obstetric cholestasis

[MrsRV]

apologies if my spelling is incredibly bad. had a blood test today after telling midwife I'd been awake all night with itchy palms & soles of feet & that my wee had been a weird dark orange colour. she told me it might be OC. share your stories please!!! waiting to hear back with blood results. worried sick.

[MrsRV]

p.s. I'll be 35 wks on monday

[smileattherain]

Hello MrsRV, I had obstetric cholestasis in both my pregnancies, first one diagnosed at 36 weeks and second one at 32 weeks. I went in for monitoring at least twice a week (sometimes more if my blood results were jumping up high). First time around I was induced at 37 weeks as my bile acids were extremely high, and second time was going to be induced at 38 weeks but ds2 had other plans and turned up at 37+4 on his own!

It was very scary at first, mainly because I didn't really understand what was happening and what the implications were, but in my experience if you are diagnosed you are very closely monitored, and I now have two very healthy little boys!

Not sure if that helps, feel free to ask anything and if I can answer I will!

[MrsRV]

ok thanks. I'm kind of hoping midwife is going to call in the morning and say "don't worry, all fine!". What were your symptoms & what made them test? did you have extra scans & what does the monitoring consist of?

[HowAboutNo]

I have just been tested for this, but the results came back today fine.

Don't worry - the risk is in not being treated iyswim. My midwife said not to panic as they keep a very close eye on things. I know of a few people who have had this and they have just been induced at 37/38 weeks and babies have been absolutely fine.

Fingers crossed you don't have it, but if you do, they are so hot on it that you and baby will be fine

[smileattherain]

Good morning, I hope that the midwife brings you good news this morning.

I was itchy all over but including my palms and soles of feet, which are the classic places, and my urine was also very dark. I also had pain on the right hand side under my ribs.

I had extra scans to check blood flow to the baby and growth of the baby, and had a CTG (monitoring the heart rate of the baby with a sensor on your tummy...sure there is a more technical explanation!) twice a week and blood tests once a week. I think the first time around I also had a liver scan, to check it was 'just' OC so that they knew what they were treating but not sure how common that is.

From all the research I have done on my own - and that is how I cope with things so I did a lot of reading, if you do have OC then as long as you are monitored it is very unlikely to cause you or the baby any problems.

Good luck and hope it turns out to be nothing.

[MrsRV]

ha! famous last words. been on a flippin rollercoaster these past couple of days. my bile levels are so high in my blood I had to see a consultant immediately, have steroid injections, etc etc etc. anywsy, feeling better after good scan of bab today & we get to meet her in 2 weeks time!! now waiting for glucose test for diabetes. marvellous!!!!

if bloods continue to raise they will whip bab out now but LOADS of tests/monitoring to be done which is good I guess.

was all going so well!!!

[smileattherain]

Oh no, really sorry to hear that! As you say though, the fact that you will now have loads of monitoring is hopefully reassuring, though you are right about the roller coaster - the first time round my bile acids went sky high too, and from the day it was diagnosed until I met my little boy I was in every day, and it a 'will they won't they induce today' each day. Very stressful at the time and I'm really sorry you have to go through it too.

Good luck and hope things stay stable enough to get to 37 weeks, or at least as close as you can get to it!

[Sodabread]

Hope it all goes well. I had it, but diagnosed very late in pregnancy and got very worried. In fact I ended up finally being induced at 40 +10. My little girl was absolutely fine. So try not to worry, although easier said than done