Curious

[S_dillow]

Is itching all over a normal thing in kidney disease?

[orangecity41 NKF Ambassador]

I experienced some itching with CKD. I am at CKD level 3b and in my case it was connected to hyperkalemia (high potassium). Suggest you advise your Doctor so that you can get proper treatment plan, and or diet.

[HealthBuddyMelissa in reply to orangecity41]

Good anwer, but it can be from high BUN, metabolic acidosis and other issues that are related to kidney disease. Tell your doctor so you can get some relief.

[Jayhawker]

In addition to what the others have said, I’ve experienced itching when my phosphorous was elevated, thankfully just once. It was pretty miserable...

Jayhawker

[KidneyCoach NKF Ambassador]

Generally itching all over is due to high phosphorus in the blood. This can be very common in later stages of kidney disease. Everything we eat contains phosphorus, so the items higher in phosphorus may need to be limited. Higher phosphorus foods would be all dairy; milk, yogurt, cheese, ice cream. Chili, chocolate, peanut butter, organ meats, hot dogs, pancakes, waffles, biscuits, creamed soups are some foods to limit. Please contact your doctor as a binder may be recommended. I've yet to hear of high potassium being a cause for itching but I guess its possible. Blessings

[medway-lady]

Not for me and I've gone from 8 to 24% since Oct 2018. Never itched. But been told my phosphorus levels are great and mine was an injury caused by a medication.

[Sammi_n_Munk]

Hi there S_dillow! Yeah, itching can be a symptom of high phosphorus levels in those of us with CKD. I know I’ve heard this many times in this forum. You should consult with your doctor about this, especially if it’s becoming more intense. It may be the phosphorus, or possibly something different that may be relieved quite easily. I say, check with your physician before making any drastic changes to your diet, as it may not be your phosphorus levels at all. It may just be plain dry skin issues. Have you tried using moisturizing creams? If not, you may want to give that a try in the meantime. I hope this helps. All my best to you. Keep us posted. God bless. 😊👍🙏✌️

[RhenDutchess123]

I sometimes itch when I get dehydrated. Retaining water can also make me itchy too