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Hello Geaton,
I had it was a little over twenty years. That is a good idea. I will make an appointment with ID. I can't stand this itch. I have my niece scratch my back frequently and I use a rake kind of thing .I so appreciate all the help I can get from anyone .Thanks so much.
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earlybird, if you don't make any headway with the derm doc try to ask for a referral to an Infectious Disease specialist, emphasizing your recent swimming in the Amazon. If they think it's "just" hives then they don't bother thinking beyond that. Do some internet searches (like "skin problems"+tropical +waterborne+"amazon river") and see if you can find an image of what looks similar to your skin problem. This helps the docs move along faster. Here in the land of 10,000 lakes we have a problem with Swimmer's Itch, also caused by a parasite. The Mayo website says it goes away after a week and they just treat the itching. Not saying this is your skin issue, but wondering how long you've had it?
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Llama, I think I told doctor when I got home but they did not think too much about it. It was tiny little bites probably 100 of them on my top thighs .It is like having hundreds of mosquito bites all over my body. So darn itchy. I went to dermatology back then and he told me not serious. Now sp telling me it is a parasite I am going to do more research and perhaps go to Mass General in Boston.
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early: You're very welcome.
I hope that you can get some relief from your back; have you spoken to your physician about it and the many insect bites you endured years ago?
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Thanks all for the tips on insomnia.
Hot baths didn't work for me, unfortunately.
Zzzquil gummies and tabs do work if the dosage is right.
Not being able to function - absolutely.
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Insomnia, I swear by ZQuil. Liquid works fast and does work for me most of the time.
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Thank you very much, sp. The doctors did not seem to be worried and did not offer any treatment. I will check it out next week or I will self medicate once I do some research on it. I never had such itchy skin/back. I hope the treatment works. I really do appreciate your advice.
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Earlybird what you have is a parasite larvae from swimming in the water in the Amazon. I don't know what the treatment is but you really should seek medical help. They may be able to prescribe an antiparasitic for you.
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Insomnia is the worst. I've suffered for years. The worst part is then I lay awake obsessing and dwelling on bad stuff which causes me to then get depressed. It's a vicious circle for sure.

I take over the counter sleep remedies occasionally. Even the over the counter ones you need to be careful with. Other than that if it gets really bad I just sit up and read all night. Lucky for me I love to read!
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Gershun, I have a terrible itchy back since swimming in the Amazon river in Peru back before I started taking care of my mother. Nothing really helps. I think it is some type of water disease from being bitten over twenty times from some bug. Our tour guide left my brother and I in the jungle with no water for hours and it was so hot I decided to take a quick swim. It has been extremely itchy since the swim.
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Thank you, isthisrealyreal. I appreciate your prayers.
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Thanks, Llama. I appreciate the prayers.
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Hi Geaton.
Great advice as always. I actually took a day off the other day and did just what I wanted to do. That has not happened for over twenty years. Now I feel like doing it more often. I went outdoor mall shopping, had lunch, went for a ride, had Chinese food with my brother. It was a good day, indeed. I feel more renewed. Should have done it sooner.
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Because of congestion from my allergies frequently waking me, I developed a few ways to get back to sleep. A hot bath or shower helps; it relieves the congestion and is relaxing. I often play an audiobook or a well-known movie or tv show; it engages my mind just enough to allow me to somewhat forget/ignore minor pains and bothers. Using streaming services or a timer on the audio app, they can turn off and leave the bedroom dark and quiet after a few minutes, although when I was traveling for work I often left the tv on overnight. The "noise" in the room seemed to be better (sleeping wise) than the unexpected noises generated outside the room.
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Llama - my dear friend who is 84 y.o. suffers from insomnia for years. She typically doesn't go to sleep until 5 am or 6 am, then wakes up a couple of hours later, feeds the stray cats that come to her patio, then tries to sleep some more on and off until noon or so, then wakes up all tired. She has tried all sort of sleep aids, but they only work for a short time then lose their effectiveness. Insomnia is a big problem. I can totally relate. When I don't get enough sleep, I can hardly function through the day.
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EB: Hope that your foot pain is corrected by your specialist. Prayers.
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Ugh - insomnia IS a huge problem. I have had to cancel out doctor and dentist appointments because of insomnia. Anyone else deal with insomnia? Tried melatonin and pretty much everything else.
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Gershun: So sorry that you are itching all night and causing insomnia. That's horrible.
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Thank you isthisreal. I'll look into stinging nettle.
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Thank you Geaton!
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earlybird -- sorry to hear about your mom's pneumonia and UTIs... remember to also take care of the carer (you!)
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Gershun, your description of the itching does sound like an allergic reaction. My good friend discovered he had a seafood allergy when his well-meaning wife made him some dish with shellfish (which he apparently had never eaten before). He described the allergic itching as "inside" his body. I agree with taking Benadryl. I'm sorry you are suffering through that -- I pray you get some relief, and soon!
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EarlyBird, I pray that you get a complete healing.
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Gershun, have you tried stinging nettle tincture?

It is the best allergy relief I have ever used. I have shared with dozens of people and they all have the same experience.

Most health food stores carry it and it starts working within minutes, if what you are experiencing is an allergy.
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Early bird, I really hope your legs will get stronger and you will walk normal again. It takes a lot of COURAGE on your part to come out and declare you were hurt by the vaccines. In the face of constant pressures from everyone and everywhere, those who get hurt are afraid to speak up because they will not be believed, but instead be attacked, ridiculed, shunned, blocked from social media, even lose their jobs. Especially those in Hollywood and entertainment industry, they worship the covid vaccine as if it’s a religion. Those who work in that industry are even more afraid to speak up because they for sure will be shunned and not be able to find work again.
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I take Benadryl in the evenings; it makes most people sleepy so why not take it at bedtime? I have dry skin (a side effect of asthma) so I use a fairly heavy moisturizer cream each night. I have noticed my itching is worse a few weeks after the vaccination, but I don't know whether the vaccine is envovled. I have the long-standing problem with dry skin and I'm taking some new medications too. It could be involved, or be involved with a combination of asthma and medication, or it could just be it's the time of the year when allergies come in to play more anyway. The itching went away after a few weeks in the spring when I was initially vaccinated and I'm just hoping it will again this fall with the booster.
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Willie, yes, Benedryl, Claritin, Aerios, Aveeno itch lotion, a one% hydrocortisone cream. You name it. I've scheduled a doc visit. Unfortunately can't get in to see him till the 18th.

The allergy pills are a temporary fix but leave me feeling out of sorts. I definitely want to get to the root of the cause.
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Have you tried taking benadryl Gershun?
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Sorry, never intended my itching comment to open a covid pro or against debate. My itchiness may have nothing to do with the vaccine or maybe it has. I just need relief and know you fine folks are always a fountain of information.

Please let's not argue.
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Re anecdotal evidence. agreed cw. W

Factual evidence - in Alberta as of Oct 29, 2021, of the 58,313,753 doses administered, there were 5,653 adverse events which were considered serious (0.010% of all doses administered).
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