itchy = no sleep

[turtlegurl]

Lately I have been getting extremely itchy at night.  I can stay up for hours just scratching away.  Previously, Hydroxizne or Benadryl would be enough to get me to sleep, but I think I have built up an immunity to them now.   How do you beat the itch at night???  Please let me know!  Thank you so much. 

[Bamawing]

Cold is your friend. When my hands are at their itchiest, I wet them down and let them air-dry *outside* the covers. I know that's not going to be a lot of help if your torso is the root of the trouble, but if it's on the extremities, it might be worth a try.

[LIGA girl]

Hi turtlegurl

I get really itchy at night too and what works for me is to take a 25mg phenergan and a panadeine, I sleep much better. I have now built up a resistance to the phenergan, but it is the only way I can sleep as I have hundreds of itchy spots all over me and have had for over two years now. I dont like taking drugs but I really have no choice or I would never sleep at all.

LG

[skinurghs]

I gave up struggling to sleep and don't want to take any more antihistamines.  Here are some things I am doing which seems to help and have broken sleep but am getting some rest:

1. I get up and have a cold shower. I dislike cold showers at 3am but so does my skin and it calms it down. 

2. Sometimes patting "prickly heat powder" (made in Thailand) seems to help ease the itch.  It contains menthol which has a cooling feeling on the skin.  Followed by moisturising as it calms down as powders do dry the skin.

3. Meditation.  I repeat something over and over again.  Normally I start praying and talking to God.  Seems a good enough distraction at times.

4. Drinking a glass of cold water. This normally helps when my neck feels very itchy.

Hope this helps and positive calm energy to you turtlegurl

[Sarahchall]

Hi, I have been itchy at night nearly all night and sometimes in the evening too. I use a back brush to vigorously brush My back, arms and legs and this provides temporary relief. I've got GA - which in itself can be itchy and dread looking when I itch in  a particular place which hadn't got GA on it but thank God I haven't found the itch there to be GA. Darned nuisance though isn't it!