Itchy skin

salamander

To those who don't know me, I have RA, have been taking Cimzia but stopped a month ago and am on Pred. I have terribly dry and itchy skin all the time. I use gallons of Epaderm and other emollients and it helps a bit.

Does anyone else get this?

dreamdaisy

I'm very spotty and itchy at the moment so moisturise well with aqueous cream. I don't get on with E45 or any of the 'specialist' creams, I stick to lanolin-free and unperfumed stuff and the aqueous is the best of the bunch for me. I hope it eases soon - what about asking your GP is you could take an anti-histamine such as Piriton? I find that helps me a great deal from time to time, especially when the dreaded meth rash strikes. DD

tiggernut

Goes with the RA unfortunately. Also goes with under active thyroid. I have both.
I use Simple Intensive Derma relief cream it's thicker than the other simple moisturiser. Aqueous is also good you can wash with that as well.
Anita.

stickywicket

My skin got dry once I went on meth. When in hospital once a nurse used Diprobath - one capful per bath. I rarely need a cream now but it is quite expensive.

woodbon

Hi, I get itchy across my neck and shoulders, its a strange kind of itch and only on my chest back of neck and top of arms. Theres nothing to see, no spots or anything, a few scraches from my nails! :shock: Its in the same place, roughly that I get really bad pain and after much thought and use of creams, I wonder if its the nerve endings causing it, a sort of, not quite pain, if you know what I mean.
I don't think I've put that very well, but I can't think of any other way to discribe my itch, yours may be completly different, I just thought it might be useful to know! :oops: Heads all over the place today!!! Hope you get it sorted, my GP reccommended E45 or aquious. Love Sue

jillyb1

Very itchy here in sussex too ; it's part of the RA package ! I use lashings of E45 moisturiser from head to ( and including ) toes . Jillyb

julie47

I am an ra'er and I have itchy dry arms.
I use bio oil.

Juliepf x

CJHunter

Hiya, have you changed any soap powders etc, the reason for asking my o/h gets this if we do , she doesnt have arthur??

I cant use E45 as makes me itch even more. Try a mild moisturiser maybe??

spacey

I was on high dose steroids and immuno suppresants for nearly 8 years and when I came off of them had horrible side effects of what I called crispy skin. I found that olive oil worked the best - I couldnt tolerate anything else and it did help with the itching and dryness. Both my children were premature and in special care both had olive oil ribbed in to their dry skin by the nurses too. Hope this helps.

woodbon

Hi, I had to switch to a different shower gel the Simple one. Its clear, more expensive and boring, but it does help with the itching for me. Love Sue xxx

salamander

Oh my goodness! So many of you have this problem! Didn't realise it went with the territory, as someone put it.

Thanks for all your replies and tips. I find the Epaderm quite good and put Oilatum in the bath but still itch. I find the labels on the back of clothes drive me mad and have to cut them out. Ditto metal zips, though my trousers will fall down if I cut those out (ha! ha!)

I use sensitive washing powder and no soap. I will follow up your suggestions and see where I go from here.

xx

dingbat77

I use Eucerin & Cebrutin moisturisers as have patches of very dry skin side of face and around nose, behind ears also get break out of itchy patches of red flaky skin on shoulders/chest, middle of back and legs , the patches are red little spots and flaky skin

My face is varying shades of red and keep getting comments , "been out in the sun too much again"

Dr told me this is a side effect of Rhumatoid arthritis as it effects on ones immune system.

skezier

hi Sal,

i get very itchy before a major flare and then just a bit itchy for the rest of the time. when i was on presds my skin suffered like Sapcey.... mind i got a reaction to the preds and in then end just refused to take them! them were very unkind drugs to me actually.....

i know this sounds silly but with some of mine i use good old udder cream.... something i learned when i dd the relief milking.....

it might be worth trying. nice to see you and a hope it will ease off for you. Cris xx

salamander

Thanks Dingbat & Cris! Really seems to be a problem for peeps.
I've got a baby cream from W**tro*e which is made from olive oil that I use on my face.
Googled the udder cream Cris, seems to have a lot of recommendations. Might well try some. Thanks for the tip.


Dingbat, I've always had dry patches on my face. My mum did too and she had severe osteo. Wonder if the signs for RA have been around longer than I think. I also wonder if my mother had sero-negative RA as she was in a really bad way with her joints. Hmm!

p.s. have just looked up ingredients of udder cream and a brand called 'Udderly' for humans, same ingredients, four times the price!

skezier

hi Sal,

the ordinary udder cream is as good i found.... dirt cheap as well but you do need an agricultural store. though you can get it off the net i guess?

it helped with the psoriasis on my elbows... thats how i found out about it cus the cows used to kick about and some of the cream ended up on me and i thought... i wonder..... dairy barrier cream is good as well....

The things you learn eh? udder cream really does help mine. ((((( ))))) Cris xx

salamander

that's interesting delboy. I thought it was side effect of Cimzia but haven't had any for over a month. How does the hibiscrub work? Do you just wash with it. Sorry for asking stupid question but doesn't make sense to me.