Well found ouyt why I still itch :( apparently I now have allergy's which before TX I was not allergic to anything so now I have to start seeing an allergist.

Thought you were just bragging Greg, no need for corners lol  

It's the meds I tell ya! I'll just go and hide in the corner.

Greg, you dong well too? hmmmm   hehe

Hi Aaron,
That's great new mate, your doing well. (EDIT Thanks for pointing that out Kirstin) ooops!

Ty,
Hey mate sorry to hear that your have some more health problems, I know you will get it sorted, wishing you all the best.
Cheers guys,
Greg and Cate

Hi there Ty, that made me laugh! So if that was your least favouite sx, what the devil was your favourite??! 

So sorry you`ve got more health probs to cope with now, all the best of luck with that.  Glad to hear you`re recovering well apart from that.

Love to you all, Jill xxx

Hi Everybody,

     Congratulations Aaron on the great news!  Like Jill I only get my news in October at 24 weeks.  Oh well, I'm not really worried about it either.  I noticed that you had a colonscopy.  I found out yesterday that my blood iron is low so the doctor said I must be bleeding inside.  (Normally my iron is too high.) 

     I have to set up both scopes to find out what the problem is.  It seems like it's always something and I just want to be well.  I'm feeling pretty good for being two months post tx though, so I can't complain, lol.

     The name of the powder that the pharma found in the US is called Caldesene.  It is made with 81% talc and 16% zinc oxide.  It did help a bit, but not as much as it seems to for others. (It could be because Denver's climate is so dry, we don't have much humidity at all.)

     The thing that worked for me was HydrOXYzine which the doctor prescribed.  I did't like the fact that it made me spacy feeling, but the itch was making me crazy.  After two and a half days the itching was pretty much gone. 

     I took two pills each day for about a month and then cut it back to one a day for about two weeks.  The itching is mostly gone now and I've been off the pills for about a week and a half.  I think that was my least favorite sx...

    Hope everyone is feeling well, ty

Hi Lesley, that would not have been nice.    My itching`s all stopped now at 3 mnths post tx, what a relief.  I`m still having some hair loss athough not so much.  Don`t these sx drag on? 

Hope you`re feeling a lot better energy-wise now Lesley.  I`m getting there.

You too Aaron, hope you`ve got your energy and strength back. 

All the best to you both, and to everyone, love from Jill xxx

Hi Aaron,

I know what you mean about the itch. Mine lingered a long while but seems to have gone now, but I am getting on for 5 months post tx. My head still itches though, I think its because it hasn't quite stopped falling out yet. I've found that it seems to be the reason for the itch. I said to Jill I wasn't sure if I had picked up any visitors in my hair from my grandkids but is seems not.(thank goodness)

Hope you're keeping well & it's nice to hear from you.

Take care Lesleyxx

Way to go Aaron, thats great news.

I itched throughout week 5 on the sisdes and back of my head. Very odd, but its been going away slowly this week.

Ron

Hi Aaron

Congratulations on the UND @ 12 wks post Aaron....thats very exciting ...not long to go now till the big one.....

elizabethxx

Hi Aaron, congrats on the neg PCR!   I go straight through to Sept for mine, after having a neg one at EOT.  Can`t say I`m worried about it though.....3a has a very high success rate and I just feel as though it`s gone.  Hope I`m not being over-optimistic. lol.  Good luck for August, I`m sure you`ll be fine, we were both rapid responders @ 4 wks and have continued to be neg.

Hi Kirstin, it was Brendan who first mentioned the Curash powder (scroll down to his post on 3rd April) and I think other people in Australia have found it helpful too.  Just reading down the posts here, Ty said he couldn`t trace it in the US but he said (on 6th April) he`d found a pharmacy that was making it up for him.  Maybe he (or other people in the US) could add to that? 

All my best wishes, love Jill xxx

Its a powder mostly used for diaper rash on babies Aaron, someone here, I forget who recommended it to me & it is actually working. Perhaps you could try it in co with the anti-histo's?. I hope it works for you..

yea I take the otc pills it helps for the most part but someday's I don't take it to see if I will not itch any more but I do :( and I had a negative pcr just before my colonoscopy and I do my last one in middle of august how about you? Kristin what is curash?

Hi Aaron, that is not at all nice for you, sorry to hear that.  Is it getting any better and are you still using the  OTC Zyrtec?  Some people seem to be get a lot of relief from anti-histamines, have you tried those?

Hope you`re feeling much better apart from that. Have you had your PCR result yet or did I miss that?

