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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Constant itching and scratching

36 replies

Essexmate · 26/12/2021 22:07

Posting for traffic and for help/advice.

Almost 2 years ago, out of the blue, DH started feeling itchy. Can’t remember where on the body it started but up to present day it has resulted in DH literally gashing his skin day and night. It is constant day and night, his hands are always going. And I mean literally, sometimes I get woken up at night the bed is shaking because he’s gashing away so violently. He draws blood but still scratches, he can’t help it. He has wounds all over his body and it’s now dictating what he wears as he wants to hide it.
He gave in to my badgering and visited GP who said it was eczema and prescribed cream. It soothed the skin but not the itching so he went back and GP curtly told him he had to take an antihistamine each day and nothing else can be done. I’ve tried to get DH to go back to GP but he refuses.
Has anyone had any experience with this? Almost 95% of his body is gashed up really badly. We hadn’t changed any washing powder, shower stuff etc it really started just like that.

OP posts:
Grapewrath · 26/12/2021 22:12

I’d be going back to the GP. Itching can indicate problems with the liver. He needs further tests to eliminate this and other potential health concerns

thepastisanothercountry · 26/12/2021 22:18

Like grapewrath, my first thought was liver. If there are no rashes especially. I'm surprised the GP didn't check it to be honest.

I hope they can find out what's causing it and get it sorted out for him.

ChrimboGateauxCatto · 26/12/2021 22:24

Breaking the itch scratch cycle is really important also. As. Well. As accurate diagnosis.

junebirthdaygirl · 26/12/2021 22:26

This could be serious as have a male friend who was going crazy with itch and it was problems with his bile duct. Your dh needs to see a consultant probably a liver one. That GP sounds like he is not taking this seriously enough.

Amammai · 26/12/2021 22:27

Is it linked to his mental health at al”? My DH had terribly itchyness all over during a very stressful time in our lives. He couldn’t sleep from the scratching and was so red raw around his neck that he couldn’t wear a proper collared shirt for work for weeks! The stressful event in our lives pssed and his skin magically calmed right down.

minipie · 26/12/2021 22:30

My dad has this and it turned out he had developed an allergy to gluten

I agree more investigation is needed

esloquehay · 26/12/2021 22:30

My anxiety manifests in an 'itchy' feeling all over my body.
Has your DH considered whether it might be psychosomatic?

Itsallcomplicated · 26/12/2021 22:31

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ.

bellabride · 26/12/2021 22:36

When I had itching like this, it was scabies. Wouldn’t do any harm to buy Lyclear from the chemist and treat.

Original poster
Essexmate · 26/12/2021 22:37

@Amammai

Is it linked to his mental health at al”? My DH had terribly itchyness all over during a very stressful time in our lives. He couldn’t sleep from the scratching and was so red raw around his neck that he couldn’t wear a proper collared shirt for work for weeks! The stressful event in our lives pssed and his skin magically calmed right down.
He definitely scratches more when he’s stressed but the itchy feeling is constant even if he’s happy, relaxed etc
OP posts:
Hotpinkangel19 · 26/12/2021 22:38

Definitely GP. Could be issues with his Liver.

Original poster
Essexmate · 26/12/2021 22:39

He’s so far refused to go back to the GP because he ‘doesn’t want to be taken the piss out of’. He’s so embarrassed and it took him a lot to go the first couple of times. I might just make the appointment for him and hope he goes

OP posts:
SweetBabyCheeses99 · 26/12/2021 22:42

He’s your husband not your child! Don’t understand why he refuses to go back to GP? Does he even follow the advice the Dr gave him by taking a daily anti-histamine? He had a diagnosis of eczema - does he actually use any OTC products that can help with this?! If he won’t even help himself then it sounds like some kind of sadistic self harm type situation.

Throckmorton · 26/12/2021 22:43

Sounds like he needs a referal to a dermatologist/other specialist. Can he at the minimum see a different GP from the one he saw before?

Treacle200 · 26/12/2021 22:47

My antidepressants cause itching... Drives me insane. Is he on any medication?

