skin itchy in the evening/lying in bed

[wolf30]

Hi

For the past 6 months I have been plagued by really intense itching all over the body which prevents me from sleeping every night. It is really affecting my life now and driving me crazy. The itch feels like something is crawling on my skin. The itch can be anywhere from my eyes, face, groin, anus, soles of my feet, etc. I do notice that it tends to itch a little bit more in the lower half of my body. I noticed most of the time it happens in the evenings or when I am lying in my bed. I thought it might have been bedbugs or mites or something so I tried washing all my sheets, blankets, pillows. That didn't work so next I switched all the sheets, blankets, pillows, etc. Still was happening, so i switched mattresses with my father and its still itchy. He doesn't seem to have any problems with my old mattress and blankets, and sheets. I also don't really see any rashes on my body. I went to my family doctor
and he prescribed antihistamine and hydroxyzine, and reactine. None of that stuff worked. I also switched from soap to body wash and then dove hypo allergic soap  thinking it could have dry skin and also tried to put lotion all over my body right before I went to bed or after showing but that didn't solve the itch.

My family doctor sent me to an allergerist and she did a allergy test on my skin where she pricked it with a needle or something then put drops of chemicals on my skin. The results well negative except one thing, I forgot what it was but she suggested that it may have been positive due to me taking those medication the night before seeing her. She told me to take a blood test which I did and she said she would call if anything was wrong with my test results and also if I want to go see her again in 2mths time, that was back in february, I have an appointment with her again this august.

I have also been to a dermatologist and they gave me reactine, tiamol/comphor/menthol cream but none of that stuff works. I also did another blood test for them. They said the results looked fine. They couldn't figure out why it was itchy either. They suggested I do light theraphy, so I am in the process of trying to do that.

This is really frustrating and driving me crazy. Please help!

[wolf30]

Anyone?

[Margie321]

This is incredible--I've been plagued by extremely itchy skin in the evenings and at bedtime--sometimes it keeps me awake. It's gone on about two months now and tonight I finally decided to get on the net and see if there was anything out there that could help me figure out what it is and what to do.

Mine can be anywhere--legs, arms, back, feet, under my arms, or under my breasts. A few weeks ago, I bought Eucerin skin lotion with a calming, anti-itch ingrediant (menthol, I think). It is somewhat helpful--I'll buy it again but really want to get to the bottom of this.

It's funny, because I'll go all day without being bothered in any big way but at night it drives me nuts with all the itchiness.

The other thing that is going on is that the top layer of skin on my hands and wrists is beginning to seem like its really fragile--sometimes it seems as though the top layer will just rub off.

Don't know what's going on but I think I'lll start trying to get some help for it.

Margie

[lucyg754]

re: skin ***** tests.  I have read these are ineffective if antihistamines have been taken up to 6 WEEKS prior to the skin ***** test.  So your allergy to bed mites would be masked by the antihistamines.  

Bed mites live in the mattress itself-so-swapping beds with your father wouldn't help unless his mattress is covered in a bug-proof covering. You can get these quite cheaply and they zip up over your mattress and are used for people allergic to bed bites.  I would recommend you try this as well as pillow protectors and see if it helps.  

Don't forget once you've got the mattress protector to wash your linen at 60 degrees and try to air it in the sunshine if possible.

[wolf30]

Bed Bug bites leave marks on the skin right? I don't see any bite marks on my skin though. Its been plaguing me for 1.5 yrs now and its driving me crazy. Lots of days extremely sleepy especially when I have 8am classes at school.

[apetroom]

i am havin the same exact symptoms, down to even the placement.. my legs an lower body area are the worst.. and is now moving up my back and stomach.. non stop itching during the night.. i have had this for almlst two months now.. the bumps are so irritating i have scratched lil scabs on them.. do you have atleast have a reasonable concluion now? (i have thought of the cat i recently got and much, much more...)or some helpful tips, anything would greatly appreciated..

[wolf30]

Nope still no conclusion yet. I have changed my mattress and still nothing.

[itchyughscratchy]

I feel your pain wolf30. I am having same annoying issues.
Its been awhile after your first post. Has your problem been diagonised? Any improvements?

My extensive web research and my recent blood test result (lacking vitamin b12) for now has lead me to stoop towards vitamin B12 deficiency. Extreme like liver damage could also result in itchness, esp. at night.
I m hoping vitamin b12 is the cause and taking its supplements will relief me from this seemingly minor complaint (to non sufferrers).

[huggsheath]

I get all of these symptoms too, i also, after a while start to get angry with my self for being so itchy and get extremely irritable. its usually in bed and i start throwing my arms and legs around in a paddy like way. does this happen to anyone else?

[ostara8]

I suffer the same... but appetroom...? yours sounds like scabies

[rands116]

wow! i cant believe my eyes when i was reading your post. I have the exact same symptoms. when i go to bed i dont have problems going to sleep, but a few hours later around midnight or early morning, i would wake up scratching my armpits, arms, calves and feet. sometimes i feel that there's something moving! problem is i cant see anything around the bed and my wife doesnt seem to have the same symptoms i'm having.

this is driving me nuts!

[darkshadow558]

I have the same stuff happening but it only happens to me very periodically, unlike every night. Don't use fabric softener if you. Hate this crap.

[SarahMMk]

my husband has the same issue, gets really itchy only at night and in the mornings when he wakes. He did a skin allergy test and was diagnosed to be very allergic to dust mites.
On top of that, a well known dermatologist also diagnosed him to havepityriasis lichenoides chronica. There's no cure to that, it gets worse with baths due to the water 'hardness'.

