Hi tonight I’m so close to tears again .. I’m going up the wall with itching all over , I just can’t stop scratching and rubbing my hands together till get burning smell , also my feet I rub with my socks to ease it but soon as stop starts again . I mentioned it to my liver consultant but he just said I’ll up your dose on urso acid but is this really going to help as I’ve read there is other medication for itching symptoms ? Feel so alone
Itchy skin: Hi tonight I’m so close to... - British Liver Trust
Itchy skin
Written by
Shezza123
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
52 Replies
•
I'm pretty sure a member called Oldham12 has posted about this and what she has used. I am sure if you either search her replies or type in itching where the spyglass is, you should find some useful advice. Failing that I am pretty sure you would ok to pm her or wait for someone to offer actual advice.
I do really feel for you as I went through this many years ago and did not take anything for it. I just had to turn the heating off and try to live in a temperature below 18 C- it makes it very difficult to sleep.
So sorry you are going through this- it is torment I know and hope you get some relief soon. Cold showers can also be helpful (not ideal I know) as I found bringing my body temp down was the most effective thing.
Hope someone offers you some advice soon.
• in reply toCarpeDiem11
Lynne where are you, not Sleeping again? 💤,
ThreeSmiles• in reply to
You’re right - she is awake right now! 😦. But she may not see your post? I’ll PM her!!
ThreeSmiles• in reply to
There you are me old fruit. See below!
Hello. A year ago I had similar symptoms, itchiness, esp. feet at first, but then also hives in random places on my body. I believe this this all started while I had been working in Africa and after I had been taking Doxy (Doxycycline)) to prevent Malaria.
I tried topical solutions at first but -- of course -- wanted to find the cause. Blood tests revealed nothing significant but the doctor noted that my spleen was slightly enlarged.
Over several weeks of personal observation, the hives seemed to come about shortly after eating....
Still 100% unsure of the cause but the itchiness (and hives) seems to have abated once I started a low histamine diet, avoiding nearly all alcohol and breads and fermented foods, and also practicing intermittent fasting. I am also a very normal weight for my height.
When I end up eating too much (histamine rich foods) I do feel that the itchiness and hives returns and then abates after taking an anti-allergy medicine such as (Aerius 5mg which is a desloratadine). I only do this rarely since desloratadine I believe can be hard on kidneys.
In my theory I could have had an infection or perhaps the Doxy upset the bacterial in my intestines. Also working in boondocks of Africa is probably not helping me!
Good luck!
Hi
I've been prescribed fexofenadine 180 mg which has helped me. Good luck . Love and hugs to you all Lynne
• in reply to
I knew that, already had a nose in your previous post.👃
• in reply to
Have you tried it
Shezza123• in reply to
Hi , was you told to just up your urso acid at first ? I’ve tried covering myself in moisturiser but just don’t help .. I feel the cold so much so always have radiators on as a cold house . It’s just driving me up the wall ..
• in reply toShezza123
Hi
I have Nash but symptoms of other diseases of the liver but I'm not as yet in urso. Love and hugs Lynne t
• in reply to
Nop, I don't need it thanks.
• in reply to
Ok
Hello. A year ago I had similar symptoms, itchiness, esp. feet at first, but then also hives in random places on my body. I believe this this all started while I had been working in Africa and after I had been taking Doxy (Doxycycline)) to prevent Malaria.
I tried topical solutions at first but -- of course -- wanted to find the cause. Blood tests revealed nothing significant but the doctor noted that my spleen was slightly enlarged.
Over several weeks of personal observation, the hives seemed to come about shortly after eating....
Still 100% unsure of the cause but the itchiness (and hives) seems to have abated once I started a low histamine diet, avoiding nearly all alcohol and breads and fermented foods, and also practicing intermittent fasting. I am also a very normal weight for my height.
When I end up eating too much (histamine rich foods) I do feel that the itchiness and hives returns and then abates after taking an anti-allergy medicine such as (Aerius 5mg which is a desloratadine). I only do this rarely since desloratadine I believe can be hard on kidneys.
In my theory I could have had an infection or perhaps the Doxy upset the bacterial in my intestines. Also working in boondocks of Africa is probably not helping me!
Good luck!
Prior to my transplant I did not sleep for a long time because of itching.
Sorry to say I never found anything that completely stopped it
All you can do is experiment
Shower before going to sleep
Eating early
You can get various cooling creams such as Zeroderm, Derma cool I kept trying different ones till I found the one that worked the best
Cold towels
Cold bed, I could not bear the covers on me for a while
The itching would slow down for a while and I would get periods of stopping, no rhyme or reason
Sorry I cannot be more help and really understand how you feel, I used to sleep during the day and adjusted to being awake at night and doing things then
Its horrible, I kept on asking until I found the best things to help, Try other doctors as sometime they have different suggestions
I really hope you find some relief
David
Hi , I have been itching for nearly 2 years the only good sleep I have had in that period was under the anaesthetic. 5 months post transplant and still itching my blood tests have shown it isn't my liver that is causing the itching I am so desperate if I had a chainsaw I would cut my legs off I have some many creams I slide out of bed nothing works, I am taking Fexofenadine and sleep with my legs out of bed but it's gettting a bit chilly now plus the menopause don't help. It maybe my diabetes but waiting to see dermatologist next year to rule out skin problems.
Fenofexadine and GP has upped dose to 3 x 180mg per day - best check with own GP - plus Eurax cream.
Hi Shezza.
It must be so terribly uncomfortable.
My husband saw a Dermatologist for his extreme itching/scratching/bleeding/bruising before cirrhosis diagnosis.
She did prescribe him 2 different ointments and one has helped somewhat. I'll go find that one...
It is called, Clobetasol Propion. It comes with warnings.
