Hi, question about itching
 

Does your whole body itch or just where the RSD is. I stopped 2 painpills for two days to see if that was it, NO, my scalp itches terrible, I just took a shower with no soap, (yes you read that right) and used a shampoo and conditioner for itching...I never itched like this until the RSD. really...its insane itching...I go to the doctor next week and I am going to tell him, if I can last that long...nerve pills and benadryl doesn;t do a thing.. I don't go 5 minues without itching...very embarrasing..please let me know if anyone else itches as bad as I do from RSD...I also bought Aveeno and Gold Bond spray , hasn't helped either..I haven't changed soap detergent either..can't figure this out...HELP..Thanks for any help Pepper :Scratch-Head:

I get it too.

I used to be able to will an itch away. Indeed I can even make something itch and then stop it by thinking about it, but not this itch. It's mainly in two places. The one I'm more comfortable talking about is my upper back. I have to go at it with a bread knife to stop it but it usually works for an hour or two. It's on a pretty tight schedule really and mainly gives me trouble at night. When I'm getting readdy for bed is the worst. If I try to make it stop it gets an ugly pain and the area feels like dead meat. I've never gone past this stage without scratching it. It is in the affected area.

For a while I thought that perhaps it became more sensitive to heat and it was being burned in the shower but cooler water hasn't helped.

Thanks for the reply
 

Mine is all day, it hasn't woke me up but the RSD pain does, it is my whole body and head. I have done everything I can think of...I tried prednisone, benadryl, different detergents, stopped pain pills for two days, (that was fun) its like it is itching from the inside out...it doesn't stop but I have read the RSD can do that..I have an appointment Friday, hopefully, the doctor can give me something...hopefully, gee, another pill to add to my collection! :mad:

I think I replied to this in another thread but I will reply again anyhow.

I also get the itching. I spoke to my Pain Management Doctor about it a few months ago when it first started happening and he said that unfortunately, it is a pretty common symptom of RSD although not everyone gets it.

Have you ever tried Anti-Isthamines (sp?)?? My Doctor suggested that I tried them as they can be useful. I tried them and they helped a little so maybe they will help you also? Also, check the side effects of any meds that you are on as some side-effects to medications can be itching ... I know my oral Ketamine causes me to itch a lot when I take it sometimes.

From what I have been told by my PM Doctor, there aren't really any medications that help with the itching - the best things are allergy tablets etc. I get the itching all over my body although it is worst in my RSD limbs (my left leg, right arm and possibly left arm also).

I wish I could help you more but please just know that you aren't alone and that I DO understand what you are going through and how annoying and embarrassing it is!! If you ever want to talk, please know that I am here for you!

Good Luck with your appt on Friday - I hope you can get some answers and please keep us updated when you can!!

pepper
hi hun i know about the itching all to well. the best combo for me is pepsid and benedryl the pepsid is a histamine blocker also i would ask about that . make sure to take the benedryl ever 4 hrs . have you tried any of the cortizone creams or oatmeal baths or even cornstarch works for me too . i know the itching drives me bonkers !!! maybe this will help
i hope

carrie

Hi, do you mean Pepsid for your stomach?? I do take benedryl 3 or 4 times a day, even with my other pills...I told my cousin (he lives with me) yesterday, I took a pain pill, a nerve pill and and a prednisone just in case I died...lol...I sit with a sheet over my legs because my dogs LOVE to lick off whatever I put on my legs..even Gold Bond spray...they Love it...so now I resorted to a sheet...I also tried an oatmeal body sauve (sp) I'm going to continue with the prednisone and benadryl until I go to the doctor...Thanks, it good to have a fellow "itcher" but I feel bad that you are going through it...:Scratch-Head: ps: does you head itch also???

Hi from Pepper
 

Hi, I have tried EVERYTHING that a know of or can think of, I even take Prednisone (don't help) ..what is Katamine for, haven't tried that yet??

Ketamine is a VERY strong pain medication that Doctors will only usually prescribe as a last resort if nothing else has helped. My Pain Management Doctor was very afraid to try Ketamine because of my age (i'm only 14) but felt it was needed as a last resort. It has been the only med that reduces my pain but even then it only takes my pain from a 8 and a half to a 6 and a half.

Lots of drug addicts take Ketamine which is why doctors are usually hesitant to prescribe it. It is called Special K on the streets from what my Doctor has told me. It does have very good results for some people with RSD though and lots of people have Ketamine Infusions or Ketamine Coma if their RSD is really severe.

yes pepsid for stomach is acutally hestimine blocker that helps block the allergic reaction i got it thro prescription 2 mths ago for a severe allergic reaction and prednisone and benadrly it literaly took 3-5 days for it to stop the itching.but it did help i also use the gold bond extremt healing lotion with the shea butter for my skin and the itching and i also have the skin lessions on my arms and legs
maybe this will help

I itch everywhere hissyfit:, to me it feels like I have thousand of ants crawling on me. I even have tried taking showers with little soap. I find using hot water makes mine worse, I have tried oatmeal soaps to ease it, helps a big but never goes away completely. Its common to have itching with RSD and some meds even cause it to worsen.

Hi
 

Something I have used for itching for years is Selsun Blue for Dry Hair. I take a shower with it.

