Itchy skin

Posted , 8 users are following.

Does anyone have experience with itchiness? It seems like I experienced this before when either reducing or increasing Pred but I didn't pay close attention. It is pretty intense now and looks almost like a rash although I think that is from my SCRATCHING. I am at 6 mg. coming down gradually. The itching is all on my abdomen on either side-- rib cage. I realize it could be many things but thought I would ask to see what others thought.Thanks.

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5 Replies

  • Posted

    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.

  • Posted

    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.
  • Posted

    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.  
  • Posted

    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

     

  • Posted

    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!

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