Hi - really looking for some advice/words of wisdom.
I’m in the midst of my first bad relapse (have had a few minor ones in the past but this one is affecting my day to day life)
I have lost the strength/co-ordination in my left arm and hand. Have feelings of numbness and pins and needles in my hand and fingers making it really difficult to use my hand. Can’t carry anything either.
I had a course of steroids which havent helped. Now I’m on Pregabalin but it hasn’t done anything yet (only been on a week though)
The biggest problem though is this continual feeling of itchiness in my arm aand shoulder which is not itchy skin but feels as though its under the skin (if that makes sense) I’m scratching myself red raw
Has anyone esle experienced this
PS - had the itching before the pregabalin so assume it isnt that
This seems to be very common for people with or without MS. I can only tell you about my own experience, I have been plagued by itching for nearly 30 years. I have recently been given ‘Double base gel’. Which I use in the shower, after I have washed. Also you have to use hot water for a few minutes when you wash it off. It has been a godsend tor me. I don’t know if this was the onset of MS or just an allergy as was suggested by my doctor but I would suggest that you see your doctor; as there are drugs that can help with this.
When I get this I find a change of temperature can help. As it’s your shoulder and not easy to hold under the tap, try a cloth soaked in hot/warm water for a minute or so and then a cloth soaked in cold water and keep swapping them over, this can ’ trick ’ the brain into stopping the insane itching. I get this in my hands and find holding then under the hot tap then cold works pretty quickly. I have also found a hayfever tablet can help too.
As I sit here the intense itching on my left forearm is driving me nuts! This started a few weeks ago but comes on suddenly almost daily now. I have scratched to the point I have drawn blood! Like you, it feels under the skin and the scratching only seems to relieve while I am scratching. What I do now is go to the freezer and grab a bag of frozen peas and leave it on my arm for as long as I can. It does help for a while. The itching can stop as suddenly as it starts. My hands are also becoming more numb so obvious to me it’s MS related. Phoning MS nurse in morning. Think I prefer falling over to this!
Hi there Like Wendy I too use Doublebase gel. I do find that it helps. I use it morning and evening and whenever I feel I need it - this includes the middle of the night! Hth, Teresa xx
I got that itching during a recent relapse, it felt like something was crawling under my skin, and I just wanted to scratch and scratch, but it didn’t relieve it, just ended up tearing my skin till it bled. My GP gave me an antihistamine called Fexofenadine and it worked a treat !
im not on pregabalin but have had a simlar fealing in my shins for about 6 months now. It drives me wild its not such a problem when im awake as i stop myself but i regularly wake up with dry blood under my finger nails and my legs ripped to shreds. I have tryed all sorts of things and nothing iv tried worked for me and my docter has been no bloody help what so ever i will have to try and ask for fexofenadine as iv not had that one yet and see if that works.