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HELP! Itchy!!! VERY itchy!!!

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  • #1

    HELP! Itchy!!! VERY itchy!!!

    Hello all! Ok, so whats the secret formula to get rid of this horrible itchiness on my back?!?!?! Oh my God it'd driving me absolutly INSANE! Its not even on the incision site....its just in random places on my back....cant scratch to hard....OUCHY.....cant do it to lightly, doesnt help. Tried knuckles.....that just feels weird. Tried an itch spray....no luck. Im going to also assume this is "normal".....perhaps the nerves regenerating or something?! Either way, someone please tell me HOW TO MAKE IT STOP?!?!?
    Lynn -30.... something
    DxD @ 8 yrs old: 10* curve-no brace-no nothin'!
    At age 26: Thorasic 48*/Lumbar 50*
    At age 34: Thorasic 58*/Lumbar 60*
    Posterior T5-L4 Fusion Jan 14th, 2009 w/Dr Tribus
    UW Madison, WI Hospital
    **AFTER: less than 10* Thorasic/15* Lumbar**
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Originally posted by LynnMarie74 View Post
    Hello all! Ok, so whats the secret formula to get rid of this horrible itchiness on my back?!?!?! Oh my God it'd driving me absolutly INSANE! Its not even on the incision site....its just in random places on my back....cant scratch to hard....OUCHY.....cant do it to lightly, doesnt help. Tried knuckles.....that just feels weird. Tried an itch spray....no luck. Im going to also assume this is "normal".....perhaps the nerves regenerating or something?! Either way, someone please tell me HOW TO MAKE IT STOP?!?!?
    Ask your surgeon to prescribe Gabapentin (generic Neurontin) or Lyrica. It definitely sounds like nerve regeneration.

    Some people never have it, some have it briefly, and some people ... I almost hate to say this, although I think it's a somewhat small percentage ... have it periodically for years after surgery. I still have days where I itch like crazy at 14 months out.

    Gabapentin *definitely* helped me, however: I was on the verge of going insane at about 2-3 months post-op (maybe sooner).

    Word of advice ... Gabapentin often makes people sleepy (some describe another side effect of an almost surreal feeling), but it only lasts a few days until your body adjusts. Don't worry if it happens ;-).

    Regards,
    Pam
    Fusion is NOT the end of the world.
    AIDS Walk Houston 2008 5K @ 33 days post op!


    41, dx'd JIS & Boston braced @ 10
    Pre-op ±53°, Post-op < 20°
    Fused 2/5/08, T4-L1 ... Darrell S. Hanson, Houston

    VIEW MY X-RAYS
    EMAIL ME

    Comment

    • #3
      Pam.....thanks. Ya know what? Ive been taking it since I was back from the hospital....3 x a day. But, over the last 1-2 weeks, Ive cut it back to just at night. So, this makes total sense. THANK YOU! lol I will start back on it now!!! lol Really, its THAT bad. I heard it also causes water/weight gain, which stinks..but, by gosh, if it make the itching stop, I will deal with it!!!! Are you still on it? They did tell me Id be on it for up to 6 months post op. Not sure why I thought I should stop taking it. I guess I just thought it was for actual nerve "pain". Lesson learned!!!!
      Lynn -30.... something
      DxD @ 8 yrs old: 10* curve-no brace-no nothin'!
      At age 26: Thorasic 48*/Lumbar 50*
      At age 34: Thorasic 58*/Lumbar 60*
      Posterior T5-L4 Fusion Jan 14th, 2009 w/Dr Tribus
      UW Madison, WI Hospital
      **AFTER: less than 10* Thorasic/15* Lumbar**

      Comment

      • #4
        Originally posted by LynnMarie74 View Post
        Are you still on it? They did tell me Id be on it for up to 6 months post op. Not sure why I thought I should stop taking it. I guess I just thought it was for actual nerve "pain".
        I am still on it. Supposed to be taking 100 mg x 3 per day, but most days I just take my morning dose. Maybe if I took MY correct dose I wouldn't itch, eh? LOL

        Regards,
        Pam
        Fusion is NOT the end of the world.
        AIDS Walk Houston 2008 5K @ 33 days post op!