What I've noticed is that he is not scratching near as much since abstaining from alcohol.
The other recommendations from the Dermatologist were:
Avoid hot showers (water temp should be luke warm at best).
And, moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.
She mentioned trying petroleum jelly, as well.
I've considered trying some of the baby rash creams for him but haven't ventured there yet.
I hope that you can get some relief soon.
There is a cooling spray now in stores, but l don't recall the name of it. Sounds as though it's worth a go!
My hubby found dream cream from lush helped
Urso did not do a thing for me, it may as well have been a placebo. I used Eurex but the best I found which didn’t take it away but seemed to ease it was the freeze cream, the opposite to Deep Heat.
Thank you everyone for these ideas I have literally had worst day ever at work today for itching all over literally and walking home I couldn’t wait to get in get socks off and just rub feet continuously on carpet .. I can’t go on like this ...
Hi Shezza. Pre transplant I was plagued with itchy skin, especially when warm in bed. I found that there were things that would work temporarily but the main thing that helped was trying to keep the affected areas cool.
My wife has eczema and she finds that it is at it's worst when she is warm and cosy in bed, she often sleeps with her legs out from under the duvet to bring her body temperature down and it eases the itching. She also suffers from raynaud's syndrome and feels the cold badly so it's a bit of a juggling act for her to try to get cool enough to ease the itching but warm enough to keep her comfortable.
I used to put some towels in a bin liner in the freezer and when my itching was keeping me awake I would fetch the towels and place them on the itchy parts and then I was usually able to fall asleep for a while.
Hope this may be of some help and that you find some solutions to the problem, I know how miserable it can be.
Best wishes
Alf.
Hi the last two days have been the worst ever , I have plastered myself in my sons excema cream tonight but I’m still itching to point I could Cry ... I feel the cold really bad so it’s hard trying to keep just cool cotton clothes on . Thanks for your help ..
Sherrie
The cooling spray sounds like it's worth a go.
I’m going go chemist tomorrow see what can get over the counter
• in reply toalfredthegreat
Lying in your scratcher?🛌
bed, a place to sleep and have a wee fly scratch of various body parts. 😜
alfredthegreat• in reply to
More like a wee fly rake 
Wife says that she's going to try the cooling spray 
Anything is worth a go
You need a high dose of antihistamines. I take Atarax and Certirizine. It really is so frustrating. Plz get some so you dont suffer anymore. Xox
I never thought of taking that , I’ve bought some eurax cream today to try but touch wood The itching not no where near as bad today .. when starts again I will try that too .. thank you
Thanks it’s a lot calmer I’m just trying not to start scratching where I am a bit itchy x
Be strong! It's that itch, scratch, itch syndrome!
It is driving me up the wall trying to be mind over matter 😢
I remember the feeling well !
Hi
My husband has chronic liver disease. He was prescribed Questran (cholestyramine) by his hospital consultant. It helps. Don't know if it's been mentioned here already, but thought I'd let you know.
Thank you for the advice ..x
Naltrexone works. after 8 years of trying most of the remedies mentioned above, I was put on 25 to 50 mg once a night. relief in 30 minutes and lasts 5 to 8 hours. Naltrexone is the third level treatment recommended within the London north east region.
hi, i had this for months nothing i got helped it i was on urso didnt touch it no difference at all ,turned out i had a tumour in my bile duct leading up to my liver,i was not a heavy drinker my liver was in good condition it was major surgery that i had to have then all symptoms disappeared this was 15 months ago now i hope you get sorted out theirs nothing worse xx
Oh no sorry to hear this ,glad you have eased now with symptoms .
Thank you i hope u get some peace from it soon theirs nothing worse it was the worse thing iv ever had to go through but fingers crossed it all over & it never comes bk good luck to you hope you get sorted soon sending love & best wishes to you xx
Hi, it drives me nuts too I take Atarax (hydrocodone hydrochloride) 25mg before bed. It has helped with itching and night sweats but some liver patients can't have it depends on your blood results. Ask your consultant, my GP was very clued up on the itch said it should be treated similar to pain, you wouldn't leave a patient in pain. If you translated my itch to a pain score 0 being no itch to 10 wanting to tear your skin off you can chart out parts of your body. Like arms being an 8 where your back is a 3 (can mostly be ignored) then that really helps Drs get a better understanding of our suffering. Good luck.
Sorry spell thingy it's hydroxyzine
That’s so helpful thank you I’m seeing my own doctor Friday so hopefully he can help as my consultant app another 3 months and you get rushed in and out regards sherrie
You need to get a small bottle of Therapeutic Grade 100% Pure Essential Lavender Oil. It's the best topical itch reliever. I just used some tonight on myself. Put it on liberally and rub it all over the affected area. Let it soak in. It doesn't work instantaneously but after 2-3 minutes you'll begin to feel the wonderful relief. And it lasts for hours and smells beautiful.
It's also very good for your skin in many other ways. I buy mine here:
amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y2...
Blessings to you!
dusty -
Not what you're looking for?
You may also like...
Terribly itchy skin
My name is Michelle I am 44 years old and in stage 4 liver disease. I itch like crazy on my arms...
itchy
hi I’m new here and concerned about itching.
I started itching out of nowhere last week and it’s...
Itchy Skin!
Looking for any ideas to help. My itchy skin is driving me mad! It can happen any time of day but...
Itchy and scratchy
Anyone been through the intense itching often associated with liver problems? Have you any advice...
Itching and cold with my pbc
It’s me again so fed up of itching again last few days as really got me down . I’m taking...
Itchy Skin
Itchy Scratchy!! 
Only 28 terrified I have cirrhosis
Itchy skin could I have liver disease 
please, any help?
