does anyone get itchy legs before a period

[Hannah78]

hi, does anyone else get itchy legs before their periods are due?

if so im told its a hormonal imbalance but im not sure what i am deficient in?

any help or advise?

[Tboag]

I get itcy legs and nose when I take naproxen or tramadol, do you take anything different around that time, x

[Hannah78 in reply to Tboag]

No I don't take anything that could make it an allergic reaction doctors say it's hormones

[Hidden]

Yes I do but foolishly I hadn't really made the connection before. It doesn't happen every 'month' but when it does it drives me nuts!

[Hope23]

I get itchy all over just before I come on! Never asked the doctor about it as I just put it down to hormone surges! But yes it is annoying. It's a sure sign my period is on its way though! Xx

[Hannah78]

Yes I wanted to know if it was a surge of progesterone or low estrogen x

[DSan in reply to Hannah78]

Hi Hannah, yes I've also suffered from itchy legs. Having googled it, it's called Autoimmune Progesterone Dermatitis, the most common complaint is itchiness and it occurs during your luteal phase when you have a progesterone surge so after ovulation before your cycle starts again. It's worse in women who take progesterone pills. I also feel quite dry 'down below'sometimes before my period begins.

[Brownlow]

Do they itch on the skin or does the itch feel more internal/muscular in a way that makes you fidget? It does sound related to hormones and high oestrogen can cause itchy skin. Is this what your GP told you?

However, it could be a number of deficiencies but vitamin D is the one that is often implicated. Our bodies only manufacture it when we get sun exposure which is zero at this time of year. Do you recall getting itchy in the summer? Did you get sunshine for about 30 mins without sunscreen most days in the summer?

I have found the best way to supplement with vitamin D is a spray that you squirt under your tongue. That method is more effective at getting it into your bloodstream. I use one by Better You, a company in Yorkshire. In your healthfood shop and Holland & Barrett or on their website.

Iron could also be a possibility.

Ideally, try to get tested by your GP. The optimal ranges they use are sometimes too conservative. Get the results from them and research the optimal ranges online.

Try to use soap with as few chemicals as possible. Dove isn't too bad. I use Dr. Bronners liquid castille soap or soap bars. After a shower moisturise with coconut oil (cold pressed, it's like a wax but melts on your skin). This is very pure and has no chemicals that could irritate.

You could also take oatmeal baths. There is something in oats that soothes inflammation. Grind in a food processor and add to your bath.

[Hannah78 in reply to Brownlow]

HI thank you for this, i take vitamin D3 and iron for years so i dont think it is this but thank you anyway

[Brownlow in reply to Hannah78]

I think too much iron can also make skin itch.

I used to get itchy patches on the front of my legs and at the top of my spine. Within a few weeks of completely overhauling what I ate and drank all the itching disappeared. The skin absorbs things but it is also an organ by which toxins are eliminated from the body. If there's itching or rashes then it can mean that perhaps toxins are building up in the body that the liver is unable to cope with or the intestines are unable to eliminate for various reasons. The alternative route is via the skin. So I also did things to support the liver and cut out things like alcohol and sugar etc. and ate a pretty 'clean' diet. This also reduced potential allergens which can also be a reason for itching.

I now dry brush my skin every day before a shower which helps get the lymphatic system moving (also a route for toxins to get moved out of the body) and clears away dead skin. I didn't recommend this for you because I don't know what state your skin is in. Obviously if it's sore then brushing would not be a great idea. But I find this helped a lot.

I hope you find the answer that works for you.

[dabba76]

I get itchy during the night I wake up itching all over legs, arms, tummy, back. I finished my period 5 days ago. Always thought it was hormones x