Itchy or pins and needles feeling with Hep C

[Anne A]

Does anyone know how to stop the itching that comes sometimes for no reason, mostly in the evening. Taking Spironolactone 50 and furosemide 20 in the morning.
can't seem to find a food or anything that causes this and it's not everyday. Any help would be appreciated.

[Lynn K]

Hi Anne and welcome

Based on the meds you are taking do you have cirrhosis?

Do you know what your bilirubin levels are? Having cirrhosis can cause elevated bilirubin levels which can cause itching. The best person to ask would be your hepatologist anout how to best reduce your itching especially if as I am assuming you have cirrhosis you should discuss all medications with your doctor.

I have heard people have had good results with oatmeal skin care products such as Aveno

Good luck
Lynn

[Anne A]

Hi Anne and welcome

Based on the meds you are taking do you have cirrhosis?

Do you know what your bilirubin levels are? Having cirrhosis can cause elevated bilirubin levels which can cause itching. The best person to ask would be your hepatologist anout how to best reduce your itching especially if as I am assuming you have cirrhosis you should discuss all medications with your doctor.

I have heard people have had good results with oatmeal skin care products such as Aveno

Good luck
Lynn

Hi Anne and welcome

Based on the meds you are taking do you have cirrhosis?

Do you know what your bilirubin levels are? Having cirrhosis can cause elevated bilirubin levels which can cause itching. The best person to ask would be your hepatologist anout how to best reduce your itching especially if as I am assuming you have cirrhosis you should discuss all medications with your doctor.

I have heard people have had good results with oatmeal skin care products such as Aveno

Good luck
Lynn

[Anne A]

Thank you Lynn for the information, I also read other posts of people on Harvoni so will try these solutions. My Bilirubin is 1.3 H and have beginning cirrhosis. I'm not good with where or how to post my stats like some people. So glad to find this site as it helps to talk to people about Hep C. I go to a gastro office which deals with a lot of Hep problems. Not sure I could stand up to treatment but am looking into it.

[Lynn K]

Anne

The new treatments are not like the old ones. I treated 3 times with intreferon based treatment. My 24 weeks of Harvoni was nothing in comparison.

If you cure your hep c your cirrhosis will stop its progression and with time you may even see some improvement with liver function avoiding the need for liver transplant or continued progression of your liver disease to liver failure.

I hope you will consider being treated again I know after what we have been through considering treatment again can be a scary proposition but you can do this Anne and it is so important that you try.

Good luck with whatever you decide
Lynn

[Anne A]

You are so brave to fight so hard after the Interferon hell I have heard about from so many!
I don't take well to medicine of any kind-reactions to the three I'm on and depression is keeping me from stepping up. Waiting for a consultation at the big hospital in Fla. thanks for the encouragement.

[Mugwump]

Anne, fear is a very heavy burden to bear when you have HCV. It is very hard at times to tell others that you have the disease because of fear. It is even harder to understand that the extra hepatic effects of this disease can be influenced by your fear. The itching is caused by chemical imbalance due to liver cell death and is symptomatic of chronic HCV infection in some people.


Others have immune skin responses and extreme chemical sensitivities precisely because HCV does cause immune issues. These include, but are not limited to, gastro intestinal irritations, thyroid antibody like reactions, skin rashes, contact dermatitis and the list goes on and on.



Over many years of tears and fears post diagnosis my fears and trepidations almost made me give up all hope. I failed interferon treatment in 2004 and by 2013 was incapable of working and had given up hope of seeing more than a few more years of decent existence.


The new direct acting drugs changed this and removing HCV from my body was my only option.


The help here on this forum is spot on when it comes to recommendations and if you do decide to treat the disease it is best that you are well informed as to the facts. The side effects posts will scare you but the truth is that few people experience dangerous side effects with the new direct acting anti viral treatments that are curing HCV.


All the best to you achieving freedom from the fears and uncertainty that this disease creates for all of us and the ones we know and love. Freeing yourself from this disease can also free those who care and know you from this curse. The tears of joy in my wife and daughter's eyes spoke more to me about why treatment was worth it when I received my SVR 12 status!


Eric

[Anne A]

Eric, Your kind and very informative post brought me to tears -good ones- that someone would take the time to write me. I am so appreciative for information which lightens my depression. Confusion as to the choice of what to do, afraid if I take the new drugs I'll get worse or won't be strong enough to finish will be helped by knowing all the facts. I will keep learning first,as you said. Thank you so much.   Anne