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Hi. I have suffered with VERY itchy arms for years, tried every cream, tablet etc available but continue to rip arms to shreds. Have seen gp and dermatologist to no avail. Currently autoimmune neutropenic but bloods show negative for the obvious RA, fibromyalgia and lupus, even tho am symptomatic of lupus and fibro. Liver function all OK.Only relief with arms is a camping ice pack on each arm which freezes skin. Worse in warm weather. I wear factor 50 all year round as am photosensitive. Have changed to Fairy and Simple to no avail. Any ideas what else I could try as its driving me insane especially at night?

Hi Wallygrom,

As you say you have tried every cream, tablet etc. without success, it might be worth looking at what you eat, as a lack of fats in the diet can often contribute to dry/inflamed skin conditions such as eczema. Include oily fish such as sardines, mackerel and salmon, nuts – such as Brazils, almonds and walnuts and seeds – including sunflower, sesame and pumpkin, as well as avocados, rapeseed oil, olive oil and even small amounts of butter (especially‘pasture-fed’ as this contains more omega 3 fats). You might also consider taking a supplement that contains omega 3, 6 & 9 oils such as Boots Omega Oils 3, 6 and 9 or Holland & Barrett's Maximum Strength Triple Omega 3-6-9. These healthy fats will both lubricate your skin and damp down any inflammation. Ensure also that you eat a balanced diet generally, with plenty of fruit and vegetables and probiotic yogurt, which contains immune-boosting bacteria that may help with itchy skin conditions that are due to a faulty immune response. I hope this helps!

Thanks for your response, interestingly I already do all of what you suggested including those supplements and foods....sadly it's not making any difference but I do think it's part of my autoimmune problem. I just need some relief as my arms are so scarred these days. The specialists just don't seem bothered about how much impact this has on my life and said they don't know what else to suggest

Hi Wallygrom,

I take it that you've tried hydrocortisone cream without success?

Another thing you could try - if you haven't already - is asking your GP if they can test you for food sensitivity.

If the test results suggest you may have a food sensitivity your GP may refer you to a dietician who may suggest following an 'exclusion and challenge test.'

This would involve cutting out any foods you suspect could be triggering your symptoms - e.g. wheat or dairy foods - for 2-4 weeks to see if your symptoms improve and then re-introducing them to see if your condition worsens again. It's always best to do this under the supervision of a GP/dietician to ensure you still eat a balanced diet, as cutting out whole food groups can lead to nutritional deficiencies.

I hope you find a treatment that works for you.

Wendy

Dear Wallygrom,

from the information you have given - it seems that the diagnosis has not been fully confirmed. You avoid sunlight (you will have to supplement Vit D in this case) and you have a low neutrophil count. What happens if you expose your skin to UV light? (blisters, redness, scars?)
Depending on how the skin presents further diagnosis regarding underlying conditions which make you sun senstive and/or skin biopsy may be necessary. An allergy test (patch test involving ingredients found in some creams - and sun blockers) will be part of a diagnostic workup.
It seems really worth to see your dermatologist again to clarify the underlying diagnosis .

Kind regards,
Miriam

Dear Wallygrom,

I am sorry to hear that your arms are so itchy, I can assure that we do care about this and want to help you.

I think you will definitely need a stronger steroid for sometime, this should be under the guidance of your GP or indeed a dermatologist.

It is interesting that it is just your arms, do you have any other rash anywhere else. I have treated several patients with just arm eczema, one patient in particular had flares when they went to work as cook and heat made it worse. In all my patients they needed a a short course of intensive treatment and got better.

However I did also check for contact allergies and photosensitivity. I would definitely ask your GP for a stronger topical steroid ointment and for a referral to dermatology to diagnose the actual condition.

I have every confidence it will get better with the right diagnosis and treatment.

Best wishes

Dr Dev Shah
Consultant Dermatologist and Mohs Surgeon
drdevshah.com