*itchitchitch*

[saifai]

Well, the thing is...  Augh!  *breaks down and scratches legs like mad*

*pant*

Yeah.  It's been one of those days.  In case you're wondering, I have a mild form of... something.  I don't actually know what since my previous doctors (may they all burn in hell) have been hesitant to put a name to it.  Call it Psoriasis, Eczema, whatever.  But it ITCHES!

It's on my legs this time and it's driving me insane.  I used to have to sleep with gloves on at night just so I wouldn't wake up with bloody [fil in the blank]. Usually it was either my legs or my arms.

Yeah, probably TMI.  But thems my thoughts for the moment folks.  Can't quite think past it.  I'm sure I'll come up with non-spam thoughts here in... AUGH!  *scratches ankle like mad*

Comments

*huggles*

[jack4will.livejournal.com]

Try using baby powder. That can help with the itching for a short time.
Maybe looking at my icon here will cheer you up some.

Re: *huggles*

[saifai.livejournal.com]

Can't. Stop. Looking.

I'm completely enthralled by your icon. Works very well as a method of cheering up. :)

Re: *huggles*

[jack4will.livejournal.com]

Thought you would like it, saifai. My friend ladyaris made it for me. The bigger version of the icon is on my journal. She had to resize it for lj.

[chicken-cem.livejournal.com]

I've SO been there. For years.

I find it helps to have your spouse help you as an external source of non-scratching willpower. Have them put gloves, bandaids, gauze, pants, anything on. Have them check on you frequently to see if you've been a good kitty or a bad kitty.

And picture yourself as one of those cats who have to wear That Collar Thingy. You know, the one that looks like an Elizabethan collar? Where they look like they're stuck in the honey jar?

[saifai.livejournal.com]

::giggles::

Can't get the thought outta my head of a kitty head stuck in a honey jar. Hadn't ever thought of it that way before.

Hubby does pretty well with helping me quit, but when I've got a bad itch he can't take the bitch that comes out... "But I just want to scratch it! CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT IT ITCHES?!" Then I usually break down in sobs and scratch all the while. Of course that's usually one of those hormonal things, but it's enough to send him off running errands he's suddenly remembered he needed to do. *snerk*

My Mom on the other hand, when she's around, is a pro at it.

[lapetiteflower.livejournal.com]

allergic dermatitis?

that is what i had during my teen years. red, raised, flaky itchy patches, red blisters etc. ugly and maddeningly itchy. i couldn't even go out in the sun without massively breaking out.

i had to wrap bandages around my legs if i wanted to wear jeans, because the denim was too irritating.

i'd scratch my skin off in my sleep......

try slapping the itchy area. scratching just irritates it and makes it worse. if you slap it then your skin nerves have something different to think about besides itch.

is your skin dermatographic?

[saifai.livejournal.com]

Allergic dermatitis? Haven't heard the term before, but from what you describe that's exactly it. I don't get it near as bad as I used to. The little blisters I would get really bad inside my arms, wrists, and on my knuckles. Oh, they itched so bad. I have a few scars from those.

I'm unfamiliar with the term dermatographic. I looked it up and it said something about redness and swelling when I itch. Yes, my skin gets really red when I scratch (rash or no). Swelling not so much. Depends on how bad the rash is for me.

[lapetiteflower.livejournal.com]

i get the blisters inside my elbows too, and my legs used to be literally covered. allergic dermatitis is basically an inflammation of the skin (dermatitis) which is caused by something you are allergic to (duh) i got pretty good results on a combo of oral antihistamines and oral steroids. fun combination.

dermatographic is when you can cause the skin to raise up and turn red by scratching or rubbing it. you can even take a fingernail and draw pictures on your skin. run a fingernail down your arm-not too hard. if after a few secons it starts to turn red and raised and burn then you probably are. it's caused by your body releasing histamine when pressure is applied to the skin. therefore, the more you scratch, the more it burns and itches.....

[saifai.livejournal.com]

No, I don't think I have it then. It would seem like I did when the rashes were their worst, but...

I appreciate all the information you've given me on it though. It will certainly help me in getting it treated in the future should I have another bad breakout. So far this one hasn't gotten too bad, but I still have to keep an eye on it. I'm thinking allergy pills will help some.

[lapetiteflower.livejournal.com]

glad to be of a little help!

maybe you could try some benedryl and see if that works?

[saifai.livejournal.com]

maybe you could try some benedryl and see if that works?

That's exactly what I was thinking. Someone else suggested it might help. I take it already, but had never made a connection to it as helping with my skin.

So, we'll see. :)

itching

[wandawolfe.livejournal.com]

I had the same problem, and tried everything. Switched to non-allergenic detergent, fabric softener, soap, shampoo, etc. Nothing worked. I still itched. Finally went to the doctor and he referred me to a dermatologist, who gave me some cream to use, and that didn't help either. Went back to the doctor, and he was out for the day, so I saw the PA who works for him. I was practically in tears and in utter misery. The PA said, "I know what the problem is." He left the room and came back with a pill and some water. He said, "Take this and let's wait 20 minutes and see if it does the trick.

So I took the pill and he went away, and when he came back in 20 minutes, I'd quit itching. He nodded and said, "Thought that might be it." I asked him what he'd given me and he said it was an allergy pill. Nothing more than benadryl. He gave me a prescription for some allergy medication, and it kept the itching at bay. When I ran out of the prescription, I went to Wal-mart and bought some of their generic equivalent for benadryl, and it works just gine.

Don't know if you have the same problem, but go get some benadryl and give it a try.

Re: itching

[saifai.livejournal.com]

I hadn't ever thought of that before. Thanks for the tip. I have some generic benedryl I take for when my seasonal allergies get pretty bad, so I'll have to take some and see if it helps. :)

Re: itching

[(Anonymous)]

got the same problem, even the "writing on skin" ability... yes, oral antihistamines work to suppress the condition for 2-3 days, at least, Claritin has been working for me. THE PROBLEM IS, since when do people have to survive by taking oral antihistamines. I want to problem fixed; not supressed for 24-36 hours......................

Re: itching

[saifai.livejournal.com]

Well I'm certainly not going to be the one to argue with you there. I honestly don't like taking any medications unless I absolutely have to do it.

It really would be nice if someone would find out a way to fix it.