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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Itchy hands and feet....

25 replies

CardyMow · 24/10/2010 11:00

I'm 28 weeks today with dc4, and for the last two weeks, I have had itchy hands and feet, which seems to be slightly worse at night, but is now starting to affect me during the day, to the point where I am considering scrubbing my hands and feet with a bloody brillo pad. Never had this with any of the other dc, and it's really annoying.

I have an antenatal with the GP and the ractice nurse on Tuesday morning anyway, but is it something normal that I just haven't had before, or should I be worried about it? And is there anything I can do to try to help it? Would I be able to take piriton, or is there some cream or something that might help? I've tried aloe vera gel (my normal household cure all) and also oilatum cream that's meant for excema. Neither have helped. It's almost like it's the inside of my skin that's itchy, it's really weird!

OP posts:

DuelingFanjo · 24/10/2010 11:03

Hi there

it's worth getting it checked out incase it's a signe of Obstetric Cholestasis

Mention this to your midwife.

ledodgy · 24/10/2010 11:04

Yes definitely get it checked out it sounds like it could be OC.

Original poster

CardyMow · 24/10/2010 11:29

I wont get hold of my MW till at least tomorrow, I tried honing on both thursday and friday, but haven't had a call back (got no answer). There's only one mw for my whole estate, there was 2 but one's retired and not been replaced. Would it not be OK to wait till Tuesday when I've got an antenatal, as there's no MW there over the weekend? Is it really serious then?

OP posts:

Original poster

CardyMow · 24/10/2010 11:40

Should I go to the local walk-in centre? It's the only thing available to me today? After reading about this problem, I'm quite concerned. Is there anything the walk-in centre can do? The only other number I've got for MW's is the delivery hotline number. I have also had (very) excessive tiredness, much more so than in any other pregnancy which has got worse in the last 2-3 weeks.

OP posts:

TheHeathenOfSuburbia · 24/10/2010 12:49

The itching and the tiredness does make it sound like obstetric cholestasis. But it's treatable with tablets - had DS 3 weeks ago, and had OC during the pregnancy. The drugs got my blood levels of bile acids right down to normal, basically...

Do you have a day assessment unit at your hospital?
Worth phoning the delivery line anyway, because at least you'll get to speak to a midwife who will know what they can do for you today. You will need a blood test to confirm it anyway, which will probably take a while to come through.
I know the internet will say scary things about higher risk of stillbirth etc, but don't get too concerned by it; that's right at the end of pregnancy and they often induce you a bit early (38 weeks maybe) to avoid the risk.

Original poster

CardyMow · 24/10/2010 13:15

Nope, no day assessment unit. Would delivery line be ok to ring? We have been told that due to 'staffing pressures' not to phone the delivery line unless we are bleeding or have contractions 5 mins apart!

I've just rung my mum, and found out something I didn't know. She had this itching in her first pregnancy, and her baby boy was stillborn at 30 weeks. This would have been before I was born, she said she was never diagnosed with anything, but she remembers the itching well. . And in her subsequent pregnancy (with me) she had to have weekly blood tests from 24 weeks, but was never told why. I had not known anything about this, she had never told me before I comlained to her today about the itching!

OP posts:

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 24/10/2010 13:24

I thought of OC as soon as I saw the title.

How about phoning the out of hours GP? They should be able to take blood and send it to the lab, or at the very least they should be able to point you in the right direction.

Original poster

CardyMow · 24/10/2010 18:46

The itching is actually getting worse as the day goes on, it's going up my arms and legs now. out of hours GP service is crap here, you have to get a taxi across town only to be told they can't do anything, taxi costs £8.50 each way. I am struggling to cope with the itchiness, it's making me want to cry!

And it's not as if I'm not used to itchiness either, I have quite bad allergies, but this itching is 'different', like the inside of my skin is on fire, even when I'm not scratching it I can feel it 'tingle' and itch on the inside.

OP posts:

MrsSnaplegs · 24/10/2010 19:04

It really does sound like you should get checked out for OC, phone the delivery line and ask to speak to a midwife, explain about your Mum as well. As far as I know there is not a hereditary link to OC but may be worth mentioning. Better to be safe and get it checked.

japhrimel · 24/10/2010 20:52

Actually, there is a genetic link - I've been told that me having it means my daughter is more likely to get it (and to react badly to oestrogen contraceptives).

It sounds like your Mum could've had it before much was known about it and that would make you at higher risk of getting it.

TBH though, getting a diagnosis and treatment for OC isn't usually an emergency situation as the itching starts before any blood results will show up as positive. So I'd say it's a wait till Monday/Tuesday and then see your GP kind of thing (just been diagnosed myself). The Delivery Suite won't do anything in this kind of situation.

Cold seems to help more people - try a cool shower, ice packs for your hands/feet at night and cold flannels on your skin.

Piriton won't help the itching, though it's often prescribed to OC women to help them sleep as it has a sedative effect.

Staying calm is important - but really hard. And don't scratch - it'll only get worse if you scratch!

