Diabetes itchy skin

snowy77

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Mine is worse in the night,especially the bottom of my legs :thumbdown:
In the daytime I'm mainly itchy on my forearms,wrists and legs and it does seem to coincide with BG levels over 16mmol/l with me.
I thought I was the only one being plagued by this **** itchiness as when I asked the nurse at my practice she said "Diabetes doesn't cause itching" but then again,this is the same Nurse who told me to eat "Plenty of good carbs" :***:
Yeah mate I suffer the same Really bad at night . but it's mainly around my groin my misses goes crazy when I wake her up at stupid o'clock scratching like mad . I have no idea why or how to stop it . I am also diabetic. I got diabetes free after I had an heart attack
 

dancer

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,360
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
For months before I was diagnosed with Type 1, I itched like mad. It started in my armpits and worked it's way down. I found that natural fibres helped but my skin was in a dry, terrible state for months.

When I was diagnosed and stabilised, the difference in my skin was amazing. I remember asking a doctor at the diabetic clinic if this was connected in any way to my diabetes. He said he'd never heard of such a connection and it was probably a coincidence. This was almost 37 years ago - I wonder if that doctor had anything to do with finding out that itchy skin is one of the symptoms of diabetes. . . . Probably not!
 

eddie1968

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,661
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Pasta, sorry to me it's vile, yeuch lol (and full of nasty carbs)
I get itchy skin when my BG is up and use a non greasy moisturizer like Diprobase and Chlorphenamine tabs or liquid as required, seems to help.
 

oldsurveyor

Well-Known Member
Messages
343
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
I use this on every skin irritation from bear bites to diaper rash.
She's never let me down yet, save yeast infections, it's just dreadful for yeast infections. For that I use oral diflucan.
This stuff is natural and pretty cheap and helped my boy get over a frightful case of eczema.
Good luck to ya.

ImageUploadedByDCUK Forum1444025418.321048.jpg
 

Frosty66

Well-Known Member
Messages
82
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Snow
Itching behind my ears I've tried all the creams and shampoos
Drives me crazy
 
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Reactions: 2 people

DeeMatt

Member
Messages
7
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
How interesting, I've been T1 diabetic 26 years now, started suffering very bad itchy skin lately which has very dry patches, assumed it would be related to my diabetes, as everything else seems to be!! But now I know for sure, sugars have been very high for no apparent reason for about a week, resulted to eating salads etc, low carbs and still can't get it below 15, pain in the behind! Been referred to a dermatologist also.
 

DeeMatt

Member
Messages
7
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I use this on every skin irritation from bear bites to diaper rash.
She's never let me down yet, save yeast infections, it's just dreadful for yeast infections. For that I use oral diflucan.
This stuff is natural and pretty cheap and helped my boy get over a frightful case of eczema.
Good luck to ya.

View attachment 16058
Just been googling this, isn't it just for animals, is it safe for humans?
 

Celeriac

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,065
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Extra Virgin organic raw coconut oil. Amazing moisturiser ! Also, not using shower gels and shampoos with all those horrible parabens. Sanex shower gel and bath foam cleared up husband's eczema.
 

sillysausage

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Itchy skin is a nightmare, unable to sleep made me desperately tired, depressed & grouchy !
My GP prescribed Centreban, it's a moisturiser in a pump it softens the skin AND no itchy skin.... Yippee !
 

Lisabette

Newbie
Messages
1
I have not had a diabetes or pre-diabetes diagnosis, my fasting BG levels are always good. But my brother was diagnosed as T2 a year ago. I don't seem to handle carbs any more, and it's getting progressively worse. Sugary or starchy foods seem to shut down my digestion, and I get this itching all over my body, especially in the torso area. I was certain it was a wheat sensitivity, until a few days ago on Thanksgiving. I over ate, but didn't STUFF myself, just had much more carbs than normal, even though I thought I was not overdoing it. My skin was crawling that night and the next day, and I became super sensitized to any fabric that was scratchy. I'm starting to wonder if it has to do with insulin resistance.

But since I am of normal weight and my fasting BG is good, no doctor has brought this up. I see a natureopath, mostly because I have such digestion issues. He thinks I have leaky gut, which may be true. But this past week I'm starting to suspect blood sugar issues. Having a candy bar makes my whole body feel like it's freaking out, I haven't had that issue in the past. I've cut way back on sugar and carbs, but have a hard time at holidays.

What kind of a doctor should I see? Or is it important to even look for a specific diagnosis? My natureopath isn't really like a typical medical doctor, he takes a lot of tests and prescribes supplements. Anyway, I'm glad to have found this, it is confirmed my suspicion that itchy skin might be related to high glucose levels. A few days of light eating, mostly protein and veggies, and I felt fine again. (though skin is still a little irritable)

My second question, does high glucose levels affect digestion?

Thanks
 

Pinkorchid

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,927
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Mines itching inside the ears have had it for years long before diabetes can drive me mad at night wakes me up my doctor thinks it is dry eczema but reluctant to give me cortisone cream as she said it needs to be applied with a cotton bud and that is so easy to perforate the eardrum she just said to use medical quality olive oil in them doesn't stop the itching though
 

vix107

Active Member
Messages
26
thank god im not the only one going mad with this!!!! but I went on insulin pump in november 2010 and HBA1C is now 8.6 from 12.8, I have noticed my itching has reduced dramatically :D I think keeping bgs at a good rate deffo helps, but good moisturising helps too as my skin is very dry.

I dont think the antihistermines help much with this apart from help u sleep.
I'm due to go onto a pump in the near future and I do find I get itchy skin especially on arms and legs so I hope I gain better control and reduce the itching as you have found x
 
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Yikes, having my first taste of it, all over, seems to move from area to area, tried moisturisers to no avail and have scratched raw parts in places :(

Glucose levels are fairly well managed for the most part but I have noticed my Budesnorphine patches have been irritated under the patch for some weeks now and its like right now itch itch, scratch, new area itch itch
 

vix107

Active Member
Messages
26
I was told by the neurologist I saw for neuropathy that this kind of itching can be related to diabetic neropathy. I've been using almond oil and coconut oil
ive discovered I'm low on levels of vitamin b12 which has been causing my foot pain and most likely the itching, now on a course of injections for that too, I hope it works!!!
 

Nuisance

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Badger Culling! Any cruelty to animals, wild, domesticated, or farm.
I'm so glad to hear is about itchy skin, for the last 8 month I have been going mad with itchy skin, I have even been to my GP and got told it was just dry, the only thing that seems to help me is some body cream from the body shop with mango in for extra dry skin but its not cheap, I seem to get worst when I've been outside, or I get hot. :D thank you. Its made me fell I. Not going mad

Smokey
It's amazing how ignorant GPs are nowadays!!
 

Paulabetts

Well-Known Member
Messages
67
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Dislikes
meat selfish people slugs and snails
the sides of my feet get very itchy and it drives me mad!!! when i work I wear heavy type shoes that are not easy slip off types and trying to remove itching in thick soled leather shoes is no fun
 

Karenchq

Well-Known Member
Messages
84
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I itched like crazy on my elbows when I was first diagnosed (T1) and I thought perhaps it was an insulin reaction. Now that my bs has come down to more reasonable levels the itching and dry skin has become much less severe.


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Annabel_Eve

Member
Messages
15
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Oh my goodness!! It all makes sense now. I too have developed really itchy skin over the past few weeks & thought it might be something to do with my diabetes, now I know it is. Phew, and to tell the truth my levels have been on the high side recently! :(