Hep C and Skin Conditions

[McGirl555]

Does anyone here have skin conditions, eczema, psoriasis, itching, etc., with untreated hep C? Also, if you did and were treated successfully, did the skin disorders go away? I was never allergic to anything until two years ago. It just gets worse. Hoping tx will alleviate some of this.

[McGirl555]

Well, just got blood work results. Good news and scary news. I am genotype 1A, viral load is 254 mil. My doctor has already started the process for obtaining Harvoni which I would be able to start on Dec. 2.

The scary part: The AFP tumor marker is 252. 0-8.3 is normal range and my doctor wants a CT. I know that hepatitis C can cause an elevation. The liver scan showed no masses. Has anyone had high AFP with hepatitis C alone?

If anyone can shed some light regarding the AFP, I would really appreciate it.

[AWorriedMom]

Wishing you the best. I've been there, done that. What are your plans for treating?

[McGirl555]

Hey,

The same receptors and nerves that feel pain feel itch sensation. Benadryl  does help as well as hydroxyzine (Vistaril). Major hangovers though. I have found after taking both, you build a tolerance to them. The itch is just maddening! If I eat anything, and I am not exhausted to the point of passing out, I will itch all night. Left a message for my doc about
Cholestyramine. It makes sense. Yes, AWorriedMom, I would take pain over the incessant itch anytime.

Sux. Seriously. It will get better! I have to believe that. I'm amazed that I can get two (on a good day) hours of sleep and still stand up and walk around and function. I guess our bodies and minds just deal with it and compensate. Sometimes I feel like someone dug me up and I started walking at some point. Maybe a zombie pushed me and I just started going forward. Feels that way.

A good night's sleep, SVR, peace of mind, the ability to accept and deal with it. I wish this for all of us. Much love.

[AWorriedMom]

There is nothing worse than itching. I will take pain any day. :-) Good luck with the benadryl. I hope it works as well for you as it did for me.

[Sarah1949]

Oh, thanks WM for that head's up. :)
I actually think the itching was from sun exposure because a couple of days ago it was very foggy here and I didn't put on any sunblock.
That's funny about the benadryl because I bought some for just in case this kind of thing happened and I'd forgotten I have it just sitting in a kitchen drawer. duh. I will give it a try tonight because my face still itches. Thank you!

[AWorriedMom]

For itching all over, for people whose itch is not from late stage liver disease. ask your doc if you can use benadryl. It is very liver friendly and has the side effect of a good sleep. The only thing to watch out for is hangover the next day. But ask your doctor first.

[AWorriedMom]

Sarah, just a heads up....watch the cortisone on your face. The skin on the face is very thin and the cortisone can be very harmful. My mom's rosacea flared horribly after using some cortisone on her face.

[Sarah1949]

I'm still doing treatment with S/O so the undetected comment was only to make the point that since the S/O has the virus knocked out for the present it has served to clear my rosacea.
However, just in the last couple of days, my face has itched a lot at night and is a little bit red so last night I added some cortisone and it worked. I think I may have gotten a little bit of sun that made the Olysio unhappy.

[McGirl555]

Hey you guys. I was looking at possible treatments for liver itch. Not much out there, but I came across this:

Cholestyramine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholestyramine

Basically, a bile acid sequestrant.

[McGirl555]

Thank everyone. Sarah1949, I'm so glad you are undetected! Hope that for all of us at some point. I've had eczema on the inside of my left ankle. Weird looking. Silvery with what looks like capillaries inside. Now I have what looks like plaque psoriasis on the top of my left ankle. It's taking forever to go away, but doesn't itch. The worst is the generalized itching at night. I have used Epsom salts and baths with a little oil. It does help. They only way to really sleep all night is to run all day to the point of exhaustion or eat nothing at all. My liver ultrasound came back as normal. Good blood flow, not cirrhotic, normal size, not fatty. No bilirubin in my urine. Eesh.

[AWorriedMom]

There are many skin problems associated with HCV. Cryoglobulinemia is common and often has lesions on the skin. There is also vasculitis, porphyria cutanea tarda and sicca syndrome. Lichen planus, a purplish and often itchy lesion is common. So are huives, purpura and psoriasis.

[HealingHearts]

Hi there.....I have the hep c rashes on random parts of my body. They are rough, dry, scaly red skin rashes and when they start to heal they leave behind a shadow but then come back again. They itch and just look awful. I'll be glad when I start treatment and all this goes away.

[Ekkiemom]

Hi McG...I had pruritus on my ankles, hands and wrists, drove me batty. And my skin got flaky. Also noticed I had hives continuously. For dry flaky skin Edson salts is very good because the salt attracts water to the skin. Aveeno oatmeal bath is good too. I use them together.  Hope your treatment goes well, take care
Deb

[Sarah1949]

I have rosacea but in my second week of tx with Sovaldi and Olysio it disappeared. Like magic. And, has stayed gone for the past 8 weeks. I am also undected at present.