Itchy Skin

[timx]

I am 34 years old and have been putting up extremely itchy skin for a year and half.When I scratch I am causing little bumps on my skin to scab over and they don't seem to heal. I have this rash look all over my body.  I have been going to my dermatologist consistently and have been treated for Scabies, allergies.She has given me steroid creams, antihistimine creams, atarax, allegra none of which has seemed to work.She even biopsied one of the bumps but the lab report was inconclusive because the bump was partially scratched open.I have now started getting weekly allergy shots for a number of mild allergys but i am not sure this is working either.She also thought it might be my nerves (although I don't think of myself as a nervous person)so my family physcian has prescribed 150mg of Trazadone.  I have taken that for four months now with no relief.  Any ideas at this point would be greatly appreciated.  I am going out of my mind.

[diddo]

since my husband died i itch on my upper arms and sometimes throat so bad i draw blood i have been on different coridizone creams nothing helps ie: 1/2% c&m in cele. 1% crm for example i am going crazy please help

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

If you have not responded to any of the measures you describe, you may benefit from medications which suppress the urge to pick the skin.  Talk to your dermatologist about the possible use of Celexa or Paxil.  If you can't force yourself to leave your skin alone, you may need some pharmacologic help.  There are a lot of people with your problem.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff