Little White Bumps on Chest, Shoulders, Back, Arms, Jaw etc with PBC?

[FairyFae]

Hi Everyone,

I was diagnosed not quite a year and a half ago.

I have been taking Urso since then and I'm currently waiting for my follow up appointment to see how I am reacting to them.

I keep finding little white bumps on my skin, with what seems like tiny, hard white cores. They are not like spots, if anything, they are more like Keratosis Pilaris, but I have that on my upper arms already and can see there is a difference.

I've never had any skin problems before, in my 39 years, other than the KP on the upper arms, so I'm quite bewildered by it!

Does anybody else experience this at all? It's really very odd!

Thank you.

[jemlola]

Hi FairyFae

It is difficult for me to answer you, as even before my diagnosis I have always had sensitive skin that reacts to things. As with most people who have this condition I do suffer with some itching. I know from being on this site previously there are others who suffer much more than I do. I do get white bumps almost like heat rash from time to time. Generally on my chest and sometimes on my arms, legs and face. They are generally quite short-lived but can be very itchy at the time. I have noticed my skin is drier although I slather myself in moisturiser. At the minute I have a problem with dry skin patches on my neck and around my hairline.

I am currently using an aqueous cream to try to sooth and relieve this. I guess because my skin has always been a tad sensitive I have not necessarily linked it to Urso. Also it could be the underlying condition as one of the symptoms is itching and from what I understand people can experience this in different ways.

Sorry I can't really say anything else other than that. It might be worth speaking to your GP and certainly discussing it with your Consultant at your next appointment.

Hopefully someone else on here might be able to provide you with more clarification in relation to your query.

Best wishes and stay well

[FairyFae in reply to jemlola]

Thank you for your reply, it is much appreciated!

[ninjagirlwebb]

Can it be this? It is one of the symptoms for pbc. It is driven by higher cholesterol levels common in pbc.

Small yellow or white bumps (xanthomas) under the skin, or around the eyes.

medlineplus.gov/ency/articl...

[FairyFae in reply to ninjagirlwebb]

Fortunately it is not that, but thank you for the suggestion.

[ninjagirlwebb in reply to FairyFae]

Okay; maybe a dermatologist can help you pinpoint the issue.

[HopeLoveAndScience]

Not long before my PBC diagnosis, I developed tiny bumps on my chest and neck with some hyper-pigmentation. I saw a dermatologist - baffled, he ordered a biopsy, which came back inconclusive. We focused on a possible drug reaction. At the time I was taking only synthroid and a popular multivitamin from Costco. He asked me to discontinue the vitamin and it cleared right up. After my PBC diagnosis, my hepatologist put me on prenatal vitamins with a D supplement. “Just make sure they’re manufactured in the US.” The bumps did not return, so my guess is that it was an allergic reaction to an inactive ingredient in the original vitamins. Since my PBC diagnosis, I’ve read about some similar reactions in other patients. Lots of learning and little adjustments like this with PBC. Good luck.