Die you Demodex, die!

...I'm obviously not a Buddhist!

I had little sleep last night as I was very conscious of the mites moving upon my face.  It had me wondering if the Ivomec was not working for some reason.  I remembered that I'd left it out of the cupboard for a week in filtered sunlight while I was interstate for a holiday.  Could that amount of sunlight reduce the potency of the ivermectin in the solution?

I telephoned Merial and without giving too much away, I asked them if that amount of sunlight could effect the active ingredient.  After consulting with their resident vet, they assured me that it would be fine to "administer to my cattle".  I'm relieved to know that because I am only halfway through the 200ml bottle.

However, it does confirm that the mites are still not being effectively eradicated.

More research led me to a very interesting document: http://www.google.com/patents/US5952372 
Entitled: Oral administration or topically applying ivermectin in a dosage to eliminate demodex folliculorum mites from hair follicles in affected skin.

In short, William Robert McDaniel states that treating rosacea "with oral ivermectin in a regimen of 200 micrograms per kilogram body weight per dose for 2 or 3 consecutive doses at least 3 and not more than 7 days apart as the preferred regimen or, alternatively, topical ivermectin compounded to a 2% concentration by weight in a cream, lotion, or gel carrier vehicle is administered as an effective treatment for all clinical stages and signs of rosacea in affected persons."

My GP wrote me a script for Stromectol 3mg in December - based on my body weight I was to take 5 tablets.  Because of a miscommunication with the Pharmacist I took an incorrect dose of 4 tablets December 19th, 6 tablets January 17th and today I took the correct dose of 5 tablets.

Based on McDaniel's findings, I need to take my next dose in 4, 5 or 6 days time and could take my remaining dose again at 4, 5 or 6 days after that.  A detailed description is in the article (link above) but here's the reason why:  It "treats such rosacea patients with at least two doses timed so that between three and seven days separate the doses. Such spacing allows time for Demodex eggs to hatch into immature mites that are killed before they can mature into egg-producing adults. While two doses has been demonstrated to be quite effective, in unusual cases where absorption is impaired, as many as four doses at three- to seven-day intervals could be employed."

Today's dose was 2pm February 2nd.
My next dose should be 7th February.
My final dose should be 13th February.

...and then I'll need to assess the outcome.  

Today's pics show the evidence of mite's at work during the night.  Several red dots on my right cheek and a couple on my left.  Over the course of the day my cheeks became more inflamed looking.   It's a step backwards but it prompted me to do more research and thereby finding this wonderful document.  ...so I'm going to say it's really a step forward!