I have a few simple questions about SCABIES -- could you help me out please?

[Melissa765]

**MODS, I'm going to move this to the General Health Board because I think I'll get a quicker reply there, so can you please delete this one? Thank you very much!**

Hi! For the last week or so I've had an itchy rash that started on my hands (between my fingers and on my palms), on the tops of my feet, behind my knees, and a little bit under my breasts. A few days later, I got all the symptoms of a virus (body aches, fever, sore throat, etc.) so my doctor just assumed, without looking at the rashy areas, that the rash was just all a part of the virus.

What I find concerning is the location and intense itching of these rashes, as well as just the generalized itching that's all over my body (with no rash though). I've been paranoid about scabies since the day I knew about it basically, and I go to so many doctors appointments (unrelated to this present illness), that I'm worried I could have picked it up there... like if they didn't change the sheets or pillow on the exam table.

Here's what my questions are:

1. My dermatologist said that the schedule was too full to see me any time soon, and said that it sounds like I have allergic dermatitis. She prescribed a topical steroid cream and said to take Benadryl. This seemed to have helped the itchiness,but once I stop using it, the rash/itching comes back. If I had scabies, would that be the kind of reaction I'd have to that treatment? Temporary improvement, but then a returning of symptoms?

2. Does scabies start really rapidly? What I mean is, if I have scabies, would I KNOW I had it, and right away it would be rashes everywhere, or can it be like it is now -- just the occasional rash here and there, and some itchiness?

3. I live with my parents, and neither of them have rashes. I've even laid in my mother's bed a few times to watch TV, so would that definitely pass scabies to them (if they slept in the bed that night) if I had scabies???

4. Does scabies look at all like eczema? Because this rash that I have doesn't look at all like "allergic dermatitises" that I've had in the past, and it looks really dry and kind of scaly to be honest.

Thanks if anyone can answer these, because I think I'm making myself more worried!!!