I am an athlete, and I have feet

Does it make sense, then, that I have Athlete's Foot? (Feet, actually, because it's both of 'em).

I've never had it before, so I can't be sure that's what this is, but DAMN, they itch. That kind of itch that you can scratch but that only makes it worse and eventually you might draw blood and it still won't stop itching. 

When I say it started suddenly, I'm not exaggerating, as most people are when they use that phrase. I mean it was instantaneous. My feet felt fine all day, I was wearing clean socks, an old pair of sneakers, and even went for a couple of long dog-walks. Then I was walking to my house from my car after work and BAM it hit me. My feet itched. 

At first I thought it was because the sneakers I'd been wearing were super old, and so much walking in them had just irritated my skin. But it was SO bad that night that I had to rest the soles of my feet on ice packs. They felt a little bit better the next day, so I figured it was a minor thing that would run its course. But the day after that, I was about ready to scratch my skin to shreds, so I decided to hit up CVS.

I couldn't find what I was looking for at first. I knew there were products called Lamisil and Tinactin (saw them on commercials - "Tough actin' Tinactin!") but the only things with that name I could find were for Jock Itch. Er...ok...I was pretty sure it was the right product, but I didn't want to be rubbing cream meant for a guy's groin on my feet if I wasn't supposed to. I finally had to ask the woman at the pharmacy where I could find something for Athlete's Foot (I totally whispered that part in the store because there were other people around, and really, who wants to admit they have fungus growing on their feet? I was wearing flip-flops for goodness sake.) Turns out Lamisil for Athlete's Foot and for Jock Itch are the exact same thing with the exact same ingredients, because the two infections are caused by the same fungus. Honestly, I'd rather have fungus on my feet than in my crotch!

Anyway, I have been back to CVS twice since then for different remedies because nothing's working. So far I've tried Lamisil cream, Tinactin spray, and Goldbond medicated powder. Each has a different active ingredient, and each says to apply twice daily - morning and night. Also, each claims to stop the itching and burning. OK...maybe they stop the itching and burning for an hour. But am I supposed to wait seven more hours until the nighttime application to relieve it again?

I'm thoroughly grossed out at the fact that I might have fungus on my feet. But I'm trying so hard to keep them clean! I already shower daily, but now I'm washing my feet with seperate soap (Dove), drying each foot completely with it's own paper towel (don't want to infect our bath/hand towels!) and applying one of my medicinal treatments twice daily. I'm sprinkling Goldbond into my socks. I've sprayed all my shoes with Tinactin. Today I washed the bathmats with bleach (don't worry, they were already white) and mopped the kitchen and bathroom floors with a bleach solution (since I walk around the house barefoot). 

Well it's been a full week and I have seen no improvement! What's a girl to do!?!? Should I just go to the doctor and get something stronger? The packages on the various treatments say to "see a doctor if there is no improvement in four weeks." Four weeks!?!? This insatiable itch is maddening. I can not wait four weeks!

Anybody have some tips/tricks/homeopathic remedies?

P.S. If you're wondering where I might have picked it up, I have two words for you. Public pool. And here are two more words. High school. I went (for the first time) to open swim at a local high school's pool on a Wednesday, and that BAM moment came on Friday. Need I say more??