Is itching a symptom?

[ookla]

My legs have been itchy, but I always thought it was a side effect from the meds. Now that I'm not on any meds and I still feel the need to scratch my legs (which oddly went away when I was on amitriptyline), I'm wondering if maybe it's another RLS symptom. Anyone else feel like they need to scratch their legs?

[pineapple_head]

Hello. I really don't know because this doesn't happen to me. Could it be eczema? Do you have a rash or not? If you don't it could be from your nervous system. I think a neurologist would be able to advise. Have you ever seen one?

[ookla in reply to pineapple_head]

no, no rash. i'll mention it to him. i've had an mri of my brain before and it was negative.

[Mundesley]

I frequently get itching but on my head and neck. Thought it was a side effect of the meds and I still got it with amitriptyline.

[ookla in reply to Mundesley]

have you found anything that makes it go away? have you tried benadryl?

[Jaynielynne in reply to ookla]

very bad for rls. rlshelp.org

[gypsy49]

Hi ookla

I always start itching like mad when trying to get to sleep usually a sign I'm in for a bad night with RLS which is every night lol don't think it's anything to do with meds as I didn't before I even started meds as a child , not sure about anyone else but just how it is with me ,

[Jaynielynne in reply to gypsy49]

Pain medicines make people itch. Some severely.

[Walkie1973 in reply to gypsy49]

Yes I'm the same I itch and scratch from head to toe, and did so even before I was prescribed Ropinrole ( 1mg ). I just concluded it was all part and parcel of the RLS and it's involuntary movements. Had a bad case of the itching last night which interrupted my sleep - today I feel so drowsy and to top it off I'm also getting pain in my digit joints ( left hand small finger and left foot two smallest toes ) and the usual leg aches especially at the bottom of my Extensor Digitorum Longus muscles ( left leg ). This isn't unusual for me though as I get a lot of varied aches and pains usually from the waist down and also the burning feet sensation.

I'm now beginning to think some form of arthritic pain could be to blame.

[Vrnzjwl in reply to gypsy49]

I have been dealing with RLS for a while now and I was looking to see if there was any association with itching also. I didn't make the connection until just recently but my skin is so itchy anymore when I lay down at night to try to fall asleep.

[Hidden]

I too get the leg itch, but can't say whether it's a side effect of the meds (Neuro patch & Gabapentin) or not. In my case the itch is a precursor to feeling something like a mild electric shock in (or being tickled on) the soles of my feet, and if in bed means getting up and doing something to take my mind off it. I find that sitting on a hard stool and reading or something for a while, i.e. with pressure on the leg nerve endings, alleviates the problem. Quite often if I feel an itch in - say - my right leg, if I lay on my right side (which again pressurises the leg muscles) the RLS is neutered. Good luck to you.

[Vrnzjwl in reply to Hidden]

The itching seems to be something that goes along with RLS. I just made the association recently I was having so much iching going on I thought it was winter weather. But then summer came and my skin still itched like crazy. I don't take any medications, this is all just very distressing. My mother had Parkinson's disease so of course my big fear is that this will be something that leads into that. I sure hope not.

[nellycat]

yes ookla scratch myself sore some nights mainly lower legs have been taking ropinerol for some time now but soles of feet burn during night and twitchy legs kick in literally in the early hours drives me mad tried all sorts of remedies do hope youre managing to get some sllep good luck

[Hidden]

legs are itchy to such a degree than I tear at my skin but no rash on legs (it usually wakes me from sleep) my other half yells at me to stop but once I get started the itch seems to become more intense and therefore I scratch even more I didn't realise that this was a side effect of the RLS though so thank you for posting

[wsjulz]

Yes my feet, ankles and calves get really itchy and I want to scratch them. They also get really hot. It comes on when I go to bed.