Itchy skin

I very definitely had some sort of skin breakout about my trunk, waistlind and a bit on my face.

I also got so much itching on my back that I bought a few back-scratchers (highly recommended btw) for different rooms about the house!

I didn't notice any location-specific correlation between the brekout and the itching, though they were within the same geography of my hide more or less.

All this in the earlier stages of pmr, I think mostly during the several difficult months I went un-treated.

So I don't blame the prednisone in my case, but the pmr itself.

Could your skin have become much drier?  I find that it itches very annoyingly unless I treat it to a daily dose of moisturiser. Skin does become drier and thinner with age anyway and taking steroids does not help.

Yes!!  When my PMR first flared up, I had a very itchy patch on the top of my back, which was made all the worse by not being able to lift my painful arms to scratch it!  I would literally use what I could find as a scratching post.  This has improved over time, but still has it's moments.  

Hi Gail,

My itching seems to travel from one part of my body to another

particularly lower legs and the whole of my back.

I find that showering twice a day in a very hot shower and not using

shower gel but only DERMOL which is a cream obtainable from your doctor

in 1/2 Litre pumping containers. I dont't rub hard when toweling dry.

For the rest of 12 hours after doing this I am Itch free.

I hope this works for you too Gail.

Good luck

Tony

 

In the early stages of PMR I had a constant rash which eventually would become totally weeping and disgusting in some areas. I eventually worked out it was due to a wheat allergy because I tried an Atkins diet to see if I could lose weight and it went away - until we were on holiday in Italy and I ate wheat products again! Happened every time so it was hardly rocket science. I gave up wheat - the hard durum sort used for bread and pasta is the main culprit. It isn't gluten - I can eat rye, spelt, kamut with no problem. i can even eat bread in France - they use a different sort of wheat.

It went away with higher doses of pred and returned once I got to lower levels if I eat wheat of the wrong sort. I've discussed it with a coeliac specilaist - he feels it is likely to be part of the autoimmune disorder having damaged the gut wall and allowing certain things get through that shouldn't. No wheat = no problem for me but occasional I decide something is worth itching for - and when I do it is the same areas you mention that the rash appears on. It doesn't appear immediately, it takes a few days, and goes away fairly quickly if I don't repeat the sinning! Eat wheat regularly over a longer period and the rash spread further and is more intense. Cortisone cream helps the itch, something called trimovate seems even better for some reason!

My grandfather had PMR - judging by the symptoms at least - and I remember him leaning against the door post to scratch his back!