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Liver disease itching: What helps?

Transplants | Last Active: Oct 4 1:28pm | Replies (157)

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@crystalfaye

Hello. I am 9 weeks post liver transplant. About 4 weeks ago I started itching. No particular spot just all over and it seems to get worse at night. I mentioned this at my last clinic appointment and was informed that this happens to a lot of transplant recipients. They are not concerned even though my ALP is a bit elevated. Has anyone dealt with this and if so what did you use for the itching?

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Replies to "Hello. I am 9 weeks post liver transplant. About 4 weeks ago I started itching. No..."

@crystalfaye, I commend you for discussing this with your transplant team. I had itching before my transplant, but I don't remember it being a problem afterwards. I hope that this discussion, specific to after transplant itching will catch the eye of some of our transplant recipients.

In the meantime, here a discussion where members have shared experiences with pre-transplant itching.
-Liver disease itching: What helps?
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/liver-disease-itching/?
@crystalfaye, Did you have liver failure related itching before your transplant? Your clinic said that this after transplant itching happens a lot (as a patient, I did not know that) - So did they offer any suggestions?

@crystalfaye I had terrible, terrible itching both pre and post transplant. I used Sarna anti itch cream extra strength with menthol. And of course, friends hands, door jams, spoons. It was torture and mostly on my back. Post transplant it lasted a month then began to fade. I still put moisturizer all over, except my scar, each morning after showering. Itching is no longer a worry after a year of relentless itching. It is very common.

I had some intense itching before my transplant but it was localized to specific areas of my body. What I am experiencing now is more of an all over skin irritation. Like my skin is crawling if that makes since. They put me on a multi-vitamin but I haven't seen any difference as of yet. It has only been a week. I am also diabetic and take insulin which complicates things a bit. All in all I am feeling pretty good. My strength and appetite are returning by leaps and bounds. It was so nice to walk around a store yesterday, with my mask on of course, and not have to use a walker or cane.

Hi @crystalfaye 😊
Congrats on your new liver transplant! I am a two year post kidney transplant patient and I remember having itching for the first couple of months. (I had no itching pre-transplant but I needed a kidney not a liver.)
The itching was especially pronounced the first month when I was living in the rental close to the hospital. When I called my transplant nurse back then, she told me it was common and I could take some Benedryl to calm it down. I know you are a liver transplant patient and I am a kidney transplant patient, so I am not sure if we are on the same immune suppression meds, prophylactic meds, etc but it may be just the body adjusting to the new meds because the itching did go away. The Benedryl helped, but you would have to discuss this solution with your transplant nurse since I don't know if it's safe for a liver transplant patient.
Again Congratulations! ❤

Hi @crystalfaye 😊
I am just checking in! ....Did the Sarna help a little bit?

A little bit. I’m being sent for an MRI to rule out a stricture. Thank you so much for checking in! How are you doing?

How did your annual visit go?