Update & Itchy crawling skin. What causes that!?

[Asherah Mourning Bear]

The chasteberry works slowwwwlllyyyy. The only thing I noticed improved was my mood. But it has yet to do a thing for cramps or irregular spotting. I'm trying to be patient.

Now what is up with this itchy all over skin??
This has gone on for days now. Off and on. I don't get it.
What in the world causes that?

Namaste!!

[Tamara]

Yes Vitex can work slowly but it is so much help. When I get itchy, crawly skin, it's usually an allergic reaction from something. Even different soap, laundry detergent...or sometimes just a case of nerves. For cramps....black haw is good. Motherwort.....don quai....gather info about these.

[LadyB]

Yes, AMB, the Vitex is an ALLY.....helps to balance things out, particularly early on in menopuse. Not all 'menopausal signals' (I'm trying not to even call them SYMPTOMS) need to be or SHOULD be stopped, but we have helpers to keep them bearable. Work your way through Susun's menopause book for helpers for cramps, there are LOTS of them. The itchy, crawly skin thing may be nerve-oriented, so Oatstraw infusions may well help take the edge off of that.

And like Tamara says, it's not surprising to find oneself suddenly very SENSITIVE to things that never bothered you before. All signs of the METAMORPHOSIS......

LadyB

[Asherah Mourning Bear]

Update on itchy skin

I don't know how accurate the information is, but a chinese herbalist told me that the itchy crawlies in peri/meno comes from the liver.

Apparently it is how our liver is handling a hormone imbalance.
A flood of hormones or shift causes the itchies.

If anyone has any research on that, Id love to see it!
I have very little time right now. But it was an interesting perspective.

Blessings!!

[Narayani]

Yes Susun states that itcy, crawly skin is a sign of an overworked and overheated liver. She gives many suggestions in the 6 steps, including nourishing the liver.

Here are some articles I found through searching her site.
http://www.susunweed.com/Weed_letter_Oct-01.htm
http://www.menopause-metamorphosis.com/ ... ealthy.htm
http://www.menopause-metamorphosis.com/ ... rmones.htm

Have you managed to find her New Menopausal Years yet? I really do recommend ity. It has a wealth of information there.

If you want to know more about TCM and the liver you could try Cory Su. I'm sure she can help you out there.

[Holistic Menopause]

OH, you mean that feeling like there are bugs crawling under your skin? Believe it or not, there's actually a name for it. It's called "formication". I just think of it as "creepy, crawly skin".

It's pretty much attributed to both the liver and the hypothalamus and is believed to happen because of super sensitive nerve endings in the skin.
According to what I've read, about 10% of all women experience this during perimenopause.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it's recommended to eat raw beets for this. Grated or juiced. No idea why, but apparently it works!

[Holistic Menopause]

Lady B wrote: like Tamara says, it's not surprising to find oneself suddenly very SENSITIVE to things that never bothered you before. All signs of the METAMORPHOSIS......


That is SO true. We get super sensitive to everything during perimenopause ~ inside and out.

It's a good time to be extra sure that your bodycare products are totally clean and free of chemicals and parabens. I'm always surprised by how much crap is in "natural" products at the health food store. There are only a few totally clean lines. Chemical sensitivities are linked with hypothyroidism and xenoestrogens can really mess with the entire endocrine system.

There are some essential oils I can't even use these days!

[Moonflower]

Bump.



cuz...ack! Formication. This is the latest in my basket of Metamorphosis "signals."

Was hoping to avoid this one, boy is it miserable!

Starting with the dandelion again. This is an ally I need to stay with, have been neglecting her assistance of late.....

[Scott]

Hello everyone,
I am a 36 year old male who has been suffering from itchy skin since I was young. It feels as though ants or fleas are crawling or jumping around, on and under my skin on most parts of my body. I am physically fit and learned to live with it. Virtually no usefull literature is available to date and none from any doctor I know of.

