Itchy 35 weeks

[elephantmarch]

Over the last two days my skin has become itchy. Enough to wake me not enough to scratch till bleeding. I know it's something I should ask a midwife about. Is there any benefit in asking on a Sunday or wait till a routine check early next week? It's worrying me but I don't know if they can actually test on a sunday

[FlippertyJibbit]

Please do speak to your midwife ASAP, I suffered with obstetric cholestasis myself, you will be prescribed some medication and will be monitored closely, please also carefully count the kicks as previously stated.

[Hannit]

My bump became extremely itchy to the point I would cry, I was obviously highly emotional lol! My midwife said it was where the skin was stretching as bump is growing and it was very natural.. She said try bio oil or creams it didn't stop the itch straight away but it did ease, speak to them
Definitely always better to highlight any concerns big or small x

[SarahSavesTheDay]

Sounds a lot like cholestasis, which I had with my second son. My hands and feet were unbearable. I went to the A&E, they kept me overnight and then I had a C-section the next day.

[chopsface]

I've just been diagnosed with choleostasis after having a blood test for itching. They take it very seriously. I had the blood test Friday afternoon and the lab called the Midwife with the results Saturday and she spent all day trying to get hold of me on the phone! When she finally did I was advised to go straight to the assessment unit at the hospital for more tests and monitoring. I now need regular monitoring for the rest of my pregnancy and will need to be induced early. So please don't ignore this symptom x

[elephantmarch]

Thank you for all your advice. I saw the midwife who has arranged for bloods to be done - but the phlebotamist (sp) told me results would be three- 5 days before results come back, which seems long now reading the above. On the plus side i wouldn't say the itching was unbearable, and my blood pressure is very low.

Chopsface and Frusso, was your itching severe? Or just irritating. It's hard to describe how much i'm itching, definitely enough to disturb sleep but not enough to carry a brillo pad with me (perhaps akin to prickly heat but without the rash). Also most aware on my legs, arms, face torso and feet - but not felt on my palms at all x

[elephantmarch]

35 and a bit

I'm really glad for you that your midwife was so on it. Perhaps i'll call them tomorrow to chase bloods. I think i'm still at the irritating side of itching than horrendous, but don't want to be flippant this late on.

[SarahSavesTheDay]

I don't know why it would take 3-5 days. I think they came back to me in hours.

[TakesTwoToTango]

The take two tests - one liver function test and one bile acid test. The bike acid one is the one that can give a conclusive oc diagnosis and it's not unusual for it to take up to a week or more to get the results (only done very large hospitals usually can do it in a day, most have to send the blood away). It is possible for the bile acids to be elevated and get an oc diagnosis even with normal lfts. That said, if the oc is severe, the lfts may also show abnormal readings. I suspect that anyone who was diagnosed really quickly was either lucky enough to be in a big regional hospital, or had oc severely enough that the symptoms plus abnormal lfts were enough to diagnose and proceed to induction. Hope that helps!

[elephantmarch]

Thank you for your thorough response TakesTwo. I'm not sure if they requested just one or both but i do seem to remember that my booking bloods were sent to Birmingham, so expect these will be too

[chopsface]

I work in pathology and I know blood results are done same day! If something is wrong they'll tell your health provider sooner than if they were normal.

My itching is not severe or driving me crazy but I still have this thing wrong with me. So looks like it doesn't need to be severe to have it. You've done the right thing getting it checked out. Good luck and keep us updated!! I know I'm going to meet my baby the week of Nov 23rd! Eeeek!!

[twolittleboysonetiredmum]

I just saw this post on googling - hope you're ok op. I'm 36 weeks and have been getting itchy this week, especially my feet at night. I just figured it was dry skin or something. Are there other things that you'd have as part of obstetric choleostasis (sp?!)

[twolittleboysonetiredmum]

It's 3rd pregnancy and never had an issue with previous two either

[twolittleboysonetiredmum]

Thanks for the quick reply, I am tired but only because of the other two as you say, not abnormally so and no other symptoms liked you describe. It sounds horrible, mines probably just dry skin.

[NotSoFancyNancy]

I had bloods yesterday for same reason.32 weeks. No results yet. Itching not completely unbearable but lack of sleep is. Consultant advised a piriton tablet at night which really helped last night so imagine my bloods will be ok.
3rd pregnancy here too and scratching away as I wrote this!
Best of luck.

[RB68]

you get itchy hands and feet and sometimes forearms and it spreads to body, also more advanced your wee starts to turn brown as well. I had a stuck gallstone and went into Liver and kidney failure - whilst they were ignoring my gallstone pain they took the issue of itching more seriously thank God - was 24 weeks and ended up having surgery to remove gallstone and liver and kidney started working again

[twolittleboysonetiredmum]

That's true frusso, I've an appt tomorrow anyway so will mention it then. Will no doubt be dismissed as neurotic, general approach of our midwives :/

[RoTo72]

I had cholestasis with first pregnancy. Mine was so severe itching turned into blisters from my neck to my feet. I was even sent to medical imaging so they could take photographs for teaching medical students! I had to have steroid injection every day for a week and was induced at 39 weeks. Ds was underweight, 5.12lb but healthy. Day after delivery rash blisters and itch had vanished completely.