[titchy2]

i have the itchy problem for lass 7 yrs, anxiety and stress makes it worse, as soon as i get into bed my feet itch, used to be my whole body, i have been on all sorts of medication, doesnt work apart from make you feel like  a zombie. stress is a big cause of it, as stress and anxiety affect your nerves. i was advised to take vit b12 complex, as this helps with these problems, the itching isnt as bad, mainly souls of my feet rather than my whole body as it used to be, i slather my feet in very dry skin cream every night, i manage to slp for 3 hrs, then they itch again, if in am anxious at all, it hits with a vengeance, then you get irritable, and more anxious, if this happens dont stay in bed, get up for a while, cos you will only get worse. it is a nerve thing, nothing to do with allergies

[chiquitabee]

I am experiencing the same things. Itching all over my body, including scalp. It seems to come and go for months. N then it comes again. It itches more while in bed. I've checked for bed bugs, anything n no luck. I've switched bed with my son n I am the only one who seemed yo be having this issues. My fiancé doesn't experience any itching either whike in bed. It gets sooo annoying.  I take benadryl before bed n it doesn't seem to help. God is irritating n very annoying. I've searched all over tbe web n it can be a multitude of things... from allergic to detergent to liver issues or cancer... so you guys are not alone with this torture.  Please any sugges y ions? Sleepless in Florida.

[1TOPDOG]

I think the dye in some blankets got me. I have some relief with rubbing down with coco butter or other thick lotion to protect the skin.

[Hollymurad]

the same thing has been happening to me for the last 2 months or so.  Its mostly at night, but once I fall asleep, I am fine!  Its just when I first lay in bed.  My husband doesn't have any issues.  I don't have bed bugs, I haven't changed my soaps or detergents.  I read all the above comments and will try the vitamin B12.  Wish me luck!  It so annoying!

[joe49424]

Like many, many people I also have periods of severe itching at night.

First off, no it's not bedbugs. This would be easy to prove if it was the reason.

Without any scientific proof my personal belief is dry skin and dust mites.

Let's face it, on average there are millions of these little critters crawling around in every home and most likely millions right in your bed ... on the sheets and in the mattress.

I usually always feel relief right after washing the sheets (hot water). I've also found a good application of skin lotion right before bed brings additional relief.

People can tell me I'm wrong but that's my best guess.

[Dalubaba]

Sensation of crawling of ant and biting is nothing but sensation. It is called formication( not fornication). formica means ant. you must have heard of formic acid which stings.This information is valid. i got it from some website. I have always searched for ants and never found them.The word formication is not in internet's dictionary.Fornication may mean sexual attack or rape.

[alivabianca]

I am having the same problem. It only happens everytime I try to sleep and sometimes the itching wakes me up a few seconds after I fall asleep, and this is really frustrating. I don't have bed bugs and I clean my sheets on a regular basis. I have been told it is mostly due to anxiety, so I tried Magnesium pills next to antihistamines and it seemed to be working, but when I don't take those pills it happens all over again. Am I going to live on Magnesium now for the rest of my life??! Isn't there some kind of a real treatment??

[diannec2007]

Unreal I have been searching and searching. I also have this problem I purchased bed bug traps and spray I never see any but I figured It wouldn't hurt. still feel like I am getting bit no bugs in traps no signs of bed bugs. my husband changes the sheets every week also he strips the bed everyday then makes it. this is driving me crazy. I put lotion on my body before I go to bed skin so soft this seems to help but when I don't put it on I feel like something is crawling all over me I get up turn the light on nothing............... I put lotion on the itches that helps but it takes awhile.

[Yusset23]

Restless Leg Syndrome...I have it and suffer everything mentioned. Hope this helps. :)

[Dalubaba]

Restless syndrome is something else.It is related to insomnia. Sleep therapy can reveal this problem.

[Missywright584]

I have severe itchy skin all over that comes & goes. When it happens, it is in the evenings, not in the day. Claritin works better than Benadryl & then I can at least get some sleep. I just figured it was an allergy to something outside. Although it has happened on days when I don't go outside much at all. I'm otherwise healthy. Thanks for the tips/ideas on b12 & dust mites.

[Dalubaba]

Use moisturizer 5 times a day on the itching skin. Scratch the itching site in a circular manner. If it is from bite, scratch directly on the bite and if it is from inside scratch in a circular manner.

[h4stur]

I've got it too, wearing pajamas at night makes all the difference for me.

[nineyrsDOP]

Hi,  I too have had this for 9yrs. now.  I can actually tell what time it is by the itching.  I itch all the time, but it gets worse at 6 pm & 1am for 2 hrs.
  What has helped me the most to stop the crawling & itching for a few hrs is applying Publix brand of Listerine on my skin.  ( Gold color only )   The Publix brand doesn't leave a sticky film on your skin.    A Dr. told me to use this just because of the germs it kills.  But it really helped with all the other symptoms.  Its instant relief.   " But "  if you have any open wounds it will burn for a little while then go away.

[arysta]

I have this sometimes (right now). It tends to happen when I'm overtired and want to sleep more than anything. I believe it's anxiety manifesting as itching. When I got to sleep and I'm not exhausted, I tend to be able to control my thoughts better, think pleasant things, until I drift off to sleep. However, when I'm very sleepy, random anxious thoughts enter my head, and before I know it, I'm feeling itchy and can't sleep.