Finally, after many, many months of suffering with an all-body itch, I have gotten rid of it. It was so bad that I would wake up bloody in places from scratching at night. I looked like a had the measles or leprosy. It would wake me up in the middle of the night and I would have to grab my back scratcher. And as anyone with this itch will tell you, the more you scratch, the more it itches.
I was in the hospital recently and they gave me gabapentin. The next day...NO ITCH,. I was so aware of it, I almost cried. I was on a large dose, and they were going to end it at the end of the month, or in two weeks.
I asked my PCP to let me continue on 100 mg. I had titrated myself down from 300 once I got home. I was only on 100 mg. I found it got me through the night completely. I will admit, that I do itch sometimes, especially later in the day before I take my dose. But even that is getting better.
So, gabapentin has some requirements for late-stage CKD that the dose is low, 100mg daily. But it works. Boy is it great not to be suffering from it. It has been a month for me. I do not thing I have ever had something so difficult and painful and irritating as the ITCH. If they take my Gabe away from me, I do not know what I will do.
Here is a document for those who like evidence-based info like me.
Just before my PD failed I had that same itch..bloody scratching and all. That the not eating and the tremors are what put me in the hospital the first time...switched to hemo and they all cleared up. The only itch I have now is where the tape is on my Graft after a treatment. I'll take it over the all body itch.
I'm not sure if it's the same sort of itch, but I have CKD and get eczema on my hand. It drove me mad for years, until I was advised by a medic to use high urea cream (I get cream containing at least 40% urea). It is very moisturising. It is fantastic, as soon as I feel the itch starting and the little blisters appear I plaster it on and it instantly soothes. Usually after a few days, used several times a day, the eczema clears up. I carry a little bottle everywhere with me now.
I am so glad it works for you. My husband is stage 5 renal failure, on dialysis with an itch for 3 years. He is on gabapentin 200 mg but still has the itch all over his body.
I found relief by switching from bath soap to a sensitive skin body wash in the winter . Don't forget to watch your phosphorus and to take your blockers with every meal.
So sorry you've been having to endure this agonizing issue. I hope you continue to find relief with the gabapentin.Hope you're doing okay with HHD. Take care and thanks for sharing.
Bassetmommer. You may recall you replied to my post some time ago now and in that message I mentioned how I was having quite unbearable itching mainly on my scalp and neck. No rash. This had been troublesome for a long time and I had even kept notes of what I was eating, drinking and using to no avail. I have taken paracetamol for some time due to knee pain which causes sciatica too. Several weeks ago the knee pain eased so I stopped taking the paracetamol for a few days. The itching stopped. Yes, I couldn't believe it but it was heaven not having the awful irritation. I delved into the side effects of paracetamol and sure enough, it said skin irritation can occur. I would never have thought that. Now, one day last week I had awful knee/sciatic pain so took some paracetamol again. The following day I was itching. Just thought I would post about this as I remember recently another person posted about skin irritation. Not sure what pain relief I should now take but at the moment, things are not too bad. Hope you continue to get relief from yours
It was almost driving me insane and I had been affected for such a long time. I never would have guessed it was the paracetamol causing it. Just goes to show
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INSOMNIA UPDATE
Itch on right shoulder
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