Full body itching?

[Dewey]

The past two days or so, I've been EXTREMELY itchy pretty much head to toe - there isn't really anything that doesn't itch right now! No hives, no visible rash, my skin isn't even particularly dry or anything - just extremely, insanely itchy! Zyrtec takes the edge off the itch for a short while, but not long - has anyone else experienced this? I  have no idea what's causing it. As I said - no hives, no nothing, just itchy! Any input?

[CMdeux]

Happens to me every so often.

Sometimes it seems like dry skin.

Sometimes it seems like environmental allergens.

Sometimes it seems like it might be... well, no, I have no real idea.  <sigh>

I just keep on top of it with double-dosing with zyrtec for a few days and it seems to get better.

[Janelle205]

I had the same thing a couple of weeks ago - went with benadryl at night (not sure if it helped the itching, but I took three (doctor allowed) and that generally knocks me out pretty well.  Also slathered on the vanicream - seemed to help as well.

[Macabre]

I regularly have this if I don't take my daily allergy med:  Allegra. And I get it even with Allegra during my bad allergy seasons.

[krasota]

I have this, too, mostly due to severe environmental allergens.

BUT (and there's always a but), if this is a new symptom, talk to your doctor.  Could be something else, like an out of whack thyroid or something.

[MandCmama]

Years back I had CRAZY itching that moved from one body area to the next. No rash. No hives. When my derm scraped the cap from his pen down my arm, large wheals instantly appeared. He said I was dermatographic (sp?). He explained it as histamine just "dumping" for some unknown reason ( I had KNA). I believe I was put on steroids and anti histamine briefly.

[rebekahc]

I agree with the others - sometimes it just happens.  I also agree that you should check with your doctor.  I know jaundice (even if it's not visibly yellowing your skin) can cause itchiness, so it's probably a good idea to check out other possibilities especially since the Zyrtec didn't really help.

[Dewey]

And today the random itching is gone, only to be replaced by head-to-toe hives.   

Hooray for the randomness of allergies! /sarcasm

[CMdeux]

Could it be the tail end of a virus?  Viral itching and hives are unfortunately common in very atopic people.

[Astyas]

I also have/had a problem with horrible not-yet-hives itching. My doctor put me on a famotidine and a zyrtec twice a day. Maybe that's something you can talk with your doctor about?