Why am I itching???????

[ny biker]

Well either the prednisone finally kicked in or the histamines finally ran their course. Sunday night was much better than Saturday - still had some rash on my legs and feet but was pretty much clear otherwise. Last night I had a little itching here and there but just kept taking all the antihistamines and this morning I only had one small red spot when I woke up. I managed to wear underwear most of the day yesterday with no rash around the tight elastic parts. I worked from home yesterday but am dressed and at work today. Although I am still high from the most recent dose of benedryl...

If it wasn't so uncomfortable, I'd say this was very interesting to see the pattern of the rash, what with it starting on my torso and ending on the extremities. You could see the reaction working its way through my body.

I have an appointment with an allergist/immunologist next Tuesday. Should be interesting. Dianyla's post was informative but kinds of depressing.

Thanks for all your help and concern!

[Dianyla]

I have an appointment with an allergist/immunologist next Tuesday. Should be interesting. Dianyla's post was informative but kinds of depressing.

Don't be depressed. If you had a genetic problem with being able to metabolize histamine, you would have had this as a lifelong condition. That you've been fine in the past and this is sneaking up on you may point more towards a slowly worsening nutrient deficiency that is easily solved.

I rarely get hives anymore, as long as I avoid consuming too many foods high in histamine/additives/colorings and take enough vitamin B6. When I'm feeling sick or stressed, I try to take a little more care with what I eat, just can't go hog wild on beer and pizza. It's a lot better than a true allergy to something like peanuts or shellfish.

[Norse]

I feel your itching pain as I am now in WEEK 4 of itching madness! After one week, I went to urgent care and was given topical steroid cream and prednisone. The dr. said it was atopic dermatitis, aka eczema, caused by who knows what. I have had hives before, allergic reactions to the adhesive in band aids, seasonal allergies... but never this. The itching is awful! I took the prednisone, and it cleared up, for a few days, and then came back. I had a big 4-day bike event upcoming and an awful last training ride, that I attributed to the drugs and heat here so I swore off any more drugs until after the ride. During the actual riding part, hours in the saddle, I was fine. Not until in the evening after I was cleaned up would the itching return each night.

It started in my ankles (I thought it was gnat bites at first), moved up my legs, and is now on legs, arms and, of all places, outer part of ears. Nothing on my torso or face. I was allergy tested several years ago - negative to everything. I have an appointment with a new dermatologist next week. Meanwhile, I get some relief by a daily baking soda/sea salt bath (soap only on my underarms), followed by applications of jojoba oil and then aloe vera gel; sometimes an aveeno soak before bed (but that does not seem to work as well as baking soda/salt), a dab now and then of the steroid cream (I am trying to avoid it) and a bedtime benadryl. The urgent care doc said it was not food caused as it would not last that long (had it a week when I saw him). This is maddening and depressing to know that, the older I get, the more things I am allergic to.

[ny biker]

I feel your itching pain as I am now in WEEK 4 of itching madness! After one week, I went to urgent care and was given topical steroid cream and prednisone. The dr. said it was atopic dermatitis, aka eczema, caused by who knows what. I have had hives before, allergic reactions to the adhesive in band aids, seasonal allergies... but never this. The itching is awful! I took the prednisone, and it cleared up, for a few days, and then came back. I had a big 4-day bike event upcoming and an awful last training ride, that I attributed to the drugs and heat here so I swore off any more drugs until after the ride. During the actual riding part, hours in the saddle, I was fine. Not until in the evening after I was cleaned up would the itching return each night.

It started in my ankles (I thought it was gnat bites at first), moved up my legs, and is now on legs, arms and, of all places, outer part of ears. Nothing on my torso or face. I was allergy tested several years ago - negative to everything. I have an appointment with a new dermatologist next week. Meanwhile, I get some relief by a daily baking soda/sea salt bath (soap only on my underarms), followed by applications of jojoba oil and then aloe vera gel; sometimes an aveeno soak before bed (but that does not seem to work as well as baking soda/salt), a dab now and then of the steroid cream (I am trying to avoid it) and a bedtime benadryl. The urgent care doc said it was not food caused as it would not last that long (had it a week when I saw him). This is maddening and depressing to know that, the older I get, the more things I am allergic to.

Oh that's terrible. I hope you find relief soon.

FWIW I know someone whose daughter has had problems with excema and the doctor told her to grease the kid up with Aquaphor, which seemed to work.

[OakLeaf]

During the actual riding part, hours in the saddle, I was fine. Not until in the evening after I was cleaned up would the itching return each night.

That's the wonderful thing about the immune suppressive effect of exercise. When the ragweed pollen's high, I never want to get off my bike.

The urgent care doc said it was not food caused as it would not last that long (had it a week when I saw him). This is maddening and depressing to know that, the older I get, the more things I am allergic to.

Unless it's a food that you are still taking in. Have you done a challenge diet recently? Especially if you're continuing to develop new allergies, you may need to go onto a rotation diet. HUGE PITA, but totally worth it if your immune system is still developing new allergies.

[Norse]

Unless it's a food that you are still taking in. Have you done a challenge diet recently? Especially if you're continuing to develop new allergies, you may need to go onto a rotation diet. HUGE PITA, but totally worth it if your immune system is still developing new allergies.

Ugh, that does sound like a huge PITA. No, not really, except that I did try laying off milk the past week (mostly giving up my daily lattes in favor of black coffee). No difference. I have noticed that I am having immediate reactions to skin contact with certain plants in the backyard. A few nights ago I picked green beans for dinner - within literally 5 minutes of coming in the house, my forearms, which had contact with the green bean leaves - broke out. Last night I went out to tend, very briefly, to the tomato plants - my legs had a slight outburst after that. However, I can't think of any gardening activities that I was doing when I first started itching 4 weeks ago.

Thanks for the Aquaphor tip ny biker. I hope that you are feeling better soon.

[OakLeaf]

Tomato leaves are a common irritant, but if you're reacting to a lot of different kinds of leaves, it might not be the plants at all, but airborne molds that have settled on the leaves?

[Norse]

Tomato leaves are a common irritant, but if you're reacting to a lot of different kinds of leaves, it might not be the plants at all, but airborne molds that have settled on the leaves?

I don't know, but I certainly wish I did. I am hoping the dermatologist might have some ideas. I do know the pollen counts have been high.