        41, dx'd JIS & Boston braced @ 10
        Pre-op ±53°, Post-op < 20°
        Fused 2/5/08, T4-L1 ... Darrell S. Hanson, Houston

        VIEW MY X-RAYS
        EMAIL ME

        Comment

        • #5
          Lynn,

          I've had the itchies off and on for months. It was worst a few months out, but I still get random itchy spells now and then. The other day I was having one and my hubby told me I should be like a bear and go rub my back on a tree. LOL BTW, I was never on any nerve meds. Maybe I'm one of those 'lucky' ones

          I'm glad Pam helped you solve your mystery.
          __________________________________________
          Debbe - 50 yrs old

          Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
          Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

          Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
          Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
          Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

          Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
          Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

          Comment

          • #6
            Hey Debbie....how are you?? I feel like Im not on here as much as I want to be these days. This working thing is wearing me down!! lol
            Lynn -30.... something
            DxD @ 8 yrs old: 10* curve-no brace-no nothin'!
            At age 26: Thorasic 48*/Lumbar 50*
            At age 34: Thorasic 58*/Lumbar 60*
            Posterior T5-L4 Fusion Jan 14th, 2009 w/Dr Tribus
            UW Madison, WI Hospital
            **AFTER: less than 10* Thorasic/15* Lumbar**

            Comment

            • #7
              Rubbing the back on a tree sounds like a great idea!

              The itching will eventually cease with time after the nerves mellow out.
              Ed
              49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
              Pre surgery curves T70,L70
              ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
              Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

              Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
              http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

              My x-rays
              http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

              http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

              Comment

              • #8
                Lynn,

                I hope the itching stops soon. While you're waiting for Neurontin, you could try ice, caladryl clear lotion (it has an analgesic in it and it helped me a lot), or Bengay.
                Chemist, 30

                1998- 18 degrees
                2003- 33 degrees
                2005- 37 degrees
                2006- 44 degrees
                May 2007- 47 degrees
                December 2007 - 50 degrees X-ray

                Surgery May 27, 2008
                Fused T1 to L2
                Curve corrected to 15 degrees X-ray

                Comment

                • #9
                  Interesting!!!! Carolyn had that and we could NOT figure it out.

                  Since she has been sleeping on the couch, we thought something was irritating her from that or the pain meds, etc...

                  We were baffled since we knew they told us she would itch & it was normal but I was thinking they were talking about be near the scar as it healed. This itching was in totally odd spots not even NEAR the incision.

                  It drove her nuts. It has basically disappeared now & we just thought it was probably the pain meds (even though itching was NOT one of the possible reactions listed) since it seemed to clear up a few days after she hadn't had some in a while.

                  Basically your description sounds exactly like what we went through. We just went and bought some itch creme and that seemed to help.
                  Becky
                  Mom to DD (15) with S 48*+ curve
                  Had her surgery March 9, 2009

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    well...so far this EARLY morning no itching....just pain from my attempt to actually sleep in my own bed...GRRRRRRRRRR! I guess the couch is my new bed.....Im not pleased!

                    Im going to keep on the Gabapentine(sp?) and see if that helps me thru out the day...I sure hope so. Maybe I will also stop at Walgreens on the way into work and buy some medicated anti itch cream. Dont'cha just love waking up crabby?!?!? lol

                    Glad Carolyn is doing better..........
                    Lynn -30.... something
                    DxD @ 8 yrs old: 10* curve-no brace-no nothin'!
                    At age 26: Thorasic 48*/Lumbar 50*
                    At age 34: Thorasic 58*/Lumbar 60*
                    Posterior T5-L4 Fusion Jan 14th, 2009 w/Dr Tribus
                    UW Madison, WI Hospital
                    **AFTER: less than 10* Thorasic/15* Lumbar**

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Originally posted by titaniumed View Post
                      Rubbing the back on a tree sounds like a great idea!

