Hey all, I have significant skin issues, I was also a competitive swimmer through high school and beach/water sports were a big part of my life. I've had a number of basal-cell cancers removed with Moh's which left large scars. Started Harvoni yesterday, and I'm very curious to see if any of the issues and pruritis which has become such a problem for me will change.

Incidentally, though I don't plan to use it during treatment, I discovered a plant-based remedy for non-melanoma skin cancers called petty spurge or milkweed (euphorbia peplus) that I've had great luck with:

http://www.topicalinfo.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=273

I had a lesion on the back of my left hand which was biopsied and diagnosed as BCC. Since I'm a serious amateur guitarist I was concerned about any loss of skin and flexibility due to Moh's surgery on my hand and took the plunge with the petty spurge. It's worked incredibly well. I'm not easily impressed by "unconventional" medicine as a rule, but it may help you to know pharmaceutical versions of the treatment containing "ingenol mebutate," the active ingredient of the sap, have been approved and are being marketed as "Picato."

Finding the plant, which is apparently a European invasive that grows here in Hawaii and in several U.S. mainland locales can be a challenge. I finally called local botanists and was directed to a patch growing just up the road. I'm no green thumb, but this stuff doesn't seem to need a great deal of skill to cultivate.

Hi Redbird, thanks for getting back. Sounds like I'm just a couple of weeks a head of you.  I will just be patiently waiting for the safe time to rub something on my skin. Either that or I will buy a pumice stone. Just kidding.  I have my second blood draw tomorrow.  I have gained 8-10 lbs, a lot of people do. surprised at the appetite that has developed. Wonder whether its the drug or just functioning better. Body wants nutrients. I won't get blood results back until Aug. 7th. Anyway, thanks and prayers to you and to all.  Marsha

Hi Marsha!

  Yes, mine is still cleared. I can still see where the skin there is slightly darker than the rest however the lesion is at skin level and I do not feel the slight lump under it that was there before. My skin overall is looking better too - not so dry.... Even my 87 yr old mama came in to my work today and told my how nice my skin was looking. Thanks Mama!! :)

I am on day 26 today of tx and am unsure if it will last or if it will come back. How long have you been on tx now? I agree with you too about ointments, treatments or anything. Mine gave me some kind of steriodal cream and I didn't even fill the rx.

I agree with being paranoid about taking anything. I had to go to the dentist last week as I am getting dentures. They did the "hard line" on the final mold and I am nervous about the chemicals that are in the molding material. I had no choice as my insurance will be running out in 11 days and I don't have $2000 to pay for the dentures myself. Regardless, I kind of panicked because I had to have this stuff in my mouth for 10 min. All I can do is pray on it that all goes well. I do go in for my 4 wk labs on Thursday and am feeling pretty confident that it will be UND.

Hopefully by the end of your tx your skin will have all cleared. It sounds like you are making progress forward and I will pray that you continue to get better and better each day!

Hey Redbird, did your skin stuff clear up?  Mine has not, just wondering if yours has. The dermatitis has cleared up in some areas and not so in other areas. I'm so glad Matt posted on what not to take and what to look out for.  The Ayurvedic  Dr gave me a tx for hydrocortisone oint. 2.5 %. I have not and will not use anything until I finish tx. 
And then will make sure that what ever I use if anything will be liver friendly.  I do hope something will work, as this is a very unwanted condition.  You had mentioned that you thought that the harvoni was possibly clearing your skin condition up.  I had thought the same, and then it returned. That's why I was wondering if yours indeed had left.? Thanks, Marsha

Hello!

  Well went to see Dr. this a.m. and like you were saying Coolheat he said it was dermititis. I told him that the previous NP thought it was a fungal and gave me Ketoconazole but that I was not taking it and he said good not to especially since I am on tx. Funny how you described your "patch" because mine is on the breast bone at inner top of left breast too. And I do understand about the pre-cancerous spots on arms and the keratosis - I had two spots removed last year and have more popping up however these are ongoing over the years.. I was a General Building Contractor for 18 years and was always out in the sun so we have that in common too. The D. this morning gave me a steroidal cream for the patch and wants to see me next week however, like you, I am not going to use it at this time. What I have now is actually clearing with tx rather than getting worse so I will wait till afterwards to see if they redevelop before taking any type of medication.

   Reading about your ankles swelling I had noticed that mine do too by the end of the day however they have done that for several years now, especially during the hot months here in the desert. In the past they would get really bad and though I am having some swelling by the end of the day like you they do not seem to be as bad as in the past. 

  Only other thing to come up from my visit this morning was my BP of 159/82. That is VERY high for me. Yesterday it was 128/72 when checked at my work and last weeks Dr appt was 122/72. Hopefully it was just a fluke though I do feel a bit "off".

