Night Sweats and itching

[OxonAndy]

I am a 49 year old male diagnosis with pv jak2 positive in March this year.

I find the posts on this site extremely informative and helpful and it is good to know we are not alone in living with this condition and all its variants.

Recently I have used a cooling gel pad on my pillow which seems to reduce the night sweats. They don't go away of course but it eases the after affects and I don't have to change the pillow case every day!.

I suffer more recently itching on the scalp and arms etc which is not unbearable but more irritating. I have read that some people use anti histamines however I am keen to see if there are more natural remedies to try as I don't want to increase.my drug intake as I currently take 2 hydroxy daily plus a statin and blood pressure tablets.

Any advice would be greatly received and let's keep sharing together.

Cheers.

Andy.

[JackLina]

I take a 4mg anti histamine (chlorphenamine) as soon as the itching begins and it works very quickly. It's not a day long one and therefore just tackles the problem when required. At night it also helps sleep. Hope that helps. ATB. P.

[OxonAndy in reply to JackLina]

Thanks for your advice Penelope much appreciated

[Sanga]

Hi. I find warm showers ie water makes the itching worse. So I have cool showers or just wash in the basin - I put e45 cream on daily and it seems to keep it at bay.

Alternatively, I drink chuckling goat kefir daily which some people can’t have if they take blood thinners as it’s high in vitamin k. I have been doing this for a year and in discussion with my haematologist. My blood have been stable throughout. When I stopped in the summer for a month as I was away - the itching came back with force. Unusually my rbc leapt up to over 50 where it is normally stable. However that cd b because my usual diet changed too.

Hope that is helpful

Sanga

[OxonAndy in reply to Sanga]

Thanks Sanga for your help I may give this a try regards Andy

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Andy

I can't help you with the sweats. I get them at any time and anywhere. At home I always have fans on. Horrid. The itching - I would stay clear of goat kefir as it is high in vitamin k as Sanga advised. It is not something you should take when you have PV. Try Telfast 180mg. Should last 12 hours. It is for Hayfever allergy relief. If you take it at the same time daily it will assist you with one side effect that you could do without.

Cheers

Anna

[OxonAndy]

Thanks Anna they are horrid I agree I use a gel pillow in bed sometimes which seems to ease it a bit. My haemotologist says it isn't a side effect of the condition as my platelets and hameocrit are stable now which is strange as aot do suffer with this condition.i may try the hay fever allergy relief. Thanks once again for your advice.