Ichyness?

[mn farm gal]

I woke up in the middle of the night Friday with severe ichieness everywhere, hands swell when iched, back, legs, anything I can reach. It is driving me nuts. I thought about going to the ER, but didn't got an appt at 2:30 today and the doctor says "your having an allergic reaction to something" Put me on a drug for 8 days and I tell you I just have been scratching that I am bleeding and just sit and cry at times because I am just miserable. I have not ate anything different in the last few days that I can think of that I ate whole lot more trail mix that I would normally, I have never reacted to it any other time but just thought maybe to much. Any other ideas that would cause such a severe case of the ichieness???

[lindalee]

I have itching sometimes that has improved. From what I understand, when food is not absorbed or digested properly it feeds the yeast and reactions occur. Nuts are not the easiest to digest especially if they are not raw. I usually eat chicken soup and yogurt to help kill the yeast off. I know it is miserable. I also use oil of oregano and epson salt baths. Hope this helps and you feel better.

[Saz]

I also used to get quite bad itching, esp after a shower. I call it pin pric itching as it the itches were only in a small area of skin, but all over. I didn't have any marks on my skin tho. One thing that helped me is to use clear shower gels. I still occasionally get itchy skin (such as this morning) but its not as servere and I can deal with it, without feeling like I need to tear my skin off.

Also have u changed your clothes washing detergent rencently, if so maybe you are reacting to that? I seem to have one spot of skin , just above my right knee that is allergic to the detgerant as I quite often get itchy skin there.

[dlp252]

I've had horrible itching on my legs since around June of this year. Only in my case there is no outward sign that anything is wrong...no swelling, no rash, no discoloration, etc. After I scratch it looks like a war zone however. I had a massage yesterday and kept thinking she would be afraid to touch my legs, lol. I haven't found anything to make it go away completely. I've tried antihistamines (Zyrtec), but those didn't help. In the last couple of weeks I've started an elimination diet (for other reasons) and that seemed to calm everything down...a couple of days ago I tried eating mango again (which I was eating almost every day since June), and for the last two days my legs have been itching like crazy again. So in my case, it may be either too much sugar and/or the mango. I don't know...I scratched in my sleep last night.

Oh, and the other odd thing about my itching is that it happens symetrically most of the time...for instance, if one thigh is itching, the other will as well. Crazy!

[teebs in WV]

I am the same way - I have been lucky though that the itching is not as frequent. Last night and this morning was really bad though. Mine is mostly my calves/shins and my feet. My feet drive me crazy - I do the twist on the roughest carpet that I have in my house - my fiance thinks I am nuts

I take Zyrtec every day and that has helped some, but I think I need to pinpoint exactly what is causing it - a journal would probably be the best way - I keep saying that I need to do it but haven't made myself yet.

Tracy

[lindalee]

I am the same way - I have been lucky though that the itching is not as frequent. Last night and this morning was really bad though. Mine is mostly my calves/shins and my feet. My feet drive me crazy - I do the twist on the roughest carpet that I have in my house - my fiance thinks I am nuts

I take Zyrtec every day and that has helped some, but I think I need to pinpoint exactly what is causing it - a journal would probably be the best way - I keep saying that I need to do it but haven't made myself yet.

Tracy

I read about the feet itch. Wish I could remember what that meant

Mine is my rear neck and the hairline around my head and my head????? I use no sls or gluten products.

It's gotta be yeast. When I put the oil of oregano on it goes away.

[Rad3737]

Last year about this time went through a period of major itchiness. Went to an old-fashioned allergy doctor who diagnosed: DRY SKIN. He recommended Alpha-Keri bath oil (4 capfuls), Aquaphor ointment applied after bath/shower. He also said to bathe/shower every other day, and use body lotion daily. Surprise of surprises, it WORKED!

[dlp252]

Not even the aquafor helped mine. I do put coconut oil on either before I dry off or just afterward when I shower, which helps slightly.

