Itching

[pearsjon]

i posted this elsewhere with not much response. gotta make it quick, don't have much time.

i get itching spells in certain locations on my body. in singular episodes. ie, my forearm,or neck.

it is so bad i have been awaken from sleep form it.

it makes me feel like i want to take a knife to it to scratch it.

i used zonolan(sp) and benadryl last night and still could't get it to quit for over 30min.

those r topical meds 1st isrx and 2cd over counter.

i poked my skin with my nails after 4 applications of each so bad that i have nail punctures in them(left forearm last night).

i have levido reticularis, so trying to see hives on my arms is impossible.

does anyone suffer from this? eer heard of such?

asked a doc on time he said ther is no way that only one part of ur body would itch like that. and my response was tell tht to my foearm dumb***.

hope yall can help. thanks

[pat57]

I have some kind of a wart that looks like a big freckle. I told the Dr. it itches like crazy-which is how I know its a wart. After he told me its nothing to worry about, I attacked it- repeatedly. Which is to say scratched some of the skin off. Its much better now.

Go figure.

Can't recommend that esp since you have other skin problems.

[cardiactec]

I have had terrible itching spells over the past four years....finally i saw a doc about it ......it literally feels like things are crawling on me -- my back, my neck, my arms, my torso......thankfully, to their knowledge, they cant see anything crawling - yuck. but they have recently put me on meclizine, an antibiotic....i've been on it for almost two weeks now and see some improvement with it.....

not sure if this is related to what you're going through, but i can certainly relate to you being up in the night from it -- this is when it's the worst for me - and benedryl never works to take away the insane itching!

hope you find relief soon.

cardiactec.

[cardiactec]

ooops, meant minocycline!

[flop]

Itching skin that isn't broken (no eczema etc) is often soothed by cooling it. Keeping it well moisturised also helps. I remember a dermatologist telling my sister to treat her itch from urticaria (hives) with "1% menthol in aqueous cream". In the UK you don't need a prescription for this - you can just ask the pharmacist to mix it up for you, very cooling and really does help with the itching.

Flop

[Guest Eliza]

Sorry for the unwelcome advice......I removed the post.

Edited August 21, 2007 by flop
Eliza, it wasn't unwelcome and actually a very good thought and checking blood work including liver is a good idea. I just wanted to clarify the term "pruritus" as it is often confused.

[flop]

"Pruritus" is the medical word for "itching" - it doesn't have anything to do with the cause of the itch. Raised Liver tests can cause itching, usually as a result of high Bilirubin (that is the pigment that causes jaundice) usually the bilirubin makes you look yellow before it causes the itching. Derranged kidney function can also cause itching but again it is unlikely that itching would be the first symptom. However getting basic bloods checked is often a good idea when new symptoms appear.

Flop

Edited August 21, 2007 by flop
rephrased to try to remove unintentional confrontational attitude (sorry original was written at 2:30am, probably not the best time for me!)

[Guest Eliza]

Sorry. Didn't mean to be confusing.

[Catelynnw3]

Hi, just wanted to offer a possibility. Scabies are microscopic and can cause horrible itching, mostly at night. You don't see them, so don't know they are there except for the maddening itch. Several years ago I went months without knowing what was wrong, and finally went to a dermatologist or an allergist (forgot which) who quickly scraped our skin and looked at it under a microscope to diagnose it. Just a thought. (I am a very clean person, but anyone can get it by coming in contact with someone who has it)

[pearsjon]

thank u for all ur suggestions.

i think i'm scheduled for bloodwork anyway, soon.

i know it's not dryness or the skin would flake, and ti doesn't. plus hard to be dry in 115 heat indecies.

cardiotec, i will ask about ur med as it may be similiar to the zonolan ,but i will find out.

it is apparently not dys related though. since noone has it.

i have lumps under the skin where they do itch for a long time afterwards, but notina bug bite,more like a lump.

when isee rhumetologist i am going tomentrion it ot her.

not scabies, had them before from a puppy i rescued from being hit by car. and they say kindness pays off. it didn't that time. thanks again for all the help.

[pamyla]

Hi, I was also diagnosed with livedo reticularis. It shows up on my inner thighs during the winter and usually goes away when it is warmer out. I was referred to rheumatologist about this because it is not that common in adults and often indicates autoimmune disease. For me, it turned out the livedo was caused by lyme disease (or one of the other tick borne illnesses I have - not sure which specifically), and has actually improved with treatment.

As for the itching, I have had times when I've had really intense itching, but when I scratch it the itch actually moves to a different location. I never actually see anything on my skin however.

Hope you get some answers!

Pam

[flop]

Firewoman,

I hope you have found something to relive some of the itching!

Whilst your skin probably doesn't look dry at all you can still often get relief by moisturising, probably even more important in high temperatures when sweating can be a problem and leave the skin "overworked" - after all the skin is the largest and most important organ in the body!

Flop