TIG56 - This is the link I told you about that lists drug interactions with Hep C treatment meds -

http://www.hep-druginteractions.org/interactions.aspx

  I know that this is a new drug and we are going to experience some odd effects that are going to make us wonder. It is really helpful to be able to bounce them off others and for that I thank you!

2 Days ago was in Derm's office to check out skin problems.  What you originally  described in the thread Redbird, I have also. Mine is located on my upper chest, like over the breast bone below neck.  Same as  you described.  Matt said that it is when the enzyme #'s are up.   I am currently UNT VL and my liver is supposedly functionally normal for what it is.  The Derm said it was a form of dermatitis.  They wanted me to take a cream and put on it.  I did not, and have no intension of taking anything while on tx. Side note: I have had some other unwanted skin stuff come up; pre- cancerous spots on my forearms, and also some extra bumps at random on my body, kerat~something, just extra skin that comes from where their has been sun damage earlier in life. Not that I didn't have skin damage from commercial fishing without wearing a hat on ocean, competitive swimming until 20.  Point being this has all become more of an issue since beginning tx.  I won't stop tx. I posted a thread a couple of wks. ago on red spots, as I had originally thought that was a side effect of the hep c. At least that is what I was told. I ask about those, derm said its nothing, don't worry about that.  Tig also said it is a separate skin problem, not connected to the hep c. Right on Tig.  Because I am bringing up skin, I also have another side effect.  I take my tx between 10 -11 am everyday.  By about 5 pm, my ankles are starting to get alittle swollen, by 8-9 pm my lower leg and ankle are puffy.  By morning its all gone, after many trips. Primary Dr. checked vascular and I am fine, did echo cardiagram and heart is good, high blood pressure I had at beginning of tx, is gone and has normalized. Hope that extra imfo. helps someone else with their experiences.  The skin crud on my chest also gets more pronounced at times, and then goes down again about flush, but the markings stay pretty much as you described Redbird.  Thanks for bring it up. After bringing up red spots with no response, I wasn't going to bring this up. CH 

Thank you for this link Tig56. I had checked on another link I found and on it there was no contraindication with this particular medication and Harvoni. On this one there is. Needless to say, I will NOT be taking it. I don't have any other medical conditions that require me to take any type of medication other than this tx so I will not be taking anything till after tx. This is much too important to take a chance with!

What other drugs could interact with this medication?

There may be an interaction between ledipasvir - sofusbuvir and any of the following:

• azole antifungals (e.g., itraconazole, ketoconazole, voriconazole)

http://www.medbroadcast.com/drug_info_details.asp?brand_name_id=6969&next_page=y#.VZ51HSWCOrW

YIKES on the info on Ketoconazole - a real wake up call there.  !!! It is even scarier that the NP who prescribed it was the same one that started the Hep C clinic here where I live. 

I guess I should be grateful that I am almost paranoid about any thing I put into my body right now so as not to interfere with the Harvoni or I may have taken him at his word and started the medication. Just goes to show that you have to check and dbl check EVERYTHING they say or do to protect yourself!

It just seems sad that after this virus being around for so many years so many doctors are horribly ill equipped and trained to care for people who have it.

You are welcome!

And after Tx too!!!

Be aware of Ketoconazole, it absorbs easy in blood flow and affects the liver!!! It isn't recommended for people with liver diseases. 

On July 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning that taking ketoconazole orally can cause severe liver injuries. Even the skin cream can absorb in your blood flow. Please, talk your hepatologist before taking it. My hepatologist banned me from all dermatological drugs with hepatic metabolism.

European Med Agency recommended a ban for it. 

Please, read this article .

Good luck!

Thank you for the information MM! 

I wasn't sure about what it was and the first Doctor wasn't either. He actually prescribed me Ketoconazole for fungus infections. Needless to say, I am NOT taking it at this time. If I don't have to take it to stay alive it is not passing my lips while on tx.

I am glad to hear that yours are getting better too with tx. I will post an update too after seeing derm.

Peace out!!!

Robin

It is because your skin lesions are caused by elevated liver enzymes, bilirubin and virus itself. The therapy does the job right - decreases their level and your skin problems go away. I had a major dermatological problem before starting the first TX with the Sovaldi (sofosbuvir), very dry itchy skin and etc. One week after beginning I was surprised by remarking a gradual vanishing of my skin problems. Now after second sofosbuvir-based Tx (Harvoni) even the vitiligo on some parts of my body became less contrasty.

Good dermatologist will ask about your liver problems and will check even you sa "no" it before prescribing any medication. My wasn't. He prescribed me minocycline... so that how my HCV story began: major side effects, ambulance, urgent hospitalization with ALT 300+ and bilirubin 190, 22 hours of detoxification and etc...