Hep C Discussion Forum

Dillo · Senior Member

RE: Rash question

nurschic · Senior Member

Thats awesome Kellie! I hope that it helps! Fingers crossed with the labs! Im just in week 2 and get lab work next week, but its only a cbc, tsh and lft. I dont get a VL count until the end of week 4. I already have butterflies in my stomach over them...lol!

I feel the same way about this forum! I dont think I would be doing this well, both physical and mental, if it wasnt for this forum! Everyone here has been so wonderful and kind, and all the information has been a God send! I plan to tell my GI Dr about this forum and all the help that it has been to me. Beofre I started treatment I asked him about support groups, ad he said that he did not know of any around our area. This forum has helped me so much and maybe it can help someone else in my area going thru the same thing.

Keep us informed about your labs, so that we can celebrate UND with you!

Stay strong! Ranelle

Kellie · Senior Member

Hi Ranelle, Thank you so much for the suggestion of Zantac. My NP wrote me up for a prescription today. She said she used to perscribe it more in the past than just kinda moved away from it. She did say it might be helpful. We'll give it a try. I can take it along with the Zrytec too.

I just love the blessing of this forum, where I can share whatever craziness I have going at any moment and kind souls can pass on info to each other....

I'm still itchy, but the rash is not aggressively spreading right now. So she decided I'll continue on the Incivik for now.I could tell she was ready to take me off of it today if it was still active. I'm starting week 9 on the stuff tomorrow. weeeeeeeee! Shot number 9 tonight. I'm a member of the Tuesday Night Dart Club. I'm glad your rash is better. Open air definitely helps.

I'll share my lab results under the Latest Lab results thread tomorrow when I get the full story. Still waiting for the VL results. The NP should have them tomorrow. I'm a bit worn out tonight Kel

nurschic · Senior Member

My rash has gotten better..... trying to keep coconut and/or baby oil on it and keep it open to air. Got some cotton V-neck shirts to wear under my uniforms. Fingers crossed, I hope it helps. Im still taking zertec in the morning, but only using the creams and benadryl if it gets too bad. I dont want to treat too early and not have the meds work when I need them...... I hope that the zantac works for you! Let me know what your NP said about it smile .

Kellie · Senior Member

Oooooo.. good info - I'll check with my NP today. Thank you!!!! How are you doing? My rash seems to be calming down. If that's possible. I'm still itchy. But I am sleeping a teeny bit better at night. I go today to doc to check on 8 weeks labs. biggrin I'll post when I return with info. Kel

nurschic · Senior Member

Kellie- i just got off the phone with my pharmacy and spoke to them about the use of Zantac. Zantac is usually used for Acid Reflux and stomach ulcers, but it is an H2 Histamine blocker. In an ER setting we use it a lot for allergic reactions. Well the pharmacist said that it is fine to use with triple therapy and along with zertec and benadryl. This is yet another med that you might be able to try for the rash :)

I hope this helps!!!

Kellie · Senior Member

Hi JoAnneh, thank you for the shout out - thankfully the last few nights have been better. The 1/2 of trazadone seems to let me sleep a little better at night without being too hung over the next day. 3 days so far with better sleep. Maybe that's why the rash doesn't seem to be actively torturing me this morning. I'm still taking 1 1/2 Zytec twice a day, with the disconide cream and the oatmeal baths. I know you suffered with this too by reading your posts when you were going though this - you very tough girl too biggrin - Woke up this morning with this Beatles song in my head:

When I wake up early in the morning
Lift my head, I'm still yawning
When I'm in the middle of a dream
Stay in bed, float up stream (Float up stream)

Please, don't wake me, no, don't shake me
Leave me where I am, I'm only sleeping

Everybody seems to think I'm lazy
I don't mind, I think they're crazy
Running everywhere at such a speed
Till they find there's no need (There's no need)

Please, don't spoil my day, I'm miles away
And after all I'm only sleeping

It will probably be there all day...... K

Kellie · Senior Member

Thanks for the reminder JoAnneh about the scratching - it's a bit too late for me. I'm doomed. biggrin I'm yelling at myself now when I start scratching - I'm not listening very well. K

JoAnneh · Guru

The Invicek rash was torturing for me
At times. Do search on rash!
I tried everything I read then some.
I used Aleve for inflamnation and pain.
I am post tx 7 weeks.
I made it thru it, if you scratch
And u will, make yourself STOP!
Scratching increases itching and spreads it.
Keep up the good fight!

JoAnneh · Guru

I totally uNderstand where you are at! Try liquid Benadryl. Triamcinolone Acetonide Cream

helped me. I asked my doctor to prescribe after rreading about it on

the forum. I even put apple cider in my bath...read on forum.

Hope u get relief soon. Sleep as much as possible, it helps!

Bless your heart!

