Hep C Discussion Forum

Hey Taz,

Atarax has been around for a long time but it works pretty well for itching. It's also classed as an antihistamine and it can cause marked drowsiness and sedation, so be careful with it. I hope it works for you, that itching is no fun at all! Let us know, how you're doing. If that doesn't work, I can recommend several stores that sell back scratchers, lol! Just kidding, don't scratch!! 

Tig

Hi Taz, itching (`pruritis`) can be a symptom of Hep C and it was something I suffered from before I did my treatment. My GP kept telling me it was a `skin irritation` but it was obviously Hep C related for it to clear up once I`d cleared the virus.

Itching with Hep C is often caused by high bilirubin levels which happens when the liver isn`t working at optimum level and the flow of bile, bile acids and bilirubin get backed up in the bloodstream.

According to this article, cholesterol lowering agents, like the one you`ve been prescribed, are sometimes prescribed to help with the itching, so it seems as though your doctor is trying it to see if there`s any improvement.

Here`s a link to the article `Ten Tips to Relieve HCV-Related Itching` which tells you more about it...

http://www.hepatitiscentral.com/mt/archives/2010/02/ten_tips_to_rel.html

Hope that helps, sorry to give you another link to read!

Hi TazKat,

No, that isn't the information you're looking for. Bilirubin is part of the red blood cell component, and bile (acids) are a product manufactured in the liver and stored in the gall bladder to aid in digestion. Here is some information to help describe the differences. They can test you for high bile acids, check with your doctor. By the way, your Bilirubin is very normal according to your test results.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilirubin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bile_acid

https://ahdc.vet.cornell.edu/clinpath/modules/chem/bileacid.htm

Tig

Hi TazKat,

The information I'm reading indicates it's primary use as a cholesterol reducing agent. It also reduces itching caused by high bile acid levels. Do you have high bile acid levels? If you don't then I also wonder about the effectiveness of the drug. Here's a brief excerpt from Web MD on it:

"Cholestyramine is used along with a proper diet to lower cholesterol in the blood. Lowering cholesterol helps decrease the risk for strokes and heart attacks.

In addition to a proper diet (such as a low-cholesterol/low-fat diet), other lifestyle changes that may help this medication work better include exercising, losing weight ifoverweight, and stopping smoking. Consult your doctor for more details.

Cholestyramine may also be used to treat itching in people with too much bile acid caused by a certain type of liver/bile duct disease (partial biliary obstruction).

This medication is known as a bile acid-binding resin. It works by removing bile acid from the body. In people with high cholesterol, this causes the liver to make more bile acid by using cholesterol in the blood. This helps to lower the cholesterol levels."

Tig