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Severe Itching Head to Toe!

I have this severe itch that has lasted a few months off and on which starts at the top of my head and goes to my feet.  I see no rash except I do see some little red dots or little red bumps.  It's worse on my back, legs, arms, scalp,  Sometimes I feel as though something is crawling on me or sometimes I feel as though I cannot keep my arms and legs still.  I cannot sleep because of this.  It is worse at night but I do occassionally have it during the day (like right now).  it's the kind of itch that you scratch but cannot ever relieve.  I have tried everything.....creams, moisterizers...bath and body stuff....sometimes it helps and sometimes it makes it worse.  I also itch up my butt and up my front.  The itching feels like a prickley itch and feels like i have a very mild sunburn.  I just don't know what to do about this or even what this is.  I just know that I need to get some sleep!  Please help me.
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Avatar universal
A related discussion, Itching caused by food additives? was started.
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A related discussion, Itching was started.
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I been having the itchy arms as well bumps comes up I end up scratching the bumps off and of course u see it starts to bleed a little I can wake up an have little blood smears on my sheets I don't know what's happening wit my skin. Help anybody thks  
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i Also suffer from this "itch" except i get white bumps that kind of look like worts. These bumps only come up when i scratch. I only get itchy from aroun 10pm at night and occasionly during the day. I have been told that it is my brain and too many nerves  are being sent out to parts of my body. I've tried everything to help but nothing ever does. I'm in my senior year at school and this itch is not helping my studies because of the lack of sleep.
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Avatar universal
i Also suffer from this "itch" except i get white bumps that kind of look like worts. These bumps only come up when i scratch. I only get itchy from aroun 10pm at night and occasionly during the day. I have been told that it is my brain and too many nerves  are being sent out to parts of my body. I've tried everything to help but nothing ever does. I'm in my senior year at school and this itch is not helping my studies because of the lack of sleep.
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A related discussion, Itchy People was started.
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I also have the itch & I mean I really understand I know how you feel because thats exactly that way I feel I just visited the doctor today & the told me that this condition is called   scabies & is kind of like a bug he told me.to use this shampoo called NIx u buy it over the counter this is also use to kill the head lice after you take a shower you put it all over your body & wash it 8 -14hours then you repeat it after seven days he said to take benadryl for.the itch because the shampoo is gonna kill the bug
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Every day I itch. I swear its this house I'm living in. I live with my 80 year old in laws and my husband n 2 sons. No one else itches but me. I cry alomost evry night cuz it keeps me awake til the wee hours while everyone else sleeps. I've gotten to the point where I get so mad that I take my scratcher and scratch repeatedly all over til I see scratch marks. By the next morning, it looks like I got in a fight because I have huge bruises and cuts all over me. I can't take it anymore!!! Its driving me nuts!! Over a month now!!!
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A related discussion, Severe Itching especailly at Night was started.
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1066987 tn?1255028969
A related discussion, Is this scabies was started.
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A related discussion, Iching was started.
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A related discussion, itching arms was started.
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A related discussion, Horrible Itching All Over - What is It? was started.
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I am a 28 year old male and I have extreme itching to where I cannot sleep only after tanning.
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My mother and most of my family suffer from RLS (Restless Legs Syndrome). It feels like things crawling under the skin, and usually hits at night. You have to keep moving your legs to get any relief. Mom took Sinemet, and it helped for the last two years of her life, but the price you pay is that when the symptoms return, they return with greater intensity. A lot of doctors have never heard of this problem, so your doctor may not know about it.

Hope this helps.
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My friend had these same symptoms he was finally diagnosed with a gluten allergy, after eliminating gluten from his diet he has been itch free!!
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Avatar universal
Hi There ... I posted this to another question earlier ... it might be of interest to some of you so I copied it here for you ...

... I too am searching for relief from the itching. I have seen allergists, dermatologists and doctors to no avail.

Searching the net I came across some others suffering the same symptoms ... one mentioned large doses of niacin (B-3) ... I researhced this and found sufficient information that I myself felt confident to start taking it.

Note ... taking large does of nicin can be dangerous ... you should likely clear everything with your doctor ... they will have to do ongoing liver function tests to make sure you are not damaging yourself. Also, many papers warn against the time release form of niacin ... this apparently has damaged peoples livers.