Make sure your MW/GP get your Bile ACid levels checked as well as your LFTs (Liver Function Tests). And if they come back okay, they should be rechecked every 7-10 days while the itching continues.

phipps · 24/10/2010 20:54

Yes, they are all right. Could be OC and you need to get bloods done asap.

Funky2sarah · 24/10/2010 21:08

hi there

i had suspected OC, they perscribed piriton, gave me a couple of creams to try

Dermol - fab, worked a treat! apparently your meant to pay for it though, although I didnt!!

good luck
x

japhrimel · 24/10/2010 21:12

If OC is actually suspected, judging by symptoms and bloods, then you need to be prescribed Urso to get your bile acid levels under control. Piriton does nothing to actually make it safer if you have OC.

MaryBS · 24/10/2010 21:16

Just wanted to second what japhrimel has said. I had OC with both my pregnancies and took Urso. You need to get your bile acids down.

phipps · 24/10/2010 21:22

OC is very bad for the baby so you need to be checked.

greensnail · 24/10/2010 21:24

Sounds like OC to me. I've had it in both my pregnancies. The itching really is horrible isn't it. Cool baths helped me and I used to spend a lot of time scratching my feet with a hairbrush or one of those really scratchy doormats.

Aqueous cream with 1% menthol was the best cream for me. Even better if its kept in the fridge. I found piriton helped a little bit too and was on varous other meds. Was induced at 36 weeks for DD1 and 37 for DD2.

I would try to get seen by someone tomorrow to get your bloods done as soon as possible. As someone else said, make sure they check your bile acids as well as your LFTs.

Heathcliffscathy · 24/10/2010 21:25

I've just had OC (healthy spontaneous delivery at 37.6).

I did a lot of research (went to the chief researcher in the UK and spent 2 hours with her).

You MUST get a blood test asap. if it confirms OC (and you should have a liver scan to confirm this as OC is diagnosed by ruling other things out) you must have Urso, and keep having blood tests twice a week for the rest of your pregnancy. if the urso doesn't get your bile acids down you need to get the dose upped until it does (i was on 1.5 grams by the end).

The risk is to your baby, it is a small risk, and it is minimised with Urso and with a delivery before 38 weeks. They will want to induce you by 38 weeks at the outside.

I was desperate to avoid induction (for my own reasons) and tried acupuncture and reflexology and feel that they brought my labour on naturally. Babies of OC pregnancies do tend to arrive early though so that may have been why ds did.

This is a serious condition, but totally manageable if you are treated properly. The cases in the last couple of years in the UK (rare cases, only 2 iirc) of stillbirth happened where the condition was ignored.

if you get the right treatment this won't happen.

sorry to be scary but you really need to take this seriously, the itching is not the issue really (although it is horrible) it is the (small, and manageable) risk to your baby.

greensnail · 24/10/2010 21:56

Also, there are other drugs you can take if the urso doesn't control it. I was on 2g of urso and bile acids still rising so had to take other meds too. First pregnancy I was well controlled with Urso though. Agree its a serious condition, but don't be scared. So long as you are being treated and monitored then the risk to the baby very small.

Heathcliffscathy · 24/10/2010 21:59

oh and the RCOG guidelines (royal college of obstetricians and gynaecologists) are out of date and being rewritten at the moment. so DO NOT be fobbed off.

Original poster

CardyMow · 24/10/2010 23:08

I'm not bothered about induction, I've been induced with all 3 of my other dc's (for other reasons). I'm a bit concerned though, because I'm 37 weeks on Boxing day...and 38 weeks on New years day.

My DD was induced at 34+5 due to pre-eclampsia, and only spent 24 hrs in SCBU, so early induction doesn't worry me. I've decided to go to my local walk-in centre in the morning and ask them to do blood tests.

japhrimel - it's interesting that you say about reacting badly to oral contraceptives, as I cannot take them as it makes me really quite ill. Could there be a connection?

So - I need to ask them to check my bile acid levels, and do a liver function test?

OP posts:

japhrimel · 25/10/2010 08:09

Yep, bile acid levels and LFTs.

OC seems to be thought to be linked to the raised hormone levels in pregnancy, so there's a possibility that hormonal contraceptives could also trigger problems. I was always on progesterone-only contraceptives for migraines, so have never had raised oestrogen levels before pregnancy. Apparently you may be more sensitive to hormones after an OC pregnancy anyway - e.g. some people get a bit of itching with their menstrual cycle.

MaryBS · 25/10/2010 17:15

I get cyclical itching, and was advised not to have a pill with oestrogen in for fear of side effects, following OC.

greensnail · 25/10/2010 19:36

How did you get on today? Hope you managed to get the bloods done.

I was 37 weeks on christmas day with DD1, was induced on christmas eve at 36+6 which was ok, but wouldn't have been so good if I already had DC. With DD2 they were keen to try to get me to 38 weeks but weren't able to in the end as bloods were rocketing by that point, but hopefully if you do have OC that won't be the case for you, and you'll be able to make it through to the new year.

Original poster

CardyMow · 26/10/2010 16:30

I finally got to see my GP today, he has taken bloods for an LFT and bile acid tests, I will be able to get the results on Thursday afternoon.

OP posts:

MaryBS · 26/10/2010 17:49

Good news!

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