Itchy but no hives or rash 2

[CliveS]

I am hoping that MCTESS gets to see this!

I joined this forum to reply to the initial thread, only to realise that it had been locked. I have never had any allergies to anything in my life (I am 55) and consider myself healthy. About 5 months back, I suddenly developed this uncontrollable itch on my left arm, that was insatiable. After about a week of scratching, a darkened round patch developed and I noticed that the skin in that area had turned a little 'harder' for want of a better term.

The long and short of it is that I have now been to the doctor twice, been put on a steroidal cream (which did nothing to help) and then oral steroids (which don't seem to be helping either) and it has been driving me crazy! I then turned to Google and found this initial thread and when I read MCTESS's post, it was a mirror image of my experience, from the time frame of when it started vs. when I started to vape, to the irritation of the itch, to even where the itchy areas were.

I would really appreciate knowing what your final thoughts were - do you think it was the flavouring, or was it the PG or VG, or none of the above?

 

[Gratch]

Hello and welcome, It sort of sounds to me like you got bit by a flea or a insect of some sort, many things can cause skin irritations. What did the Doctor say when you asked about it? How long had you been vaping before this happened? Do you work outdoors? Own a pet?

 

[QcVaper]

I'm curious, i've heard of something similar but it was from high vg juices if that applies to you go down on vg go higher on pg content. Best way to know if it's ejuice is to remove all components one by one and see if there's a difference

 

[OlderNDirt]

Mostly replying to alert @mctess that you posted with a question....this should alert him/her (ETA: If still around!).

But since I responded, it certainly could be something from vaping, but don't rule out the many other possibilities. Very little information for a bunch of non-medical vapers to ponder. Do let us know if/when you pinpoint the problem!

 

[Bunnykiller]

could it be psorisis?

 

[Letitia]

Welcome and good luck finding a solution to your itch.

 

[leftyandsparky]

I would suggest seeing a Allergist (ENT) and have a allergy test done. I had to see a Dr. 3 times before a test was done. I have a pg allergy and mold. This could be vape related or environmental, even a food that you have enjoyed your whole life can develop into a allergy later on in life.
Good luck

 

[stols001]

It's possible that you are allergic to something in e-juice but I do question why you'd have one rounded spot on your arm and no other allergy symptoms. Does your doc think it's vaping? I got bit by a brown recluse my second week of vaping, and I could have easily attributed that to vaping since it was on my FACE, but I'm glad I did not. That said, I am sensitive to inhaled PG and use max VG, so people do get sensitivities to some stuff. I can't vape vanillas, they make me hoarse.

To me it almost sounds like a patch of ringworm or something which steroids wouldn't do much for. If it stays in place, I'd see a dermatologist before I started trying to isolate things from my vape, unless the rash/hives start to spread??

IDK, one small area of skin being irritated doesn't SOUND like the symptoms of a vape allergy, but anything's possible and you can try eliminating things like switching up flavors, changing your PC/VG mix, but this just doesn't seem like it to me.... Then again, I'm not a doctor NOR an allergist.

Best of luck figuring it out!

Anna

 

[sucram]

I went to the doc and while I was there explained that I had brushed past a prickle bush while dirt biking and had fine thorns thinner than hair in my back. It was seriously itchy for about a month.

She said that she couldnt really see anything and that part of it is psychological, part medical since I shouldnt have any pricles left. When you scratch you damage the skin around it causing more itching and a downward spiral from there. So dont scratch.

Also, I found steroid cream wont sooth damaged skin from scratching. An antiseptic cream will help but if you already scratched it not so much. It does help with psoriasis itchiness though.

Drink plenty of water, dry skin is easily irritable

Lastly she prescribed me phenergan which works but I only tried it once and mainly for the sleeping pill side effects on a flight. I try not to any medication unless I have to

 

[BrotherBob]

I am hoping that MCTESS gets to see this!
I joined this forum to reply to the initial thread, only to realise that it had been locked. I have never had any allergies to anything in my life (I am 55) and consider myself healthy. About 5 months back, I suddenly developed this uncontrollable itch on my left arm, that was insatiable. After about a week of scratching, a darkened round patch developed and I noticed that the skin in that area had turned a little 'harder' for want of a better term.
The long and short of it is that I have now been to the doctor twice, been put on a steroidal cream (which did nothing to help) and then oral steroids (which don't seem to be helping either) and it has been driving me crazy! I then turned to Google and found this initial thread and when I read MCTESS's post, it was a mirror image of my experience, from the time frame of when it started vs. when I started to vape, to the irritation of the itch, to even where the itchy areas were.
I would really appreciate knowing what your final thoughts were - do you think it was the flavouring, or was it the PG or VG, or none of the above?

Welcome and glad you joined.
The following may lend a clue as to your irritation.
Might like to read:
A list of symptoms when quitting tobacco and changing to an ecigarette
Allergies, Conditions and E-Liquid - The Complete Guide to E-Cig Safety
Really bummed out...allergies to vapor.

 

[CliveS]

Thankyou so much for all your comments and for tagging @mctess.

These patches of irritation are all over and the degree of irritation moves around. In other words, at times, the mark on my arm is most itchy, then my leg, my ear, my cheek. As was the case with @mctess, I have tried changing detergent, thinking that might have been the cause. Eventually, after putting up with it for a couple of months (about three months actually), I went to the doctor, who diagnosed an allergic reaction to something.

Initially, I didn't consider it to be from vaping, as I have been vaping on and off for about two years. I still smoke, but have been vaping as well in an attempt to cut down on cigs. It then occurred to me that my degree of vaping had significantly increased a couple of months before this itch developed.

Thanks @BrotherBob for the links. It certainly seems that some people have a reaction to PG vs. VG. I didn't even know of these terms until coming in here!

When I read @mctess' post, it could have been me that wrote it... this is a snippet from that post.

" As the weeks went on, I started itching more. I started getting hives. It would move around - sometimes an arm, sometimes a leg, my scalp, my face, my ears, my hands. I thought it was my laundry soap - even though I have never had allergic reactions to anything before in my life (I'm 46). I threw out my laundry soap and rewashed everything in the house, bought new shower soap, new handsoap, everything. I bought all "free and clear" soaps and that didn't help. Then it got to the point where I was losing sleep. I would itch all night. If I even so much as touched my face or a leg, I would start to itch. It's been absolutely terrible. I've had full blown hives now for a week or so. It's almost as if it started off slowly when I first started vaping and then, as my body was taking in more of the eliquid it just got worse. It's to the point where it is unbearable."

I am going to have to find out what glycerine is used in the eliquid that I have been using (I have decanted into an unmarked bottle and lost the packaging and there are no ingredients on their website).

My diet has not changed in years, I have never had an allergy to anything in my life, I am a fit and healthy person who never visits a doctor. Actually, having said that I have never had an allergy.. that's not strictly true. I have just remembered that I was verging on flu a couple of years ago and decided to dose up in vitamin C. The trouble was that that 1000mg tabs that I found, tasted so great, that I started taking them like candy, knowing that my body would expel the excess vitamin C. I developed a terrible itch on my hands, which stopped as soon as I had isolated it to the vitamin drops. I put that down to the food colorant used, so I do have a susceptibility to some things.

I have decided to stop vaping for a while to see what happens, to try to rule it out or not. If things improve, I think the next step is to find VG ejuice and see if that helps.