severe debilitating pruritus

[OLDPOOT]

i am a 62 yr old male with severe pruritus of unknown origin. have been to dozens of docters inc the mayo clinic. i have tried every otc and prescription topical product out there. i have had allergy tests skin tests bone, liver ,kidney cancer. skin biopsy, cat scans etc. i have taken doxipen ,naltrexone,imuran,clarinex,clobetasol,tazoral,cyclosporine, methotrexate and probually others i don,t remember.  i have taken puva and uvb treatments. i still use the uvb light daily. pruritus covers 90% of my body, lesions and open sores. it has even spread to my scalp and hands.my arms are now purple from sctatching. very debilitating and am going crazy. a kenalog shot helped for 2 wks. and prednisone will slow it down some if taken in massive doses over a long time. the itch started 5 yrs ago but severe for 3. took prednisone for 2 yrs. itch stopped last spring for a couple months, for no apparent reason, then came back with a vengance.the only connection i could find was  i started the fosamax 2 wks prior and stopped 2 wks before it came back. have been back on it for 2 wks but no change. i  have tried stopping all meds for 30 days to check for medical reaction. i take toprol 150 daily,+ asprin,for a fib. fosamax ,calcium 600,vit b complex,due to prednisone. also just started coq10,gugulipid for slighly high clorestoral. also started levothyroxine for slightly low thyroid suspected cause of itch. not working.the itch and sores always attack areas of old injuries first, then it spreads. ankles, got run over by a car;shoulders, bad sun burn; old scars even when many yrs old. tried chiropratic alignment as suspected pinched nerve in neck might cause it. this was also just before the itch stopped.  i went back for another round of treatments but no change this time.the only other thing i can think of is the fact that i have a runny nose most of the time. this has been going on for years. did try antihisimes and cold remidies but they made no difference. don,t think theres a connection , but am grasping at straws.i would be willing to try herbs, vitamins or anything else you can think of.i don,t want to go back on prednisone  due to side effects. depression is really starting to set in. i need help!

[scratchy22]

A related discussion, Response to question about unremitting itching was started.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I sympathize with your plight, sir, but if all the doctors you've seen, including those at the Mayo clinic, haven't found an explanation for your itch, then there's not much I can say.  The only suggestion that comes to mind is that you look into the possible relationship of your itch-scratch behavior to a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder.  This may respond to drugs like Paxil.  This may sound highly implausible to you, but it doesn't sound as though this avenue has been explored, so what do you have to lose.  (If nothing else, this kind of drug may help your depression....)

Good luck.

Dr. Rockoff

[MLWTR]

I am a medical writer, and I have read of at least at few cases in which people with severe dermatological conditions (itching, other) have been helped by hypnotherapy. Some people don't benefit at all, but others have improved greatly. Just a thought, because you seem to have tried virtually everything else, and even something that has even a small likelihood of working might be more appealing than doing nothing. You'd need to ask around to find a good, ethical hypnotist, preferably a practitioner who has a particular interest in medical uses of hypnosis. Possibly one of your doctors might be able to suggest a name.

Hope you find a solution to what does sound like a very uncomfortable problem. Good luck.