Maybe I'm a bit more demanding of my doctor, but I usually go in there and tell him what I want. :P If I had the itchies like you did, I'd immediately tell him I needed a shot of prednisone and a shot of antihistamines. As well, I'd want to be on a dose of prednisone. The shot is what makes it kick in immediately.

Seriously, have you ever had a pet with the extreme itchies? Daisy, my poochie, has bad skin and has real bad itchies. She gets a shot anti-itch stuff, so I figure, why can't I?!

Really, next time, ask your doctor about a shot for immediate relief. It helps tremendously!