Itching all over driving me insane!!

[sortingmyselfoutslowly]

I think I might have either an autoimmune problem, vitamin deficiency or liver disorder. I've been very very itchy with no rash and exhausted for a few weeks. Had blood tests and awaiting results. I have to rest as I'm so tired but also distract myself from wanting to scratch! Has anyone experience of similar?

I had this- itching all over, absolutely exhausted, light headed. I was diagnosed as celiac. Also had tummy aches, mood swings, D&V, etcetc

My husband has had something similar for about five years. He has ruled out coeliacs and some other more common conditions but it is food related. Seems to be triggered by fried food. A nutritional therapist thought that it might be an omega 3/ 6 / 9 imbalance.
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He found the only thing which helped the itch was a very hot then very cold shower ( so he would run the water as hot as he could bear and then switch to freezing cold)

Coeliacs is an intolerance to gluten, over time it erodes the villi in your small intestine which prevents absorption of all nutrients - it is normally hereditary and difficult to diagnose.

Itching can be a side effect of medication so worth checking if you're on anything.
My mother had really bad itching everywhere for months, kept her awake at night. GP prescribed various creams, she changed washing powder, stopped using scented bath products etc. Nothing helped.
Then she read that itching could be a drug side effect.
She remembered her BP tablets had been changed 6 months ago, googled and found itching as a side effect.
Saw GP and was put on different tablets and itching stopped completely within a few days.

Thanks Medeci. I'm not on any medication. If the itching was on its own I'd be less concerned but I feel so unwell with it I'm worried something is wrong with my liver or something 😕

Itching can be caused by food allergies, see Allergy UK
You could try excluding all the foods most likely to cause intolerances/allergy for a week or so to see if it makes any difference.
If you google "exclusion diet" you can find the least allergenic foods to eat so you won't starve .

I had this (with a liver condition). It drove me mad. The only thing I can recommend is that if you MUST scratch, do it with a scrunched-up carrier bag. It doesn;t relieve the itch (nothing does) but at least it is satisfying in the moment, and doesn't leave you bloody and scarred.

Have you eaten nuts, too many can cause this I think, almonds if I remember correctly. Your kidneys might need a check up ....

When I have felt so tired and forgetful it is my folate level which is low,
Never caused itching for me but the extreme tiredness, falling asleep in the middle of the day and forgetting words mid sentence etc was my folate

Curved ball time. The only time I have felt like this I was pregnant! Wanted to rip my skin off. Exhausted. Fainted. Had been trying for a baby for a year. Just started fertility treatment- but hey presto nature did it’s thing!

Apparently it’s a rare symptom of early pregnancy

Mine was related to my underactive thyroid, I can always tell my levels aren't right when I start to itch. Mainly my neck, palms & soles of my feet.

May be worth a check if everything else comes back normal?

I'm not a medical professional, but given your mention of your other symptoms (confusion, memory issues, difficulty concentrating, fatigue) have you queried whether the cause could be something neurological? Could be worth pushing for a referral for a scan / assessment?

I'm sorry OP I don't mean to alarm you but are they checking for Hodgkin's lymphoma? You didn't mention any lumps but persistent itching and fatigue can be symptoms

At 2pm today I can phone for results. I'm desperate to work out what's wrong. Only bloods have been done so far.

Pregnancy very unlikely as I'm on contraceptive implant, rarely dtd and had fertility issues when ttc.
I have polycyclic ovaries but pretty sure this is unrelated.

I had lots of tests and they still never knew what was causing it.

A dermatologist suggest 4x usual antihistamine dose, but that caused liver problems.

In the end, I find a combination of drugs helps: cetirizine, with occasional extra fexofenadine, a large dose of ranitidine (usually for stomach upsets, but has a different sort of antihistamine effect; I have a prescription strength of it rather than just what you can buy OTC); and montelukast (usually used for asthma, but can be helpful for immune related itching as well).

I wish they'd give me a steroid cream for flare ups as well, but they don't usually (though I have on occasion) because it's too widespread. So things like Aveeno cream and colloidal oatmeal baths etc can help when it was at its worst. But the medications are mostly controlling it now, apart from when something triggers it (e.g., a bite or something I might be mildly allergic to), and then it gets bad for a few weeks.

Bloods all normal no action needed ?????

Hi sorting, I don’t really want to say as it is super rare and unlikely that you have it, too.
I paid for a private consultation with a dermatologist who knew immediately what it was and who then referred me back to their own NHS clinic. Best £100-ish I ever spent!

Hmm I do have private Bupa... never used it before. Thanks

I know this is a really old thread but did you ever get to the bottom of this? I'm going through the same thing now. My skin is so uncomfortable all the time and it's driving me mad. I think it might be low iron as I'm breastfeeding

@YukoandHiro hi did you get at the bottom
Of yours?

How do u get tested for lymphoma