-- Edited by JoAnneh on Sunday 9th of June 2013 05:17:28 AM

-- Edited by JoAnneh on Sunday 9th of June 2013 05:18:35 AM

Kellie · Senior Member

PIA hahahaha! Thanks for the reminder about the mouth or throat. And yeppers, my NP said last week that I have a 90% SVR with 8 weeks of Incivik because of responding so early. I'll follow her lead. k

nurschic · Senior Member

Thank you Kellie!!!

JIme · Guru

Your tough Kellie. Hang in there.

Kellie · Senior Member

I would love to -

Quick oats will powder up faster in a food processor. I've used regular rolled oats too on a different day. Takes a little more time to get it powdered though. Some part of me thinks using the regular rolled oats works on the skin better, being that it hasn't been cut up into smaller pieces - maybe losing some of the oat magic biggrin and I prefer organic. You can buy this in bulk at some of the more hard core food co-ops. But if unavailable you can surely use the what ever you can find. I find doing this is cheaper in the long run than using a name brand prepared oatmeal bath soak.

So get your oats powdered really good in the processor. It will help it dissolve in the tub water and also won't clog the drain. It's ok if there's little pieces of oat floating around, these shouldn't clog anything. I haven't had any probs with this.

Depending on how I feel I'll use 1 to 2 heaping cups (maybe more if I'm really feeling needy) of the oats in the tub with warm water. Make sure you've got enough water in the tub to cover and soak with.

I'll also add about 5 to 10 drops of essential lavender oil to water while the tub is filling. This is personal preference for me and not necessary if you don't want to add it. Lavender oil does have healing properties for the skin and some folks find the smell relaxing.

I'll soak in this mixture for 20 to 45 mins - depending on the time I have. I"ve done an hour but I think it dries out the skin too much.

When finished do a light rinse with clear water with a pitcher or cup. You don't want to rinse the oat magic off. biggrin Thank you for asking K

Dillo · Senior Member

Kellie

I have been off the Incivek since May 1st. First week felt so much better still was itching like crazy though. but I have heard it takes some people longer to feel better.

During the first two weeks I was off of it my HGB and Red Blood Count took a turn for the worse. They took me off the Riba for a little over a week when it didn't improve at about 16 weeks. Been back on it about a week and lots better than after Incivek. Not so much itching etc. Course they did a series of Procript shots once a week till my HBG got back up over 10 and it's still taking effect so that probably helped. Got these 7 weeks left and hopefully I am through with it all. It could have been a lot worse but still what a long strange trip it seems like has been.

Nurschic

I put the coconut oil in my bath sometimes. I had better luck with the Aveeno body wash than kellie did with the moisturizer. Helped to take a cool bath in it.

Still use it even in the shower although not itching much....turn the water off at the end and lather up with it... blot dry. That would probably work well with the coconut oil too ...not rinsing off letting it soak in.

nurschic · Senior Member

Kellie- If it wasnt for all the wonderful people on this website sharing their do's and dont's I would have been lost already! You all have been such help already and I just started treatment. I hope that your itching gets better and that you have a solid good night sleep soon! I have also been putting coconut oil on the rash and have been getting some good relief with that. You said you had an oatmeal bath recipe? mind sharing?

Stay strong!

Kellie · Senior Member

Hi Dillo, hahahahah.... biggrin I had to ask for something stronger for sleep the other day from my doc. It had been soooooo long since I've had any kind of meaningful sleep at all. So she gives me Trazadone. I took one last night. It worked kinda ok. I kept waking up but before I could start the shimmy too bad, I would fall back to sleep. In fact I'm still sleepy 15 hours later.

I guess I'll have to start exercising during the day again if this keeps up...right.lol...The rash is hanging in there. Slowly creeping to my torso now.

Honestly I'm going through about a 1/2 to a lb. of powdered oats a day in my bath. How do I spell relief? OATS. biggrin

I'll give my 8 wk blood work on Monday and go to the doc on Tuesday. Not sure if she'll keep me on the Incivik much longer. We'll see. Trying to lay really low.

And how are you? You're done with the incivik right? I've got brain fog.... I've forgotton...sorry 'bout that..... K

Kellie · Senior Member

Ranelle, Fabulous proactive action...it sounds like you've got a great doc too. H20 in abundance. Cells love water. K

Dillo · Senior Member

Kellie wrote:
Now it is over about 75% of my body. The several raised red welts eventually connect to make big rash. I given up exercising during the day. I do most of my excercise at night while I'm sleeping doing the scratching shimmy. lol....

-- Edited by Kellie on Thursday 6th of June 2013 05:30:30 PM

You are a trooper kellie. Mine wasn't even half that bad. Hang in there. Better days after the Incivek, emotionally, physically and even scratching shimmy

nurschic · Senior Member

Emailed my Dr last night to give him a FYI about the rash and what I have been doing for it. He says that I'm doing all the right things. Told me to call the office if it gets worse and he will make sure I get in to see him even if its an overbook appointment. Went and got some Gold Bond medicated lotion and some aloe with lidocaine today as well! Gonna keep this thing in check the best I can!