2020Raquet · 26/12/2021 22:51

I had the same for a couple of years; was unable to get any sleep due to the constant itching. Was eventually tested for liver problems but mine turned out to be due to severe anaemia. 3-4 weeks on 800mg of ferrous fumerate a day and it started to subside. Was such a relief.

NotaCoolMum · 26/12/2021 22:52

I had gallstones which affected my bile ducts- I had the most intense itching of my life during this time! Worse at night but always there- NO amount of scratching helped. He needs to have bloods done and check his Liver x

Original poster
Essexmate · 26/12/2021 22:54

@SweetBabyCheeses99

He’s your husband not your child! Don’t understand why he refuses to go back to GP? Does he even follow the advice the Dr gave him by taking a daily anti-histamine? He had a diagnosis of eczema - does he actually use any OTC products that can help with this?! If he won’t even help himself then it sounds like some kind of sadistic self harm type situation.
He buys and uses the cream that the GP prescribed and does take the antihistamine but neither appear to make any difference.

I get what your saying, the scratching does drive me mad and if it was me I’d want it sorted ASAP. I think it’s got to the stage where he’s scratching without even knowing so it’s not bothering him….until he looks in the mirror

OP posts:
BobbieT1999 · 26/12/2021 22:57

I had this a couple of years ago. Gp checked liver and prescribed strong anti histamines. Liver was fine, anti histamine helped. It was actually down to incredibly low vit d levels, which affect immunity.

The bodily itching would be so intense it would keep me awake all night regularly and I ended up with scratch marks, occasionally drawing blood. Strong vit d treatment from Dr sorted it and now I take a standard vit d supplement to keep levels topped up.

SilverHairedCat · 26/12/2021 22:57

I itch like fuck at lots of things. Change your washing powder and see what happens - Fairy (the utter utter bastards) changed their scent a few years ago. I only found out on here, but I'd been itching for weeks even with antihistamines. It was a tiny label the size of a 5p coin on the box to tell you they'd pissed around with it. I'd used it for 15+yrs without issue.

KILNAMATRA · 26/12/2021 22:57

Ask GP TO check his bloods.. just to see.. and do allergy bloods

Teaandcakeordeath83 · 26/12/2021 23:00

Is there a pattern of scratching? Only ask because I'm grossly addicted to watching Dr pimple popper and she has had a few cases like this when everything else has been ruled out and it's basically psychosomatic. You itch, damage the skin and it creates a feedback loop to itch and damage over and over again. If all of his skin is itchy then the damage would be everywhere- is it just the areas he can access?

Definitely not offering medical advice- other things do need fully investigating- but I always find these cases fascinating on her show as the patients are so convinced there is a physical issue but it's about learning to break the cycle.

Plinkplonk1234 · 26/12/2021 23:11

Try vit b12 supplements, cold water blast at end of shower and taking a teaspoon of bread soda in water when the itching starts.
My mother had terrible itching from jaundice and bread soda was the only thing that helped immediately.

beautifullymad · 26/12/2021 23:12

My husband had this, we tried everything, lotions, bath emollient, eczema creams. He was walking with large scratch marks where he was clawing his skin.

He was diagnosed with diabetes a few years later and now his blood sugars are low and healthy again he doesn't itch. At all.
If fact, occasionally if he slides and starts to itch it's the first sign that he needs a blood test and to start restricting carbs again.

It's common with rising blood glucose to itch. It also runs with eye problems and yeast infections long before an official diagnosis.

You can have mild and progressing undiagnosed diabetes for up to 10 years before it causes enough problems to seek a GP. By then much damage is already done.

You can see GP and ask the question or get a home test kit that you post off for around £25.

Abitofalark · 26/12/2021 23:33

As he doesn't want to go back to the curt GP who doesn't sound interested or much use (and I don't blame your husband; I would be the same) he could make an appointment with a private skin specialist to have blood tests and any other necessary tests carried out to diagnose the cause and explore treatment options.

He can then go back to the GP practice with the specialist's report and diagnosis - which they will send to the GP anyway if he gives them his registration details - and see a different GP at his practice to go forward with treatment.

Or he could go to a different GP in the practice first, if you can persuade him to do that. Then go private if second GP not satisfactory.