OMG. So this is the newest thing and most horrible. Comes out of now where, but I have this incredible itch all over. My head, my face (feels like hair moving across my face, arms.......everywhere. It is not dry skin. It is just this terrible , terrible itching sensation and things crawling all over. I am getting more and more anxious as I feel I may loose my mind. I had it yesterday, then went to bed. I know it stopped after I went to sleep cause I never woke up. Fine this morning, then at work, it starts!!!! I am sitting here now and it feels like stuff crawling on my face and my scalp itches. HELP Anything like this happen to anyone else. What helps??????

I get the same thing every so often. Mostly on my head ,people probably think I have head lice or some thing . Then it just goes away for awhile . I dont understand it but I want it to stop.

I itch in every inch of my body including my eyes almost everyday. Nothing has helped Ive tried a hudmifier and expensive body lotion thinking it was just dry skin but nothing has helped. Yea its a crawling itch. its terrible. Wish I has some advice.

Lara

Dear 'jhawley
Have had this.At one point I seriously though I had lice so got everyone examining my scalp.It is called Formication and often makes its presence known during the Menopause.
An anti-histamine should help and avoid scented soaps and shampoos.
It will go away eventually
Try Benadryl.It is quite effective
All the Best
Elizabeth

JHawley,

I had this too at one point during the time I was suffering from my worst symptoms. Mine was mainly on my left arm from the shoulder to my elbow. I scratched so much I would often bleed. NOTHING helped. It would get worse just before my P and it subsided a little during. It finally went away for about 7 months if I remember correctly, only to come back with a vengence. At that time it affected both arms. Occasionally, my head and neck itched the same as the others described. Then it all abruptly ended again. Then it came back again, only it was my on my back.

I read where Suzanne Somers had this on her leg and was one of her more troublesome symptoms.

At any rate, unlike some of the other women who say that antihistamine's helped them, they did nothing for me.

My "itchies" are gone at this time, hopefully never to return. I do have the dry skin itch that is associated with lessening estrogen levels, but this I can deal with. It's nothing compared to the itching so bad that you scratch til you bleed.

Hang in there, it gets better.

Hugs,
Susan

Hi Susan,

I have the same thing on my left arm too -- it's absolutely driving me crazy! From the shoulder to the elbow...in the front. I've had it happen before in the last few years. Seems to be more of a late summer thing. The first time I tried rx steroid creams, acupuncture, then coconut oil. The combination of all these seemed to help...it went away. Now it's back again -- the coconut oil isn't working this time...but then the last time I did use more treatments than just the coconut oil. I just bought some Sarna cream at Walgreen's -- that helps a little.

What's funny is that my DIL who is 2mos pregnant is experiencing the same thing. Plus she has that queasy stomach that lasts all day on top of the itching. ugh. AND...she has a 16mo old to take care of. She said she would gladly take the queasy over the itching. It wakes her up at night and she has to apply ice packs on it.

This itching thing is OBVIOUSLY hormone related...but to which hormone do we attribute it to ? I've been googling...but I just can't seem to find an ANSWER...seems other women have experienced it, but don't know what EXACTLY is causing it.

I'll let you know if I figure something out...and PLEASE...do the same if you figure something out.

Best wishes,
Jann

YES! YES! I tried benadryl, and it worked!!!

Cris

Thank God! I am not going crazy. I too have developed this insane itch that starts on the front side of my shoulder down my left arm. It doesn't quite reach my elbow. Last night it was after 2:00 a.m. before I went to sleep because the itch was unbearable. I used ice then heat plus took Benadryl. There is nothing there no rash, no bumps not a thing. It sometimes burns a little sorta like a light sunburn feels. I have tried all sorts of over the counter things such as Gold Bond and cortisone cream. I have always been a lotion user (since a teenager) and I put it on faithfully every day after I shower. I really don't think my skin is all that dry. I thought at first maybe I was getting shingles or something. I don't dare go to the doctor cause they will just think I am nuts. LOL

Stephanie

omg,this is a symptom I have had for a few years now and never realised it was connected to the Menopause....
I thought it was eczema which I had in my teens ,but my skin doesnt even look dry,its more a 'crawling'
I seem to have it around my neck and head and back tops of arms,it comes lasts about 10-15 mins then goes,but I end up getting a fork to scratch my back which is where it itches the worst!!!

Hi.

What is it with the left arm? I've had itching there for the past few years, right near the elbow, even though I have never had dry skin before. I've also recently gotten horrible itching and burning on the front of my left leg whenever I have it exposed to the sun. Again, this never happened before.

I've actually found that Weleda's sea buckthorn oil cream seems to help with the itching. It smells like oranges, but smells better than Aubrey's sea buckthorn oil, which smells pretty bad. This stuff is all natural and really seems to help with the itching.

Gail

HI Gail,

Thanks for the tip on Weleda's sea buckthorn oil -- I'm going to check into getting some. I'll try ANYTHING at this point. The fact that it smells good is going to be a bonus.

But getting back to the real question --- yea....what's up with the left arm ? Is there something special about it that it reacts differently? I've gotten to where I've scratched so much I've developed little pin-point sores. I'm sure if I went to the doctor they'd say 'oh...it's this little spot that's bothering you?" When in fact there is NOTHING there...no dry skin....nothing. It's my scratching that makes anything even visible. It's like it's under the skin layer...I keep rubbing it. Ice packs seem to be the best to actually STOP me from feeling the need to scratch...but I can't walk around with an ice pack strapped to my arm all day. At night in bed it helps.

OK -- so now we have a few of us all searching for the answer. We have to do a 'pinkie swear' to come back and share what we find out.

Jann

Yes have been itching now for off and on for over 8 years now what a pain. It's my arms also but from the elbow to the wrist. And I also stratch till it bleeds sometimes. I find the sun helps alot and my skin is never dry. Just another wonderful pain in the %@# part of mental pause. Thank god the word pause is in there as we all know that it will come to an end.
Just to go off on an other avenue I have three girl friends that are going thru divorces or seperations due to this whole hormonal issue what a pain. Thank goodness I married a good one. haha
Hope everyone has a nice day.
Cheers
Queen Bee

I remember that my mother used to scratch her arms until they bled, but I just thought it was due to generic dry skin. I never knew I'd be doing the same thing!

Gail

Hi Stephanie,

I thought I would let you know that I think I've figured out this 'itchy arm' thing. I started a new thread:

http://www.power-surge.com/php/forums/inde...showtopic=23486


Jann