Getting rid of itchies?

There is something in the house that is making us all nuts with itchies. We all have little red bumps on our legs and arms, some bumps on bellies. They look like razor burn. Or maybe small hives.

We've all been on medication for bacterial infection... creams, pills, creams, creams, and more creams - all prescription (one was custom made by the pharmacist. It smelled AWFUL and cost a small fortune). We were put on meds for a mite infection. Nothing really worked. Just creams that numb the skin to keep us from itching.

We've washed and rewashed everything. All mattresses have plastic covers. We've steam cleaned the carpets. We dust and vacuum like maniacs. I'm at wit's end!

One doctor says its a creepy crawly, and another says its an allergic reaction. And yet another says its simply ultra-dry skin. And the therapist says it psychological because of the severe stress in the house.

Its something in the house. Is it a creepy crawly? Is it an allergy? IS it stress? UGH!

I think someone needs to get to a good dermatologist. It is completely unlikely that you and hubby - two genetically unrelated human beings - would suddenly come down with the same allergy.

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Originally Posted by Karen

I think someone needs to get to a good dermatologist. It is completely unlikely that you and hubby - two genetically unrelated human beings - would suddenly come down with the same allergy.

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We've seen dermatologists, allergists, family doctors, psychs, and tomorrow I'm going to see yet another doctor. Its driving me NUTS!

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Originally Posted by catnapper

We've seen dermatologists, allergists, family doctors, psychs, and tomorrow I'm going to see yet another doctor. Its driving me NUTS!

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Would a nice baking-soda bath - warm water - give you some relaxation and relief? If tomorrow's doctor says "I dunno" refuse to leave until you see his or her boss.

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Originally Posted by Karen

Would a nice baking-soda bath - warm water - give you some relaxation and relief? If tomorrow's doctor says "I dunno" refuse to leave until you see his or her boss.

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LOL -- that would be hard because she is the boss!

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Originally Posted by catnapper

LOL -- that would be hard because she is the boss!

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Then ask her to call her smartest teacher/mentor!

Could it be that you have these?
http://bedbugger.com/bed-bug-bites-photos/

When our building was having the roof done, people on the top floor complained about bites and a guy came round to spray all flats two or three times. Luckily, I never got any bites - don't think they got this far down. :)

A few months ago, we had same problem here! Turned we had ..... flea-bites :eek:!!
Our cats had fleas, and the house was infested too :(. It took us 3 months to get rid of the bugs:rolleyes::(

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Originally Posted by Randi

Could it be that you have these?
http://bedbugger.com/bed-bug-bites-photos/

When our building was having the roof done, people on the top floor complained about bites and a guy came round to spray all flats two or three times. Luckily, I never got any bites - don't think they got this far down. :)

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Nope - those are all too big (the bite marks and welts.) Our bumps are teeny tiny. I have a 9Am Dr. Appointment (its 8:30 now.... suppose I should get dressed and leave?)

Ask your doctor to do a skin scraping and send it to the lab. My son had the same symptoms after coming home from a boys' school. Several doctors misdiagnosed the problem, until one actually used a microscope. He had a rare type of mite, and once it was properly diagnosed, it was simple to cure.

I agree with Karen, allergies seem highly unlikely.

This doctor agrees with the therapist - she says it is stress. Now, its HIGLY likely that it is the real cause, because we're manufacuring stress around here. Ashley is moving into her apartment monday.... it can't come soon enough. This past Wednesday, Ashley was fighting with her sister (TOTALLY her fault, but blaming someone else - of course :rolleyes: :rolleyes: ) and she screamed "I can't wait til Monday so I can leave this place and never see any of you ever again!" To which I let out a spontaneous WOOHOO! Ooooohhh boy, was she mad. I thought it was funny. :cool:

The doctor said she'd have given me a muscle relaxer to try, but its not necessary if the stressor is leaving in a few days. but the doctor did take some cultures to send off to the lab. She said she's sure they'll come back negative for anything. We'll see.

I immediately thought bedbugs when I read your symptoms. I had a client with the same symptoms and it was horrible to remedy the situation. I don't by that it is 'stress'. All of you react the same way to stress? Not very likely.

Kim, I'm sorry to hear this:( but I'm so glad to hear that Ashley will soon be moving into her apartment.:) When I read your post I thought of scabies which is a type of mite. I had this once and I also went to the doctor and she thought it was a skin allergry. Then I got a call from a friend saying that his roommate had been just diagnosed with scabies and this might be what I had too. They had all been itching like crazy for quite a while before I caught it from one of their roommates. If this is what it is, it's highly contagious. I had to put a cream all over my body and I had to keep changing my sheets several times a week. Even after I did this, I was still fairly itchy for a while. Hopefully you can finally be diagnosed correctly. Good luck.:)

:) I was going to say Fleas.. When I used to live in a Trailer I had a indoor/outdoor cat & she got the trailer infested with fleas.. OMG it took forever to get rid of them..

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Originally Posted by Maya & Inka's mommy

A few months ago, we had same problem here! Turned we had ..... flea-bites :eek:!!
Our cats had fleas, and the house was infested too :(. It took us 3 months to get rid of the bugs:rolleyes::(

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I don't buy that stress diagnosis. The whole family would not come down with the same kind of skin reaction from the same stressor. Sounds more like something in the air or house. Unless you've all been eating some new kind of food that comes from another country and could be contaminated? I'd keep looking for a solution, stress sounds unlikely to me. What about the person who is moving - any symptoms on her?

