Stop the Itching

[brmoore]

       My wife's in love with a TV Doctor (Dr Oz). She buys whatever he pushes. About a week
ago he discussed a product called  " Udderly Smooth Cream" to alleviate itching. This product
was originally developed for use on Dairy Cows on their udders.
     Sure sounds crazy but my wife purchased an 8 oz Jar for about $4.50 (pretty inexpensive).
     I have been using it for 3 or 4 days and it seems to offer relief for about 4 hours. I know that
this does not seem like much, but it has allowed me to get to sleep itch free.
     Have any of you tried this product  ?  Have you heard of it
     Buy the way, the Pharmacy did not stock this item but was able to order it. It is produced
by a company called Redex Industries Inc., Salem Ohio (1-800-345-7339.
     Could it be that Cows will become the CKD patients Best friend ??
                                                                                    Bruce 

[Grumpy-1]

Nice to know that someone else is itchy.  My wife keeps telling me it is because of dry skin and I need to put oil or lotion on more often.  But doing that doesn't help.    I will have to look into this.   Thanks again Grumpy

[Willis]

I've been having terrible problems with itching. My neph says it is likely the COMBINATION of high calcium and high phosphorus (which my labs show are elevated). She says that calcium and phosphorus combine to form a crystal of some sort that migrates to the skin and causes the itching. I've been trying real hard to avoid foods with phosphorus and I'm taking a non-calcium binder. The itching has been reduced significantly.

My neph also prescribed Atarax (Hydroxyzine) and that helps a LOT for about 2 hours. I keep a bottle by the cycler so when (not if) I wake up from the itching I can take another dose.

The final thing that has helped some is a lotion called Aveeno that should be available at Walmart or any pharmacy.

 

[KarenInWA]

I battled chronic itching for years, before dialysis and during. Now that I've had a transplant, the itching has gone away. I can't tell you how nice it is to have an itch, scratch it, and be  done with it!

That udder cream sounds like a good thing. I know lactating mothers have been using "Bag Balm" for years, but I believe that is more like an ointment. I used to work in a hospital pharmacy back in the early 90's, and that was always part of the maternity pack. I thought it was weird the first time I saw it!
It had a picture of a cow udder on it.

KarenInWA

[MooseMom]

I'm familiar with Udderly Smooth cream, and it is very nice.  I don't have a problem with itching yet, so I don't know how effective it is for itching caused by kidney failure.

Itching due to dry skin is very different from itching caused by high calcium/phos, and as such, the solutions to these two afflictions are different.  As Willis pointed out, working to reduce your serum calcium and phos will help more than any lotion or cream.

Karen, did your clinic ever address your itching problem?  Were your labs normal?  If so, what did they say was the cause?  Do most dialysis patients, even those with well-controlled phos/calcium, have this problem?  I can't remember if my mother had this trouble while she was on D.

[KarenInWA]

Karen, did your clinic ever address your itching problem?  Were your labs normal?  If so, what did they say was the cause?  Do most dialysis patients, even those with well-controlled phos/calcium, have this problem?  I can't remember if my mother had this trouble while she was on D.

That is a good question, MM. I think I had become so adjusted to it, that it became second nature to me. In fact, it was a month after transplant that I noticed it was gone! (you sure don't miss it when it's not there!). I mentioned it here and there to dr's and such. I remember being told that it may not be caused by kidney failure. I do tend to have dry skin on my legs, which is where most of this itching happened. But, I still do have dry skin there, and I'm not itching anymore. My labs were fine for the most part. It wasn't until the end that my phos went up, and then while on D it tended to stay in the high normal, (that is, high normal for a D patient - which is high for a non-D patient) with it going over that once. Post-transplant, my phos has gone from 4.5 (shortly after I was discharged) to 2.7 (most recent). My calcium has been high normal to just above normal since transplant. Protocol at my center is to put tx patients on 2 Tums 2 times a day, and 0.25 mcg calcitriol 1/day. They discontinued both of those for me after a couple of weeks! Normally, tx patients are low in that, and I was probably in the normal levels when they started me on it. Yet I still have osteopenia, damn it! (bone scan was done a ear ago, if I remember right)

KarenInWA

[lmunchkin]

Yes Bruce, we stock this product where I work.  We sell a lot of it.  If you like, I can see what my cost is on it and maybe purchase it for you. PM me if interested!  It is a small container that looks like a cow's skin. (white w/ black).  I have never used it nor has J.  But maybe we will, cause we both have dry skin especially during the colder months!

lmunchkin
 

[rileysmom]

my itching has been terrible, my doctor said it's a combination of high calcium and high phosphorous.. he has limited my calcium to very minimal and i have been trying to avoid the phosphorous but when i do itch and cant stop (lotions dont seem to help too much) i do use benadryl lotion which helps a little and at times i take a tablet of benedryl just so i can get relief and get some sleep. otherwise i itch to the point i make my skin bleed.

[big777bill]

 I'm like you Rileysmom I scratch myself at night while asleep and when I wake up my legs have been bleeding and they're all marked up. The itching can be anywhere though but at night it's worse in the legs. Benedril helps some but not much.     

[MooseMom]

Here's a bit of info I found on The Renal Fellow Network:

http://renalfellow.blogspot.com/2009/03/uremic-pruritis.html

[sullidog]

my itching is do to dry skin but mostly phos levels which are under control now. Itching has almost stopped if not completely.

[Rain]

I only itch it my sleep and it's always my fistula arm.  Woke up to some scratch marks on my fistula.  But since its' winter my skin is so dry.   I have heard of Uderly Smooth use to use it as a teenager.  But what I use now is coconut oil and then I cover my fistula with an arm band, work great..  But last night I was too tired that I just went straight to sleep.

[Lillupie]

I only itch when the palms of my feet and hands peel. Other then that I dont have a problem.

Lisa