Torturous Itching Spells-Is there Help?

Please, is there any help for the torturous itching spells which arise from deep in my core and work their way to the surface like thousands of needles of fiberglass and stinging nettles, causing flushing and sweating and such pain that I want to kill myself? It lasts about 7 minutes and then goes away but I surely would blow my brains out from it of it didn't go away in a few minutes. It is obvious to others when this happens because my color turns bright red. My BP spikes during the flush and torture spell and then drops quickly, leaving me with a need to sleep it off. The MDs just don't get that it is not a simple itch. It truly is a torture of which I've never known. It awakens me and I never get more than 3 hours of sleep. I have intractable thoracic bone pain at night and it used to resolve with pacing but now nothing helps. I insisted on a bone scan but they simply said I have arthritis. Yeah right, arthritis that came on suddenly? Inadvertently the bonescan revealed 2 huge masses on my kidney and an ultrasound revealed tumors on the kidney and a 1 cm liver cyst and a bile distended gallbladder with a very small common bile duct (6mm) and I am 46. Could bile be backing up causing the itching or should I insist on an MRI to more closely look at the renal tumors and liver cyst? I am in horriffic pain all the time and night time nausea and bone pain is hell, coupled with itching. These drs are not listening and I don't want to die but will probably end up taking myself out of this misery if I don't get someone to listen soon. Please advise. I am in the Portland Oregon area.

[btsmith]

  I know exactly what you are talking about as far as the joint pain, itching and fatique go, I have just been diagnosed with HCV and am awaiting results of my liver biopsy befor treatment.  It is a sensation worse than death and it doesn't stop.  I also live in Portland and see a Dr. Huyn at "The Portland Clinic".  He is a good GI Doc. and very caring.  I have been watching this forum for awhile and have seen no remedies for immediate relief, however I was taking 5 mg. of prednisone for my breathing problems and noticed it helped with the itch and joint pain.
  Hang in their.
btsmith

[Michelle867]

Tags..I don't know if this will help or not but there are things that docs can give to stop itching.  I had an allergic reaction to some meds recently and broke out with an itchy rash and they gave me Atarax 25mg.  Don't know if you have tried anything like that or if it will even help but I figured that I would mention it.  Of course it put me to sleep, which was also a blessing because like so many others, I don't sleep well.  Good luck and let us know how you are doing.

[btsmith]

  One other thing I remember about my itching is that if you can take a real long hot shower or have access to a hot tub and can soak for awhile until the itch subsides, then try to get to sleep quickly the itch will go away for a while, at least in my case.  There seems to be a direct link between how much sleep I get and the severity of itch.  It's the catch 22, you can't sleep because you itch which in turn makes the itch worse.  One other thing I noticed if you can keep the room, where you sleep, cool or better yet sleep outside, the itch is less intense.
  Just some ideas.
btsmith

[mremeet]

I understand the level of itching and skin irritation you are speaking of. Although I think mine had another root source than yours did. Both myself and another woman I used to know (her name was Charlotte) were involved in an experimental drug trial that's used to treat hepatitis C (i.e. what most people on this forum have). We both took this new and untested drug and as it turned out it could provoke a ferocious rash in some who take it. We also had to take two other drugs called interferon and ribavirin at the same time which also irritate the skin. So all of these drugs working together really produced a rash from hell in both me and Charlotte. We looked like we had leprosy it was so bad. The itching was as you describe, like thousands of invisible needles pricking the skin and emanating from your core to the surface. We called it "gun in the mouth" because frankly it was so godawful that's honestly what you started to think about. I even remember walking along and having sudden "needle attacks" on my scalp that caused me to hunch down violently and grab my scalp. I almost yelled out in pain - people were staring at me. But I would have attacks like that frequently, and when they came on there was no respid for hours. So what you describe sounds familiar. Whatever you do, communicate what's happening to a caring, good doctor (not an indifferent, callous a$$ either). Make sure you communicate the severity and that suicidal thoughts are in your mind as a result of the severity.

The only thing that helped me was to use a steroidal based lotion on the rash and basically stay doped up on powerful antihistimines (and to stop taking the experimental drug). I was prescribed one called atarax, which is a prescription strength antihistimine that helps to reduce itching and also relieves anxiety (basically just makes you drowsy). Apparently they give atarax to drug addicts who are in the hospital for withdrawal. In sufficient dosage it quiets them down and helps them rest. And apparently it's relatively liver safe and non-habit forming. I would take as many as I needed (up to 3-4 a day, I think 75mg?) for months, and I never got hooked on them. I also found over the shelf benadryl effective. I would take 2 or 3 of them and it would help alleviate itching and more importantly just make me drowsy. The drowsiness would deaden the awareness of the "gun in the mouth" and help me drift off to sleep. The downside is that I was always very tired and in a spaced out daze. But that's ok, I'd rather be a space cadet than think about suicide all day long.

Of course the previously mentioned medications were only treating the symptoms, the bottomline is that you need to address the root cause of what's causing your rash. The issues you mentioned concerning tumors, cyst and obstructed gallbladder sound very serious and obviously are in some way probably responsible for what's happening to you. Get those issues looked into aggressively and work with your doctor to get them resolved. Whatever you do don't kill yourself! There is light at the other end, even if it's "the" light. Life is short enough as it is, don't hasten it by your own hand. Work persistently and diligently with your doctors to get your healthcare issues resolved. And in the meantime tell them to give you something you can take spur of the moment to help you with your suffering until you can find your way out of these woods (watch out for addictive narcotics though, don't sell your soul to control this temporary itch). And incidentally, my friend Charlotte made it through the drug trial and her itching eventually went away (as did mine). We nervously laughed about the "gun in the mouth" afterwards and were so *extremely* happy to have the situation behind us. Then out of nowhere and completely unexpectedly her and her husband were killed in a car accident just a few weeks later. So that's just one example of what I mean about life ending soon enough without us trying to hasten our own ending. The suffering you're experiencing is almost certainly temporary, you just gotta toughen up, ride it out and do everything you can to get out of the situation in the meantime. Life is worth living, and it's worth fighting for - and this is where the fighting begins. Don't give up!

Good luck...

[Magnum]

May be as simple as over the counter Benadril. You can also get a stronger version via prescription.

Magnum

[LORENZO2]

not sure if this will help, but for ur info. last week someone was talking about a new drug called mimyx and its worked great for itching and rash. not sure if it will work for u  something to ask the dr. about i guess     lorenzo2

[marsfreek]

atarax or vistaril have helped me allot with the itchin from hell. aveeno helps a little until you get out and since i can't live in the bathtub its pretty much useless.
the bone pain and upper right quad pain are pain management issues and there
are meds that work.
                        sam

[KWCG]

My friend, call me please, K

[granitekonig]

benadryl - it works from what I hear but I don't itch.

But it did work for my dog who was itching all the time

[Roartor]

Try Benadryl, it can make you very drowsy though, you could be having a histamine reaction to the drugs you are taking, sounds like an allergic reaction, I itched too but mostly on my legs.

[Marcia2202]

This post is from june last year. I really hope tag has stopped itching by now...

[Roartor]

I didn't even think to look at the date of the post, ya tag probably figured it out quite a while ago ... lol   I feel stupid  :)

This post might help people are itching right now though.

[anna145]

i have chronic hep c and I am a non responder with C of the liver stage 2.5. I hve been itching for 24 years and I am going crazy. I scratch 24/7 it hurts its depressing, i cry i could scratch until i see my bones. the doctors give crappy medicine. the only thing tht  helped was claritin for hives and i can't find it.
anna