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General health

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Original poster

Itching! Help, any ideas, driving me crazy.

13 replies

SecondhandRose · 14/02/2005 21:01

For the last week or so I am really itchy everywhere! The palms of my hands are the worst and it's worse in the evenings. Right now the backs of my hands, my lower legs and under my arms all itch. I've taken some Piriton syrup.

Today I've stopped using liquid soap as I wondered if it's that. I have changed to Non Bio washing powder as our new septic tank apparently prefers it. Could it be that?

OP posts:

givenupforlent · 14/02/2005 21:10

SHR - Ive been itching for 2.5 years now! starts on my fingers or toes and eventually affects my back, arms, tops of my legs, tummy. Ive been to the docs at least 4 times and they say I must be allergic to something !!!! ???

ImuststopdrinkingBlossomhill · 14/02/2005 21:12

I have been like this lately and it has been particularly bad on my breasts to the point that I now have a rash on both. Think mine could be related to washing powder or soap. Not sure which though!

HappyMumof2 · 14/02/2005 21:15

Message withdrawn

Original poster

SecondhandRose · 14/02/2005 21:19

I've bought some new rubber gloves called Futura which are apparently kinder on hands but now my belly and higher up on my legs itch! Lower legs and palms have stopped.

OP posts:

Original poster

SecondhandRose · 15/02/2005 18:55

Not used any liquid soap today and hands not itching at all rest of body is OK at the moment too.

Blossomhill try leaving your bra off for a few days maybe it's washing powder or the nylon?

OP posts:

Cadbury · 15/02/2005 19:06

I've also had this problem, mainly on my breasts and on one shin. The Dr reckoned it was an allergic reaction to some drugs he prescribed but stopping those didn't affect it. I have had a full work up of blood tests with nothing shown and now he has given me a course of steroids to stop it once and for all. I really hope this stops it. I had got so bad that I was scratching in my sleep and making myself bleed. I hope you find some resolution to it soon. Have you tried calomine lotion? Unsightly I know but it might help along with the antihistamines.

ImuststopdrinkingBlossomhill · 15/02/2005 19:07

Could it be my anti d's do you think.

Have been on them 6 months though!

ImuststopdrinkingBlossomhill · 15/02/2005 19:08

Oops wrong thread although similar!

Frizbe · 15/02/2005 19:21

could it be gluten? I have a friend, who suddenly started itching, it was finally traced to wheat and gluten......no more pizzas or sarnies for her.....

Prufrock · 16/02/2005 08:23

Itching on palms/feet and extremities in particular tends to mean that your body is getting rid of toxins through the skin rather than having an allergic reaction to something.
I had OC in pregnancy, and now get itchy feet every month, because when my oestrogen levels go up my liver stops functioning properly, so the toxins it would normally remove are instead kept in the blood and secreted through the skin.
YOu could ask for Liver Function tests - but they tend to only show problems when you are actually suffereing the worst itching.
This is a strange question - but does your poo float? Or your eyes feel gritty in the morning?These are also signs of slight liver malfunction. If you think it might be this you can try drinking lots of water, anda cup of hot water and lemon juice first thing in the am.

ImuststopdrinkingBlossomhill · 16/02/2005 11:03

Prufrock (have to be careful whenever I type your name ) very interesting as when I went into labour with ds (7) I had such hot itchy feet. Also suffer from itchy feet for about 3 days before I come on so I alwasy no when I am.
My eyes do feel itchy sometimes too God have I got something wrong with my liver???

Prufrock · 16/02/2005 17:05

Could be. But it's really not that serious.
Not a lot is known about Obstetric cholestasis, and even less about continuing cholestasis (yet another of those things the male medical establishment don't get so don't really care about). But the thought is that high oestrogen levels in the blood can impair the bodies production of bile salts, which leads to a build up of bile acids and also transemanines. The only real effect of these is the itching, and lethargy (cos you've got crap circulating in your blood). In pregnacy it is dangerous (some studies suggest that post 37 weeks OC sufferers have a 20% chance of stillbirth) but you seem to have got through that (do mention it to your midwife if you have another pregnancy though - it's treatable and you would be delivered early)

Personally I am not that bothered by it - I do take homeopathic remedies to help support my liver and drink water and lemon. I haven't cut down my alcohol consumption or gone onto taking the drugs (Ursodeoxycholic acid) I had in pregnancy as I figure it's only 3 days of uncomfortablness a month, and after that my body is fine. IT is worth coming off oestrogen based contraception (the combined pill) if you are on it though.

NannyJo · 08/03/2005 10:03

Any itchimg when pregnant is definitely worth getting checked out immediatley. I had cholastasis that developed in my 31st week of pregnancy and had to be very closely monitered (daily hospital visits in the end) It can be serious if left undetected but with medical monitering things should be fine. I had my baby 5 weeks early in the end because things started to get worse so it was safer to get him out. All was well in the end, hospital staf were fantastic. sorry if this frightens any one but from personal experience I can not stress enough the importance of getting any itching checked out.

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