Itchy hands and feet?

Top 203. Jan 3, 2006 1:56 AM

» brendaguiles - Itching feet is driving me nuts!

My feet itch either on the sole of my foot just under the ball (in the arch) or on the side just beneath the ankle down to the arch. This itch is so intense I want to get out a wire brush and scratch it raw!(kind of reminds me of a yeast infection?!) Anyway it starts in the evening and lasts for a few hours where eventually the itching subsides. My Aunt has been diagnosed with Lupus, I am wondering if this is some kind of symptom of Lupus? Is there any kind of relief??? HELP!!!!

Brenda

-- posted by brendaguiles

Top 204. Jan 11, 2006 12:02 PM

» rosietx1 - Itchy hands and feet... and a tingly pinky/side of hand.....

On 14 Dec we had our holiday potluck at work. That night I began itchin a little in 'crevases' (crook of arms, wrists, back of knees, between fingers n toes). I was also on OTC cold/sinus meds and went to bed early. I never gave it second thought, even when I woke up around midnight itching worse to head n torso by then), took more cold meds, & went back to bed.

However the next morning I woke up itching ALL over my bod and had hives EVERYwhere... and i do mean everywhere. Quarter-size to silver dollar sized, overlapping. Long story short - five days of this, with each day lessening a bit, mostly focusing on my head n neck - with repeat visits to the ER and a final regime of prednazone and atarax being my saving grace - though each er doc and my own pmd all had their own theories, there were no answers. Could have been anything from an allergic reaction (to what I'll never know) to stress....

However... ever since I weaned off the prednazone and atarax... the palms of my hands n the soles (arches), tops, and sides of my feet are still itchy. And on one hand, the pinky and the side-pad of the hand are tingly. It's left me kind of curious... that is how I found this site. A google search for "itchy feet".

It's always present just a little... i had to stop wearing my rings... often just an annoyance... though sometimes they itch insanely so I'm tearing at my skin like so many here have mentioned. Benadryl doesn't touch it. The benadryl cream helps a little for a short time. No lotions seems to help. Pure aloe is soothing for a shile. Lanacane (or the likes) will allow me to ignore it for a bit longer.

And of course.. the more i think about it or the more i give into it... the more the rest of me starts to itch too... though that is no doubt psychosomatic.

So this is me, adding my story to all of yours.
I must wonder - do we all just add our stories here for others to find and chime in, or will there be a solution at the end?? smile we can be hopeful.

--rosie
r.rosenberger(at)uaf.edu

-- posted by rosietx1

Top 205. Jan 12, 2006 8:02 AM

» SDAILEYSMITH - Re: Itchy hands and feet... and a tingly pinky/side of hand.....

In response to Itchy hands and feet... and a tingly pinky/side of hand..... posted by rosietx1:

Wow, I had no idea there were so many people with itchy hands. It sounds like many of these episodes were started after taking an antibiotic or steroid; however, I haven't been on steriods. I did have a hysterectomy in 2003 and my itching started in 2004. My itching can be any body part. Predominantly my hands. My left (left-handed) thumb is callused and scarred from me continually scratching and gnawing at it. Gnawing...yes, I have to use my teeth sometimes because the itch is so severe and a simple 'digging with my sharp nails' just won't work. I do also have sporadic itches that pop up for a day or more in one spot. Many times on the feet or around the ankles, but I can get it on the back of my legs as well.

I am wondering if this might have something to do with a new preservative out there or a toxin in some foods we eat.

It would be interesting to see what we all have in common and see if we couldn't remove the offending substance from our diet or surroundings or whatever it is. It sounds like some of us range between 35 - 45 yrs old. Possibly a hormonal thing?

How many of us use either Equal (aspartane) or Splenda in our drinks...sodas, coffee, tea..what not. I ask because I used Equal and New Mexico is trying to ban it because it is hazardous to our health. So I switched to Splenda.

