Itchy face

[drummerman]

I have had an itchy face ever since I started treatment.  My hands used to itch as well, but no longer.  I have looked around and found that this is a symptom of liver damage OR kidney problems.  I have felt bad ever since I started treatment and still feel bad... tiredness, muscle aches, bone pain , etc.

Has anyone else experienced this itching?  I am scared to death that it may indicate kidney problems, although I had them checked out by a urologist about 8 years ago and there were no problems indicated. 

I also recently had a lower abdomen ct scan and the the report said everything was normal..  I did not get to see the scan images and just assume that the person reading them looked carefully at all organs.  I do know that ct scans can show liver damage as well as cysts in the kidneys.

In addition my liver panels look pretty good.

My liver biopsy 6 years ago showed the beginnings of cirrhosis but it was very low grade.

Do you think that my face is itching because my liver is still healing??

Any thoughts, opinions, etc would be appreciated.. esp if you have also experienced this itching without rash.

Thank you!
dm

[dragonslayer]

HI DM... Its the tops of my feet and ankles which itch.   Ive had this on and off for several years now, and Im stymied as to whats causing it.  My first inclination was to fear cirrhosis, but my two biopsies done in 2008 and 2013 showed liver damage only in the stage and grade 0-1 range, so I ruled that out.. Then I was treated in December 2014 for 8 wks.   And the occasional itching persists.  Since the biopsies showed minimal liver damage, Ive allowed my self 1 or 2 beers or glasses of  wine per week since I was declared SVR and cured.  Ive noticed that often, when Ive had these itching bouts on the feet, they've seemed to occur the evening of or the evening following a beer or glass of wine, and mostly late at night, and I mean literally 1 beer or 1 5oz glass of wine.  And when I go several days abstaining, the itching bouts also seem go away.  Ive even started a spreadsheet to try and correlate my very occasional drink with bouts of itching.. When these bouts occur, they usually last about an hour, and are eventually calmed by scratching and Calomine lotion.

All my liver related blood tests including albumen, bilirubin, and platelets are normal, and Ive never had any indication from any doctor that cirrhosis was ever suspected... Yet this itching is confounding.  .  Does cirrhosis itching always appear so localized? 

I dont know.. Its puzzling.  I dont know how this relates to your facial itch, but Im sure youre as confounded as I am!

[drummerman]

HI DM... Its the tops of my feet and ankles which itch.   Ive had this on and off for several years now, and Im stymied as to whats causing it.  My first inclination was to fear cirrhosis, but my two biopsies done in 2008 and 2013 showed liver damage only in the stage and grade 0-1 range, so I ruled that out.. Then I was treated in December 2014 for 8 wks.   And the occasional itching persists.  Since the biopsies showed minimal liver damage, Ive allowed my self 1 or 2 beers or glasses of  wine per week since I was declared SVR and cured.  Ive noticed that often, when Ive had these itching bouts on the feet, they've seemed to occur the evening of or the evening following a beer or glass of wine, and mostly late at night, and I mean literally 1 beer or 1 5oz glass of wine.  And when I go several days abstaining, the itching bouts also seem go away.  Ive even started a spreadsheet to try and correlate my very occasional drink with bouts of itching.. When these bouts occur, they usually last about an hour, and are eventually calmed by scratching and Calomine lotion.

All my liver related blood tests including albumen, bilirubin, and platelets are normal, and Ive never had any indication from any doctor that cirrhosis was ever suspected... Yet this itching is confounding.  .  Does cirrhosis itching always appear so localized? 

I dont know.. Its puzzling.  I dont know how this relates to your facial itch, but Im sure youre as confounded as I am!

Interesting!
Mine come and go and usually subside when I scratch.   Usually on my chin, side of nose, by my lips, cheek.  I think it must be due to mild liver damage.  Like I said, it used to be on the palms of my hands as well, so hopefully since my hands no longer itch.. my  liver is improving.

dm

[jakas]

Its due to the liver as far as I have read. I have it off and on on my lower feet. Really dry and itchy. goes away eventually. More in the winter.