Personally ... I take 1500 mg niacin x 3 times a day (every 8 hours). This is 3 x 500 mg pills ... they cost about $35 for 500 pills up here in Canada ... and you can get it over the counter ... it is not a prescription drug. Also ... at night I also take 1 benadryl and 1 allegra. If I miss the niacin by even 1 hour I start itching. Do not start at 1500 mg ... start at either 500 or 1000 mg ... only move up if you absolutely have to. My doctor told me that the maximum daily dose I can go up to is 6000 mg per day ... I am a 200 lb male.

I also found reference to this treatment under something like orthomolecular therapy having to do with megadoses of vitamins ... it has been used to treat schizophrenics and alcoholics among other things. See Dr Hoffer's research. I do not have the exact web page ... but you might want to start searching from ...

http://www.islandnet.com/~hoffer/hofferhp.htm

http://216.239.51.100/search?q=cache:3xIHgG62QRwC:www.orthomed.org/links/papers/hofschz.htm+hoffer+niacin+saskatchewan+manitoba&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Also ... please be aware, especially the first time, that you will experience a nicin rush ... you are not dying or having some fatal attack ... although some won't get this ... you will likely feel an extremely warm feeling emanating from your forhead and going down your limbs and trunk. After the first few days you will not feel this anymore. Actually the first time it was quite a rush ... I sort of wish it would happen all the time :)

Once you have gotten past this keep taking it every 8 hours like clockwork ... otherwise you will feel some itching.

As to washing ... I only use Pears soap (everything else makes me too itchy) and I only wash my privates, underarms and feet ... I use Nizoral on my hair (and occassionally on my pubic hair and eyelids). The rest of my body I only rinse with warm water. I have found that my itching is also less if I soak in a clean tub of clear water without using any soap.

I have to keep pants or sweatpants on all the time as my legs get very itchy otherwise ... as the moisture or sweat evaporates.

Prior to this treatment, at one point a fan was blowing across my legs at it was extremely painful.

I have had this since approximately 1987-1988 ... it has been extremely taxing ... I have gone many nights and days without sleep.

The other day I came across a web site and the person was found to have Sjogren's Syndrome ... I will have to get some testing to see if this is it (long shot). Researchers at the UNiversity of Toronto and Sick Children's Hospital in Toronto have potentially found a cure for Sjogren's ... but it will be a few years before it gets into clinical trials.

http://home.earthlink.net/~lynnec21/jolynnFrame1Source1.htm

http://www.sjogrens.org/research/news/resnews8_10.07.02.html

Good luck to all. Hopefully we can find a cure for this.

--------

Addition info

... the niacin also seems to increase libido a little ... at least for me ...

