Guest guest Posted November 18, 1998 Report Share Posted November 18, 1998 Hi All Just want to let you all know that I am getting relief from the itch from hell. I am taking (2) Zyrtec in the morning and usually during the evening I have to take some Hydroxyzine to get me thru the night. I want to thank you all who answered my posts; they really made me feel lots better to know that I'm not alone. Has anyone heard from Joyce; I do hope that she is getting all the help that she needs. I'll keep her in my prayers. Sweet Dreams and Peaceful Days to All Louise 49 - Winton, CA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 1999 Report Share Posted January 8, 1999 > Piper wrote: > > I have been following the group messages for six weeks or so now and > have only come across hints that persistent itching might be part of > rls. As the result of things I have learned from all of you, I > tapered myself off Sinemet (beause of rebound) and replaced it with > Ultram which I already had for another problem. So far the Ultram > seems to be working pretty well. A week or so before Christmas, > however, I had another attack of itchiness that was confined mostly > to my right forearm. The resulting scrapes in my skin appeared to be > infected so I got a prescription for an antibiotic by telephone before > we left town for the holidays. The infection appeared to clear up, > but the itching got worse. Someone suggested Benadryl gel and that > seemed to help some. The only other thing that helped was rubbing my > arm with ice to the point that the skin went numb. This week I > finally saw a dermatologist who said to stop the Benadryl which was > probably making things worse and use an extra strength cortisone-type > ointment which he prescribed. That helped some. What I have noticed > is that, no matter what I do, the itching comes back strong in the > late afternoon and gets progressively worse. The Ultram at bedtime > knocks it out, but about three hours later I am awake with really > intense itching and rls. The itch feels like I am being stabbed with > needles. This afternoon I took an Ultram when it started. I got > about three hours of not much discomfort. Tonight I am going to take > another Ultram as soon as I wake up and see if that gets me through > the night. > > I'm really not sure how long I've had rls, but I suspect since > childhood. I don't think insomnia is common among six year olds, and > I can remember having that. The itching has also been a long term > problem. It is often worse in the winter when my skin gets dry, but > it doesn't ever leave me. It isn't always as intense as it has been > lately, but this has happened before. Last time I wound up with a > staph infection. When that cleared up with antibiotics the intensity > of the itch faded. > > I would really appreciate hearing from others about this problem. I > have appreciated Dr. Levin's comments on questions others have > raised. Can you comment on this, Dr. Levin. Thanks to all of you for > sharing your experiences with rls. It has helped me a lot, and there > are still a number of things I want to try. I'm taking it slow, > however, in hopes that that will help me figure out what remedies have > what effect. That's all for now. Hi As you have found, itching can be a maddening symptom, both for the patient and for the doc trying to treat it. The complication of secondary bacterial infection, especially Staphylococcus, is very common. It is almost always associated with excoriation of the skin due to scratching and some believe that there is a localized reduction in immune protection in the affected area. Your description of localized itching in your right forearm makes so-called eczematous dermatitis unlikely, this being one of the commonest types of skin disease associated with itching. Also, your description of the itching as feeling like pins and needles is not in keeping with the usual way people describe their itching. Almost all itching gets worse as the day progresses and is at its peak at night. While " itching " is not a typical symptom of RLS, skin paresthesias (mine feel like pins and needles) can involve any part of the body in RLS. With me, the appearance of skin paresthesias usually heralds a bout of typical RLS symptoms within 10-15 minutes. It is a signal to get active to abort the RLS attack. Just getting involved with something that needs my active participation usually works. This is tough to do when you are doing nothing but trying to fall asleep. While Ultram works for some RLS patients, it is far from universal in its effectiveness. I would suggest giving Mirapex a try at 0.125 mg three times a day to see if it relieves your RLS and to also see what effect it has on your itching. Also, the time-honored ways of treating itching due to dry skin would be helpful. No long hot showers or baths, increasing the humidity in the house, patting