This itching is driving me crazy. I do suffer from RMS (Repetitive Motion Syndrome) I work on a computer all day and I suffer from my hands going numb continually, so mine problems might not be related at all to others in this group of itchy hands and feet.

-- posted by SDAILEYSMITH

Top 206. Jan 16, 2006 10:43 AM

» arnilynne - My Itchy Dilemma Part 1: describing my current state

Sigh... it is comforting to not be alone in being baffled about this CRAZY ITCHINESS!!!!

History:
-itchiness started on the afternoon of Jan. 2nd while at work & has been popping up irregular till today. i think i have had 3 solid days last week when the itching didn't occur.
-this is NOT the first time I've had these itch episodes. I recall having a brief 3 day itch attack early this past fall, and then a 2 week itch attack in the spring of the same year too. prior to that, i that I've had similar itch episodes 3 other times (earliest i remember was when i was in 5th grade).
- i currently live and work in Cairo, Egypt, but had itch attacks when i was living in LA, and in Philippines. It is extremely cold here & i also recall that when i had an episode in the PI it was also quite cold.

Brief description of my condition:
-itching usually starts late afternoon or early evening. other times it comes when i wake up early in the morning.
-red, itchy lentil-sized flat-topped bumps usually start coming out around the soles of my feet, on the top of my feet and ankles. They may also come out on the palms of my hands.
-itchiness progresses and these little coins/hives (or whatever they are called) start growing in size & irregular shapes. still flat topped tho'.
- if i cant control the scratching, my legs and feet soon start resembling a blotching looking map.
- sometimes itchiness progresses upward on to my legs, thighs & bum. from my palms up on to my arms.
- during this latest bout i have managed to stop the itchy maps from spreading up but Iy torso. but I do recall when i was younger that they did come up to my back and belly.
-they usually intensify in itchiness and lasts between a crazy 10 min. up to 2 hours (depending on how much they have mushroomed and spread) of trying not to scratch myself silly they start subsiding and disappear complete. I usually take Alevert, Claratin, or Benadryl when the itchiness starts & when the anti-histamines kick in, the subsiding begins.

please let me know if you have similar symptoms as i and we can try to track down our elimination processes & "discoveries," PLEASE. i really want to get to the bottom of this and be rid of these itchies once and for all.

-- posted by arnilynne

Top 207. Jan 16, 2006 11:24 AM

» arnilynne - My Itchy Dilemma Part 2: what's helped and hasn't helped

i've been to several doctors but its useless to get a regular appointment because sometimes the itching isnt there so there is nothing to observe. i've rushed to ER with itches and then timed a dr's appt. at sunset on a day that i didnt take claratin.

Topically, the fastest itch and blotchiness reliever were these perscribed drops: Mometasone Fluroate Lotion 0.1%

Calamine Clear (bought a Rite Aid) is a nice soothing thing to also put on but does not stop the itching.

I've been prescibed Zadatrine & Phenadone & Claratin... but stopped taking the first two because i turned into this irritable, droopy-eyed, narcoleptic zombie. Currently i take 1 claratin each afternoon. on days that i forget, the itchiness will appear.

possible irritants:
during my episodes in the Philippines, my mom (who's also my dr) thought that i was allergic to dust or dustmites. but we never really tested that theory.

during my attack last spring, i had spent a day of cleaning (not wearing anything on my feet) the linolium floors and tub. my mom & i thought it may have been one of the cleaning chemicals that was the culprit.

during my current episode, the itchiness showed up like contact dermatitis. i was wearing a new pair of socks and shoes. so i assumed that it may have been those two. BUT, then my husband suggested that i may be allergic to the cleaning sol'n. we use to clean our floor. the itching has reduced since i've begun wearing slippers religiously.

my latest doctor has decided to eliminate all possible allergic culprits from my diet: no chocolate, bananas, eggs, nuts, dairy, strawberries, caramel. MY PROBLEM: its been the holidays here and i really haven't adhered to the dont eat these things rule.

i do know that i have had eggs on days when i didnt itch.

i HATE the thought of being allergic to chocolate... but my husband brought up just this evening that my itch episode started soon after a friend dropped off a huge load of (divine) swiss & german chocolates... hmmm, maybe its the nougats that are in one of the bars. but why only show up on the feet and hands?

