Pruritus at its max

[GP7852]

How do you deal with pruritus.Mine has reached the pinnacle where I can't sleep anymore,my skin is so sore,black and blue and torn up from the rubbing and scratching.I am going through a container of Sarna a day.I am so bitter at my insurance company (Cigna) as they continue to deny me funding for Harvoni yet they are happy to continue to dock my paycheck for their payments.I feel like such a fool.Meanwhile it is like I have a million bugs living right under the surface of my skin trying to eat their way out,the worst nightmare of my life.I am a lifetime non responder who finally got negative on sovaldi-olysio only to relapse immediately.At this point I don't even care about my liver anymore,my #1 priority is to just stop the itching and get the soreness to heal.I am trying the Gilead assistance program since I meet all their criteria but it is slow and the torture is getting to my nervous system.Do any of you stage 4 cirhotics have any helpful info,even the cholestyramine isn't helping anymore.
                                                          Glen

[GP7852]

Thank you all for your responses-I will try to find the atarax that horsepower guy suggested.I constantly call my insurance company only to receive the letters of denial.I cant even open them anymore when I see them in the mail,I just want to scream.I do drink water all day and eat right but it's not enough.The itching never stops and you lose your mind.All I have is the cholestyramine but that gets me in trouble,especially at work.When it hits your bowels you can't control what happens and it has caused embarrassment that makes you want to die.I need to make something happen before this long weekend arrives,I would sell my soul for some relief.Happy Thanksgiving    Glen

[keepingOnkeepingOn]

Diet is key here. I can only speak from experience and give suggestions as I am not a doctor. If you haven't already, eliminate salt and salted foods from your diet. This should bring some relief by eliminating it. Seek out a knowledgeable dietician to help you. Your Insurance company or your doctor may recommend one. Medical teams anymore have a dietician on staff.
Stage 4 here and eating the foods compatible with my liver has helped reduce liver disease symptoms greatly.
I drink lots of coconut milk to help me but everyone is different.
If I eat eggs I'll have jaundice, itching and other serious symptoms. Other foods bother me. Find out what foods you can and cannot eat. Results from altering food intake will happen over a short time.

Shower in warm water rather than hot and use soap for sensitive skin.
You need to get on Harvoni with riba if possible because of past relapses. Call your Insurance company and tell them your story. Advocate heavily for yourself. Get the person on the phone to really hear you just like a sibling would. Tell them your story and that you need it now. Fight. Don't ever give up. Call the doc and tell him to help you get TX. Tell them there is no time left. You need tx now.

The skin seems to act like it's trying to rid the body of toxins that the liver can no longer do. Drink lots of water and keep clean. Good grooming helps your mood too.

[Livelife777]

Glen.  So sorry that this itching seems relentless.  Your Dr is the only person that can prescribe meds, but these are a few natural remedy's that may help.
Oatmeal scrub
Coconut oil
Oregano oil
Black strap molasses
Apple cider vinegar
Do know how uncomfortable it is to be continually itching.  Have also heard that some pain relievers can help, but your Dr needs to OK it.
Wish I had better choices.
.....Kim

[hrsepwrguy]

Have you tried atarax ?

http://www.drugs.com/atarax.html