[sparkles]

I have had itchiness for several years. I cannot figure out what it is from. It seems to get worse in fall. It got so bad several years ago.... my stomach, legs, arms, sholders, back, and hips were a bloody mess. The doc ran all sorts of allergy tests (only dairy came back positive... but only a mild reaction). At first he thougth it was DH but that test came back negative. The only thing that seemed to help was a corisone spray. I was on several antihystamines but they really made me sleepy which was ok for awhile because at least I wasn't conscious of all the itchy and scratching. But I really did not want to sleep my life away. I sprayed and sprayed and sprayed on the cortisone. The bloody welts finally healed and anytime that I get the urge to itch I rub on the cortisone or spray it on. I have no idea what causes it. The allergy doc thinks that it is somehow related to the celiac disease but he is not sure how. I have tried keeping track of what I eat but it doesn't seem to be connected. I don't know what it is but it is awful to itch so bad that you end up with bloody welts. Last winter, I had the itchiness in my head and some of those sores got infected. That was really bad as it is impossible to put cortisone on the head.... my hair seems to get in the way. I thought that it might have something to do with turning on the furnace but have replaced furnace and had the ducts cleaned out really well. I don't know what else to do besides using cortisone. I would be interested in how others handle this.... Just writing about it is bringing on an ITCH ATTACK!!!!!

[dlp252]

Hum, they didn't give me a spray, but they've prescribed about 4 different kinds of creams which didn't help. I scratch until I'm bloody too...it's awful.

[Shawn]

Even though you have a negative DH biopsy, you can still have DH - apparently, DH is VERY hard to biopsy, and if you've been gluten-free, you may come up negative.

There is a med for the itchiness (Dapazone?) but it has bad side effects. However, for those horribly itchy times (and I can relate!), it might help. You should probably talk to your doc about it.

Some soaps cause me to itch (Dial), and I've found that I can't eat anything with "natural flavoring" or "spices" in the incredients - they make me itch, too. Also, if I make food for my family, I can't directly touch gluten products because this makes me itch, too. No kidding!

Good luck...

Shawn

[super-sally888]

Hi Donna,

Itchiness could be caused by the mangoes.

Some people get terribly allergic to them. My mom is one. I fortunately am ok with them. I grew up in a mango growing district. During school vacation I worked picking and packing mangos. A lot of workers had to quit after a couple of weeks due to really bad reactions even from just coming into contact with them.... And the response can build up over time...

Just an idea.... hope you work all this out.

Sally

[dlp252]

Hi Donna,

Itchiness could be caused by the mangoes.

Some people get terribly allergic to them. My mom is one. I fortunately am ok with them. I grew up in a mango growing district. During school vacation I worked picking and packing mangos. A lot of workers had to quit after a couple of weeks due to really bad reactions even from just coming into contact with them.... And the response can build up over time...

Just an idea.... hope you work all this out.

Sally

Thanks Sally! Mangoes weren't on the list of foods they allergy tested me for, but my allergist said they could test for it if I bring the food in...I may do that. In the meantime, I've cut them out again and the itchiness is slowly subsiding, although am still scratching in the middle of the night.

[haphenomenon]

I hadn't really thought that there was a connection between the celiac or DH and my itching problem but now that I've seen all of your comments I think there must be. I had itching when I was on the pill almost 5 years ago. Itching only on the legs and no rash or sign or allergy just unexplained unrelenting itchingt! IT went away no idea why but now it has come back! Mostly it occurs after showers or bathing. Whenever my legs get wet. I have basically stopped using soap on my legs (which is gross but i'm desperate) and I have stopped using a towel to dry my legs because I read somewhere its good to airdry anyway. I know it sounds weird but I put my clothes on when I'm fairly wet and its not so bad. I thought for awhile it was the detergent I wash my clothes in but I've already changed a few times. These new methods help but its really unexplained why its so bad. I have noticed if I wash my hair with my head under the bathtub tap so the soap doesn't run down my body it helps a lot. But I'm desperate becuase not using soap is gross!

I think there is a connection between yeast and the itching I'm just not sure why soap would aggravate it so much. OR just a really extreme amount of histamines?

The only other method I have found to help, is ignoring it. NOt scratching it and being in hell for five minutes is actually better than the ensuing 30 minutes of bloody scratching if I do touch it!!!

(actually I am also really allergic to mangoes, I get bumps on my lips when I eat them and the juice drips everywhere, the sap is very allergic and its actually in the same family as poison sumac and ivy)

[dlp252]

Yah, I was wondering about the connection to celiac myself, but I've never had a rash of any kind. I was also wondering about candida or yeast overgrowth...one of my doctors was pretty sure I had a problem with it. My new doctors are testing for it now, so I'll know in a couple of weeks.

I'll have to try NOT scratching, but I don't know if I can...the urge is so strong, it almost drives me crazy!

