If itching was one of your menopause symptoms

[Whatsgoingonwithmyhead]

Can I ask was it all over or limited to a specific place?

Was your skin visibly dry or did it look normal?

I’m trying to work out if my itching is monopause related . I have seen a GP and have been referred but there’s quite a long wait.

Thank you

Hi I have been having the same problems, extremely itchy eyes and legs, so bad that when I scratch it bleeds, the doctor has given me dermol cream and it’s brilliant. I’m 44 and was wondering if it’s peri menopause. Some days my skin is so dry I have to put moisturiser on twice a day to keep it hydrated.

It was in different areas and soo annoying especially if walking. My neck was more like a tingling but once I started hrt it went thankfully. Hope you get sorted soon and I also switched my body wash to sanex.

Bottom of my legs and then the worst, my inner ear which also affected my sister.

Hey OP, I am yet to go through the menopause, however wonder where the itching is? My mum and 2 female cousins were diagnosed with lichen sclerosis which coincidentally first presented at the onset of the menopause/ peri-menopause.

middle of my back cause unknown but started in peri. i wasn't proactive about it getting seen/treated. the skin is noticeably darker.

My ears used to itch and on a night in bed, it felt like I had spiders running across my face. Thankfully that went on hrt. I have come off it and noticed my inner ear has started to be itchy again

Forgot to mention vaginal itching and burning for few weeks, was hell.

Face and neck felt like insects crawling over it. Was hideous. Some itching on arms and legs too. It has pretty much stopped since starting HRT

My nipples and nose. Drove me mad. Wanted to claw them off. Not noticeably dry though I have had dryer skin/scalp in general. Nipples cured with hrt. Nose still itches like crazy at certain times of the month.

Top of ears, bottom of neck/top of shoulders & scalp.
It flares up every few weeks or so. When it does, I take a daily antihistamine and I use an oat based moisturiser to rub on my ears and neck/shoulders. It doesn't completely cure it but it does help. I have also used a medicated shampoo for my scalp, but honestly, the smell of that is so disgusting that sometimes I just prefer the itch.
I am 49, been perimenopausal for approximately two years, but this particular symptom is only in the last six months.

Forearms and backs of hands. Drove me INSANE. Skin looked normal, apart from the marks from me clawing it. It went after a week or two on HRT.

Oh god yes. It drives me mad. Mainly back and lower legs, and armpits lol. I find a skin brush really helpful.

I had it all over and under the skin.

I saw a dermatologist who gave me steroid and a heavy emolllient. This worked for dry skin.

The underneath skin itching was hideous. All over all the time. I take soy isoflavines for it.

Itchy head- nothing worked.

Christ, I’ve had a few episodes of this and it’s terrible. Made me cry one night. Got a cream from the pharmacy to moisturise and ‘prevent vaginal atrophy’ which made me cry some more. Got a gynaecologist appt IN JUNE.

I'm 40 but I've started with peri menopause symptoms since I had an infection on my ovaries (related to stomach infection that spread not a sti). Anyway, I started with lots of strange symptoms similar to peri shortly after which has just carried on. I haven't been to a GP about it because I don't really know what to say. I'm just trying to deal with it myself. I get awful itching inside my vagina, which I have to try lubricate. My inner ear canals itch all the time, my skin is bone dry. My SAD over winter became unmanageable but is now ok again since spring started. Clots which I never had before when it's my period. Trouble controlling my weight, I was always "thin" but have ballooned.
Sorry for the long list of ailments but the OP made me think what if this is hormone related?
I'm reading with interest.

Itching (or crawling sensation) can indicate a vitamin deficiency. Though it may be meno related it wouldn’t do any harm to take a multi vitamin. Hope you feel better soon.

Forearms, tops of thighs, chest. Scratch so hard I bleed , it comes and goes despite being on HRT. But blessed relief! I also use a dermal cream when it’s bad

Greektreackle I know had for weeks. Changed to Sanex body wash and tried everything and then it just went. Was like an old dog scratching and that made it worse. Hope you get some relief.

It's called formication and is caused by lack of oestrogen. I would scratch my thighs until they bruised off brilliant I got HRT.

I started a thread on this a while back that might also be helpful

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/menopause/4994491-the-itching-my-god-the-itching

Which hrt were you on?

It's a known thing.

If it's also like insects crawling over your skin it's called formication.

Your GP should know.
It doesn't need a referral! They could google and find out!

HRT might sort it.

I’m already on HRT and the itching has started since taking HRT

Its on the inside of my lower leg (just on one side)

Skin not noticeably dry or anything

I’m early 40s, workout, active, healthy BMI and never smoked

What have you tried on it so far?

Have you had a chat with a pharmacist?

There are also lots of creams you can buy OTC such as the Eucerin brand which is made for skin conditions. Or E45?

I had itching mainly on lower legs, ears and abdomen, also intermittent vulval itching which drove me mad. HRT did help a bit and I also switched from using soap to using aqueous cream for washing in the shower. The aqueous cream helped a lot, literally the same day the itching felt so much better and the vulval symptoms stopped completely. So I've carried on using it and am crossing my fingers that it's a long term solution