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The "itch".....An update about testing and treating.

Skin Health | Last Active: Mar 13, 2022 | Replies (17)

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@artscaping

Thanks for your caring response. I think I meant antihistamine which I think doesn't get along well with gabapentin. Would you like to be my medical editor? I need someone to help me with the terminology.

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Replies to "Thanks for your caring response. I think I meant antihistamine which I think doesn't get along..."

Chris, my goodness sakes alive! What a mess you're in. I missed how/when this began. Did it start on your arms or ankles or feet? Why are you dealing with it as neuropathy? I've had what I called neuropathy itch in my feet, arches, ankles, bottom of the feet, and the inside of the hands. Drove me nuts! I took Benadryl and used Cortizone 10 cream....what I had on hand......they .helped. I suppose, Allegra and Zyrtec were part of the antihistamine collection as well.

Then my whole body got involved, with the dryness of dry cement! My forearms looked and felt like alligator skin, truly, even wrinkled and coarse and dry and scaly. And, it kept getting worse. My legs began shedding! Tops of my feet shed after showers, as did my whole body show serious dry side effects. I tried everything w/any claims of help for dryness for whatever reason.

You know when I saw improvement for the first time? After in hospital with a multitude of symptoms including fainting, heart?, severe mood changes, tremors, etc.. The docs finally found my thyroid was out of balance. Now, with reduced thyroid meds, in just a couple months and with almost immediate changes, I have new skin all over! Most itching, not all, is gone or reduced.

My Mayo dermatologist also has me buying stock in Vaseline. Vaseline. Yep. I lather it on feet and hands and wherever I can reach, all over, and gracefully slide into bed at night. (I suppose it's a good thing I share my bed with my kitty, Samantha....only!) shower only every 2-3 days....horrors! After a lifetime of 2-3 times daily.....What a physical and mental adjustment! But, my skin is healthier, softer, doesn't itch much.....And, stop with the soap, even the better, or more expensive or hallowed shower or bath washes. She insists we don't need to scrub or soap our whole body! Blasphemy! She insists only soap under arms, private areas, areas that are truly covered with bacteria or dirt or whatever. The other 90% of our bodies needs only tepid, never hot, tepid water. I don't yet do that, but I'm working on the rest of her instructions and indeed seeing improvement. Guess when I get back to my warm, therapy pool I don't ever need to shower again!

Now, Chris, I do understand you're dealing with more than 'dry skin', that your 'itch' can come from any number of possible culprits. Inside and out. But, since doing these things, after the thyroid adjustment, my 'itch' is improved a bunch. I still need an antihistamine occasionally, especially now as we begin to see our cars turn yellow, sneeze more often, wipe our watering, itchy eyes heading into spring.

BTW: Before my current 1:1 + tincture night-time regimen, a Benadryl helped with restful sleep I will be adjusting that tincture a bit and see about getting a good blend for the daytime.

You, Jay and your dermatologist will conquer this. I am aching for you and the suffering this is causing. You will improve, the itch will lessen and you will have healing inside and outside that precious body of yours. Feel the love and hugs and good healing thoughts surrounding you this very moment. I'm sending you armloads of all that love and good thoughts right now.
Be well, be safe, and be blessed.
elizabeth