Is itching a symptom of nicotine withdrawl?

[joanna564]

I was smoking 2 packs a day, until 6 days ago when I came down w/ the flu. I had cut way back to like 2 cigarettes a day, so I decided to go ahead and quit. I have been 29 hours w/ no smokes!! I dont have the urge to eat myself out of house and home(yet). and I am not to grouchy, however my hands, feet, arms and back itch like my skin is crawling. I am cold turkey quiting, has anyone else had this problem,? if so can you please give me some advice on this before I dig holes in myself? Hope to hear from someone soon

[Jeanpotter]

I am most grateful to this site.  I have suffered horribly itching , worst at night.  Had smoked minimum of 20 a day until last Aug. and I gave up as I was so poorly, so it was quite easy to go cold turkey.  Well relatively! I still pine lots for it to be honest.  Doctor ordered blood tests and all came back OK, so he sent me to a dermatologist who told me I had ertic. . . something, which means itching!! And neither her or the GP asked about smoking and I never thought it was connected!!!  So will try all the recommendations here, and save the NHS. I wish I had seen this before as I thought the next step was the mental health dept.

[Toffeencream]

I am on day 17, quit smoking on 19th July 7pm. On the 2nd week my back and thighs and ears start to itch. The back was the worst initially, I scratch till there are marks on it but it's healing now. Then came itch on arms, legs and sole of feet even. My lips were dry, cracked and bled. I used apple cider vinegar to relieve itching. It works, then I apply organic cold pressed coconut oil to affected area to hydrate. My lips have recovered. If the itching is getting rid of toxins, then I am glad it happened to me and I believe this will be over soon.

Initially I thought I was allergic to dog fur or new detergent which was paragon and sulphate free, I changed my sheets twice! I did not think it was insect bite as I avoided going to balcony, I just keep thinking something is flithy at home, haha. It's a relief to read all these posts and I am going to get histamine tomorrow hopefully it will relief the itch. I am also going to get beetroot and bitter gourd as these help to detox and do hot yoga and sauna. Hope these works!

[patowens]

YES>...I quit on March 20th... my scalp and phantom arm and body itches no actual rash just crazy itching! COLD water.... rinse your head in the shower at the end with cold water....cold (COLD) wet wash cloth on your skin helps....and yes it does dissipate..
... this is June and it is only occasional now GOOD LUCK :)

[patowens]

YES>...I quit on March 20th... my scalp and phantom arm and body itches no actual rash just crazy itching! COLD water.... rinse your head in the shower at the end with cold water....cold (COLD) wet wash cloth on your skin helps....and yes it does dissipate..
... this is June and it is only occasional now GOOD LUCK :)

[Xena1000]

I'm coming off nicotine gum and mints etc, gave up smoking years ago but such a nicotine addict I got hooked on the gum. Even my eyelids itch! I got big relief with the homeopathic remedy Sulphur 6X, available at natural food stores.
Thanks for your comments and congratulations on freeing yourselves from the tyranny of nicotine!

[dcaplice]

3 months ago I quit smoking and after the 2nd week I started itching all over my body.  I went to my primary and they gave me steroid creams and nothing worked..  I then decided to go to a allergist and after having all the skin allergy test (which came out negative) I told my allergist that I had quit smoking and she then told me this was  a withdrawal from smoking.  It is not that common but some people do have this happen.  Believe it or not she recommended taking Zantac 150 mgs. 2x a day.  It worked.  I also took and an allergy pill along with it.  (Generic)  I am still not smoking and the itch is gone.  I was also told it could last up to 6 months.

[razvy64]

I now exactly what it feels .
This is what i recommend :
Hot shower use granulated sugar and rub the area you are experience itching , yes sugar make sure you rinse 100% .
If itching  persist unse WITCH HAZEL  , every pharmacy has this stuff

[wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww]

Yeah, itching=healing capillaries. ive got it know....hands head, arms and eyes

[dlbs]

off ciggs 42 days but going crazy with itching went cold turkey

[guspo]

Day 2 Itchy!!!!!! It is as if I have chicken pocks but no sign of anything. Hope I make it through this cause at this point I just feel like lighting up because of the craziness this is causing me. ARGH!!!!!!!!!!

