Itching

[Buckybri]

I suffer from what was mono arthritis and was told it could go 2 ways , stay at it is in my knees or go down the route of RA and I always knew it was more than in my knees anyway I’m in mtx and imraldi both in injections, but in the last three days my thumb just clicked and now in the morning and at night it clicks on the joint and doesn’t move as one it’s like it’s broke and it’s painful and all my fingers are stiff , so I’m guessing it’s going down the RA route which I knew anyway but my question is why am I itching all over ? It’s not washing powder or anything like that , does anyone know ?

[helixhelix]

It could just be a flare - have you been extra stressed or done much more than usual?

But if you’ve been well controlled on your meds for a while then it could be that they are not working so well or you’re developing a reaction to them. So make sure you tell your rheumy team and ask for advice.

[Lolabridge]

Good advice from hh and I would contact your nurse/ patient helpline to let them know.

[rabbits65]

I use E45 itch relief cream, comes in a 500g dispenser , quite expensive though , but sure you could get on prescription. However , I put mine down to allergy and not sure why, I buy piriteze tabs , I only take one if itching gets too bad. I think it can be stress and anxiety causing itching. Some days I’m ok. Having all these strange joint pains makes us all feel anxious.

[Hidden]

I think your flaring or possibly your RA is now more active. When my RA was at its worst I would itch and I had anaphylaxis my body just couldn’t cope. Your thumb could be the start of trigger thumb. Contact your team a steroid injection may get you through Christmas.. good luck

[Buckybri in reply to Hidden]

What is trigger thumb ?

[Buckybri in reply to Hidden]

Thanks just read about it , so can RA contribute to this ?

[Hidden in reply to Buckybri]

Could be if tendons are inflamed or compressed due to swelling.. it’s only a possibility

[Bon1]

Hi thereI’m in a terrible state with itching at the moment and taking double the daily dose of cetirizine. I spoke to the rheum team and my gp . They all seemed very unconcerned despite me climbing the walls! I’m putting mine down to some sort of sensitivity sparked by the ridiculous amounts of hand washing and anti bac. I find a warm bath followed by Aveeno cream helps for a while.

Bon

X

[Hidden]

I am also being driven round the bend by itching all over. Apart from R.A and many other health problems I also have eczema, but even though I am itching so badly there is no sign of eczema just now. I am not at all well at present with cellulitis and an ulcer on my leg and have been taking antibiotics for a month which finish today, so I wondered if it was them that was making me itch. However, because of taking them I have had to leave off the mtx and lefludamide as well and now, after reading about you, I wonder if a flare is starting up as I have a really bad pain in my lower back and side. I am always in pain anyway, but this is worse than usual.

I have been putting Betnovate on the worst places to itch but obviously I don't want to keep using that. Otherwise I have been using Epiderm cream which I get on prescription. Having said that, doctors now seem reluctant to prescribe things on prescription. When I am taking antibiotics, I usually get thrush and the doctors used to let me have it on prescription, but not any more and they say I have to buy it myself. This is not good as I am over pension age and would get it free on prescription.

I also take antihistamine tablets at night because the itching is worse when I get to bed and I have been having to take two at night recently but I am still itching.

I hope your itching soon calms down Bucky as I know how bad it can be.

[Leics in reply to Hidden]

I’ve found that antibiotics give me thrush too but if I have a small amount of live yogurt whilst taking antibiotics but obviously not at the same time I don’t get thrush at all. So as you’ve finished your course perhaps give it a try and hopefully it will stop thrush from starting.

[Hidden in reply to Leics]

I will remember that next time I am given antibiotics. It will be well worth it if it stops this itching.