Dillo · Senior Member

Kellie wrote:
Hi Dillo, hahahahah.... I had to ask for something stronger for sleep the other day from my doc. It had been soooooo long since I've had any kind of meaningful sleep at all. So she gives me Trazadone. I took one last night. It worked kinda ok. I kept waking up but before I could start the shimmy too bad, I would fall back to sleep. In fact I'm still sleepy 15 hours later.
I guess I'll have to start exercising during the day again if this keeps up...right.lol...The rash is hanging in there. Slowly creeping to my torso now.
Honestly I'm going through about a 1/2 to a lb. of powdered oats a day in my bath. How do I spell relief? OATS.
I'll give my 8 wk blood work on Monday and go to the doc on Tuesday. Not sure if she'll keep me on the Incivik much longer. We'll see. Trying to lay really low.
And how are you? You're done with the incivik right? I've got brain fog.... I've forgotton...sorry 'bout that..... K

Ok so I'm funny. (Been told that before lol) It must be a big PIA. Just remember if you get anything in mouth or throat all treatment usually stops so keep eye out for it. Fever and chills not good either. Look up Stevens Johnson Syndrome side effects. I have read UND at 4 weeks and 8 weeks is just as good of indicator of SVR as 4 & 12 weeks. . Longer treatment would be good but you have to think of your over all health also.

Take care of you.

-- Edited by Dillo on Saturday 8th of June 2013 02:28:54 AM

Kellie · Senior Member

Hi Ranelle, it could be from either. My experience with the Incivik rash started the first week. Most of it on my quads. Like a sun burn, sensitive and sun sensitive too.

Raised red welts. I was able to control the scratching at this point. biggrin I powered down the water, took my Zyrtec and a small dose of Atarax at night, used a steroid cream called Desonide .5% and followed it up with a small layer of tea tree oil and vit. e cream twice a day.

I went to my NP about it, she looked at it and said it was the Incivik. We talked about keeping control of it. and she was pleased with my efforts. Yay! She said this one would go away, but it would happen again. Whaaat? I thought to myself "no way". Boastfully, I thought that would be about the worst of it. lol...............

The rash went away about a week later. Only to return angrier, itchier and more aggressive about 3 weeks ago, with a vengeance, starting on the back of both elbows. Now it is over about 75% of my body. disbelief The several raised red welts eventually connect to make big rash. I given up exercising during the day. I do most of my excercise at night while I'm sleeping doing the scratching shimmy. lol....

I'm 2 days into week 8. The Atarax has seemed to stop working. I'm still on the Zyrtec and Desonide lotion at this point. Now, twice a day with the docs approval.

I'm taking lukewarm oatmeal baths 2 to 3 times a day. I have a great homemade recipe. Let me know if you would like it. It's about the only thing now that gives me relief, besides a bit of daily xanax and pain meds.

My experience with the riba rash is that the rash is localized with tiny small blisters. Much more manageable than the Incivik. I've only had a few of these Riba breakouts.

The most important thing is to stay on top of the rashes and always let the doc know of any changes of intensity. This is important.

Sorry for the windy, lengthy answer, I hope it helps. I'm here for you biggrin

-- Edited by Kellie on Thursday 6th of June 2013 05:30:30 PM

Dillo · Senior Member

How often do you see the Doctor? I had light rash on legs, arms, back. Colder baths or showers or anything that helps keep the skin from drying out is good. Most of mine was during Incivek. Itching continued after Incivek but the rash went away.

Actually since I was off Riba for a little over a week don't notice much rash or itching yet unless in a spot the skin gets dryer.

Good to talk to the Doctor about it or NP when you talk to them about other stuff. My docor always liked to check my arms and back when I went in for regular visit. ....if it stays light that's one thing ...if it gets heaver and the little bumpy parts begin to fill in it's good time to go soon. Ask kellie or 12 step guy how quickly theirs progressed and what it looked like.

-- Edited by Dillo on Thursday 6th of June 2013 03:40:05 PM

nurschic · Senior Member

I have done a seach on here about the "rash" and I know that it can come from either the Incivek or Rib. Currently I have a very mild rash that looks like a prickly heat rash. It started on my stomach but has moved to my legs and arms (very light). It itches slightly, but I feel like my skin is sunburned and hypersensitive. I am now taking Zertec in the morning with my meds, increasing water during the day and soaking down with baby oil at night..... can anyone shed light on if it is from the Incivek or Rib? And should I let my Dr know about the rash now, even though it isnt bad or wait a bit?

-- Edited by nurschic on Thursday 6th of June 2013 02:29:50 PM

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