Itching?

[Jemal]

Lately I have been getting some severe itches in the lower parts of my legs, wrists and hands. No rash or anything. I get the itches a few times a day and they last maybe half an hour at most. They are quite severe and sometimes I scratch open my skin. I also noticed some swelling in my hands and feet, due to fluids.

Anybody else have this symptom? I am trying to figure out if it's ME/CFS related or it's because I am taking too much or getting allergic to B12 or something (itching can be a side-effect). B12 is basically keeping me from collapsing, so I don't want to give up on it...

 

[alex3619]

Hi Jemal, no I don't have this symptom ... I have it in Spades! (Trump card.) My arms and feet are often covered in scratches, especially my fingers and back of my hands. Not sure about the cause, would really like to know. Sometimes heat will stop the itching, but when I am concentrating on something else I will scratch continuously until I become aware of it - usually because I see blood. I have had this off and on for several years now. It could be an allergy or mast cell problem, I am not currently on B12. Bye, Alex

ps I do wonder if it is related to small fiber neuropathy which I suspect I have

 

[Jemal]

Thanks for your reply, Alex.

I have lots of pain in my muscles as well, all through my body (I was a fibromyalgia patient, before getting ME/CFS). I wonder if the pain and itching symptoms are connected somehow, possibly due to nerves being damaged, inflamed or irritated or something.

 

[Enid]

I had badly (arms/wrists) at one stage Jemal and always considered substances accumulating in the blood (eg bile) as a result of liver/kidney disorder or infection. The situation is much improved now as attention to general health with various supplements and diet change along the way. I see on the Web itching can be the result of so many things but have you had these functions checked out.

 

[Jemal]

I had badly (arms/wrists) at one stage Jemal and always considered substances accumulating in the blood (eg bile) as a result of liver/kidney disorder or infection.

Ah yes, that's another possibility Enid, thanks. It would then be a symptom of ME/CFS I guess.

 

[justy]

Hi Jemal, i periodically get maddening itching sessions too, i think itching is quite common in autoimmune diseases and M.E cpould be an autoimmune disease so ive always presumed it was part of my M.E.

 

[Tony Mach]

Regarding the itching: You could try taking bath with either sea salt or epsom salt.

And regarding the swelling: I get problems with swelling when eating much potatoes.

(Your mileage may vary...)

 

[gregf]

I was getting this fairly bad. It slowly increased over time. Eventually it became like ants biting, so I used to call it "prickly itch".

I have total sympathy for anyone with this symptom ; it is really bad. It kept getting worse for me until I was scratching even my head. Then I started eliminating things to see if that helped. Bingo. It was 90% reduced when I stopped taking Tricyclate anti-depressant. There was little risk as I was mostly on it to reduce pain. I could stop and start the prickly itch by starting and stopping the AD. We changed my script but it seems any Tricyclate caused it.

I asked in the Not Crazy forum and Knitty sent me a link which I no longer have. Basically it is nerve damage due to viral infection. As if we needed any more proof we have a virus. Ha! The two key indicators of this is 1) it is worse in the extremities, feet, hands, head, and 2) it is worse late at night. Both true for me.

I went off the Tricylates permanently it is no longer a problem. I suspect that krill based Omega 3 capsules were contributing to it as well. I am on the vegetarian Omega 3 now.

I am getting a little this (southern) Winter, but I think that it is just dryness. I never drink enough water.

Really hope this post helps you guys.

Greg.

 

[mellster]

Itching and burning without rash is a symptom of post-herpetic neuralgia. You can have Shingle like symptoms without rash for quite a while. Might be a good idea to get various herpes titers checked out, incl. VZV.

 

[alex3619]

I was getting this fairly bad. It slowly increased over time. Eventually it became like ants biting, so I used to call it "prickly itch".

It was 90% reduced when I stopped taking Tricyclate anti-depressant. There was little risk as I was mostly on it to reduce pain.

The two key indicators of this is 1) it is worse in the extremities, feet, hands, head, and 2) it is worse late at night. Both true for me.
Greg.

Hi gregf, thank you for your reply. I am not on tricyclics, nor am I on fish oil at the moment. I suspect it is more related to allergies, but this does not mean that a viral infection is not the ultimate cause. Your description of "prickly itch" is fairly good, but sometimes it feels like a very big ant has bitten me - rarely, but it does happen. I am just waiting to see the looks in people's eyes when someone finally sees me jump from the sensation. I can imagine them thinking something like "that crazy old guy, what is wrong with him?!"

I am a very long term patient. The problem has got worse over time. Twenty years ago all I had was furious itching on the sides of my fingers. Now it is up to my elbows and knees, and occasionally scalp. Just recently it has happened a few times on my torso.

Bye
Alex

 

[Waverunner]

Regarding the itching: You could try taking bath with either sea salt or epsom salt.

And regarding the swelling: I get problems with swelling when eating much potatoes.

(Your mileage may vary...)

I get swelling from eating potatoes too and from too much salad. Any idea why potatoes cause it?

 

[Jemal]

It kept getting worse for me until I was scratching even my head. Then I started eliminating things to see if that helped. Bingo. It was 90% reduced when I stopped taking Tricyclate anti-depressant.

I stopped taking Tricyclate anti-depressants 2 weeks ago... so hopefully that will eliminate the itching for me then!

 

[bedman]

I had it too months before my cfs started. it started after i got rid of a throat infection. dont know what it was. possibly immune-related (histamin, macrophages?)