Love, Jill xxx

Hi Aaron,

I am in week 4, the itch was driving me insane but over the past couple of days it has let up alot.. Tepid showers & Curash are doing a fine job for me. I hope your gets better soon xxx

I still itch :(

Hi All,

     Yes, that blog is funny and so true it's almost scary!

     Thanks Lizzy for your kind thoughts.  I'm allergic to all perfumes so I have always used Ivory and non-scented shampoos, clothes soaps, etc.  I think I might try the Zirtec, because the pharma said it didn't make you sleepy.

     Missy - It's called Alveno over here also.  Boy, am I enjoying that soak, it's almost addictive! 

     I bought the powder, but they used talc instead of corn starch.  I'm not sure if it matters.  It did feel great when I put it on, but left my skin very dry.  The humidity in Colorado averages around ten to fifteen percent so everything is very dry.  It's the great American desert after all.  I put the oatmeal/butter lotion on over the powder and it did seem to help.  I slept all through the night anyway...

Well, all my best to everyone, ty

Hey Lesley,

Please don't apologise for saying how you feel! I notice people used to be very reluctant to share these feelings for fear of sounding "negative", but it's important to be honest.

I was looking at the blog that Beth posted a link to and the lady who writes it has a brilliant way of describing the post-tx experience

Love Steff xx

i know were your coming from you can take benadreal use ivory soap non perfumed items baby lotion sorry hun

Really pleased you found something that helps you TY  

haha poor Buster he must think you smell great hehe. i think the oatmeal bath wash in england is called alveno.

xxx

Hi All,

     James - I'm sorry to hear you had a bad day, I've sort of been up and down myself.  I think with me, is that I feel so much better, then I overdo it and the next day is rough.  Here's to better days for all of us!

     Well, here are the results of my itching experiments.  I found the bath product and it's called colloidal oatmeal.  It's very fine and it just mixes in the bath water.  I soaked in it for about an hour and it did seem to help, although I can't tell yet for the long term.  It was very soothing while I lay in it though...

     I also bought a lotion that was called shea butter and oatmeal.  It was specifically for itching skin and it did seem to help a little, although Buster is now looking at me as if I were a food item, lol.

     I couldn't find the Curash's Powder, but I did find a compounding pharmacy that is making it for me for under $5 or about 3 Pound fifty p.  ( I have no clue in Australian! )  I am going to pick it up tommorow, so I'll let you know.

     Well, thats all for now.  May the tx be strong and the sx be weak, ty

Hi all, I'm all choked up cos of your lovely comments.

Thankyou so much

Luv Lesleyxx

Lesley you are one of us, we accept and respect you, those who are smart enough to continue communicating with you will come to love you.

Cloudguard 

G'Day Leslie,

As Kaz has said your are a great support here on this forum and your not putting anyone off at all, your always here with a kind word and gentle encourgement. Hope you get it sorted out.

Thinking of you.

Greg

Hi Ty a very good point ,i too would recommend anyone to get started the moment they are diagnosed as tough as it is..... 

The post period for me is very confusing all joy fantastic then dumped to doom and gloom then back to joy fantastic, sometimes i wonder if its the AD'S not having had them before tx ??? sometimes i wonder if its just me .Very grateful for not itching but my head feels like it might pop.

Find it to hard to articulate on keyboard and Leslie i promiseyou that you are a very dear and caring person not and "old so and so".

love to you all elizabeth 

Hi All,

     Leslie I know what you mean when you say you don't want to put anybody off.  But, I don't think you sounded too negative at all.  We are going through this experience together and post treatment is as much a part of it as when we were on tx.  I feel less alone when I know that others are going through what I am experiencing.

     Some days I actually feel as well as I have in years and some days, not so much.  You can't kill this deadly virus without putting the body through some trauma, that's just the way it is.  I just remember that if I found out that I had Hep C today, I would be starting tx as soon as possible and I'd be happy that I could get it. 

Brendan - I think I found that powder here in the states so I'm going to give it a try!  I'm going to also find some of those soaps and things that you and others have mentioned.  Hope you are feeling better each day and they weather stays cooperative.

    Aaron - My Doc recommended Zirtec as well, but the Benydril, another antihistimine, didn't work so I didn't try it.  Does the Zirtec make you sleepy?  I just got some energy back I don't think I can handle any more tiredness.

Hi Jill and Missy! - I heard about the oats stuff, but I wonder how it would go down the drain.  Then I'm thinking oatmeal and your probably talking about something completely different, lol.

     Take care, ty   *I wonder if there is an little itching emoticon somewhere?*

Hi there Aaron, I was wondering how you were getting on.  I know what you and Brendan mean about making the skin bleed - sometimes I`ve been so desperate I`ve scrubbed the itchy bits with a nylon pot-scourer.  It stops the itching but leaves you with a nasty raw red patch instead.  I do not recommend it!!  How`s your energy now?

