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Does Anyone Have Aquagenic Pruritis?
I have been unbearably itchy after a shower or any contact with water. The itching is mainly on my upper arms. My father had this condition & both my sister & I have it. My Doctor had no idea what was causing this. I had it as a Teen & young adult & it then disappeared. I thought softened water had cured it but apparently not. It is back with a vengeance over the past year. I use only hypoallergenic products for skin & laundry. There is no rash…just a terrible itch. I finally tried Beta Alanine as a last resort after researching online that it was effective in relieving the itching. I was doubtful that this would work but it has helped immensely! I only use it prior to contact with water. The condition I found is called Aquagenic Pruritis. Does anyone else have this skin condition?
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Hi @smrdc - There is an older discussion with posts from 2021 where others have mentioned Beta Alanine provide relief.
-- Aquagenic Pruritus: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/aquagenic-pruritus/
@moylandavis, @bluemom4, and @andy1104 may have additional thoughts or suggestions to share with you.
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2 ReactionsGreat that you found Beta Alanine! There is a pretty active FaceBook group on AP...tons of information and advice. It is believed that AP is likely a symptom of other health issues. For some, it looks to be related to a Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. SOme a reaction to medication, some weight issues, some polycythemia Vera...
I told my advance dermatologist yesterday about my experience and blogging with AP and she just laughed and said, "Stay off the internet". and prescribed some drug I can't even afford.
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1 ReactionI had aquagenic pruritis for 9 and a half years. It was caused by the Effexor (venlafaxine) I was taking. When I quit taking it, the pruritis was gone immediately. Before I realized what was causing it, the only things that helped were ice, and Sumatriptine, my migraine med. Which makes me think it's more of a neurological disease than a dermatological one.
They think they know everything. My husband is a doctor, so I'm not biased against all of them. But in my experience, the majority of them think if they don't know about it, it doesn't exist. It's enraging.
I have had AP for 10 years now and only found out about Beta Alanine around a year ago. For me, it works with conditions. I take 1.5 grams in the morning on very humid days and 3 grams up to 1 hour before a shower. For me I have to wait until I feel my skin warm up to work after a shower. It works fastest when taken on an empty stomach. Because this is an untested supplement, I reached out to all my doctors and asked for approval and each one responded with approving up to 7 grams/day. All works for me over the last year. It has been a life changing supplement.
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