Anyone got any idea about what’s making me so itchy

[itsneilthebaby]

It’s driving me mad! About 2 weeks ago my body started really itching. It’s all over, even my scalp. It’s so painful it feels like my body is on fire and I’ve been scratching it so badly it’s red raw and bleeding in some places. I haven’t used any new products recently. No bedbugs, the dog hasn’t got fleas, no mosquito bites. There’s no bites or bumps, it’s just really itchy.

I’ve tried aloe Vera, eczema creams, moisturiser etc. They all soothe it for a bit but don’t get rid of it completely. Pharmacist recommended a daily antihistamine, but I take one anyway for hay fever. My GP didn’t really have any ideas either. I’ve noticed it seems to be more itchy in the evenings, but not just when I’m in bed so I don’t think it’s something in a certain room that causes it, as it happens when I’m out too. Nobody else in the house is experiencing it, just me. Hoping someone might have some ideas as I really need some relief!

The only intense evening and night time itch I ever experienced was caused by scabies. I scratched until I bled. Do you have any spots or redness? You don't get much of a rash with scabies and the characteristic grey lines don't appear in people who are showering daily and washing their hands a lot. I had it twice in my life after catching it at work as a nurse.

Other causes of itching are usually allergies or sometimes a problem with the liver.

I've had this too. Drove me to near insanity.

How old are you OP?

Peri-menopause.

Scabies is horrifically itchy. Otherwise, there's a chance you may have developed an allergy to a long-term medication? I developed intensely itchy legs after taking fluoxetine - I'd taken it for years and then became allergic to it and had hives all over my legs.

Obstetric Cholestasis? Although I'm sure you'd have mentioned if you were pregnant. I assume though it's possible to have similar symptoms from liver problems not related to pregnancy?

I’m 27 so hoping it’s not menopause! The only medication I take is citalopram and have done for years, but I had no idea you could develop a reaction to it after so long. Will have to look into that!

@BarrowInFurnessRailwayStation The only redness I have is after I’ve scratched it, I don’t seem to have any when it’s just itchy

I'd speak to pharmacist or your GP about adding one of the old style antihistamines, restavit, Phenergan, polaramine. They tend to be better for itchy skin, I take one at night and a different antihistamine in the morning for the hay fever. I'm assuming you're not pregnant as GP should have flagged that up, can be a sign of cholestasis. I get realky itchy when I'm constipated? Could be an allergy of some kind, you can become sensitive/allergic to things you've used safely for a long time. Also ingredients can change on things like moisturizer so it could be a product you've used safely before. Writing down daily what you're eating and when you're using health and beauty products may help track down the issue.

Definitely not pregnant

see a gp - are you jaundiced (can cause itching)?

I was wondering about liver problems too.

Are you postpartum by any chance? I had a month or so of severe itching about 5 months pp.

Just been reading about scabies as I didn’t know much about it. The night time itching fits the bill as it gets worse then, but I don’t have a rash or any bumps. I also don’t have close contact with anyone except my partner and he doesn’t have any problem so not sure where I would have caught it from

Bumping because I'm the same. I have lots of allergies, so it is also possible I'm reacting to something like washing powder, shampoo etc if they've changed the scent (Fairy Non Bio, the utter bastards, did this to me a few years ago. I found out on a MN thread). That said, I'm taking fexofenadine every day but it's not helping the itch.

My scalp is horrific, I've got so many cuts now. No signs of bugs, bites, nits etc. My lower legs are raw, the backs of my knees are cut to shreds, my wrists are now starting to get itchy too.... I get blotches across my boobs in the shower even when I haven't touched the area or used any products yet.

Today I bought some Nizoral and used it as a shampoo and body wash, leaving the suds to soak for a few minutes before washing off in case it's something fungal. I'll do that again in a few days for the next two weeks.

Any other ideas gratefully received. Perimenopause is possible, I'm 41.

One of my symptoms when I suffers from anxiety was itching!! My legs got red raw with it at one point!! I only realised this as I linked a trigger with stress from work (I thought I wasn’t that bothered by it!)

spoke to the GP, they upped my citalopram that I was taking at the time and it all settled. It’s still one of the annoying stress symptoms I have.

The GP should have taken bloods to check liver function. You need to go back and ask for this. It's not normal to be that itchy.

Eurax cream is good for itching. There's also an aqueous cream with menthol in that you can get on prescription or buy from the pharmacy.

I'm super allergic to products and have to use a hypoallergenic shampoo and body wash. The bodywash is called Healpsorin.

I had several weeks of whole body hive like itching around the time I had covid last autumn and that was my main symptom but a daily generic antihistamine sorted it. Well sometimes 2 or 3 a day!

I’ve had this all my life. I’ve had various treatments and accusations (one dr told my mum we had fleas 😂) and nothing has fixed it other than high dose steroids.

what I did discover, which is really odd, is that when the weather changes from hot to cold or cold to hot my body itches. I can usually tell up to 5 days in advance of a change that it’s going to happen. My partner jokes about it but now I always check the weather forecast when it happens & sure enough there’s a change. It settles with the seasons so it only really happens as they’re changing. I know it sounds bonkers and I usually role my eyes at people whose bunions predict weather etc but I love had this my entire life now and that seems to be the defining pattern.

dermacool cream is the best thing I’ve found for persistent itching. It doesn’t take it away but the cold fools your body for a while

The shampoo is called Salcura anti itch shampoo.

So odd as this exact thing has happened to me! Even the timescale!
I keep meaning to book an appointment for my bloods taken x

Hepatitis?

I have a theory that manufacturers are using cheaper ingredients in personal care products and lots of people are reacting to them. Shampoos make my scalp itch and break out into weeping blisters now. Can't use some toothpastes as they cause a reaction too.