So sorry - sounds awful....

Have you told your doctor?? Are you staying out of the sun?? Might need a dose reduction???

Benadryl helps me, but I don't have it badly as you are experiencing, I'm only into week 3
Please get some relief!
I live in FL where even the shade is sunny.

Its not from the sun, its a side of one of the drugs or a side from the combination of drugs. Feels like fiberglass or mites.

I am doign teh best I can to stay ou tof sun, but it's nto 100% possible. I take my son back and forth to school and activities, and taking care of my family. I spend a lot of time driving. Tomorrow is my sons last day of school picnic and I haven't participated in any of their end of year events because of either being too exhausted, or too much sun. I am going tomorrow, even if for just 15 minutes so he can see that I tried at least. I can sunscreen up, wear my hat, and try to find some shade. It is supposed to be 90 and sunny tomorrow and long sleeves are going to be miserable. And now with the raw patches, sunscreen and lotions burn like fire, and heat from sun/weather feels bad too. Ugh... My doc says to take antihistimines, but are not working. He's not going to lower dose at this point since blood levels are OK and I am so close to end of TX. I just need a little relief. Actually, the Burt's Bees balm helped calm the stinging! At this point, I'm thinking diaper rash medicine is worth a try. :-(

Trissa, that's exactly what it feels like...like I have gotten into some insulation or fleas are crawling over. The chunks of skin flaking off is terrible and kind of frightening. It looks like a chemical burn underneath. I hope staying on 1200 mgs this while time will have been worth it. I hope they eventually can take Ribavirin out of the treatment combos.

Yeah, if it was from sun, I think my arms and legs would be doing the same thing? They itch and crawl like crazy, even my scalp does, and are very dry, but not like my face.

Trissa, would you put Benedryl or hydocortisone cream on it topically, if you were careful to keep out of your eyes?

This is exactly what it is:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2886494/

Good to know that it should go away soon after I am done...

do you also get lil pimple like patches cause I do and I am only on wk 2, my whole body is itchy and my face burns but I am not as bad off as you guys... I am also on 1200 mgs or Riva... believe it or not I use vicks vapo rub even on my face was thinking of buying Noxema..Beachymom you are almost finished. so you go girl...
even my eyes get itchy..

I used hydrocortisone prescribed by the dr and a cream called LIPIKAR that the dermatologist gave me it helped but I was alway scratching and my skin flaked off in clumps too
Anti histamine helped a little too....... hang in there if you can ..you almost kicked that dragon !!!

beachy, that is kinda like what my mom has and she is not on treatment, though she did only Inf shots 3 times a week in the 90's.

She does have Hemochromatosis? (she has both genes), so I don't know if that contributed. It has only been in the last 5-10 years that her legs have developed like this. They look exactly like D in this picture mixed with the occasional flare up of A. And, when it itches it hurts she says.

http://www.intechopen.com/source/html/44874/media/image1.png

Besides the fact that she says she will not do the Inf, of course, riba might make worse. So, the new stuff would be the only way for her to get rid of it. She would wonder if when she gets rid of it (HCV), would she get her legs back, as all she wants to be able to do is walk long distances again without pain. So glad you are almost done, beachy!

Yes, I do get the little pimple like patches. I have higher than normal iron levels, but not hemotrchromisis. Some of those pics are AWFUL! I guess I should consider myself lucky. I can't wait to be done!!! 14 more days! Omg.

I get the pimply patches, on solv/roba, half way thru week 3, & hemochromotosis.

Aveno cream helps a bit, but it will not disappear until after a month or two of stopping tx.

This is caused by the Riba and sun. The rash does not appear where the sun hits your body though, it can appear anywhere on your body, and will.

I had it pretty bad on my legs and I ended up with an awful "Port wine stain" that did finally go away.

The worst thing you can do is to scratch it. As you have probably found out, when you scratch it you get a bit of relief....until you stop scratching and then it burns and burns and burns and gets even more itchy.

So the moral is, stay out of the sun and if you cannot, then stay as covered as possible.......and do not scratch! (Easier said then done)

ok Beachy first stay out the sun if you get in it use 30to 50 uav & uvb sunscreen not the cheap stuff & (Fluocinonide .01% cream it stop the rash & itching do it when you not in the sun Plz DR. TJC

RX cortisone cream sounds like a good idea. Wishing you RELIEF!!

Aveeno oatmeal baths, Aveeno lotions and Benadryl all helped me.