This coming week: i will go on a complete Water & bland rice and boiled veggies. i will also make a list of all the cleaning stuff and laundry stuff we use and work from there. I hope to hear on your successes on this site.

GOOD LUCK and may we all eventually be Itch free!

-- posted by arnilynne

Top 208. Jan 30, 2006 1:09 PM

» iitchtoo - Re: My Itchy Dilemma Part 2: what's helped and hasn't helped

In response to My Itchy Dilemma Part 2: what's helped and hasn't helped posted by arnilynne:

I wonder if this is a virus or parasite of some sort. I just started having itchy hands and feet about a week ago. It usually starts up right before I go to bed and today it was first thing in the morning...started on my drive to work. I go barefoot or stocking foot a lot...and I recently used Febreeze on a carpet so thought it might be that. I have found that if I go and wash my feet in warm soapy water...I use Neutrogena it seems to subside. Also I've thought with my hands it may be a new antibacterial dishsoap I tried...a tangerine scent...smells lovely. So will go back to gloves and will wear slippers and see if that helps. Very strange that many of the symptoms people have are the same...must be something to it.

-- posted by iitchtoo

Top 209. Feb 1, 2006 3:00 AM

» linze0417 - itchy too!!!

i am also very itchy, the bottom of my fingers are red and swollen.My toes are also swollen. When I touch any other part of my body it also becomes uncontrollably itchy. I get hive-like abbrasions, but i dont know if that is from the itching or if it is really hives.
the only thing i can link it to is a cleaning product i used to clean some mold off of a window slider. i have used the cleaning product many times, but not on mold. I wasnt wearing gloves and didnt dispose of the wipe right away(this might be my mistake)
At first it was just some uncomfortable sensations on my soles of my feet, then the next night i woke up scratching all over. My palms and feet were so irritating i could'nt go back to sleep. I found that being cold helps to ease the discomfort, but i just cant stand it!
I have taken claritin, and that didnt even touch it. Creams and lotions arent any help either. I dont want this to be an on going problem, it is just so uncomfortable, I cant concentrate, or sleep this is my second night up in a row because of the itching.
It seems to get worse as the evening progresses. And since I am a college student I can get a couple of hours of sleep during the day between my classes. Ususally between the hours of 1 and 3 are the times where i have the least amount of discomfort.
It just seems a little wierd that many people are expressing the symptoms but we just cant find the link.

-- posted by linze0417

Top 210. Feb 2, 2006 4:01 AM

» coalxman - Re: My Itchy Dilemma Part 2: what's helped and hasn't helped

My symtoms are the same, top of my thumbs, wrist, ankle and side of the foot. sometimes it seems like swelling occurs for a time, have woken up because of the itching feet. I have seen some hives the size of a nickel on my chest, but are gone by morning. The reason why I am writing is I have researched this now for some time, and I think were missing some key points to focus on. The first being that I have gone days with no itching, this is a huge key.
Second they seem to be more like attacks that happen in my most restful states meaning when I am sleeping, stress free, and I am conviced that it is food related as my bout of itching started after having a cup of SWISS MOCHA very warm, so choclate - milk are on my list, so is my body temp, blood pressure. The best cure for me on the feet is standing in a tub of ice cold water untill i cannnot stand it, than i go back to sleep, oh god what a life. We need to combine forces please email me at coalxman@wowway.com thier is a common link and were missing it.

-- posted by coalxman

Top 211. Feb 2, 2006 5:55 AM

» coalxman - Re: Re: Re: itchy hands and feet

OMG - BINGO - Of course head, hands feet, itching happens at night, that is when I take a shower, So i ran to the Bathroom grabbed all the shampoos,and everyone had the God Forsaken CHemical SODIUM LAURETH. Gave it a few days no more itching.
Thank you.

-- posted by coalxman