Itch welts

[labootz16]

For those of you itching, I have been itching for awhile but not severe. Just the last week or so it has increased. Now, staring yesterday, I have actual red welts all over the place like allergic reaction and intense itching. I have done, touched or ate nothing different (I am sure). Is this something possibly to do with the itch of liver disease? Thanks for any insight.

[Missboro]

Unfortunately its one of the symptoms of PBC. I was diagnosed in 2010. My itching is at its worse in the hot weather so summer is really bad for me. My arms come out looking like it has a rash and I get lumps round my neck that look like blisters. Some parts of my arms got so bad last year that I bled and they got infected. I was prescribed antihistamines, Colestiramine satchets and Diprobase cream. It relieves the itch for a while before it starts again. Mine gets so bad I'm sometimes glad when summer is nearly over and it cools down. Its the only time I can get some proper relief from scratching. If it gets too bad see your GP who should prescribe something to help relieve it. Take care

[labootz16 in reply to Missboro]

Thanks, I kept hearing flaky itching so I was thinking it might be something else. I see my GP on Tuesday.

Thanks again, Lynn

[labootz16 in reply to labootz16]

Hi, I 've got a really big outbreak of the itchy welts an I got a few pictures to show my dGP in case they go away before I see him. Doubt it, but I would like to post one and see what you think.

[Hidden in reply to Missboro]

PBC doesn't usually cause welts to the skin. Nor do you tend to have rashes. I started itching early 2010.

I did seek a doctor's advice. He wasn't certain due to the fact there wsa no visible signs of anythong on my skin on the areas I was itching.

Usually in the early days of PBC itching (I still do itch) the skin tends to be a lot more tender and we can scratch and cause blood to draw.

I know over the years my skin has got tough in certain areas due to itching and I don't actually cause any blood marks these days.

[labootz16]

Finally got a pic on. Please take a look and let me know what you think.

[Shulsey]

I was wondering what the heck was happening to my skin. I've had the itch since before actual diagnosis. But recently started getting pimple like bumps all over. I have started two new meds & thought I was having a reaction to that. Apparently it's from the heat & being in the sun too much. They only bother me when they first appear. Then they slowly scab over & are gone. But it happens one at a time, strange!

Shannon

[labootz16 in reply to Shulsey]

These are more like hives for me. Thanks for the quick response.

[Q8Cooper]

Hi LabootzI,

I have had PBC and AIH diagnosed for five years now with out the "itch". I don't know what new meds you may be on but when I was started on Ocaliva I has severe itching like an allergic response for 3-4 days that spontaneously resolved at 5mg. Then when the dosage was increased to 10 milligram I broke out into hives that looked like I had the measles, chicken pox and poison ivy all at the same time. The itching was enough to drive you insane. I did things like scratch until I tore skin with any object that might provide relief.

Here is the good news! After three weeks it spontaneously resolved again. Also I was told ahead of time that this would be an exasperation of the PBC and not an allergic reaction. This knowledge let me know ahead of time, so it wasn't so scary that I would run to the ER. My skin is still healing and it feels rough and thickened under the skin in my fore arms where it was worse. I am hoping that will resolve as well.

I think what I am trying to say is there are some of us out there that have what you described, for various reason but I believe rooted in the fact that we have PBC.

Hope you are feeling better,

Kathy

[labootz16 in reply to Q8Cooper]

Thank you. That does ease my mind.