Itching, please help

[Elizabeth2]

Hi all, I'm new to this forum. My Mum was diagnosed in January with stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer which has spread to the liver. She started Chemo last week. I wanted to get some advice about the severe itching she is experiencing. It is really affecting her quality of life and has been constant since diagnosis and not improved by the fitting (and re-fitting) of the stent/bile drainage. The doctors have said there is nothing that can be done about it but its so distressing for her, she's scratching all the time and making herself bleed, she struggles to sleep and she is massively frustrated. I feel useless as I can't do anything to help her and she keeps asking me what she should do. Does anyone have any advice about how to handle this? Thanks

[PCUK Nurse Jeni]

Hi Elizabeth,

Is your mum taking an anti-histamine for this? If not, then she should at least be on one of the many which are available. Piriton is very good, as is cetirizine. There is also a drug called colestyramine which should help, as it is specifically for itching associated with bile salts.

Important to keep the skin well moisturised. If she is making herself bleed, then the old fashioned mittens on the hands, especially while she is asleep, can help. Some people also find relief from hot baths.

Hope this helps,

Jeni.

[jadco]

Elizabeth - my mum is exactly the same - she phoned her cancer nurse and they got her some cream - also the piriton really helped - seemed to be concentrated in her hot spots - like under her arms. The cream and piriton really helped.

[Elizabeth2]

Thanks very much for replying, I appreciate it. She is taking Piriton and colestyramine but it still seems bad though some days it is much worse than others. I've started filing her nails down so she can't do so much damage!

[CFF]

Really srry to hear about your mum Elizabeth. My dad suffered similar although the stent finally allowed relief of symptoms. I haven't really got anything else to add to the dvice you've been given. I used to plaster him in calomine lotion but this only seemed to give short lived relief. Hope some of the medication helps.

C