                      The itching will eventually cease with time after the nerves mellow out.
                      Ed
                      Ed-I tried the tree thing......my neighbors we entertained w/the freak show! lol I am hoping Pam is right....I shouldnt have stopped the Gabapentine...silly me for wanting to get off my drugs! lol
                      Lynn -30.... something
                      DxD @ 8 yrs old: 10* curve-no brace-no nothin'!
                      At age 26: Thorasic 48*/Lumbar 50*
                      At age 34: Thorasic 58*/Lumbar 60*
                      Posterior T5-L4 Fusion Jan 14th, 2009 w/Dr Tribus
                      UW Madison, WI Hospital
                      **AFTER: less than 10* Thorasic/15* Lumbar**

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Shell mentioned ice and Bengay (my twist on that was Tiger Balm), and yes, both helped me too at times.

                        Something about Bengay/Tiger Balm (or Biofreeze, whatever ... just no type of liniment that might blister numb skin) seems to keep your nerves preoccupied and too busy to feel the phantom itch.

                        Desperate times give birth to weird experiements, and I know I was ~seriously~ desperate when the maddening itch started on a back I could feel (as far as the skin went) otherwise. Before I got my gel ice pack, I spent more than a few nights laying on bags of frozen veggies trying to make it sToP - LOL!

                        I remember starting a thread here on the same topic when it started ... I think it was titled something like "I'm wearing someone else's back, and it itches!" ;-).

                        Yeah ... here it is ... It's actually really common. And I was wrong in my first answer to you, Lynn ... it started at about 3 weeks post op - not 3 months. I noticed in reading the thread that my surgery date twinner, Sam, was going through the same thing at the same time.

                        I feel for anyone going through it full force right now ... it really makes you crazy to have what feels like an unreachable itch somewhere you can't get relief from scratching (if it were even where you think you feel it!).

                        Regards,
                        Pam
                        Fusion is NOT the end of the world.
                        AIDS Walk Houston 2008 5K @ 33 days post op!


                        41, dx'd JIS & Boston braced @ 10
                        Pre-op ±53°, Post-op < 20°
                        Fused 2/5/08, T4-L1 ... Darrell S. Hanson, Houston

                        VIEW MY X-RAYS
                        EMAIL ME

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          itch..

                          just for the record....

                          I had shingles on my face a few years back(chicken pox virus in the facial nerves...nasty, I assure you)

                          Itching like crazy crazy..still have it two years later, once in awhile..

                          If nothing gives you relief, I remember seeing ointments for NERVE ITCHING as a result of shingles...if you google shingles ointments you may find something that might help if you are desperate. A pharmacy might have some on the shelf.

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            I am 2 months post-op and have crazy itching along the incision primarily. I also get random patches of itching that drive me crazy. I am one of those people with chronic itching. By that I mean that I suffer with itching all of the time and when it gets real bad I take atarax. Other than that, I keep with me a nice $5 back scratcher, which reaches every place I need it to reach on my back or anywhere else that it's needed.
                            avis
                            1987 Lumbar Laminectomy (forget which levels)
                            2005 A/P fusion, L2 - L5, 2/2005
                            2009 2 Posterior fusions, T6 - Pelvis, 2/10 & 2/18,
                            Dr. Frank Rand, NEBH

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              good news.............

                              back on the Gabapentine.....and the itchiness has subsided....well, not completely...but a heck of alot better than it was. I just had going back on pills....ughhhh!! Two steps forward....three backward. Oh well.......gotta do what ya gotta do!!!
                              Lynn -30.... something
                              DxD @ 8 yrs old: 10* curve-no brace-no nothin'!
                              At age 26: Thorasic 48*/Lumbar 50*
                              At age 34: Thorasic 58*/Lumbar 60*
                              Posterior T5-L4 Fusion Jan 14th, 2009 w/Dr Tribus
                              UW Madison, WI Hospital
                              **AFTER: less than 10* Thorasic/15* Lumbar**

                              Comment

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