On the tanning bed suggestion: There are quite allot of studies about the effects of sunlight. I swear by sunlight for easing my psoriasis and quite a few people in my life have been given prescriptions for an hour of sunlight a day for their ailments, both mental and physical. That script is much easier to fill in the sub-tropics. For what it is worth.

Continued support while you find what works for you, muji.

Kind of a dumb suggestion, but have you thought about going to maybe a Bath and Body Works store and seeing if they have any skin treatments there? I used to get frozen feet and dry hands during the winter time, the doctor prescribed me things which helped but never took it away. Now i use a lotion from Bath and Body works and it's all taken care of. I'm not saying I have the same thing but if it helped my poor feet, maybe it could help your itchy skin. Those stores study ways to treat skin so they can make money. It probably wouldn't hurt to at least ask and try a product.

Ditto Arfie, my mom was recommended it for two things ending in -iasis and dermatological. I wouldn't go so far as a tanning bed, LOL, for one thing it costs money, but summer is coming, and you can only expose your affected regions if possible. (I make no assumptions that neuropathy stops because of modesty.) My neuro tells me to lie in sun in shorts when I get the "invisible bugs". My afflicted nerve where sun generally don't shine, but sun time does help, even if I'm wearing gym shorts over the area to be "treated".

That would increase your systems natural production of Vit D, that helps skin. We don't produce or store it well as we age. Some sun and a supplement help me. Hugs and support on your quest for an answer.
J.

I have no advice, but I do understand just how awful it can be. I once had a sunburn that was beyond itchy. 24 hours of not being able to function or sleep. It got better fast enough, but left a lasting impression.

try beg bom it what framer use on dry itchy utter on cows , it smells but works min also do not be afraid to make a paste of baking soda see if that helps , did you start new med before itching , maybe one of your students is wearing perfume or something your allergic to , there calamine lotion it used for poison ivy , did you switch Landry products hugsmin

So sorry you're still going through this, Muji. I get skin eruptions(have since I was a child). Back then, and now, I soak hands in good old Epsom Salts. It soothes my skin and me...a respite from the hurting. My Mom would put Calamine Lotion on, lightly, let it soak in and give me white cotton gloves for about an hour. Sometimes it took a couple of applications, but it helped. I know it's old fashion, but I still use the routine ~ it's helped me over the years. It happens sporadically now ~ thank God.
I take Vitamin D year round...less in the Summer months. I increase it by one in the Winter when we don't see too much Sun.
Best of luck to you. And, please don't give up. You're worth it, you know.:)

Re: Bag balm. Best used on udders, severely dry skin on humans (I mean severe). A dermatologist prescribed ti for patchy eczema, worked a treat. For nerves.... Honestly, it's so frustrating, I know! Big puma hugs.

Check meds versus vitamin D supplements. Some meds (not many) can hinder vitamin D absorption via dietary sources. (I have one. Thus, I know. Gah. I'll die of freaking skin cancer to help stop everything *else*!)

Big hugs from a soft distance, so you don't itch worse.

Crazy as it sounds.... make a nice peppermint tea (Bigelow all-peppermint) and dilute it, chill it, and bathe your afflicted areas. Sometimes that helps me with bug bites... *sigh* I'm lame....

muji.... Try the tanning bed for sure!.... I never thought of it.... I came down with Shingles a few years ago and I was tanning at that time so I just went as usual and the Shingles were gone overnight.....It totally dried them up.... I was tanning the longest amount then (I know unhealthy) which was 20 minutes I think and at the beginning you are only allowed to go in a short amount of time but it's definitely worth a try

My Dr. recommends 20 minutes of direct sunlight 20 minutes twice a day. He also supplements me with a prescription grade vitamin D. So maybe the tanning booth isn't such a bad idea after all. What have you got to loose. I also found Gold Bond medicated powder helped me. Hope you can find something soon.

Did you say it was related to your kidneys (or am I imagining that)? If so, did you ask your nephrologist about it? Have you tried oatmeal? When my skin acts up, I like to soak in the ocean, something about the salt water and minerals I guess. Either way it seems to help. Is there a beach near you? Maybe you can get some epsom salts and minerals to soak in the tub. Hope some vit D helps!

Had sun poisoning and "scaly" skin last summer. Had to get a steroid shot. I used a steroid cream and a water pill called Lasix to keep inflammation down, but slathering my skin with coconut oil really helped! Please, try it! Also, have u been tested for allergies? Best of luck to you!

I itch. It started in 1998. I tried the creams. No luck. Now I take hydroxyzine hcl.....I think it is....it's an antihistamine anyway... helps a lot. Remember.....don't take this as medical advice.....ask your doctor

Thanks, everybody, a tanning bed will at least be relaxing. I used to go to them back in the 1980s when I was a streamlined dude. Now the only problem will be loading my Santa Claus figure into one. Whatever it takes.

My memory of that visit, though, will always be how my baffled specialists walked out of the room without a goodbye or instructions as to what to do next, leaving me standing in the middle of the room in my hospital gown going "um, what the --?" In my years of hospital chaplaincy work alongside docs I hadn't seen such an awkward farewell with no diagnosis or prognosis in conclusion. The tanning bed thought was early in the meeting and was just an idea thrown out there. The conclusion of the visit was a no closure muttering while walking away. Sort of absurdly like a Monty Python skit.

I have another appointment with my local dermatologist tomorrow. We'll see if he can communicate this time. With me, I mean. Last time he talked over me to his assistant. Literally.

More and more I see the value of looking someone in the eye and speaking directly to them. It can really make a person feel like they are not alone and that they are cared for.

Doctors like to cure people. Seems to make most very uncomfortable when there's just no good answers.

Takes a scary amount of intelligence and work to get through med school, even more so for the specialists. Social skills on top of that is often a rare thing.