itchy arms....could this be another symptom of my PN??
 

So, I have PN in my feet & about 3 weeks ago, my upper arms, shoulders & neck started to itch really badly, to the point where I have scratched my skin & made it bleed.

It isnt the prickly, burning pain that I have in my feet. It is more like the skin itself is itching.

I didnt really think anything about it to be honest, but as it hasnt got any better, I just wondered if it could be connected to the PN.

My PN symptoms started as severe itching all over my body. At first, I thought it was an allergy but there was no visible marks in my skin, no redness, no bumps, nothing but itching. Later on, the itching became pain, prickly and stabbing pins and needles. And slowly, the pain in my feet developed.

I am on gabapentin and on some days somehow it weans the unpleasant sensation but not the pain in my feet which goes up to my knees. I am okay now because I dont wear pants or long sleeves. I dread the coming winter (not the winter per se) but the thought of wearing the thick clothes.

I hope your itching is just temporary.

Hm, maybe it could be PN then. It didnt start like that in my feet though. Its driving me mad & nothing works to stop it.

There is a connection between gluten, PN, and the skin.

Some people who are gluten intolerant develop a severe itching skin condition called dermatitis herpetiformis.

Also look at the drugs you may be taking. Gabapentin/Lyrica also can cause itching. Cymbalta also can cause itching.

my ankle area of both my legs itched when i was developing pn in 2001-2002. It has not been an issue on my feet/legs much since then. My hands sometimes itch but not often. my hands are not affected as severly as my feet/legs with PN but they are affected.

Hm...I dont think its medication as I dont take anything atm for my PN as the 2 drugs I tried did nothing.
As far as I know, Im not gluten intolerant.

I really hope it isnt PN starting in my arms....its so scary.:(

I understand how you feel. I hope its not PN.

But, I guess there is something going on that causes this new sensations. I hope its not permanent. I remember there was a poster here who was so scared about the burning of her skin. (Any physical discomfort can be scary specially when you are healthy and is not used to experiencing any health problems.) But, I dont see the poster on this forum anymore, I am sure she is now doing well.

neuropathic itching
 

Google neuropathic itching. There is a type of neuropathic itching that is mostly in the arms.

See this article:

http://www.internalmedicinenews.com/...thic-itch.html

That is an interesting article. Thanks for posting it. All the alternative diagnoses are serious sounding too.

We've had a very small number of posters on our General forum discuss this:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread23461.html

Thanks to both rose-thorn & Mrs D

The articles are very interesting. I had found some info on puritus already but these are helpful.

I feel that every time I go to my GP I am asking about another symptom....feel as if I'm a hypochondriac.

I also have a problem with my eyes....when I move my eyes to look to the sie, I can see sort of 'little clouds' or'puffs of smoke'. Could this all be connected???? I havent mentioned this to the dr yet.

I have a nerve conduction test on Saturday 20/10/12 & then an appointment with a neurologist on 13th November. I will tell him about all the symptoms.