Hi, I have been put on Rifadin three weeks ago by my consultant to help stop the itching. At the moment it does not seem to help.

[hotdog]

Has anyone else been given this? I take .75 ml morning and evening.

[Hidden]

I think you'll find hotdog that there are some with PBC on here taking the medication you have mentioned you are trying to eradicate the itch. Sorry I can't help you as I do itch at night but as yet I've not felt I need to ask a doctor for something to try. Normally start on Questran (colestryamine) and then build up.

But I do believe that with a lot of medications, these things won't just cease overnight. They take time. I expect for the very odd few their symptons may improve more quicker but for some it's not so. Has by any chance your consultant given you a timeline to see if it will start to alleviate the itch for you.

[hotdog in reply to Hidden]

No she didn't but on looking it up it takes approx one month to start working. I do hope it does as it drives me crazy from late afternoon and at night. All good fun a.

[Hidden in reply to hotdog]

Your itch hotdog sounds a bit like mine. I am ok during the day but what I call prickles start around teatime and are more noticeable when I sit down. Then by 11p.m. the itch is very noticeable. some nights it becomes a nuisance with sleep if I go to bed and wake up, can be awake for a couple hours and then get up the following morning feeling like I've not been to bed.

Last night I did wake up twice but thankfully I got back into bed after popping to the loo (this seems an automatic thing to do on waking for me and the short rise seems to cease the itching for 10mins or so), I did go straight back to sleep so today I shouldn't feel like flagging later afternoon.

[cavi]

Hi hotdog my itching again is driving me out of my mind had a few worse than ever days I do take 2 questran light a day but my skin is in a dreadful state im full of scratch marks and scabs I wish I could get something to help get my skin back to normal I also feel I am being bitten all 0ver my body I am starting to forget the person who I once used to be with all these things happening to me with pbc its just one thing after another hope you get some relief with your tablets please let me know if they are any good Take Care

[hotdog in reply to cavi]

hi cavi I did try the Questran but could not get on with it as it made me feel sick. The Rifidan I am now taking is a liquid. I no longer get the stinging feeling but still the horrible itch and like yourself with little scabs on my body.I now tend to wear old tops as it bleeds so when I do scratch!! I have just tried rubbing the spot but this did not help relieve the itch. I will let you know if the Rifidan works, if not the consultant said there are other things to try. Do try not to let it stress you out as we all know there are a lot of people a lot worse off than us. So chin up. x

[Hidden in reply to cavi]

Hello cavi, like others on this site, I know exactly how you are feeling, me too! At the moment my legs below the knees aren't looking too bad but they were up until recently. I find that by itching the legs below the knees, you end up damaging the pores where the hairs grow and that then causes these little marks that have a minute bleed. Then at the next itch you end up taking the seal off that has formed and then when it has finally scabbed over and on the mend you 'accidentally' manage to catch it again and the cycle goes on....

I notice when I have a bath early morning that with the warm water my legs look quite perfect as the small patches that seem to be purple after they have healed vanish until I am dressed and on the move for the day again. Like last year just hope the sun can fix them as that is what seems to be the remedy.

I cannot remember these days what it was like to spend 24/7 without any itching. Seems the norm these days! Now that is a sad thing to think!

On the whole I am not doing so bad with the itch at the moment. I think if it was to start up like it does at night in the daytime then I think I would probably go mad. But in another sense I think that if our skin itches as toxin are attempting to seep out of the pores due to having PBC then maybe it isn't exactly a bad thing even if it such an irritation.

[tink445]

Ive never heard of this, sorry.

I used to have awful itching, my feet used to bleed.....then all of a sudden it just stopped! very strange.

[cavi]

Hi Peridot Thanks for the reply nice to hear your Itch isn't to bad at the moment when I do have a good day I do feel a lot better in myself but I can honestly say a day never goes by without my itch its unbelievable how it can get you in such a state with yourself I will continue taking the Questran Light im sure without that it would be unbearable and hope soon that research comes up with something that gets the better of it .Take Care