[Brat1227]

For anyone else that comes across this site, the itching is NOT caused by allergies to chemicals in the cigarettes. You are itching because you are regaining circulation that you have lost due to smoking.  You may even have tingling sensations, or "creepy crawly" sensations. It just means that your body is getting healthy again!

[Smokingwasmylife]

Day five, 02:30 am, skin crawling, the general need to tear off a human beings face plus the general " I don't give a ****" attitude ( how does this even make sense) all rolled into one. This is torture. Just to top it off, I read that the bulk of the symptoms would all but dissipate between day 8-14 ish. So why are the people above saying as much as 20 days.

I **** you not, I am contemplating jumping off the nearest bridge.

[mkhd]

Drink a LOT of water and exercise.  Your body is detoxing so you need to flush it out.  Drink a lot and Sweat a lot - exercise or take hot showers.  Good luck! I had the flu too and quit. 12 days! Eat a lot of fruit and take vitamins.

[Michelle89roche]

I'm off them just over a month and the itching hasn't stopped its driving me crazy I'm the same no rashes or bumps on my skin it looks normal I don't no when this is going to stop

[josh624]

My fiancé is going thru the same thing.  She's ready to skin herself!   Baths and Benadryl do nothing for it!  What gives?!

[kanada211]

Hello!
I quit smoking on new years due to having a sore throat and catching the flu. After four days of no cigarettes I decided its time to quit. Then I started itching horribly everywhere! I have now been smoke free for 17 days and dealing with very intense itching! A doctor told me it takes 20 days for the nicotine to be fully out of your system. Well these 20 days need to hurry before I scratch all my skin off! Also, benedryl or any anti-itch cream that I could find is not workin! Other then the horrible itch I'm not having any other withdrawl symptoms. I quit cold turkey and its actually been pretty easy for me. Good luck to anyone else quitting!

[Overdosed]

Hi all.i quit smoking about a week. i have no visual things on my skin . At appearence my skin looks normal but my skin itches,itches and itches.this'll drive me crazy.
Anyone with positive feedback to that effect? i don't want to start smoking again.

[tropicalitch]

It's the other way around for me when i smoke i get itchy after it .

[Mumjane]

Hi there ! I went to my doctor about the skin-crawling issue and he prescribed an anti-histamine syrup - stops it immediately. Good news - doctor said this is a sign of your cells flushing out the chemicals from smoking - body is letting you know you are allergic to some of the vile ingredients used in cigarettes!  I only used the syrup twice myself - haven't need it since. Hang in there - this awful itching sensation does pass. Another thing - my friend suggested hot water and honey with a cinnamon stick in it to be sipped throughout the day - as she throught this might indicate cell dehydration from stopping coffee, etc. That really helped me too and I am still doing this.

Best of luck - you can do it!

[Mumjane]

Hi there ! I went to my doctor about the skin-crawling issue and he prescribed an anti-histamine syrup - stops it immediately. Good news - doctor said this is a sign of your cells flushing out the chemicals from smoking - body is letting you know you are allergic to some of the vile ingredients used in cigarettes!  I only used the syrup twice myself - haven't need it since. Hang in there - this awful itching sensation does pass. Another thing - my friend suggested hot water and honey with a cinnamon stick in it to be sipped throughout the day - as she throught this might indicate cell dehydration from stopping coffee, etc. That really helped me too and I am still doing this.

Best of luck - you can do it!

[Jade59]

Hi joanna!  I didn't have the itching when I quit, but I got to have a whole slew of other uncomfortable problems  : )

I just wanted to say congratulations!!  I THINK epsom salts might be good for itching and if that doesn't do the trick, maybe try a little benedryl if you can tolerate that sort of med.

I didn't have a big urge to eat either.  Still don't, but I did take up walking last July so if I do happen to indulge a little too much, I'm hoping that the exercise will take care of it.  So far so good.  Gaining weight was a concern.  

Take care and hang in there!!!

[kathyjo]

YES! I almost forgot about the itching! Just hang in there for a bit more and it will all be a memory : ) I took a bath when I felt it was out of control.......Calgon take me away : )
Try looking through the whyquit.com website to see if there is anything about that. You can even join them since you are quitting cold turkey.
Congrats!
Kathy Jo

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5m 3d 0:56 smoke-free, 3,411 cigs not smoked, $818.64 saved, 1w 4d 20:15 life saved