This itching is unusual, as my skin actually does not seem irritated at all. There is no rash or anything at all unusual about the surface of my skin. Also scratching the itch does not resolve it. It actually makes it much worse (although it feels good while I am actually scratching). When I stop, the urge to scratch is much worse and the best thing (apart from not scratching at all) is to gently run my fingers over the skin, which seems to "reset" the whole urge to itch.
The itching is worse at night and affects my ability to get a good nights sleep.
I am convinced that the itching has nothing at all to do with my skin, and is entirely a matter of my nerves going crazy. I see this described as "peripheral neuropathy" or as a "neuropathic itch".
Sometimes I can see faint red circles under the skin in my palms.
The itching began in mid June of 2025 (let's say June 10).
On May 14, 2025 I went to the hospital for an angiogram and ended up having a stent placed. This led to several change that may be related to the itch. First of all I began taking several new medications, in particular a blood thinner called Prasugrel. The itching started about a month after beginning to take this medication. I was suspicious of this medication and at my request, my doctor switched me to a different one, but after 2 weeks it has made no difference. I also take (and have for a year or so) Lysinopril, which lowers my blood pressure. I experimented not taking this for almost a week, with no change whatsoever. I have also began taking Rosuvastatin, but I started this a week after the itching began, so it can hardly be the cause.
I'll also mention that about a year ago I had a similar episode of such itching, but it went away on its own after a few weeks. It was the same sort of neuropathic "phantom" itching. At the time I figured it was due to exposure to either glues I was using or plastic particles produced by sanding. I think now that it was giving me early warning of nutritional issues I will describe in what follows.
I read a chapter in a book I have ("How not to die" by Dr. Greger) and he mentions that you absolutely need to take B12 supplements if you embark on a regime that resembles a vegan diet. And he mentions dire consequences if you don't. (Including things as severe as paralysis and blindness).
He says it may take years before problems manifest themselves, and this statement may have misled me somewhat.
I was reading about peripheral neuropathy, then decided to do a search about B12 and neurological symptoms. I found statements like these:
Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to nerve damage, causing symptoms like numbness, tingling, and even more severe neurological problems. This damage occurs because B12 is crucial for maintaining myelin, the protective sheath around nerves, which is essential for proper nerve function. Without sufficient B12, myelin can deteriorate, leading to nerve damage and impaired nerve signals.I am familiar with this because a friend has Gullain-Barre syndrome. This is an autoimmune disorder where the body attacks the Myelin nerve sheaths. The limbs are first affected because the nerve path to hands and feet are the longest in the body.Vitamin B12 deficiency is linked to impaired cognition and memory along with a sensation of tingling and numbness, an outcome of poor myelination.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to memory loss and other cognitive problems, as B12 is crucial for nerve and brain health. Low B12 levels can be associated with memory issues, including impaired cognition and even dementia-like symptoms.
I also read that as people age (I am 70+ years old now) they often have trouble assimilating B12. Some people are missing something they call "intrinsic factor" that enables them to absorb B12 in their diet. When a B12 deficiency is due to a lack of "intrinsic factor" it produces what is called "pernicious anemia." This is yet another autoimmune condition caused by the body attacking the cells in the stomach lining that produce "intrinsic factor" and now we have a low red blood cell count in addition to nerve damage.
It is also worth noting that some sources feel the official minimum requirement for B12 may be too low, in particular for people with any kind of B12 absorption issue.My plan was to take 2000 mcg doses the first two days, then drop back to taking 1000 mcg daily. I did this. Note that B12 is water soluble and any excess will be gotten rid of in urine, so taking too much is harmless.
A 1000 mcg pill probably sounds like massive overkill (but it is hard to argue with results). On page 408 of Dr. Greger's book, he recommends 2500 mcg per week for people over age 65 who eat a plant based diet, and perhaps as much as 1000 mcg per day for those people.
My guess is that I have been borderline with regard to B12 for some time. As I mentioned, I had an episode of the itchy palm problem about a year ago (October of 2024) before any diet changes or new medications
As I write this, I only have one surprisingly good data point. I had not expected to see any changes for at least a week. It will be interesting to see what does happen over the next week. I will note also that if a lack of B12 has been causing nerve damage, it is not limited to my hands and feet, that is just where it becomes severe enough to yield annoying symptoms. I may see benefits in areas where the effects have been more subtle.
There is certainly no harm in starting to take B12, but it is not the big answer I was looking for.
Tom's home page / tom@mmto.org