I sear to god, I'm going to have to be institutionalized in a few days. I'm going insane! I have been crazy itchy since Friday. It's mostly my legs but my tummy, back, and the under-side of my boobs are also itchy. The itch is never satisfied! I'm going crazy!
I haven't been using any new soaps, laundry detergent (We already use hypo-allergenic), or lotions. I haven't been eating any new foods, and I haven't done anything else that could have caused an allergic reaction. There is no rash, just itchiness! Normal lotion doesn't help at all, but I did try some of my husband's cetaphil lotion last night and it helped a little bit. It was still itchy but not as itchy. Showers don't help, in fact the water seems to make it worse.
Any ideas before I go coo coo cachoo?
Edited To Ad - My skin doesn't seem to be dry. Also, I don't know if this has anything to do with it but my period started on the 13th and ended on the 18th so the itchiness started during my period.
Edited To Ad Again - We already use a humidifier at night
After you have done all these wonderful suggestions, if you still feel itchy, see a doctor. There are serious conditions that have this as a symptom.
If I were you I would try taking a benadryl. Itching is an allergic reaction to something. You need an anti-histamine.
I'd get it checked out if I were you. Meanwhile, how about some Benedryl so that you don't go coo coo cachoo?
Dawn
I experienced this exactly the way you described. I stopped eating wheat and the itching stopped (within a few days I think...maybe a week, I can't remember it's been so long). Whenever I do eat a little wheat (maybe once a month I'll have a cupcake at a party), I always itch again. Try stopping wheat, and make sure to read labels carefully because its hidden in everything! The paleo diet is a good reference way of eating to get ideas & recipes. Hope this helps!!
speak with a gp or a dermatologist. it might be a fungal infection called tinea verisicola. flares up when you are hot or wet or damp. won't be as obvious in the winter as it would be in the summer.
a topical anti-fungal, or sometimes an oral antifungal is needed.
good luck to you and yours,
F. B.
OMGosh, when I first read this I thought you said BITCHY and I was going to say, "Have some chocolate?"
It could be dryness even if it doesn't seem dry. Winter leeches oil from your skin. Eucerin has some great healing lotions. I had to get one the other night for my youngest daughter who decided to take her gloves off while playing in the snow and her skin has been raw, red, and excessively dry, painful, and itchy. It's working like none of my other lotions were helping (good, thick stuff with shea butter, too).
Also drink lots of water. Make sure you're getting a gallon worth of liquid a day (include low-salt soup and fruit and veggies). Stay hydrated.
EDIT: Also, see your doctor and if she can't help see a dermatologist. I meant to add that earlier.
Chemical sensitivity? (see my question)
Hmm, there's no rash, so I have no suggestions. I will be interested in the responses. When I was 12, I had a bizarre itchy phase which lasted for ??? a couple of weeks, that sounded like yours. I remember pulling my pants down and scratching my legs violently. It's never happened before or since. It was horrendous, though.
Hopefully your episode will be over soon. Try triple rinsing your clothes.
Try Curel Anti Itch Cream. It's new and wonderful. My daughter has very itchy skin and I've been using it this winter. It works wonders. And it's sensitive enough to use on infants over 6 months!
If there is no rash or inflammation, I would doubt it's anything more than winter skin. You can try soaking in an Aveeno bath, too!
I am not trying to freak you out or anything, but I went through the same thing and I found out I had lymphoma. My legs and back were always itching. I was itching so bad I had sores! Hopefully you will find relief soon!
This will help: run a humidifier I. Your bedroom at night.
Warm (not hot!) shower then lotion right after.
HTH!!!
Everyone is about dry as a dust bunny after the furnaces blowing all winter!
I have this problem every winter. First fof, there is an itch-scratch cycle that sometimes just keeps on going and is very difficult to stop. Winter with the temperature extremes and dry heat just add to this. So try these tips:
- Hydrate from the inside. Drink as much water as you can tolerate.
- Aveeno has an anti-itch concentrated lotion. I had used their old formula and loved it. Then switched to an off-brand when they discontinued it. This is a newer formula that I have yet to try.
- Try a cortizone based cream to deal with the inflammation. I would use this with the anti-itch lotion. (I have also taken ibuprofen to try to deal with inflammation but I don't know if that actually helps.)
- Benadryl but usually only at night due to the tired-ness side effects.
- As cold a shower as you can tolerate.
Good luck. Hope you heal up fast.
Check your water softener. Are you low on salt?
My son with the sensitive skin is the "canary in the coal mine." When he starts scratching, it's usually time to add more rock salt.
I always get itchy in the winter - the heat is on, the air is dry, you're wearing warm clothing, etc. Are you on a low-fat diet? Our bodies need water, oils & fat to keep our skin hydrated. Drink lots of water. I've also gotten more itcy and dry as I get older - it's just a fact of life.
I use aveeno moisturizer - it's worth the extra $ that it costs. (just thinking about this is making me feel itchy!)
Finally - if it doesn't go away and just gets worse see your doctor.
dry weather? when it snows and is cold, the air is dry. Skin doesn't have to FEEL dry to be dry.
If you take a benedryl and itchiness goes away? You are allergic to something. You will need to figure out what by process of elimination. Talk to your doctor and tell them what is going on. They may want to do an allergy test. I don't know.
My former mother-in-law has an adverse reaction to water. She looks like a red tomato when she gets out of the shower. Not sure if she's allergic to the chemicals from the city water or something else.
I have the same thing (it's been going on years now). I've seen at least three different Dermatologist they all say it's dermatitis. They've given me creams, but it never goes away. Hopefully you don't have the same problem.
Not to scare you but if it doesn't stop you should see your doctor. Because I know a friend who found out she had breast cancer in this way.
I would start taking an antihistamine and see if it helps. All over itching sounds like a food sensitivity to me. I know you said nothing new, but sensitivities have to start sometime.....
Do you have hives? That sounds like when I first developed hives. I wanted to tear my skin off. It happened a few months after I had an allergic reaction to amoxicillin; have you had something like that happen in the last few months?
I've had hives for about 17 years now. However, with meds from my allergist, they are totally under control.
You should see a dermatologist and an allergist. Good luck!
get the Vaseline lotion with the vitamin e, cocoa butter and Shea Butter-Shea butter is the bomb!
You might want to go in and have your kidneys and/or liver checked. I know when I was pregnant (I know you're not), I had EXTREME itchiness in those places and it was a sign that my kidneys weren't working correctly so I just got put on a pill and it took care of it. I thought I was going to go insane too!
