Itch is less! Only major thing changed it this: I broke the pain cycle that night I took demerol because the itch was so unbearable I could neither sleep nor find relief sitting up. The next night, I didn't take the demerol and had no itch. Both nights slept a long time, 11 hours and 10 hours each. The next night, itch was back but slightly, and that kept on the following night, allowing at least half the night asleep. I asked the doctor, with whom I had a scheduled appt., and he said to go ahead and take the demerol if I need to break a pain cycle. This is amazing.
A close friend in Australia says she can break a pain cycle by eating a marijuana brownie. She seems to react adversely to pain killers other than this. Unfortunately, she moved into an area of Australia a few years, to a retirement home, where they do not allow either marijuana or the pill form dispensed by doctors. She is in pain most of the time and it is wearing her down to a frazzle of what she was. She had to cancel her last doctor's appt. due the car not starting. In her life, it's always something. She has a genetic neurological illness.
I am getting a lot of prayer, as well, and taking prayer VERY seriously these days.
In response to the original question of this thread, the burning sensation diminished with the itch; they are part of the syndrome.