Help! Itchy feet driving me mad!

[Bloodybridget]

Please can anyone suggest something I can do to relieve terrible itching on my feet?
It's not athlete's foot. It started on the sides of both little toes, a couple of days ago, and is now all around the edges of both feet - so not the soles, or on top of the arches.
Impossible not to scratch, I do try not to, I know it makes it worse.
No idea of the cause. I started a new drug treatment over two weeks ago but this is not listed as a side effect. It's been very hot, I've been wearing walking sandals, I think the heat exacerbates it (itching not noticeable in the morning until my feet get hot). There could be an insect bite here and there.
Have tried emollient cream and will continue with this, and cold damp flannels which soothe for a minute only.

Poor you! That's no fun. Just checking - could you be premenopausal? It can be a symptom believe it or not. Also, have you tried antihistamines?

I'm over 20 years post menopause. Haven't tried antihistamines but will take one now, thanks for the suggestion.

I’ve heard that itching can be an early symptom of MS. Do you have any auto-immune diseases in your family history? If not, it’s probably a tic or other insect that’s bitten you. Don’t rule out the new drug you’ve been taking either. Whatever it is, definitely speak to your doctor and see what they advise.

Bites/ heat... Irrespective of drug notes could be that.

Anti histamine is good idea.

I'm horrible itchy at mo combination of bites random rashes and general itch. Putting some of it down to peri!

Heat rash? Do you wear sun cream on your feet?

Or sweat, that gets itchy.

Just cos not athletes foot doesn't mean not fungal. Try getting and spraying on some daktarin

Prime condition for fungus at the moment

Could be s bit of ezcema as well.

Some anti fungal as per pp and s bit of hydrocortisone is worth a try.

This might help OP. I sometimes get a severe itch normally on my foot and find 1% hydrocortisone cream helps. Available over the counter.

www.nhs.uk/medicines/hydrocortisone-skin-cream/
🌹

diabetes and high blood sugar?

Do they look like tiny little blisters? Could be pompholyx.

Probably Pompholyx as PP says, I have just had a mild attack of it on my hands, generally it is small very itchy blisters, itching worse at night which then burst and go sort of skinning after a couple of weeks. In between toes and fingers and also can be on soles of feet and palms of hands, I have also had it around the edges of my feet, looks a bit like very small tapioca almost

I generally get in late spring when it starts getting warmer though not much now, maybe because Im older, I did read it was mainly affects people between 20 and 40 and I certainly got it worse when I was younger, my recent lot of it only lasted a couple of weeks or so and was quite mild.

Thanks so much for all your replies. I fell asleep after taking the antihistamine, which was good.
I will try to speak to a doctor and see if they recommend an anti-fungal or hydrocortisone cream. It was the very rapid onset that made me think it couldn't be athlete's foot - I have had that on and off in a very small area between two toes for years, but never anywhere else.
i have been using sunscreen because the new drug makes me extra sensitive to sunlight and the sandals have open bits. I'll aim to keep out of the sun altogether for a few days.
@lightasabreeze and @Moosebetimeforsummer your suggestion of pompholyx does sound possible, I think there are a few tiny hard blisters dotted around.

I would be surprised if it was diabetes; I've had many blood tests over the past two years and nothing has ever come up - of course it's possible they didn't look at blood sugar. I don't think MS would produce such rapid onset and intense itchiness, would it?

Lying in bed having downed a coffee, with a damp flannel over my feet . . Thanks again to you all.