yourself dry with a towel instead of rubbing, using a skin moisturizer in bath water, etc. I have a sneaking feeling that your skin symptoms and your RLS are related and that adequately treating your RLS may well solve your problems, at least I hope so. Dr. Levin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 1999 Report Share Posted January 8, 1999 > Piper wrote: > > I have been following the group messages for six weeks or so now and > have only come across hints that persistent itching might be part of > rls. As the result of things I have learned from all of you, I > tapered myself off Sinemet (beause of rebound) and replaced it with > Ultram which I already had for another problem. So far the Ultram > seems to be working pretty well. A week or so before Christmas, > however, I had another attack of itchiness that was confined mostly > to my right forearm. The resulting scrapes in my skin appeared to be > infected so I got a prescription for an antibiotic by telephone before > we left town for the holidays. The infection appeared to clear up, > but the itching got worse. Someone suggested Benadryl gel and that > seemed to help some. The only other thing that helped was rubbing my > arm with ice to the point that the skin went numb. This week I > finally saw a dermatologist who said to stop the Benadryl which was > probably making things worse and use an extra strength cortisone-type > ointment which he prescribed. That helped some. What I have noticed > is that, no matter what I do, the itching comes back strong in the > late afternoon and gets progressively worse. The Ultram at bedtime > knocks it out, but about three hours later I am awake with really > intense itching and rls. The itch feels like I am being stabbed with > needles. This afternoon I took an Ultram when it started. I got > about three hours of not much discomfort. Tonight I am going to take > another Ultram as soon as I wake up and see if that gets me through > the night. > > I'm really not sure how long I've had rls, but I suspect since > childhood. I don't think insomnia is common among six year olds, and > I can remember having that. The itching has also been a long term > problem. It is often worse in the winter when my skin gets dry, but > it doesn't ever leave me. It isn't always as intense as it has been > lately, but this has happened before. Last time I wound up with a > staph infection. When that cleared up with antibiotics the intensity > of the itch faded. > > I would really appreciate hearing from others about this problem. I > have appreciated Dr. Levin's comments on questions others have > raised. Can you comment on this, Dr. Levin. Thanks to all of you for > sharing your experiences with rls. It has helped me a lot, and there > are still a number of things I want to try. I'm taking it slow, > however, in hopes that that will help me figure out what remedies have > what effect. That's all for now. Hi As you have found, itching can be a maddening symptom, both for the patient and for the doc trying to treat it. The complication of secondary bacterial infection, especially Staphylococcus, is very common. It is almost always associated with excoriation of the skin due to scratching and some believe that there is a localized reduction in immune protection in the affected area. Your description of localized itching in your right forearm makes so-called eczematous dermatitis unlikely, this being one of the commonest types of skin disease associated with itching. Also, your description of the itching as feeling like pins and needles is not in keeping with the usual way people describe their itching. Almost all itching gets worse as the day progresses and is at its peak at night. While " itching " is not a typical symptom of RLS, skin paresthesias (mine feel like pins and needles) can involve any part of the body in RLS. With me, the appearance of skin paresthesias usually heralds a bout of typical RLS symptoms within 10-15 minutes. It is a signal to get active to abort the RLS attack. Just getting involved with something that needs my active participation usually works. This is tough to do when you are doing nothing but trying to fall asleep. While Ultram works for some RLS patients, it is far from universal in its effectiveness. I would suggest giving Mirapex a try at 0.125 mg three times a day to see if it relieves your RLS and to also see what effect it has on your itching. Also, the time-honored ways of treating itching due to dry skin would be helpful. No long hot showers or baths, increasing the humidity in the house, patting yourself dry with a towel instead of rubbing, using a skin moisturizer in bath water, etc. I have a sneaking feeling that your skin symptoms and your RLS are related and that adequately treating your RLS may well solve your problems, at least I hope so. Dr. Levin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.