You won't get anywhere with that

[Thalia]

that was the nephros response when i proffered the suggestion that the machine could be causing my Mom's severe itching.  He suggested we're better off just treating the system.  He's, also, the Medical Director of he center.  In general do you guys find that the centers are not willing to find out whether the dialyzer is causing a reaction in the patient?  Is this something you just have to "suck up' and work around?

[kidney4traci]

What's her Phosphorus level?  That is usually the source of itching.

[Thalia]

phospho is good...3.5

[okarol]

Controlling phosphorus can help prevent itching

A common cause of itching is a high level of phosphorus in the body. Since dialysis does not effectively remove phosphorus, a renal diet that limits foods high in phosphorous is prescribed. In addition to controlling how much phosphorus is in your renal diet, remember to take phosphorus binders with every meal and snacks to help prevent or stop itching. Try to maintain a phosphorus level at 5.5 or less.

Staying on dialysis for your full treatment time is also recommended. While dialysis doesn’t remove all the phosphorus from the blood, it does remove some of it as well as other wastes and toxins.

Allergies

Sometimes itching is caused by allergies. If you notice itching occurs at the beginning of dialysis treatments, you could have an allergy to the blood tubing, dialyzer (artificial kidney), the type of heparin being used or other elements associated with the treatment. Let your doctor or nurse know so changes can be made.

Itching can also be a symptom of allergies to products you use everyday. Even if you’ve never had an allergic reaction to a product before, you may suddenly develop sensitivity.

[jbeany]

The worse my toxin level got, the more I itched when I got sweaty.  I also got more sensitive to all manner of soaps and lotions as I lost more kidney function. 

Start keeping track of when she is itching, what she's doing when it starts, what clothes, lotions, pets, etc.  Is it only when she gets hooked up?   Keep track in writing on a daily basis, and you'll at least have a nice book to beat them over the head with the itching doesn't stop!

I was never allergic to the machine, but I've had unusual side effects to Aranesp, so I know how much they fight you when your symptoms are anything out of the norm.

[stauffenberg]

The sad fact is that in 25% of cases, the itching of a patient on dialysis has no assignable cause in the laboratory values.  My own phosphorus levels were consistently normal during the first five years I was on dialysis, but I still had terrible itching.

[mcjane]

Thalia, I found this info about itching, might help. Keeping a journal as jbeany suggested it a very good idea. It certainly does sound like it could be from the machine.

I edited out anything about phosphorus since that doesn't seem to be the problem.


"Itching is a common complaint among dialysis patients, although not all patients are troubled by it. While no one knows the exact cause(s), itching may be brought about by:

Dry skin

 Among dialysis patients, itching is most often caused by dry skin. It occurs because the skin is not making enough oil to moisturize itself. It is important to keep the skin clean and moisturized. It may help to use a moisturizing soap when you bathe, to apply unscented body oil, and to use body lotions.

Allergic Reactions

Allergic reactions to the dialyzer, blood tubing or medications may occur during the hemodialysis treatment. Keep a record of how you feel during your treatment. Maintaining such a log may help you to pinpoint the causes of your itching. Discuss how you feel with your doctor or nurse. There are medications available that may help you."

[Thalia]

thanks guys, they prescribed Altarax which did not appear to help much...some of my research indicated Capazatin (sp)  :2thumbsup;may help due to peppers numbing the nerves and it did help quite a bit..I spoke to the head nurse and she said they would try a smaller dialyzer...not sure if the Altarax finally kicked in or if they started the new dialyzer but she's had the first peaceful nite in weeks