It heals up dry skin as well as helps with the itching. I told my sister-in-law about it years ago and she too uses it.

You might want to try it. It does have to be the one for dry hair.

Ada

Thanks
 

Thanks, I'll try anything at this point...I'll let you know

I've mentioned this in other threads, and thought it might be helpful for someone out there. I swear by Aveeno products. I like the bath powder (use instead of soap.....just soak in it......REALLY!!! Read the box!!!) and the fragrance free daily lotion (not to be used instead of soap!!). It absorbs immediately and doesn't feel greasy. It has natural colloidal oatmeal in it that forms a protective seal on your skin. I used to use it on my kids when they got a diaper rash or the chicken pox (before the immunization for it) and it is very soothing for sunburn. I gave it a try for the itching with my RSD and it does seem to help (though not with the burning, unfortunately). I hope this helps someone else (and, no, I do not get kickbacks from the Aveeno company! I could only wish!!)

I have a joke with a friend of mine with RSD that the itching is a "trick" of the RSD and "NOT to scratch it!!! It only makes it worse." (and, indeed, it does. I gently try to scratch a small place and invariably feel jabbing pain in two other places simultaneously). RSD is a hateful disease, isn't it???

HI EVERYONE,
I HAVE NOT BEEN ON ALOT LATLEY. I SEEM TO HAVE LOST INTREST IN EVERY THING, BUT I AM TRYING TO GET BACK. i ITCH SO BAD FROM THE OXYCODONE. iTS AN AWFUL SIDE EFFECT, BUT IT DOES HELP SOME WITH THE PAIN. IVE ASKED THE DOC FOR HINTS AND OATMEAL BATHS IS WHAT THEY SAY.

SUE K

Sorry you are itching also
 

I am still itching but not as bad, maybe its in my head but with the prednisone and benidryl 3 or 4 times a day, the last two days have been bearable...I have tried everything for my head and its in the back of my head, when I go to the Dr's friday I am going to tell him to look at it, maybe I've developed psorisis ALONG with the RSD...I have no idea but it wouldn't surprise me at all...I recently joined and I think its great to actually talk to people that understand RSD...how did you get RSD?? Mine is from an operation...never heard of it b4 that..Thanks :Scratch-Head:

Thanks for the advice...now I have another question...(sorry) what do the skin lessions look like, on the pictures on the site, they look brown but I have red spots I've never had b4 on my arms but they aren't raised or sore..do they just develope at any time??:confused:

the rash/lesion on my arms and legs are red raised almost a ruff texture to them and itch to death. i got rsd from injuries form a car accident in 98. the rash does get sore to even touch


sue percoset does the same thing to me but i have to take phenergan on top of it to stop the vommiting that goes with it. glad your around sue.. hope to talk more

Martg,

The lesions I get all over look a bit like small blood blisters. They're red dots of different sizes. For me, they don't itch or hurt at all. Sometimes, for no reason, they turn into small, open sores. I know I'm healing slower than I used to because of the rsd, so it take about 2 weeks for even a small one to heal. Small as in the head of pin small. Others are a little bigger at times but not by much.

Mine come and go. One day they'll be there then slowly fade out. I did notice that, especially on my legs, I'll have a tremendous amount of them if I sit "normal" or I'm on my feet alot. If a keep my feet up or lay down instead, then not so many show up. It's because of this I believe it has something to do with the lack of proper circulation in the limb(s) affected by rsd. I also think it's the cause of the lesions because of diabetics. They have bad compromised circulation in their legs too. For them this leads to sores of varying sizes and unfortunately also leads to them needing a leg amputated when the circulation becomes cut off too badly.

Hope this helps!

Hugs,

Karen

removed because it double posted. See above post. LOL

Some doctors will give Atarax or Vistaril for the itching.
If yours won't, you can try Zyrtec antihistamine OTC.
Zyrtec is related chemically to Atarax, and causes less sedation.
The itching from narcotics is due to the release of histamine that the narcotic causes. The synthetic ones like oxycodone may cause this worse than morphine/codeine.

One thing my daughter used was preperation-H, it has lidoderm in it to numb. One thing I would suggest, in her case one of the medications made the bile duct sluggish in draining the gall bladder it, blocked cause liver failure.

To rule out liver problems have some blood work done. Before she was jaundice the itching had been going on for several months.
di

[quote=DiMarie;480319]One thing my daughter used was preperation-H, it has lidoderm in it to numb.

Hi all!! This is a bit off topic but Di's mention of Prep H made me remember this tip that I have found VERY useful. When my kids or I get a bug bite, I rub a little bit of a Preparation H suppository on it. It takes the itch away and can be wrapped back up in its little wrapper and saved for the next time. They're tiny and portable so you could carry it in your purse or pocket if you're going out (if it's too hot, it will melt, though). Just a little tidbit that I thought might be helpful! Back to the topic of overall itching......:Tip-Hat:

Hi. I developed seborehic dermitits the spelling is off but I have severe dry scalp itch and overall body dryness that cause scratching. I am not sure if it was a fluke or part of this whole condition. It is not so much on the rsd areas. I went to a dermatologist who gave me loprex shampoo which is rx and also dandruff shampoo in between a lotion I was suggested at walgreens which I forgot the name but it is good for sensitive skin. I will ask my mom the name