What the fuck itchy

Khavall

Ok, so this is a weird problem.

Pretty much every night my legs itch like a mother, sometimes waking me up. Here's the thing though. There are no bug bites, and there is no rash. Just my legs itch. I have no allergies that I know of, and have been sleeping in this bed with these sheets for a good year or so now with no problems until recently. My legs don't itch at all during the day.

Anyone have the remotest clue what the fuck is wrong with me?

Ramius

Restless Leg Syndrome?

Khavall

I don't really have any urge to move the legs though, just to scratch them.

Though my father does have RLS, I should probably look into it...

tardcore

Eczema?

Do you sweat at night? Sometimes I can get sweaty which irritates my skin and makes it itchy.

Darkewolfe

"Itchy legs at night" is in fact common enough for google to recommend it as a search string.

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Dermatology/messages/31594.html

http://www.diabetesforums.com/forum/type-1-diabetes/25963-itchy-legs.html

The first thing that popped into my head was "Have you changed laundry detergents recently?"

Khavall

No laundry detergent change, I'll try some of those solutions though, thanks.

Vixx

weather changes can be another factor as well

it's getting colder and thus naturally the air is getting dryer

check your skin for scaling or flaking... that means your skin is dry and thus itch as a result

stress is also a typical factor for weird skin problems, god knows I'm proof

stay hydrated, use an Aqueous Cream moisturizer (which you can get almost anywhere) and for the love of god do not scratch anything!

Darkewolfe

Vivixenne wrote: »

weather changes can be another factor as well

it's getting colder and thus naturally the air is getting dryer

check your skin for scaling or flaking... that means your skin is dry and thus itch as a result

stress is also a typical factor for weird skin problems, god knows I'm proof

stay hydrated, use an Aqueous Cream moisturizer (which you can get almost anywhere) and for the love of god do not scratch anything!

If it's dry skin, take shorter showers and no baths. Washing and soaking dries your skin the heck out.

Vixx

ooh ooh and keep your showers not just short, but warm (not hot!)

no hot showers

hot showers baaaaaaaaaaaaaaad

NotMeguChan

A note if you do decide to use lotion to stop the itch... I'd suggest applying it right after you get out of the shower, before you towel dry (and let your legs air dry after that). I had something very similar sounding to this a few years back, and that helped tremendously (although it was frustrating to have to sit there air drying.

Also seconding the no hot showers and no scratching advice. If you do give in to scratching, it could irritate the skin and cause more problems.

Darkewolfe

NotMeguChan wrote: »

A note if you do decide to use lotion to stop the itch... I'd suggest applying it right after you get out of the shower, before you towel dry (and let your legs air dry after that). I had something very similar sounding to this a few years back, and that helped tremendously (although it was frustrating to have to sit there air drying.

Also seconding the no hot showers and no scratching advice. If you do give in to scratching, it could irritate the skin and cause more problems.

I get dry skin on my legs commonly during the winter. I haven't found a lotion that really worked for me, what was your preference?

bowen

Cocoa butter oil or lotions with it in are some of the best kinds for really dry skin. Or skin that has scars.

Also, it smells like chocolate.

NotMeguChan

Darkewolfe wrote: »

NotMeguChan wrote: »

A note if you do decide to use lotion to stop the itch... I'd suggest applying it right after you get out of the shower, before you towel dry (and let your legs air dry after that). I had something very similar sounding to this a few years back, and that helped tremendously (although it was frustrating to have to sit there air drying.

Also seconding the no hot showers and no scratching advice. If you do give in to scratching, it could irritate the skin and cause more problems.

I get dry skin on my legs commonly during the winter. I haven't found a lotion that really worked for me, what was your preference?

My doctor suggested Eucerine, which I did use for a while, and although that took away the itchy feeling, it was replaced with the feeling that I had a layer of oily lotion on my legs. I really like the body butter from Bath and Body Works, and that's what I use now.

RUNN1NGMAN

If it's only happening at night, it might be scabies.

bigpanda

I used to have problems w/ dry skin in winter, particularly after showers before moving to a more temperate climate. I'd use Dove soap once the weather turned cold and dry and it pretty much fixed the problem and would switch back to my regular soap once the weather broke again.

DVG

Maybe a dumb question, but how often do you wash your sheets?

Hahnsoo1

It still could be Restless Leg Syndrome. Most patients with Restless Leg Syndrome describe a "bug-crawling" or "itchy" sensation in their legs which is relieved by activity (not necessarily just moving your legs in your sleep either... some folks have symptomatic relief when they are walking or sitting instead of lying down). Since your dad has it, and there is a genetic component to it (although it is a bit more complicated than common genetic inheritance), you might want to get that checked out. The most common associated symptom (not a cause, mind you, just a symptom) is iron deficiency.

Underdog

DVG wrote: »

Maybe a dumb question, but how often do you wash your sheets?

That can be a pretty good question actually. My brother never changes his own sheets. My mom does it for him like once a month. So the build up of stuff on there can get real nasty.

life3

My first thought was sciatica. It's something that could have developed over time and may be agitated by the position you sleep in. Itchy lower back, legs, and feet are cited as possible sciatic symptoms.

Hahnsoo1

life3 wrote: »

My first thought was sciatica. It's something that could have developed over time and may be agitated by the position you sleep in. Itchy lower back, legs, and feet are cited as possible sciatic symptoms.

Sciatica is typically one sided, and is more associated with shooting burning pain that is alleviated when lying down or walking (since sitting down compresses the sciatic nerve more). It's not really a condition either... usually it's a cluster of symptoms that lead to some other condition.

Serphimera

I'm always itchy. So I always put on lotion after I shower in the morning and sometimes before bed.
I occasionally dump a can of coconut milk into a bath. And you should definitely try washing your sheets with a hypoallergenic. detergent

Khavall

Underdog wrote: »

DVG wrote: »

Maybe a dumb question, but how often do you wash your sheets?

That can be a pretty good question actually. My brother never changes his own sheets. My mom does it for him like once a month. So the build up of stuff on there can get real nasty.

I change my sheets about once a month or so.

Also the stress thing sounds like it might be it, I've had a fucking crazy month and that's about when it started

Erios

Khavall wrote: »

Underdog wrote: »

DVG wrote: »

Maybe a dumb question, but how often do you wash your sheets?

That can be a pretty good question actually. My brother never changes his own sheets. My mom does it for him like once a month. So the build up of stuff on there can get real nasty.

I change my sheets about once a month or so.

Also the stress thing sounds like it might be it, I've had a fucking crazy month and that's about when it started

Imagine if you worked out in the same pair of shorts every day. Wash that shit.

Hypatia

NotMeguChan wrote: »

My doctor suggested Eucerine, which I did use for a while, and although that took away the itchy feeling, it was replaced with the feeling that I had a layer of oily lotion on my legs. I really like the body butter from Bath and Body Works, and that's what I use now.

Curel is really nice because it's non-oily, the downside is that you tend to need to reapply it more often because it's uh.. non-oily.

takyris

When do you take your shower -- before bed at night or in the morning? If you shower at night, that might have something to do with it.

Khavall

I take my shower in the morning, and I washed my sheets twice... still happening, but it is a little better now..