Itchy skin

[CathieT]

Hi I have suffered with poly myalgia for about four years. Having been prescribed predisalone 20mg daily the pains went away and I am on a very very slow reduction, now only 1.5 mg daily. Six months ago I started with patches of itchy skin, sides of hands, hairline and round my eyes.

GP thought it was eczema and using a steroid cream has helped a lot. Read something on a recent post about itchiness and wondered if there could be a connection with either my polymyalgia or my medication? Thanks Cathie

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Several of us have found that getting to lower doses of pred coincides with allergies that have previously disappeared at higher doses reappearing. I developed a wheat allergy at about the same time PMR symptoms started, the local gut specialist was of the opinion it was "leaky gut syndrome" which at that time was still highly disputed but is now though to be part of chronic autoinflammatory disorders.

What sort of patches are they? Could they be psoriasis? Sometimes it isn't obvious and psoriatic arthritis can present looking like PMR.

[CathieT in reply to PMRpro]

Dry skin, red, puffy round eye.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to CathieT]

Just dry skin? No plaques? If the GP isn't much help, maybe there is a GP with an interest in dermatology?

[Daffodilia]

I had antihistamine tabs and betnovate cream from gp - use aveenocream everyday now - good luck

[alangg]

I had some itchy skin patches when I was reducing Pred. My GP prescribed Dermol Cream (500g) and said to use it instead of soap when washing. After a few weeks, the patches went but I don't know whether they would have gone naturally or whether the cream was the key factor. I carried on using it though as, being in a pump action dispenser, it was much easier than soap!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to alangg]

Soap should be banned!!!! Removes all the natural oils in skin that are there to keep your skin healthy - and then people spend a fortune on moisturisers!!

[South123]

Just sounds like Atopic eczema. I have had it for 30 years before and after Polymyagia. If the cream works then use it and wash with something like Dermol and not soap. Even if the cause was identified you are not going to change your pred medication so just continue to use the cream.

[CathieT]

Thank you so much for your advice and support. Now got a mild steroid cream and things are improving. Still no idea if connected with my polymyalgia or my pred but good to hear from you all Thanks Cathie

[Flosy]

Hi.i started having itchy skin,around my chest and arms.its has spread to my legs,and round my bum area.was going som steroid cream,it sort of worked,but it keeps coming back and it's annoying.

[AtopicGuy]

Whenever I've been on prednisolone, my eczema clears up and I stop using steroid cream, As I taper, the eczema flares up temporarily when I drop by too much in one go (eg. from 15 to 10mg/dy). When I reach 5mg/dy or below, I have to restart my daily routine.

[Nagswoman]

At the beginning of my journey, which I believe to be early March 2011, I had sudden onset incredible pain plus "patches". The patches were diagnosed as psoriasis. The pain was fobbed off. A private sports physiotherapist suggested leaky gut. Doctors fobbed that off too. I gave up on creams and potions and discussed Vit D with a GP. He was all for it, said he could not prescribe it and that research suggested D could work. I had to buy a very high dose from Am...n and 3 weeks later all of the patches had cleared up. Move on 5 years and GCA set in. They had been certain that I had cancer until they saw the PET/CT...That was when GCA plus PMR finally got diagnosed.

Don't be fobbed off.