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Caregivers Allowed?

I found this site researching itchy skin, specifically her back has been driving her insane for a long time now, mostly at bedtime. I give her Benadryl against the drs orders but she insists so she can sleep.
We’ve tried everything. Changing soaps, lotions, oils, gold bond powder is current product.
 
Hello and welcome to the forum.

I noticed a great improvement in my skin (and hair) when I raised the level of protein in my diet. It took a few weeks and I was careful with hydration, too, as I had let drinking water slide a bit.
Do you or your Mum test blood sugar levels at home? Any medications? The answers will help members give better advice.

Have a wander around the forum and ask as many questions as you like.
 
Hi Charlotte, and welcome.

I'd also be inclined to look at your mum's diet. From what I've read, it can be the source of many long-term health issues.
 
Hi @charK60 and welcome to the forum. We have many carers on the forum. Ask anything you want, the people on here are friendly and supportive.
 
Hi @ChraK60,
I know soap being high pH dries my skin excessively. I use moisturising cream is place of soap.
High BSLS also can cause itch and increase the risk of fungal infection of the dry skin, e.g. dandruff scalp and other skin flaking.
Things are much better for me with normal BSLs and use of tar-based creams with a weekly anti-fungal treatment ( e.g. selenium-based shampoo). Because I get itchy skin in the dry winter air occasionally I am prescribed a low dose steroid cream but only if there is no active fungal infection.
Someone laying on their back in bed particularly with say plastic underlay may cause excessive sweating, --> wet, dry cycle which exacerbates risk of fungal infection.
Could any medication be increasing the risk of itch?
And some vitamin and mineral deficiencies are associated with skin problems. I have mentioned vitamin D and zinc below but Vitamin A, B2,3,5,6, 7, vitamin E and calcium can be causes as many websites will say. Of course, check with your doctor before adding in foods and supplements as excesses of say Vitamin A, D, B6 etc can cause problems.
And as well as external application of creams etc, I add linseed powder, and when I can obtain it, a mixture of powdered LSA (linseed/safflower/almond) to my breakfast cereal as the oils in them appear to work 'from the inside'. Omega 3 fatty acids contained in these seed/powders are important for good skin.
I am unsure whether vitamin D supplements are warranted during summertime but even here in sunny Australia during winter many elderly people suffer from vitamin D deficiency. Dry skin is one symptom but also bone health is a big deal here and some say they are less prone to colds etc during winter if they take Vitamin D supplements. Something to ask her doctor about.
One thing my doctor did was to ask me to taste a solution of a zinc compound in water. Apparently, if you cannot taste the zinc, you are low in zinc in your body. ( he said that if you are replete with zinc you can taste it and are less likely to eat foods that contain much zinc due to the taste. On the other hand if you are low in zinc you can tolerate food with more zinc in it because there is no taste experienced to put you off eating much of that food). Zinc apparently is important for skin health. It may be that the zinc in many protein foods is one of the reasons protein intake helps skin health.
I hope the above helps as at age of 92 I imagine any irritant is a source of unhappiness !!
 
My mom takes januvia and actos. She has had dental problems for a long time. Just now trying to get dentures to fit properly. So I am hard pressed finding proteins for her to eat. Doing ok with eggs, cheese, tuna, yogurt etc. What does zinc taste like? She is incontinent but has cotton lined disposable bed pads and does not lay in moist environment for long periods. Just when she first arises in am and then she’s up for the day. She has an appt with a dermatologist tomorrow. I hoped for some insight beforehand.
I am on an international health forum for myself but I find here I don’t follow too the colloquialism very well. Sorry.
Also, I don’t find her physician is nearly as helpful as you all suggest. His patients are mostly geriatrics and many are diabetic but I find he and I mostly stump each other in that I ask questions he can’t answer and his responses about medicines go over my head so I resort to “what should I do? Yes or no?”
 
Also, we have tried a variety of creams and oils, body sprays and now medicated powder. She takes a multiple vitamin daily. She tests her blood every am fasting. She’s running at about 145 average. She takes gabapentin for peripheral neuropathy (feet burning) and no longer takes any opiate pain meds as she was recently hospitalized for acute constipation (possibly 15 days+ without a movement). Other than that she takes thyroid supplements and allergy meds. And meds to make sure she doesn’t get bound up again: stool softeners and Linzess for irritable bowel syndrome.
 
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