INSOMNIA AND WAKING TO SCRATCHING HARD

GOD I CANT GET ANYMORE THAN 2-3 HRS SLEEP AND WAKING UP SCRATCHING AND DURING THE TIME IM AWAKE

[ladybug52]

I had horrible itching too. Not as soon as you, but all of our immune systems are different. I went through the list of recommendations and it helped some but I didn't clear till I got a steroid shot after tx.
First, you need to call your dr. to see what he/she  suggests.
You have to remember to drink TONS of water to hydrate from the inside out. Showers or baths have to be in tepid water with some kind of moisturizing soap or aveeno colloidal soap followed by a moisture rinse or bath oil while your skin is still wet. Then pat dry, don't rub. Find a lotion you like, I tried many and preferred Gold Bond Shea Butter. Try Benadryl pills or if you can see what itches you can try calazime or benadryl cream or hydrocortisone.
Wear cotton.
Cut your nails short to avoid the cat like scratches on your skin when you attack yourself!
Think of my husbands words of wisdom "Scratching only makes it worse", and vow to punch anyone who says that to you.
Stay cool, heat aggravates the itching. So does stupid comments by loved ones.
If you try everything and nothing helps go to a good dermatologist.
Try to remember that sometimes the itching gets better for some people and you may luck out.
Good luck,
Bug

[GrandOak]

Scratching can also be liver related.

"Itching secondary to liver diseases, including primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and hepatitis C, is a very difficult symptom for patients to endure and for physicians to manage. The reason why patients with liver disease itch is not known. It has been thought that some substances accumulate in the blood as a result of liver disease, causing itch."

See also:

http://www.ctds.info/itching.html

[triggertime]

The benadryl or knock-offs works pretty well.
My wife has got a heated lotion dispenser. After a shower I liberaly apply the lotion everywhere. Before going to bed too. I sometimes smell like Im all flowery. I dont itch as much but I smell nice.
triggertime

[LSRL]

I also had terrible insomnia and itchy skin while on treatment.  It's enough to drive you mad!
All of the above suggestions are great ones.  I found Gold Bond medicated body lotion to help alot with the itching, as well as Aveeno body wash and lotion.
For insomnia, one of my friends going through menopause suggested keeping a Walkman, (or, I guess, to be more current!- an Ipod) on the night table and put headphones on to listen to a tape or radio, something soothing that will help you relax.  She listened to talk radio and just the sound of the voices helped her to fall back asleep.  Sort of like having a story read to you.
Good luck, I hope it improves.  Treatment causes enough fatigue, and losing sleep doesn't help.

[mauilady]

I'm sitting here scratching like I have fleas!  

Back in the final months of my drinking days, when my liver enzymes were elevated, I was itching all the time.  When I quit drinking last August, the itching stopped.  But when I started treatment in January, a whole different sort of itch started up.  And it just seems to be getting worse, even though I've started taking cooler showers, wear only cotton, use Gold Bond or Cetaphil lotions... now I'm using Cetaphil soap, because the Aveeno bar seemed to make the itching worse.  At night when I'm trying to sleep, all I can think of is putting Ice packs on  my chest (where it's the itchiest... that's where I have a lot of sun damage, apparently).  Unfortunately, I'm also allergic to cold.  

I wish I knew what to tell you; I don't want to take benadryl because my mouth can't get any drier than it already is, and I'm drinking about 100 ounces of water a day.  I think that you, Bug and I and some others are just very sensitive to the Ribavirin.  I hope your itching slacks off after a while...

[wyntre9]

I applaud you, wayne.  Your sx sound horrible.  I'm at 20 of 48 and I thought mine were bad but they're nowhere near what you describe.

i can only hope I don't get worse as tx goes on - I don't know if I could handle it.

Congrats on breaking into single digits.

wyntre

[CrazyTrain]

I use dandruff shampoo for dry skin ( Head and Shoulders) in the bath water, body wash etc., etc. Works pretty darn good for me :)

be well

[wyntre9]

The itching can drive you mad!

I'm on week 20 of 48.  I didn't have that sx the first month - then it flared up badly from around week 6 to 12, then it went away, then it cam back again with a vengeance, a couple of weeks ago (maybe from pollen season?).

Today it's not a problem.  That could change tomorrow.  Dermatologist gave me a steroidal ointment (forget the name -mometasome euroate ointment, i think)) and when i'm really suffering (like last weekend) I use that and it helps a lot.

I also use the AC a lot (filters out irritants), antihistamins, saline solution, etc.

wyntre

[BayAreaWomen]

I itched so bad that I could not get to sleep at night. I would walk the floors crying and scratching. First I tried Gold Bond Advance, second, Benadryl ointment and pills, third, Clari-tin (offers allergy symptom relief),this helped a little. My nurse practitioner gave me a  prescription for Ammonium Lactate Lotion, 12%. This is for dry skin.I use this now plus she suggested I see a dermatologist. The lotion doesn't help alone, but what the Dermatologist prescribed works like magic. Its called Hydroxyzine HCL 25mg. This stops all the itching and help you get to sleep. The prescribed lotion may work for you.  Also something else I tried and still use for the dry skin is Eucerin Original moisturizing creme.  Good luck.

[pwayne]

     I feel for you! I am on week 39 of 48. I Have itched for the last 8 months. Like you have woke up itching, isomia, I take advil pm an hour before I sleep. Helps some with my sleep. I tried a variety of things for itching. (excuse my spelling) atarak or visiril tablets  same as hydroxyzine hcl 25mg (did nothing for me) Benedryl nope! Gold bond  medicated powder helped short time. I found if you are in the sun it makes it worse. I wear long sleave shirts all the time outside ( I am still working) I take cooler showers every other day, That helped the most for me. Water dries you out if you can shower every other day  it helped me. I use avenno lotion 2-3 times a day. They gave another pill doxepin ( also used as anti depressant)  didn't stop the itch, I could not wake up the next mornings for work. I felt so drowsey just wanted to sleep all the time (and itch) stopped that. now 8 months of itching it has slowed or I am use to it. I still itch  most of the time.  I gotta scratch sometimes it is all the helps hahaha! last 2 months chronic cough started, and last month started getting acid reflex while I was awake and standing. It was bad at night. They put me on a histo blocker same as zantac. it seemed to help with the itching and my cough. They gave me albuteral inhaler also to try it for the cough it helps. After this friday I will break the double digits and have 9 more weeks. I must admit it does go fast. I remember waiting for my first hcv rna test at 12 weeks. seems so long ago! I am always short of breath, muscle and joint aches, head aches. This is soo much fun I think I will miss it when I am finished.  I wish you Luck you can do it. hang in there. I know I have wanted to stop so many times.  Take care Wayne

[illo]

For me, I get drowsy in minutes with ornithine.  Puts me right out.  It's cheap and safe.  A liver loving amino acid.  You can take up to 8 a night.  500mg capsules.  My naturopath put me on to it and I am forever grateful.

Have you asked your doc about something stronger than over the counter meds?  

[rosebud57]

I found the gold bond powder to help.  i only had the terrible itching a handful of times.  after shower mostly on my back.  powdered my back and the sheets as well.  benedryl also helps.   that is what i used.  

you have recieved a number of suggestions, hopefully something here is useful to obtain some relief.
take care
rose