I didn't itch at all last night, so I'm really leaning towards the mangoes...I also ate beef that day, which I hadn't had in 12 days or so...tomrrow (when I'm sure the "reaction" is gone) I'll add beef back to see if that caused it, and if not then a couple of days later I'll try the mango once more.

Soap...I actually use Cetaphil cleansing bars, and have also used the Gluten Free Savoinnere soaps, both of with which I've had the itching. I've used GS shampooes and conditioners, California Baby Shampoes/Conditioners, expensive ones from my salon and the cheap stuff from the store...all of with which I've had itching. I don't think I can go without soap, lol, I perspire at the drop of a hat, lol.

I even buy my laundry detergent from the health food store thinking it might be that.

It's a little frustrating to know that the body doesn't work the way it's supposed to and not know why.

[lindalee]

My ears also itch sometime.

[dlp252]

My ears also itch sometime.

Mine too.

[Sophiekins]

Hooray! Other people with a-typical DH!

Ahem. On to coping: soap makes my skin go nuts - particularly ones for sensitive skin. The only one I've ever found that "works" is a bubblebath/bodywash from the body shop called nut foaming bath - my favorite is brazil nut. The nut oils help to keep your skin hydrated, and the glycerine base is gentle on sensitive skin - and they are soy and grain free. I usually use it once (a dollop about the size of a quarter in your palm will do for your whole body - ignore the instructions and use your hands, not a washrag or puff to apply) a week, though I "wash" myself thoroughly with plain water every time I have a shower. It is not necessary (from a hygiene/odor perspective) to wash with soap more than once a week (confirmed with my doc after a few VERY painful weeks. . .soaps cause swelling in some delicate places. . .) provided you regularly use water to thoroughly clean the natural oils off your skin (pay extra attention to areas where sweat pools). Avoid taking very hot showers - for some reason this is harder on your skin - and avoid soaps etc with vitamins E or B like the plague. . .the most common source for these is soy or oats. . .both BAD if you are desperately gluten-free.

Needless to say, go completely gluten-free - cut out oats, corn and soy. . .this should help. Watch out for vinegars, spirits, spices, cooking oils, and margarines.

I use a liquid laundry detergent, at about 75% the recommended quantities - try Woolite (I know - it's expensive. .. but what in our lives isn't?) If your skin is like mine, the cortisone creams your doc has prescribed only make it worse (why, I'm not sure, but they do - for me, I get immediate relief, for about five minutes, and then the skin itches worse). For temporary relief, look for an antihistamine that contains at least 20-50 mg of Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride - it is sometimes used as a mild sleep aid, and it does knock me out for nine or ten hours in th 50mg dose, but it WORKS (and believe me, I've tried them all). It is an old antihistamine and can sometimes be hard to find since the advent of 'non-drowsy' antihistamines. Also check your shampoo/conditioner/makeup/hair products for grain ingredients - including soy and oats. . . For relief that doesn't put you to bed for hours, try a milk-and-honey bath: dissolve a tablespoon of natural honey in a cup of milk, add to your running warm (NOT HOT) bath and soak. . .make sure you rinse yourself and the tub well afterwards though.

When welty, I avoid wearing wool and cotton and stick to soft fleece - it won't itch, it's breatheable, it dries fast, and it will keep you warm and dry. Keeping your skin cool and dry (ie. not sweaty) seems to help. I also shave regularly - I find my skin is healthier when it is hairless. If you are on the pill, talk to your pharmacist to make sure it is corn-free. . .most of them aren't, but if you're in the states or Canada, Alesse is. . .Check your other meds and vitamins as well. Anal though it sounds, you should also decontaminate your workspace (I once worked in a building with a popcorn machine and was so constantly sick, I now have seizures from gluten exposure. . .it is important!)

And on the off chance that it is something ordinary like dust mites, wash all of your sheets in HOT water (at least 60 degrees) and put the rest of your bedding through the dryer on the hot cycle for at least 60 minutes. . .

Let us know if anything works!

(oh, and once you can stop scratching, talk to your doc about getting onto a two-week course of a gentle, anti-staph antibiotic and a gluten-free vitamin B supplement. . .helps the welts heal faster)

[lindalee]

Thanks Sophie,

I will try that body wash. What shampoo do you use? I bought several new ones. My head area is my problem area now. Head, neck and ears--has to be the shampoos/

[dlp252]

Wow, thanks Sophie! THere are some things you mentioned that I HAVEN'T tried and think I will, lol. Thanks again.