SteakJane

I Solved My Insane Menopause Itching After Nearly 2 Years Of Frustration - Here's What Finally Worked

I'm 53 and went through menopause about 7 years ago with minimal issues - just some hot flashes that disappeared quickly. Well, that peace didn't last forever.

Here's what I was dealing with:

About 18 months ago, I started getting the most intense, maddening itch you can imagine. Every night before bed, I'd scratch constantly for 30+ minutes - right sole of my foot, back of my left knee, scalp, middle of my back, left shoulder. A different damn spot EVERY 10 SECONDS! It was driving me absolutely MENTAL. The itching was so terrible that no lotion or cream I tried helped even a little bit.

What I tried but DIDN'T work:

Cooling gels
Anti-itch cream
Got allergy testing done (came back negative for most things)
Mild steroid cream once a day dilligently

My arms and legs were also getting red patches that were super sensitive - even soft cotton shirts would irritate them by the end of the day.

Then,

One day I was reading about skin sensitivities online and stumbled across something about people developing reactions to SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) later in life, especially during hormonal changes. I remembered having issues with my gums being irritated, so I checked my toothpaste - sure enough, SLS was listed.

Switched to SLS-free toothpaste and my gum irritation cleared up in 3 days.

That's when it clicked: What if SLS was behind my skin itching too?

I checked my laundry detergent - even my "sensitive skin" brand had SLS as the second ingredient. Same with the "gentle" and "free & clear" versions I'd tried.

I bought completely SLS-free laundry detergent and rewashed ALL my clothes, bedding, towels - everything that touched my skin regularly.

The itching stopped within 48 hours and hasn't returned. That was over 3 weeks ago!

18 months of pure misery because my changing hormones made me sensitive to something I'd used for years without issues.

Extra tips that I found helpful:

Avoid anything with synthetic fragrances (like your body wash, shampoo, perfume) - they're hormone disruptors and skin irritants
Read ingredients on EVERYTHING, even "sensitive" products often contain SLS
Surprisingly wine can trigger histamine reactions (I cut back and noticed less overall skin sensitivity)
Watch out for aged cheeses, fermented foods like kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut - all high in histamines that trigger flare ups

TLDR: If you're dealing with unexplained itching during meno, don't overlook your laundry detergent! Hormonal changes can make us react to things that never bothered us before.

Hope this helps someone else skip the agony I went through!

P.S. If you're exhausted from trying everything and nothing works for your menopause symptoms - I'm starting a private group where we can actually share what works, swap real solutions, and stop figuring this mess out alone. Starting with a small group first.

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