6 washings. i found it worked very well on the beach in tulum. wal-mart and rei for usa'ers

[minniemex]

Do you detect any odor from it?? I hate the smell of all repellents.

[beachreader]

I found a natural repellant from Kiss My Face that smelled so good I wanted to use it as cologne, seriously, but the smell never lasted long enough on that one for me. But it didn't work for beans on the bugs and the bottle leaked like crazy. :rolleyes: I bought another natural one down there, called Sak P'o, but I actually don't really like the way it smells very much. Not as bad as Deet, of course, but not really nice. Can't tell if it works or not. I'll try Autan next time.

I generally use the natural stuff up around my face and neck and the serious stuff down around my feet and lower legs. Keeps the chemicals away from my nose and protects the most at-risk parts. Kind of a combo method.

[katzgar]

no smell from permethrin. CDC also tested a buncha natural stuff and found them of minimal value. Ultrathon was the best deet product because it lasts longest once applied. its one of those chemicals vs disease things.

[katzgar]

PS... What Works

1) OFF Deep Woods Sportsmen II

2) CUTTER Backwoods Unscented

3) OFF Family Care Smooth and Dry

4) 3M Ultrathon Inect Repellent 8

5) REPEL Plant Based Lemon Eucalyptus

6) NATRAPEL 8-Hour with Picardin



Consumer Reports Magazine, July 2010

[minniemex]

Just thought I would bump this thread up ~ Sparkle was asking about bug spray. We all have our favs and what works best for us. Just remember girls, it will take your polish off.

[april52]

We just came back from tulum in september. We were in the jungle looking at our new lot purchase and walked on the beach during the day and at night. Here in alberta canada mosquitos are as big as airplane carriers and chomp chunks out of you. I did not get one bite and they usually attack me before anyone else. I was very surpised and they said because there was no standing water. But if you go to mangroves that could be another issue. I would use repellent there for sure.

[minniemex]

Wow that would be wonderful ~ no mossies! I am surprised though that there aren't any. I thought they lived everywhere. ;)

[sparklegem]

Thank you for bumping the thread Minnie!! I am super glad that to learn that you were not bothered by mosquitoes, April! Especially after our mosquito adventure on Aitutaki...

[patmex]

Mosquitos were terrible last night but there was no wind, even on the beach. I count 37 bites. And the all itch!!

[beachreader]

You could have 37 bites in a howling gale in MN in January. Seriously, I've never met a more delicious person than you, not even Minnie!

And it's only your first night, right? Maybe you can keep a daily total for us in your trip report. :)

[patmex]

OK. So i visited one of the doctors in Tulum yesterday because as some of you know, when i get bites they itch miserably for days and days and days. Makes me miserable. Loca. Crazy.

Asked the doctor what to do. After some convincing (me to him), he gave me a 'script for an injection called Alin. Went to farmacia and bought the medicine along with syringe, took it back to doctor and he injected it into me arse. He also gave me a 'script for B12 tablets. The injection hasn't totally taken away the itch, but it has helped a whole lot.


Total cost: 120 PESOS. 55 pesos for the consult, 65 pesos for both medicine and vitamins.

The doctor i saw didn't speak any English but i managed to make myself understood.

I haven't been able to find out much about Alin on the Internet yet. Only info in Spanish and my Spanish isn't THAT good. It's a "dexa-something". It's not Alinia, which is used to treat diarrhea and giardia.

I had stopped by the new Tulum hospital at the south end of town. The night before and they wanted 1,000 pesos just for a consult. (the 1,000 pesos was for gringos; it's 500 pesos for locals). I said no, gracias. Only plus ay the hosutal is an English speaking doctor, but there are others in town i'm sure who speak English.

[beachreader]

Wow, that's cool. Is it still helping? How did you even know to ask for this stuff?

[Snorkelphile]

Alin is Dexamethosone, a steroid medication which reduces swelling and irritation. I don't want to scare you (too much) but my mother was given this to reduce brain swelling secondary to brain metastases. As a result of taking Dexamethasone, she had major skin thinning, major bruising, and developed a bowel thinning which caused bleeding bad enough to have to get a blood transfusion. I would not take this drug lightly. Topical Cortisone works very well for me for bites.

[minniemex]

You could have 37 bites in a howling gale in MN in January. Seriously, I've never met a more delicious person than you, not even Minnie!

She's just more tasty because she is from the "♫Valley of the ♪♫ Ho Ho Ho♪♫ Green Giant♫".

[AMOC]

I can vouch...there are mosquitos everywhere because there is standing water everywhere. The campesinos have been pretty happy with the weather, but it does leave something to be desired for vacationing. It isn't miserable or anything, just an annoyance. I hate putting on any of the repellants, but have been using them this year whereas most years I don't really need them.

[patmex]

Absolutely NOTHING topical works for me. NOTHING. it's been that way since I was a kid. And i will risk the Alin. It hasn't worked 100% but let's just say it's a whole different trip with it than without it. I'm not miserable this time with itching in the day and night. It had gotten to the point where I was waking up 2,3,4 times a night raking my skin off with my nails. Much happier now.

[sparklegem]

Poor Patmex! It sounds awful! I am glad that you are experiencing a bit of relief!

[beachreader]

So glad it's helping!