People, let me just say at the start that, if you are planning on having any type of medical problems, you should just befriend Coble, because she will send you emails like, “Hey, you may not know this, but a lot of people who take thus and such find they have this thing once they come off it.” And you will also experience that thing, but it will not be as scary, because you knew ahead of time it was possible.
So, I’m having some unpleasant things in the wake of the brief steroid stint. But today I’m here to tell you about one in particular–“the itch.”
Since I went off the steriods on Sunday, I have been awoken in the middle of the night by an excruciating itch. I still have some scabby grossness from the rash, so it would seem to be related to that.
Except for two things 1. The itch is not alleviated by scratching. No matter how hard or soft I scratch or where on my shin I scratch, it doesn’t help. Because 2. I realized, as I awoke from a beautiful sleep last night to contemplate the itch, it’s the right side of my shin bone that itches. I can feel the itch along the flat part of the bone above my ankle. How, I ask you, can the surface of your bone itch?
And, once it’s decided to itch, why does it only itch in the middle of the night?
Tiny Cat Pants 
I’m glad it helped. I always feel like a psycho hypochondriac sending those emails but I reckon I’d rather have other folks think I’m a nutbar than to think they’re dying or have cancer.
As for the itch, I’ve heard of that but never had it happen to me. You can try googling steroid phantom itch to see what folks have said. In my dim recollection some ppl walk around and some people find that eating a banana for the potassium helps.
I’d try those things or other Internet remedies before taking it to the doctor who will automatically think ‘Diabetic Neuropathy’ and start you on Gabapentin or neurotinin. Good but expensive drugs which help nerve pain but also cause some ppl (raises hand) panic attacks and suicidal thoughts.
Histamine production is higher at night generally and cortisol production lower. The heat of the blankets and the posture of your body (along with your impeded breathing thanks to the apnea) probably all bears some responsibility for the itchy itchiness.
Now, wasn’t it Campfield who warned you this was coming?
He just had the wrong part of the body! He’s practically Edgar Cayce.
Ha.
If it’s not an itch that can be located on your skin, you might have a nerve misfiring. Put some heat, ice or a sports heat rub on the area (presuming the skin isn’t broken). I have heard of this happening after going off prednisolone – one woman I know had a hideous night-time itch in one nipple!
I get that on my shoulder, sometimes. Ice helps.