HI Lesley, please don`t apologise, you`re always cheerful and funny and I love reading your posts.  We all get down sometimes - who wouldn`t?  I understand what you mean about putting people off - I worry about that too.  But post-tx recovery is part of the whole thing, and we still need to vent and share our experiences.  Take care.

Hi Brendan, the cornflour thing sounds a good starting point, thanks for that.  I use a very mild glycerine-based moisturiser, which helps to a limited extent, maybe cornflour on top of that would work.  I`ll experiment and see what happens.  Hope you`re doing ok apart from that.

Cheers everyone, love from Jill xxxx

Your not a moaning old so&so Lesley  not at all! you are a great support on here and always there with kind words and help. you silly saugage hahaha

love

missy

xxxx

Hi folks,

I m sorry!! I didn't mean to alarm anybody when I spoke of my lingering sx.

I do feel much better really, its just when I do too much I pay the consequences.

I hope I havent put anybody off, as its such an important step to take.

Please take no notice of me I'm just a moaning old so&so.

Lots Luv & take care you all Lesley xx

Gidday Everyone,

Hey Missy, when I started tx my nurse actualy gave me a number of oat-based shampoo, shower gel pouches, moisturiser and shower oat soap-like products and they were all good replacements for drier, normal soap and shampoos.  I guess they didn't make anything any worse, so they were great in that way and enabled you to shower etc; and while they don't really ease itches etc like other things they are worth their weight in gold so far as enabling us to scrub clean and leave the skin on:). 

Aaron:-  Gidday mate, I'm like you, ya' think you are just having a little scratch until usually I've got a dog licking me or something, because it bleeds very easily, so the powder saves me from that scenario.  Dogs aren't real keen on the powder either   I guess it's best if you can put it on fairly liberally so it's probably not suitable for visible areas if that's a problem.  My main concerns are my lower back and under a big knee guard I wear at work that's made out of neoprene wetsuit material.  I sprinkle the powder on and smoothe it out evenly before putting the guard on, and in near 100%humidity I go all day without retouching it (if I don't get soaked somehow:) and I don't itch all that time.  It's very effective and worth having a look for, although being an aussie product I'm not sure if it's sold O/S.

Jill:-  Hey there to you as well, if you guys can't find the stuff I'm talking about, maybe there's a similar product where you are, or perhaps you could try mixing up something similar.  Apart from being a bit messy I don't think there's any danger, but finding zinc oxide powder might be difficult.  Maybe some nice silky cornflour on it's own might help anyway, it'd certainly cool and dry, but whether it hangs on and/or styas together might be a problem.

Lesley:- Hi there, hope I didn't muck up your message this time:(......we'll have to stop meeting like this

Try not to scratch everyone, it feels so good sometimes but that's usually when it's the worse.  Hang in there people, we're all in this together and those numbers mean strength.

Cheers,

Brendan.

Hey there everyone no you guys are not alone I also have that darn itch :( some times I have scratched so hard because it itches so bad that I break open my skin :( I am taking a OTC generic Zyrtec which helps the really bad itches if I go a day without thats when I start breaking skin :( I read that Apple cider viniger helps out itching have tried it on my feet when it got bad there just poured it right on and within like 1 min it stopped itching there but seemed to migrate to another part of my body... Sorry haven't been on here much had a ruff week last week feeling better today thought thanks for the idea of an oat bath and the powder I'm willing to try anything right about now alright well it's time for me to get some sleep

Hi folks, at least we know we`re not alone..........

Missy - no, I hadn`t heard of the oats thing. Thanks for that - anything`s worth a go.  I was thinking that maybe the reason that tap water seems to make the itching worse for me is that it dries out my skin,  maybe it`s not the chlorine. 

Hi Brendan - always good to hear from you.  That powder sounds great - I`ll see if I can locate anything like that over here, or maybe on the internet.  Thanks for that.  Thinking of you with all that rain water.

Hi Lesley - oh what happened?  It`s so annoying when you lose a post.

Cheers everyone, Jillxxxx

Gidday Everyone,

Ah' itching, and here's me thinking I'd copped just about everything but escaped the dreaded itch..........about 4 weeks from the end it hit and hasn't let up since.  With it being as humid as God knows what around here it only makes it worse, and while I wrote about the tar product that I use in the shower the other week, this latest product I cottoned onto is a bottler.

