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Formication..the crawlies

I am losing it!  I am 50 years old and probably for 6 months have experience periods further apart and less in flow.  Then I will have one a month and then spread out.  Never know when its coming.  OK so what you say...exactly. However, not I am getting vibration, skin crawling that travels around my body.  Last month it got really bad the day before my period started....today the itchy, crawlies are bad...I am guessing that I will get my period soon.  What can I do about this? I have had mild sensations for about 6 weeks now but like I said today its driving me nuts.  Thanks
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Thing I hate about these posts is no one comes back and says, hey, it's gone...this is what it was, this is what I took, this is how long it took. I have this terrible thing too. crawlies, tingling, pin pricks, etc. my estrogen level is nearly zero and I have been on estrogen for 3 days and nada- it's getting worse....did any of you take estrogen for this? and did it improve your symptoms?! help :(
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I am 54 and had the crawlies (formication).  Under the care of a Naturopath, started applying Progesterone cream. Had a saliva panel done to check hormones. I was low in Estrogen and really low in Progesterone. In a few months it went away. Progesterone converts to Estrogen if your body needs it.  
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I am 51 and for the last 7 or 8 months, I have the "creepy crawlies" almost every night.  So bad that I can't get to sleep sometimes. I literally feel like I'm going insane.  I have checked and rechecked my bed for bugs because THAT would drive me insane for sure. Can't find ANYTHING. I've even looked at my bedding at night with a flashlight and gone around all the woodwork, thinking we had some kind of infestation...but nobody else is bothered. Then I thought maybe my laundry detergent or some other environmental irritant was the culprit, as I have several allergies and it kicked in late last spring when I was outside frequently. I'd get itchy red bumps on my back, almost like acne, mostly where my bra straps are.  I changed the type of bra I was wearing. Now, I just changed from bar soap to a "soothing" type of body wash to see if it helps and have started using Eucerin skin calming lotion. This is driving me nuts. I *think* I'm in menopause because of my age and some other symptoms, but I had a partial hysterectomy so don't have a period to go by. I can't imagine being sane by the time this ends...which I hope it does!  I just want to take something to knock myself out at night so I can get to sleep and function like a normal human being. I have to get up and go to work and pretend to not be a sleep-deprived, raving lunatic. The crawling sensations don't bother me so much during the day, but maybe because I'm more distracted?  At night, I tend to obsess about it.  Ugh!
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Avatar universal
I am so glad to hear i am not the only one w this.  It keeps me awake at night.  I feel like im losing my mind.. Everytime I tell my dr about what is happening he tells me im normal...I have had this going on for about 10 years and im so sick of it..
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Hello, I'm 15 and I get this "itchy crawly" sensation before my period. Episodes only last about an hour or so. I'm kinda freaking out because I've been reading that it occurs in women that are going through menopause-- but I'm too young! is this sensation a normal part of PMS?
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I am going absolutely mental - and there is little information out there!
The itching started in the legs for months and has now moved to various parts of my body.  I have tried different kinds of soaps, lotions, antihistamines, etc. and it just seems to help only a little.  I have scratched so much - not on purpose, but now I have marks all over my arms and legs - will try the endocrinologist and perhaps hormone treatment....
Thanks for the tips
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Yes...it is maddening.  Today its been the twitching eyelid and the vibrating in dfferent parts on and off.  Sunday was a bad day...yesterday better and today whatever.  I am thinking I might get my period this week.  Just a gut feeling.  I have had these sensation now for 2 months.  They have not stopped but wax and wane in intensity.  Thanks for all responses of people that are going through this or know someone.  If anyone has suggestions to get it to stop...please share.  I sleep like a rock and , for now, they arent keeping me awake...but ALL DAY LONG...uggggggg....going crazy is a great explanation.
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Wow! I just thought I was going insane. The crawlies...who would figure with perimenopause. I have them every day at various times and sometimes a fair amount. I told my hubby.I get them at my groin area and mostly one side than the other.
    Glad I am not crazy....just going there instead.
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Avatar universal
I understand how upsetting and frustrating and anoying this can be and it feels like forever, doesn't it?

My friend went through about 6 or more months of this on and off.  By that, I mean that she'd feel it strongly for a few months, then it would subside some, then come back again but, over time, she'd feel it decline in intensity until it vanished.  I remember that it was a total year before it went completely and that was after she sought out medical help which did entail *if I'm remembering correctly* a temporary hormonal supplementation.  It's usually caused by an imbalance and within a few months, that usually stabilizes.  While she had some minor reoccurances that she dreaded and became frustrated with greatly, they lessened in duration and intensity until they simply disappeared.  

As your horomones balance out a bit more, you'll find the same lessening/weakening until it goes completely.  

Hang in there and do treat yourself to some nice mild soaps and especially, moisturizing lotions that all help in their own ways.  

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Thanks for your response.  How long did your friend have this.  I feel like ants are crawling on my or I am sitting on a jack hammer.  LOL
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A friend of mine also suffered greatly from this sensation.  It can be quite annoying to say the least!  The good news is that it will go eventually.  

In the meantime, it's hypothesized that it may be due to a lack of estrogen and skin changes that happen because of that lower level.  Perhaps, asking about bio-identical estrogen and, or, eating more estrogen like substances such as soy may help.  Vitamin D, Calcium, magnesium are also great supplements to take in proper dosages.  

The other thing that my friend found helped was using much milder and hypoallergenic soaps and moisturzers.  Not that it's an allergy necessarily but, the fact that our skin dries out more when we are estrogen deficient so, extra care with our skin is needed during these hormonal fluctuations.  Check with a good cosmetician as they usually have great advice as to what types of soaps are good and mild for our skin.  Personally, I use Spectrogel and if I don't have that, I use Dove Baby Soap, Unscented.  I also use an unscented moisturizer like Vaseline Intensive Care or Keri Lotion.  There are also medicated moisturizers like Gold Bond that can help as well.

Hope this helps some.  
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bumping up
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