Well, I was recently diagnosed with hemochromatosis, an iron proficiancy as opposed to an iron deficiancy(like most woman) which stores the excess iron in my organs. This was especially taxing on my liver causing cirrhosis. I also learned that I was born jaundice(as i've heard many infants are) and this is one of the markers of hemochromatosis. I give a pint of blood once a week to force my body to make ore blood which leaches the iron out of my organs.
Woman do not get it until after menopause and it is genetic. Many people have it and don't know it because doctors don't look for it without reason. It was discovered that during the plague in the middle ages, people with hemochromatosis that had contracted the plague were the ones who survived. Something to do with iron.

Perhaps taking iron supplements can help with the itching?

I've read that when your liver goes through rapid changes it causes your skin to 'freak-out'. Many things can tax our livers. Stress, alcohol, lack of vitamins, prescriction drugs... now add hemochromatosis to the list.

I hope someone out there find this information useful and puts something together that will help for them. I know what your going through.

Good luck to you,
Scott

[Anonymous]

Please check your symptoms against diagram in first link.
Thanks, anj

http://morgellonsanjel.blog.com/

[Narayani]

((Moonflower))
Just yesterday I was suffering from really dry itchy eyes. We have had a sand storm and lots of sand is still in the air, but the previous evening I had a beer... only one and the first one in ages. I awoke at 3 AM sweating and woke with puffy eyes that were dry and itchy. So I knew I couldn't blame it on the sand - definetly liver.

As I went back to New Menopausal Ways to refresh my memory I saw formication. I've had dizziness, and now dry itchy eyes. Formication - ack for sure. I feel for ya.

Looks like we both need to ally with dandelion again. And yes Susun recomends beet juice. She says some women find instand relief with beet juice 3 times a day.

[Moonflower]

i'll take a hug anytime, thanks!

actually, my post was from a couple years ago and thankfully the itchy-crawlies were pretty short lived. i had a minor re-occurrence this past fall, and then even stronger signals post holidays that my liver really needed some loving kindness.

so she's getting it...backed off the sugar and rich foods, eliminated alcohol and coffee entirely, and i'm sure to include liver nourishing herbs as part of my daily diet. i'm going to continue this routine for the duration of the journey.

i was so sick after xmas i'm certain that if i had even one beer, i'd hear about it, too we'll have time for that post-menopause, eh?

the beet juice sounds good, tho i prefer to eat the roasted vegetable. or pickled beets...mmmmmm

but dandelion...dandelion was my first weed friend and she's become such a beloved one that she's going to be one of my next tattoos.

[Persephone]

I don't think it's "formication", but I got really sensitive skin during my pregnancy. Anything but the softest fabrics made me itch like crazy- it lasted after my pregnancy too, and even now my skin is sensitive- I've suspected an overtaxed liver for many years, mostly based on my teenage acne and being overweight, and I did get a diagnosis of mild preeclampsia at the end of pregnancy (I was induced, but delivered vaginally thank goodness)- my skin at the end of pregnancy was TERRIBLE, and stayed that way for a few weeks postpartum, and I also got the upper right quadrant pain that's associated with a distressed liver. Right. I should add some liver supporting herbs to my daily doses for a while. I'm just kind of putting this all together right now as I type, so the rolling eyes is at myself.

Anyway, I'm posting to see if maybe just extra sensitive skin (VERY prone to the irritating itchies, but no skin rashiness or anything) could have to do with liver qi too.

[crystal woman]

Persephone, maybe you had PUPPP when you were pregnant, it happens with a lot of pregnant women. We had a topic about that on the Homebirth forum.

http://www.susunweed.com/weedforum/view ... hp?t=11820

[Persephone]

No, PUPPPs is a rash, and there was no rash- it was just super sensitive- I didn't like ANYTHING touching me, and if there was, it would itch like crazy til I tore it off of me. I bought the gigantic plaid jammie pants with a tiny thread of silver woven into the fabric, and that thread would poke me- I couldn't wear the pants!