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Originally Posted by shepgirl

I don't buy that stress diagnosis. The whole family would not come down with the same kind of skin reaction from the same stressor.

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I tend to agree. People react very differently to stress and for a whole family to react the same way just defies the odds. but if destressing gets rid of the problem that's wonderful, but strange.

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Originally Posted by krazyaboutkatz

Kim, I'm sorry to hear this:( but I'm so glad to hear that Ashley will soon be moving into her apartment.:) When I read your post I thought of scabies which is a type of mite. I had this once and I also went to the doctor and she thought it was a skin allergry. Then I got a call from a friend saying that his roommate had been just diagnosed with scabies and this might be what I had too. They had all been itching like crazy for quite a while before I caught it from one of their roommates. If this is what it is, it's highly contagious. I had to put a cream all over my body and I had to keep changing my sheets several times a week. Even after I did this, I was still fairly itchy for a while. Hopefully you can finally be diagnosed correctly. Good luck.:)

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We thought scabies for a while too. We were all put on cream and antibiotics for it without any results.

Funny thing, after the doctor today, my itchies have all but cleared up! Hubby's too. I think its highly likely it is stress... especially knowing the stress going on around here.

You have to understand just how stressful it is in this house. The closest thing I can say to explain it is that it'll be like an exorcism once she's gone... the house will be cleaned of all evil. I'm not kidding when I say that either. She's miserable and evil. I never thought someone's misery could have a physical presence. EVERYONE is stressed, even the cats.

I think it's one of two things: Really dry winter skin (unlikely) or Allergic reaction to a new soap. Occasionally I change brand of clothing detergent or fabric softener and it does the same to me. As soon as I go back to good 'ol Tide, everything goes away and life is good again.

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Originally Posted by beeniesmom

I think it's one of two things: Really dry winter skin (unlikely) or Allergic reaction to a new soap. Occasionally I change brand of clothing detergent or fabric softener and it does the same to me. As soon as I go back to good 'ol Tide, everything goes away and life is good again.

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See, thats the thing.... I haven't changed anything. All the same soaps, all the same cleaners. Not even different fabric softener.

I have been applying lotion like a mad woman. We go through a HUGE bottle of lotion a week. It used to take me 6-9 months to go through a bottle!

Kim, I don't know if anybody has suggested this yet. There is a condition called "neurodermatitis". It comes on without warning and it's from stress, as the name implies. I was diagnosed with it after a very stressful situation at work a couple of years ago. My doctor knew about it because he had also been diagnosed with it. The only way to stop it is to:
1. Get rid of the stress asap.
2. Apply a prescription cream or an effective over the counter application.
3. Don't scratch it, no matter what you do.

The person that has it is in control of whether it stays or goes. If you continue to scratch it, it only continues and gets worse. You can wear gloves to bed if you need them to avoid scratching.

There's alot about it on the internet. I think you'll find that it might sound like exactly what you have. Good luck.:)

Wow, Kim, I hope it is caused from the stress and it will go away when your stress moves out.

My husband had something that no doctor could diagnose too. It wasn't at all what you described, he had HUGE blisters all over his feet and legs. I remember how frustrating it was to hear doctor after doctor say "I've never seen anything like that". They never did diagnose it, but after a couple rounds of steroids it did go away.

You have to understand just how stressful it is in this house. The closest thing I can say to explain it is that it'll be like an exorcism once she's gone... the house will be cleaned of all evil. I'm not kidding when I say that either. She's miserable and evil. I never thought someone's misery could have a physical presence. EVERYONE is stressed, even the cats. <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
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I am sorry but I have missed something here. Are you talking about your child? If you are my blessings go out to you. Kids can be the greatest joy if not the greatest pain in the :eek:

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Originally Posted by Marigold2

I am sorry but I have missed something here. Are you talking about your child? If you are my blessings go out to you. Kids can be the greatest joy if not the greatest pain in the :eek:

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Step daughter from heck who has hated me from day 1. Who has been determined to fight me at every turn and has resisted all of my attempts to help and love her. She has recently realized hubby isn't going to be subject to her manipulations and he's now getting the full dose of her ire. He had NO IDEA how sneaky and sly she was.... he thought I was being ultra-sensitve and making problems where none existed.

He didn't see all the little things done to get under my skin that seem like little things... she never did them to him, just me. She now does it to him too. Like she would leave used tampons out for me to find in places where I'd find them, not him. Now she leaves poopy diapers out for him to find. Great kid, eh? She'll tell the world that we're soooo mean to her and sooooo unrealistic. She'll explain her actions in a logical manner that an outsider would see as being reasonable. But living here under the daily tricks and one-ups is too much!

You know my son went through a very similar thing, first they said it was scabies, although is girlfriend did not get them, then bed bugs, finally excemza, i can never spell that word, but you know i think the last one was right, has tons of creams and potions and now seems to be ok, he was thinking it was something in the house ,as when he went to China and Australia he did not have them,i think stress made his condition worse,so could well be a combination of things, i sure hope it gets better,nothing worse than the itches,have you tried taking an antihistimine pill to help the itch, works a treat, good for chicken pox too.:)