itchy and scratchy

[marymoto]

i am so itchy i cant stop scratching but there is nothing there it is so prickly i am getting very frustrated hardly had any sleep lastnight.

[Wobbly]

I've had time when I would be itchy so bad that I ended up bleeding on my thigh... but I didn't think it would be a MS thing... I'll let my Neuro know about it if it happens again..

good post for info..

take care
wobbly

[essdipity]

When MS is the cause of the crazy-making itching, no matter how much you scratch, it doesn't help.

Sometimes, though, continuous itching is caused by continuous scratching, so it's a vicious circle. Particularly in the winter, dry skin can start the whole thing off. A bit of scratching irritates the skin and makes it itch more. And on it goes, until we have a big patch of red, torn up skin.

With me, that always would be in an inaccessible place, just below my left shoulder blade. I'd find myself scratching even in my sleep. This went on 3 or 4 winters in a row. Last winter, I didn't get it at all, because I was extremely careful. Used lots of creams, and at the first sign of the dreaded itchy spot, I used Ivarest, which actually is for poison ivy. That works wonderfully, and stops the cycle.

I tend to be an itchy person generally, and have very sensitive skin, so I have to stay on top of things. My itching is NOT from MS. That may be true of others here too. At least it's worth experimenting with.

Good luck to all scratchers.

ess

[Sparkysarah]

Slightly O.T.....I feel for you having all this itching and scratching. I have just beeen stung by a wasp and it really hurt. My arm is now red and itchy...but luckily some anthistamine spray and tablet will calm this down. If only MS itching was this easy....nothing is straightforward..but it helps to know that others understand.

With love

Sarah x

[marymoto]

hi thanks audrey and whomever else posted great comments. yes i thought of the simpsons as i wrote that the itching seems better today thankgoodeness lol.

[Audrey_M]

Not to make light of your problems and understandable frustration, but I could  not help but thinking about "Itchy and Scratchy" on The Simpsons TV show.

Your sx are not laughable, but Itchy and Scratchy are. LOL. And who would believe that Homer Simpson was voted one of the best dads?

I have a bone scan film here and swear that I look just like Homer! And I'm a she, not a he. Hee, hee.

Hope you get some relief soon from your itching.

[Quixotic1]

I always sign off too soon.   Some meds release histamine into the skin and can cause itching - though it is usually all over and not so localized.  A really common one is codeine and it's cousins like hydrocodone (Vicodin).

Q

[Quixotic1]

Itching is often a form of paresthesia - or false signal from nerves affected by demyelination.  It's actually worse than pain.  Studies have shown that people can be taught to live with chronic pain far better than they can with chronic itching.

Michelle - Even though you are doing far less harm to the skin with a rough towel than with fingernails, be very careful about irritating the skin whith "any" kind of trauma.  You can actually cause a different kind and new cause of itching by repeatedly abrading the skin.  In fact, if you were to rub normal skin repeatedly and often, you will begin to cause a chronic dermatitis and inflammation.  then you will have truly itchy skin in addition to cranky nerves.

My vote would be for the cool shower  and a very mild moisturizer like Aveeno.  If the itching is severe, perhaps a course of steroids would help bring it under control.

Good luck,  I think itching is one of the circles of Hell.

Quix

[michelleislay]

oh yes, i've been itchy off and on for the last two months.  in fact, one of my first symptoms was a severely itchy forehead.  the itchiness migrated in time to different areas of numbness.

i found great relief by itching with a rough-ish facecloth or towel, say one that hung dry instead of being fluffy from the automatic dryer.  

that way, i knew i wasn't at risk for actually drawing blood with my nails (sorry sounds so crass) and it seemed to cover more area all at once.

good luck and i sure hope it subsides soon.

michelle

[fig65]

I have a persistent itchy spot on my mid to upper back just off to the left side. I have had this irritating spot for about 4 yrs now. My obvious MS symptoms began about 2 yrs ago. I only just recently went hmmm... wonder if this itchy spot could have been my first clue? Who knows? It's off to the left, and my MS symptoms are predominantly left sided. It is also right at the level of my bra strap - I always thought it was irritation from my bra, but never had a rash in that spot and now because of my symptoms almost never wear a bra..I do get MS Hug at this level though. I have since developed periods of all over itching that drive me absolutely crazy at times and are a guarantee for a sleepless night.

[serenity402]

Hi i also have maddening itches, i get it on my baxk and arms, and at times i just want to rip my skin right off, cool showers do work quite well.

[marymoto]

hi thanks for your posts i actually took two ketorolac and it seemed to take away some of it for awhile i probably need to up my gabapentin this itching is down my back and down the back of my legs the shower cool helps but i am still just as itchy when i get out thats how i know it is a sensory thing that is what happened the last time i had an exacerbation of sx

[JemmAus]

mine is ALWAYS in my left ear and on the top of the left side of my forehead. Drives me quite mad and only happens when I am having a flare up........i stuck olive oil in my ear but to no avail.........*sigh*...

[figuerpa]

I have itchiness periodically. I talked to my neuro about it and he said that it is just my nerves. He told me to take the neurontin (which I can't take) then prescribed me Lyrica which helps but I still have itchiness. Especially in my head. Sometimes I scratch till I have sores.

I like Erin's idea of taking a cool shower cause cold does help with itching, I have never tried it with my itching but it is worth a shot.

Good Luck
Paula

[Erin0313]

  Yuck I HATE itching! I find it worse than pain and can't control the urge to scratch

  It's probably nerves gone amuck so there won't be any hives etc. Here a few things that I found help me:

Benadryl & Aleve
Cortisone Cream
Cool Shower without drying all of the way off - the cool water takes the itch down and then the water on your skin soaks in - don't rub the skin with the towel just blot
Oatmeal Bath

If you take gammapentin a dose of that will help if it is actually the nerves misfiring.

Sorry that's all I can think of now because thankfully I am not itchy. I hope that it goes away soon.

Hugs,
Erin :)