Itching All Over, Driving Me Crackers

[ramblingsonthego]

Ever since I started perimenopause I have had itchy skin, like ants crawling all over me.

I started HRT (Evorel Sequi) in July and the itching subsided for a while. The past 3 days it has come roaring back and is literally driving me crackers. I am not sleeping well at night as it is taking me hours to go to sleep due to the itching, last night I finally got to sleep at 3am and then up at 7am with the kids. This has happened for 3 nights in a row and I am hanging with tiredness. I am taking piriton to help the itching but its doing nothing, last night over 8 hours I took 5 piriton tablets but it didn't help.

Please can someone give me a miracle cure?

Even on HRT I find that my skin is much drier than before and I need to moisturise my body much more. Could this be true for you, too? Very dry skin can become irritated and itchy.

But this may be important to mention to a GP asap - severe, generalised itching with no visible cause can be a symptom of liver disorder.

Thank you @Dilbertian my skin is not really dry and I moisturise already with aveeno. I switched to a different moisturiser E45 and no difference. Its driving me potty.

Have you looked into histamine intolerance and the menopause? Have a google- there's this on the menopause doctor's website :

d2931px9t312xa.cloudfront.net/menopausedoctor/files/information/472/Histamine%20Intolerance.pdf

There' s some interesting and hopefully useful info in that.

@flippit81

Have you looked into histamine intolerance and the menopause? Have a google- there's this on the menopause doctor's website :

d2931px9t312xa.cloudfront.net/menopausedoctor/files/information/472/Histamine%20Intolerance.pdf

There' s some interesting and hopefully useful info in that.

Omg this is so interesting, as I has noticed that the itching gets worse about 30-60 minutes after eating.

I have done an online e-consult with the gp and when they call back I will mention this to them.

I just want to get a good night's sleep! Bizarrely I have found taking cocodamol seems to reduce the itching but I don’t know why. I have also ordered some different anti histamine products that small studies have shown to help with itching and menopause.

Dr Tina Peers is a menopause specialist who has researched this :

www.drtinapeers.com/

She has a menopause consultancy service too. Not free although you may be able to get referred in by your GP? I have no idea!

I have just come across this in my general research into it all. Glad you found the info useful - good luck in getting it sorted. Sounds like a nightmare.

Just thought I would update. I contacted the gp and on Monday prescribed some fexofenadine (one a day) I doubled the dose as they did nothing so morning and night and no luck at all.

I ordered some cetirizine myself online in the meantime as these are meant to be good for menopausal itching.

Got back in touch with gp yesterday as I was going potty still itching all over. They have now sent me for blood tests but I can't have them until next week.

The cetirizine arrived yesterday evening and took one to see. They have made a huge difference. I am still itching but nowhere near as bad and I actually slept for 7 hours last night. Today I took one this morning and will take another tonight and see how I get on. I'm still going to go for the blood tests just to be sure, but at least I have about 70% less itching at the moment.

Great re cetirizine. Hope the gp appointment helps too - seems like you may have to arm yourself with knowledge to get the treatment you need x

Have your blood sugars been checked?

@Raera

Have your blood sugars been checked?

No, they haven't said anything about that. Will they check that with the blood tests?

I am none the wiser now. I changed my patch last night and within about 2 hours the itching came back even with cetirizine. I have also had so many hot flushes this morning. I am beginning to think it may be the patches. They have worked for the past 4 months (after some initial side effects) and then suddenly 1.5 weeks ago all this has started but it started when I had changed a patch as well thinking back.

I may just have to come off them and try a different HRT.

@ramblingsonthego I can sympathize with the itching I've been like it since October. A new doctor advised to have my bloods done and surprise I was very low in iron which can cause intense itching. I've been taking iron tablets for 4 weeks now and the itching has eased. I also use Epaderm cream on my skin too. Hope this helps

So, the itching soothed when my bleed started and I was on the evorel 50 patches. Last night was the day to change to the evorel conti patches in the box and the insane itching has started again tonight. So it is obviously something in the conti patches that does not agree with. I just don't know what to do about it as I can't have 2 weeks of constant itching every month. I am also taking way too many antihisitimes, and I mean way over the recommended doses just to stop the itching for a while what can I do?

Final update. Saw a different GP who was amazing and really listened. I have come off Evorel Sequi and I am now on the combined pill (Cilique) and I already feel so much better. The itching has gone. I feel a bit nauseous but the GP said that should wear off in a few weeks. I haven't been on the pill for about 5 years but it has already made a huge difference. Also it has stopped my hot flushes dead.

PLEASE HELP!

So I have just started my 2nd packet of oral contraceptive. The first month was fab, I stopped for the 7 day break and had a bleed. The itching has come back with a vengeance and even now I have started the pills again the itching is not going away. This is what happened with the evorel sequi patches, they worked for the first 2 months and then seemed to stop working.

My hot flushes have also come back this month, I am currently sat with the window open and a fan on me sweating. I am not sleeping at night, the itching is causing major depression as I just cannot get to sleep at night with all the itching. I do not know what is going on, it's like HRT works for a month or so and then just suddenly stops working. Do I switch to something else? I honestly cannot cope with anymore itching. Nothing soothes it. I am moisturing, not having hot bath or showers, all the things people tell you to do. Anti histamines have no effect at all, and I am way overdosing on them to try and get some relief.

I have that too OP with menopause. It's awful. I take Elleste Duet, but often have to take antihistamines. I take Loratadine. Sorry, no other advice but know you are not alone. It is like crawling insects under your skin. Sorry you are going through this.

@HarryBlackberry1

I have that too OP with menopause. It's awful. I take Elleste Duet, but often have to take antihistamines. I take Loratadine. Sorry, no other advice but know you are not alone. It is like crawling insects under your skin. Sorry you are going through this.

I will try those antihistamines. I have tried piriton, cetirizine and fexofenadine and they don't really make a difference anymore. And I am taking way more than I should, for example 4 piriton at a time and 2 cetirizine.

I just want to feel normal again. It is honestly making me suicidal having this itching all over my body day after day. Having that months break recently was bliss and for the past week I have been in hell again.

Did you ever get this sorted out op?
I am searching mumsnet to find answers for my nighttime itching.

I'd love to find out whether anyone had this resolved too! I've been itching non-stop now for 6 months and it's starting to really effect my life. I struggle to sleep, DP struggles to sleep and I'm never fully comfortable. Mostly I have no rash and my skin isn't dry, more recently I've had some rashes on the insides of my knees and elbows. I take anti-histamines (have tried every kind) and none work. I've changed my washing powder, soap etc to non-fragranced ones recommended for those suffering from allergies. Nothing seems to help. I'm not on HRT but have an appointment in January so will raise this with them then. This is by far the worst peri symptom for me - it really does drive me crackers!!