... niacin seems to dilate the capillaries ... the additional blood flow appears to flush histamines away from the skin's surface ... thus after the flush the itching reduces substantially and often will go away for long periods of time
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Avatar universal
I also suffer from severe itching.  Iam up most of the night digging at my skin until it is red and raw.  I have tried taking zyrtec, atrax, ect. But only get temp. relief. Iam now pregnant-which makes it that much worse..plus i have to be careful what i can and can not take.  When i was on prozac i never noticed the itching...so could it be all neurological??  If anyone has any answeres please help!  b/c i still have 4 more months until my baby is due and i dont know if i can take much more of this!
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Avatar universal
My Father has had the same itching problems for many years.  It's called Dermatagraphism.  People who have this usually end up finding what works best for them. Some studies have shown that a low dose anti depressant such as Elavil (amitryptaline) given at night (because it makes you a little drowsy) can help reduce the itching sensation.  Others take antihistimine related drugs.  But one thing is for certain, you cannot just take medicine when you have an attack you must take your medicine to PREVENT an itching attack. Once my Father learned to take his meds daily to prevent the itching attack it seemed to work MUCH better.  Dermatagraphism has also been thought to link with preasure, body heat, and histamine reaction to it.  Histamines are the little alarms that are going off in your body telling you to itch cause there is something allergic or foreign on or in your body.  In this case its a malfunction of the histamines and your body.  Another good idea is to keep a diary of weather patterns even the relative humidity to see if you have flares at certain times of the year during certain seasons or temperatures.  As always check with your doctor and ask them about Dermatagraphism Best Wishes! Angel
p.s. remind me about this site if you need to contact me, as I'll probably forget the address to this website
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trc
Just as recently as yesterday, I began to itch all over. I feel little quick sharp itches constantly. I have bad seasonal allergies, and at first just thought I needed to take an Allegra. But it did not help at all. My hypocondriac side is hoping that it is not a parasite. I stayed up late last night (couldn't sleep if I wanted to) to examine my skin at the site of every itch, and saw nothing. But the thought of bugs on my skin seemed to be the only explanation. Does anyone have any thoughts to offer? It gets worse the more I think about it. Coincidentally, I just visited with a friend over the weekend who had the same thing happening to her. Her doctor told her he could not figure out what it was. She did not have a thing wrong with her as far as the doc could see. She said it all of the sudden went away also. So, I am hopeful, but in the meantime, going nuts!!
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Avatar universal
I am having much the same kind of itch that was mentioned by several, but it looks more like little goosebumps and can barely be seen.  Truth is I am an alcoholic, and I do have pronounced liver disease.  I keep falling off the wagon and have been detoxed professionally, but this itch is something I kind of remembered from that detoxin the hospital for gastritis and other internal bleeding. I'm trying to do this withdrawal on my own, which I'm sure no one recommends. I know I need to quit or I'm going to be dead soon, so I don't need that advice.  But, could this itch be a rash from alcohol withdrawal, or the liver disease?  How long should I expect it to last?  I've tried alternative means, such as hydrogen peroxide and hot water baths, to make it wet, then putting some sort of unscented cream on it (which I've found is best to be vasaline for me, if that helps anyone) It's a messy mess, but it helps with the itch.  I'm also on a beta blocker, Inderal.  I've complicated my condition with the alcohol I'm sure.  Will the Inderal make me itch more until this rash subsides, and should I prepare to see the rash again if I stay off the alcohol.  I've stayed off, but it keeps seeming to return once a week or so for the last month.  Thanks in advance.
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Avatar universal
Hi,

Someone just mentioned a topical anti-itch medication on a different skin board. The woman said it has helped her immensely.

She has "pruritis" like you, no known cause. Pruritis simply means itching.

The medication is called Pruroxin. I don't know about side effects or interactions with other meds you are taking.


http://www.healthpoint.com/content/news/pr080900.htm

If it helps, please post and let us know!

Best wishes.
Mary
(Skin Researcher)
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Avatar universal
I can relate to your discomfort big-time! I developed clusters of raised red bumps in my elbow area and behind my knees; they itched somewhat. Now the rash is gone, except when I scratch. At night, all night, I scratch and dig at the skin on both arms and behind my knees until I bleed and jump out of bed seeking relief. I have seen my GP and a dermatologist to no avail. Like many of you, I have been prescribed steroid creams, numbing creams and antihistimines. I have used every OTC anti-itching soaps and creams and lotions known to humankind. My dermatologist says it's "probably atopic dermatitis." His treatment is worthless. All that happens with the four different creams I have used is that my skin is so thin over my elbows that my skin tears when I scratch. I get the short-term hives or wheals or whatever, along with a red blotchy rash on my arms every night. I have bruises and skin tears - self inflicted. My itchy arms and legs arrived as a respiratory (bronchitis) infection ended. Like you, the severe itchiness is worse at night though I have to wrap my arms tightly with thick ace bandages during the day in an effort not to scratch. I am on antidepressants, have been for years. My environment and diet have not changed. I am a healthcare administrator and at a point where I can hardly function due to lack of sleep and itchiness when awake. My problem is affecting my 30-year marriage as I keep my spouse awake nights, though I try not to. I have used vicks, prescription creams, antihistamines, both prescription and OTC. I am taking clarinex and 150 mg of benadryl every 4 hours now but am wasting my time. When I go to the dermatologist monthly, he doesn't see much and labels it atopic dermatitis. Can anyone help please?
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Avatar universal
My daughter has had severe itching--was on Zyrtec for two years.  This summer we had extensive (skin) food testing done and she is now completely off antihistamines.  She had massive food allergies--esp to mint and oregano.  She now controlls it with histamine shots and diet.  She is also taking some shots to lower the allergic reactions permanently.  Hope this helps some of you.
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