It's called "Curash Medicated Anti-Rash Family Powder" and the active ingredient is Zinc Oxide 250mg/g, which basically meams it has 250 mg zinc oxide for every gram of cornstarch powder.  After using the tar stuff in the shower and heading off to work I would sometimes get away with 1/2 a day before it came back (the itching that is) but this stuff I can carry in my bag and it works really well.

You sprinkle it on the areas that you get itchy from and it primarily acts as a barrier to irritants and moisture and it really soothes the irritation and reduces a lot of the redness that comes with the itch as well.  As a bonus for me it absorbs any perspiration and a lot of moisture, but I carry it with me because I work with water all day, and yes dummy forgets sometimes and gets all wet

I picked it up at the local chemist and people use it here for all sorts of summer itches and heat rashes.  It comes in a 100 gm plastic sprinkle bottle and cost about 5 dollars aussie, so whatever that is where you are and if you can get it, give it a go.

The brand name I s'pose is 'Curash Family' and they essentially make products for babies and this is the only other thing apart from baby stuff, that they make.  I'm pretty sure they make a watered down version for the bubbies, but this stuff really helps me out, because although I seemed to miss out on that one sx durin most of my tx, when it hit I think it has been making up for lost time, so I hit the road with a vengeance until I could find something that worked. 

I tried all the things that others have mentioned on here over the time and none of them did much for me in fact a couple of those "remedies" was like pouring acid on my skin, so I guess it's a bit like what works for some may not for others but if you can get hold of this stuff or something similar I thoroughly reccomend it.

Good luck folks, my alarm suggests it's time to wake up, lucky I've got that ore I might just stare at the ceiling all day:)  Anyway, I have to head off to work, I hope evrybody finds some relief from their itches and if you can track down this powder, good luck to you.

I had tried baby powder early on in the trials of what would work and it was nice to put on but that was about it.  This stuff is nice to put on and it stays on and the stuff works.  The fact that it is cornstarch powder also probably cuts out any irritating factor the aromatics and whatever else they put in baby powder that doesn't make it work.

Anyway, I've got to find my way over a swollen river to get to work, lifes great isn't it:), so I'd better get up and get cracking.

Have a goodun everyone,

Cheers,

Brendan.

Hi Cloudguard

that itch sounds horrible it must be one of the only sx i didnt get..

Elizabeth xx

Well guys thanks for your input. The more I think about it now the more I figure I should just be glad I'm off of the posion. I should have learned more patients while on TX. I'll try some of your tips.

Cloudguard

Blimey i just wanted to say i hope you all feel better soon!!! i suffer with it and sometimes want to crawl out of my own skin,but i accept it cause im on tx....for it to carry on for you guys like that is just awful....iv read that oats can really help you can get oat bath washes but you may know that already.

take care

love missy xxx

Hi Cloudguard and everyone else, I finished 4 wks ago and still have itching, although it`s not as bad as it was.  I find keeping cool helps - I would rather be cold than be itching and scratching.  Another thing I`ve found helpful is not getting wet for too long -  if I have a soak in the bath or stay in the shower for long it seems to get worse. but maybe I`ve become sensitive to the chlorine in the water or something, who knows. 

Hi Lesley, oh dear, sorry you`re still struggling so much, I thought you`d be well away with your recovery by now.  I`m getting little bursts of enery now and then, but am so sick of my sofa!  Still have brain fog too. 

Take care all, good luck with the post-tx sx, it`s good at least that we can compare notes.

love from Jill xxx 

Hi Cloudguard,

Sorry to tell you but I still have itching & I finished tx 25th January. Its not as bad as it was but my head & eyelids drive me mad.

I'm also feeling fatigued very quickly with lots of joint & muscle pain lingering on. Can anybody tell me how long its likely to last as I need to go back to work & just dont feel strong enough.

I'm also still doing & saying daft things so brain still fogged up......or perhaps its just the way I am now haha!! Apart from that I'm ok.

Sorry for being so negative.

Anyway take care everybody

Lots Luv Lesley xx

Hi Cloudguard,

     I completely agree about the itching!  I have tried everything including lotion, cortisone, antihistimines, etc.  When I requested new sleeping pills I told them I thought I could probably sleep fine except for the itching and that was the truth. 

     I've tried a few OTC itching creams, one of which worked okay, but it would take three tubes just to cover my body in it, lol.  (I think it was 5% cortizone)  When I told my Doc about it, he just asked if I had a rash and when I told him no, he didn't seem to care.  I think Monday I'm going to have to call him back and MAKE him care.   I can always blame my craziness on post tx side effects!

     I hope James is right and this goes away for us real soon.  Take care, ty

When does the itching stop, my last shot was March 18th last dose of ribavirin was March 24th. Its driving me crazy (crazier)