I Am Itchy!!

[justme15]

I  have been very itchy lately. Especially in the evenings.  I know this is probably related to my kidney failure, but I was wondering if there are certain foods that might be making it worse?  Any thoughts?

[cattlekid]

Itchiness can be related to high phosphorus levels.  Those of us on dialysis usually take phosphorus binders to help keep our levels down.

Here is a partial list of foods that are high in phos:

Chocolate
Dairy
Nuts
Beer
Whole Grains
Many prepared foods
Beans

You many want to check with your doctor about starting on phos binders, even though you are pre-dialysis.  I know there are other members here who have gone that route.

[billybags]

As cattlekid says probably phos, get it checked out. Itching is part of D and it drives my husband crazy .He takes Renagel with meals.

[Willis]

About 4 months ago my phosphorus and calcium levels got too high and I had itchiness so bad that I was only getting about 2 hrs of sleep per night. Needless to say, after a few weeks of that I was a total wreck. For those who haven't experienced it, this itchiness seems to come from the inside out and nothing topical seemed to help for more than maybe an hour or so. My nephrologist said that when both phosphorus and calcium are high they interact and form molecular crystals that then migrate their way outward through the skin. She gave me some medication (sorry can't remember its name at the moment) that did help quite a bit, but the itchiness didn't really improve until both my phosphorus and calcium levels finally came down.

I managed that feat by changing to a phosphorus binder with low calcium (Fosrenol) and by watching my diet. However, Fosrenol is REALLY expensive ($700 for a month's supply even with Part D). My neph has been giving me the Fosrenol from her stock of samples and I'm using half the amount of my previous binder (calcium acetate). I get my lab report next week so hopefully the trend will stay down since my supply (and hers) of the Fosrenol is about to be depleted. I've filed with the drug manufacturer for a rebate so maybe I can get enough of a discount so I can afford the Fosrenol.

 

[texasstyle]

I too along with the others, understand that a high phoso level can cause this. Important to let your dr/center know.

[Phil]

This was my biggest problem pre-dialysis....for about a full year I had terrible itchiness...and at night was the worst...trying to get to sleep was almost impossible....wasnt able to lay still...I'd have to take boiling hot showers to try and get some relief...but 3o minutes after the shower the itchiness was back....if you dont have this problem, you CANNOT imagine how bad it is.

After I started HD and my blood started getting 'cleaned up' the problem went away. Was a real relief.

[flanbyjan]

The itching also drove my husband crazy and it was hard to watch because I felt helpless to do anything for him.  I scratched his back and arms as much as possible, but he could barely sleep.  Pre-dialysis I gave him a low dose Xanax (.5mg) and honestly that helped give him some relief.  I know that they can be addictive, but he controlled his use and his doctor eventually gave him a prescription.  Now that he is on HD his itching has subsided except for rare occasions at night.  That is a great relief to us both!

[cassandra]

I agree with the phos, if not you could try tea-tree/hazelwitch creme. Might give you only a few minutes 'rest' but its harmless. Get the neph to prescribe binders thought