Bad skin irritation?

[Cal]

About 3 years ago, and during my last year of high school, I would normally be going about my business, such as walking home or shopping for example, when suddenly some parts of my body would start to feel incredibly itchy, i'm not talking mildly itchy, but more like a burning itch that wouldn't go away. I mostly felt it in my hair, and on my chest and upper back. I tried doing many things to try and make it subside, like changing shampoo, soap, wearing different clothes, using different washing detergant, etc, but nothing seemed to work. (I've always been a fairly hygenic person too.)

It usually occured when I was moving around in normal weather (like 15-20 degrees celsius), and what's interesting is I never developed a skin rash, discolouration of the skin, or any strange marks or spots during that time. It started occuring more, even while I was trying to sleep. Eventually it got that bad that I became uncontrollably angry, and the only way to calm down was to have an icy cold shower. After one really bad night where I pierced the skin around my chest and shoulders from scratching, I was forced to see a doctor, and after explaining the problem, was diagnosed with having Manic Depressive episodes, or as i like to call it... part-time Bipolar. I was put on a fairly large dosage of anti-depressants, but we actually moved houses at the same time, and my lifestyle changed completely after that, so i don't know if the meds helped at all. Most my problems have subsided since then.

I don't really know how to catagorize this topic, but I associate it as being a panic attack. Recently i have been experiencing the same thing, but only while jogging or by exercising for a long period of time... and it's no where near as bad. Yet I tend to think it's something to do with my heart rate or something.

Has anyone else experienced this? Or does anyone have any idea what this could be? I've had a complete allergen test done when I came down with a case of urticaria (hives) for 5 weeks when I was 8 years old, but we never found out the cause for that either, I don't have any allergies apparently.

 

[Redzer]

Yeah sounds like panic attacks i used to get them only my skin would go red where ever i was feelin hot. As for it happening when you exercise id say thats just cause your warm plus you live in Australia which is always warm lol. It would be something to do with your heart rate naturally as you work out its gonna have to work harder and faster.

 

[Cal]

Was it as major for you as it was for me? and what steps did you take to overcome the problem? I'm confused about the fact that it happened when I was trying to sleep too, because I never exactly had panic attacks when I was in bed, although sometimes I had difficulty sleeping.

As for now, well I'm not really stressed about anything, and i'm almost always cold, (being winter over here) even when I exercise. So I'm just worried that these problems are arising again.

If anyone has ANYTHING to say about the matter, please don't hesitate to say it.

 

[Amon]

I don't know if my skin itchiness is the same kind as yours, but I do get those itching/burning sensations sometimes too. It's almost like my skin itchess from the inside, if that makes any sense, and there's no way of stopping it. It usually goes away pretty fast, but there's really no explanation for it.

The weirdest thing is I never get it when I'm really hot from exercising etc. It usually starts when I'm doing absolutely nothing and it's almost always my back, where the skin is probably the healthiest, so I don't think it can be some kind of skin condition either.

Since I started my medication I've got them much less often, so it probably has something to do with anxiety/panicking.

 

[Cal]

I know it's said that people who take ice (and possibly other drugs) get the feeling that there are bugs crawling under their skin, but it's not like that at all. I mean, I don't take drugs, and I'm reluctant to take any medications that may benefit me anymore, because I think I'll become dependant on them.

I just don't get it, it's confusing. I like to think that panic attacks in general are accociated with sweating or shaking, feeling claustrophobic, and not being able to breathe, etc... Not feeling like you're burning in the depths of hell.

I'm probably looking into this too much, but how do I know a panic attack won't cause me to feel...say... a stabbing feeling in my chest next?

 

[LLLady]

I get that also, I get it in the palm of my hands and bottom of my feet that's when I know
I'm panicking out. I use to freak out and make it worse now I just breath and relax most of the time it works, Sometimes I just grab a Xanie and that almost always makes me feel better. I wonder what it is that makes you itchy, red and Hot. Does anyone know
Why do some of us have Panic attacks and others don't. Does that mean were weak?
and also I have had some pretty bad Panic attacks and they did make my chest hurt almost like a heart attack. and i know how that feels since I had one 8 years ago.

 

[Cal]

Thanks for the post! So many things can describe being red, hot and itchy. That's the reason I thought i might have developed an allergy or something, especially after having Urticaria 10 years ago. The only problem is, I never had any signs, no redness, no rash, no nothing... at least not until i started scratching and rubbing at it. It's not as bad now, at the very worst it feels like I have those tiny annoying ants crawling up my shirt biting me, so much more of a sting than a burn, but it's still the same.

Why do some of us have Panic attacks and others don't. Does that mean were weak?

I wouldn't say we're weak, I sort of feel it's out of our control really, and panic attacks would be much more common for people on here with SA, and similar problems. I suppose you *could* take meds to correct it, but I personally have had problems with anti-depressants and other meds so many times that i've given up. I just can't function properly when I'm taking them, I lose my appetite and energy, and i start sleeping for up to 12 hours a night, instead of 8. So I might just take your relaxation advice, and try some meditation or something.

But I still want to know what this is. If this is indeed a panic attack, then... what is a panic attack? Is this my brain going haywire and sending mixed signals to my body, which is therefore causing a physical reaction? Is that why anti-depressants work well, because they correct an imbalance in the brain? Help me out here.

 

[Placeway]

have it right now-on top of my head--mine is caused from stress I think...but..I had it on my back really bad--for like a couple months straight-umm-I started drinking more water for my nerves it helped.and also changed my diet-take B vitamins for your nerves.rebuild em.