Itching legs - Skin Problems Message Board

suzitwo · 03-15-2004, 09:04 PM

Yet again I'm up at 4am when I should be sleeping but the itching in my legs and only my legs has got progressively worse to the point where I just want to cut them off. It's always worse at night and doesn't respond to ANY treatment I've tried so far.

Anti-histamines don't work, sometimes they knock me out but not very often.

It's not soap, or powder or anything like that. There is never ever a rash, the only thing I get is scratch marks. I can't not scratch that's like asking someone with a headache not to take something for it. I have to scratch it's impossible to ignore.

It doesn't matter if they are well lotioned or dry, shaved or unshaved nothing, nothing ever makes a difference.

I'm going to the doctor's (again) soon to demand something be done to help me as I can't take it anymore. In the meantime is there anyone here suffered the same or similar??? I would be grateful to hear if you were treated successfully. I have other symptoms but itching is the main one that really kills me.

Please nobody say it's stress, I am not stressed, I know the meaning of the world stress and I don't have it at the moment. That's a catch all for when docs don't know what's wrong with you and can't be bothered finding out. I'd rather hear nothing at all than that word.

Many thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Genabeena · 03-22-2004, 02:43 PM

Well, this isn't much better than stress, but one possibility is Urticaria (hives). I have Chronic Urticaria, and most of the time my hives cannot be seen. If it's hives, hives are very transient, so you would probably start noticing the itching sensation migrating around at some point or becoming visible. But there's no rules set in stone about it. It's a very perplexing condition that tends to do whatever it wants.

But, at least, if you find out that is what you have, then you can start reading up on it, ruling things out, and getting support for it. There are some good threads here about Urticaria and CIU. Check it out! Good luck. I know, first hand, how you feel.

chloebry · 03-24-2004, 01:27 PM

I get this sometimes, but usually if I moisturize a lot it goes away and it is usually when I just wake up. Maybe you are alergic to something in your sheets or your detergent?

It also could be a food alergy? have you tried bathing in an oatmeal soak (like aveeno) that is supposed to relieve itching. Also, I think when you have chicken pocks they recommind bathing in baking soda. Have you tried any of the anti itch creams out there?

I hope these suggestions help!!

Kari7171 · 03-24-2004, 04:33 PM

I used to have that problem. There were two reasons for me. One of them was the fact that I scratched and harmed the skin. When the skin is healing it itches. Thus causing further scratching. The example you gave about someone with a headache does not ignore it they take something for it. That can be a continuous cycle also. I used to take ibuprofen every day and eventually when I tried to stop I couldn't because I was addicted to it. I would get the worst headaches unless I took it. I stopped that cycle by taking tylenol for a few days and then stopped all together. So the damaging of you skin by scratching I have totally been through that and it does itch a lot when it's healing. You really do need to stop though. Another thing that was causing a problem was if I would take a bath and sit in soapy water and not rinse off with clean water after I would itch. When I sit in the tub and shave my legs I have to turn on the shower after and rinse all the
shaving cream or soap residue off.