1. < Skin Health

Hemochromatosis: How do you deal with extreme itchiness?

Posted by swhitman410 @swhitman410, Aug 31, 2022

My Mom has hemochromatosis and is getting phlebotomy to lower iron levels. However, she is extremely itchy. She uses benedryl gel and hydrocortisone cream. Does anyone else have any problem like this? Have you found any relief?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Skin Health Support Group.

Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Sep 1, 2022
In reply to @swhitman410 "She has been being treated for about a year, however she moved states to be closer..." + (show)
@swhitman410

She has been being treated for about a year, however she moved states to be closer to me. Her new doctor doing her phlebotomies doesn't really consider her itchiness part of her hemochromatosis but he has ordered a steroid and Claritin that we will start today. I was just wanting to know if others have had the itchiness and did lowering the ferritin help at all? Thanks for replying to my message.

Jump to this post

SWhitman, allow me to bring some other members into the discussion who have experience with hemochromatosis like @dazlin @lclark918 @martymac and who may be able to offer their thoughts if they experienced itchiness and if lowering ferritin helped.

You'll noticed that I modified the title of your discussion to be more topic specific and added it to the Blood Disorders group as well here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/blood-cancers-disorders/

I hope the steroid and Claritin help. It would be helpful to understand the underlying cause too.

REPLY
1 reply
swhitman410 | @swhitman410 | Sep 1, 2022
In reply to @sueinmn "@swhitman410 It is really nice that you are trying to help your Mom deal with her..." + (show)
@sueinmn

@swhitman410 It is really nice that you are trying to help your Mom deal with her health issues. The itching she is having is very common with hemochromatosis. She should mention it to her doctor if she hasn't already. If the over the counter creams she is using aren't enough they may be able to prescribe something more effective.

How long has she been getting treated?
Sue

Jump to this post

She has been being treated for about a year, however she moved states to be closer to me. Her new doctor doing her phlebotomies doesn't really consider her itchiness part of her hemochromatosis but he has ordered a steroid and Claritin that we will start today. I was just wanting to know if others have had the itchiness and did lowering the ferritin help at all? Thanks for replying to my message.

REPLY
2 replies
Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Sep 1, 2022

@swhitman410 It is really nice that you are trying to help your Mom deal with her health issues. The itching she is having is very common with hemochromatosis. She should mention it to her doctor if she hasn't already. If the over the counter creams she is using aren't enough they may be able to prescribe something more effective.

How long has she been getting treated?
Sue

REPLY
2 replies
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.