tortourous itching

[Guest PA_daughter]

Hi. My sister and I just found this site. After losing our father to leukemia 5 months ago, our 83 year old mom was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. Small Cell Extensive (metastasis to liver). She's always been a very petite person, but over the past 4 weeks, she's dropped to 90 pounds. She is scheduled to begin chemo today. Of course we have many fears and questions, but our immediate resolve is to find some sort of relief for her from this awful and continuous systemic itching.

Thanks for any help!

Theresa

[OhioKat]

Has she changed laundry detergents or anything lately? Although she could have become allergic to the one she's used for years also. Any rashy or red areas? If lotions & stuff don't seem to help it much you should talk to her Dr to see what can be done to find the cause. He might suggest something like Benedryl, which you can get over the counter but you should check with the Dr before you have her taking any medication.

Hope her itching goes away soon.. I know how crazy that can make you.

[kimblanchard]

Hi Theresa,

Sorry to hear about your mom. What do the doctors say about the itching? Have they tried antihistamines? My mom, about to be 83, was diagnosed with sclc recently. I know she gets some steroids with her chemo, that may help your mom. Ask about that. My mom has never had any itching...could it be related to the mets to her liver. I know people with certain liver disease have systemic itching. Talk to the docs, but it may come down to treating the symptom with topical steroids, antihistamines, or iv steroids. That must be so uncomfortable! Hope she is feeling some relief soon. Good luck with your chemo treatement. My mom has been very lucky with hers, very little side effects, but they did have to adjust the formula because it was too much for her, dropped her platelets. Other than that it has not been too bad. Hope things go smoothly for you all.

Soccermom

[Fay A.]

Speak with her physician. The itching can be related to liver mets.

[gerbil runner]

My mother was very itchy due to her pancreas met closing down the bile duct. She was very jaundiced. A stent solved the problem.

The dr needs to know any and all symptoms that come up. SCLC moves too fast to let anything pass by.

[Guest PA_daughter]

Thanks SO much to those who replied to my morning post regarding my mom's systemic itch....which we can't help but attribute to her sclc. Weeks prior to her cancer diagnosis, her family doc did prescribe an antihistimine, but it didn't touch the problem. Supposedly, she has one of Pittsburgh's best oncology docs, and yet he seems baffled by the itching. Not particularly alarmed or concerned. VERY frustrating.

Her first day of chemo was today and went well. Her newly prescribed 24/7 oxygen and neblulizor treatments are making her much more comfortable. In addition to Percocet, she also has a new script for pain patches.

But the itch continues. No rash....though she has actually made herself bleed from her endless scratching. (she is mentally sharp, so no one suspects it's psychological)

And yet she is sweet, cooperative, and appreciative of everyone involved in her care.

Though I may not be able reply to additional posts, I am most grateful to those who took the time to reply. I will definitely press mom's docs to pursue the sourse of her itch.

Theresa