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Pregnancy

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

Original poster

Going bonkers with itching, being tested for obstetric cholestasis tomorrow. Does anyone have any tips to make this bloody stop!?!?

114 replies

SchrodingersMew · 14/08/2011 22:28

Okay, my skin looks terrible as even scratching when sleeping.

Everywhere is itching like ad, so much it's almost unbearable and I didn't think I could end up with any more problems this pg!

Can someone help and maybe give me some advice? I have no idea really what this is and need some tips for the itching.

I have tried piriton and calamine... Really not working.

Thanks.

OP posts:
flutterbye1988 · 15/08/2011 14:04

OMG to the ladies who have said that their Dr isn't taking them seriously, get back there now! I had itching so bad that i made the soles of my feet bleed and ended up sleeping in a freezing cold bath just to get some relief.

I saw 2 midwives, 4 doctors and a nurse over 2 weeks, before i managed to get a blood test, they confirmed OC and i was rushed into hospital the same day to be put on some medication (which stopped the itching).

before i got the medication i found that piriton (keep with it as it doesn't work immediately i found it took about a week) and iron tablets worked, i also used the menthol aqueous cream (but get it on prescription as it can cost over £45!).

I feel sympathy for all of you i am 39 +4 now and haven't had itching for about a month but i still cant wear anything else but flip flops because i did so much damage to my feet from scratching

MaryBS · 15/08/2011 14:50

I hope you don't mind me asking, but why haven't they induced you, flutterbye?

Original poster
SchrodingersMew · 16/08/2011 02:16

I just woke up literally fucking tearing skin off... I can't handle this....

When I went today in day care they said they found bile in my urine, they sent bloods away, lost them then had to do more. Then the bloods came back okay apparently but the Dr I got said that the MW who told me I had bile in my urine must have been talking about something else as you can't get bile in urine.

This is the Dr that has been giving me dodgy advice lately so I don't know what to believe. :( I've just googled it and it said you can get bile in urine so what do I do? I've to get my bloods done again on Friday.

OP posts:
christinecagney · 16/08/2011 13:00

Didn't want you to go answered Schro- sorry you are feeling so rough. What level is the Dr you have been seeing - a junior?

You must go back and ask to see someone more senior.

Be very assertive.

Sending you long fingernails and a wire brush!!

PamBeesly · 16/08/2011 13:11

oh God Schrodingermews, they sound so incompetent but I know what its like to feel vulnerable and exhausted, asking more questions and probing is the last thing you even think of. (well me anyway)
They tested my blood for bile salts not my urine so I don't know who is right the nurse or the doctor. You are entitled to ask for a second opinion, just say you are at your wits end and you'd appreciate one.
God I hope the itching lets up a bit for you, thinking of you

Original poster
SchrodingersMew · 16/08/2011 13:42

Thanks for the replys but no she's the Ob/Gyn Consultant!

I phoned NHS 24 last night who said that if they had said they found bile in my urine then that's probably what it is and it just hasn't showed in my blood yet. He's told me to phone up and speak to my own Consultant.

They did test my blood too but will be getting re tested on Friday to see if it shows up yet.

Christine Thanks for the wire brush. :) I've been using my diamond ring Blush

Pam I'm sorry I haven't PM'd you yet, but there's not much I can tell you as they basically didn't tell me anything. :( However from what others have sent me you can definitely get it in the first trimester.

OP posts:
Original poster
SchrodingersMew · 16/08/2011 13:48

Just spoke to day care, and she said no it was bile in my urine but the bile acid tests only get done a couple of times a week and wont be back until Friday.

They're getting another Dr to call me back.

Thanks for all your support everyone, I feel like I've needed to lean on MN far too much recently and really appreciate it.

OP posts:
PamBeesly · 16/08/2011 13:57

Glad you got some clarity Schrodinger, I hope they can really help on Friday

Original poster
SchrodingersMew · 16/08/2011 14:01

I hope your itching starts subsiding too, I'm sure you will get some clarity too.
I think I may end up in a mental institution the way this is going. Or quite possibly flayed.

OP posts:
PamBeesly · 16/08/2011 14:11

the thing about saying you may end up in a metal institution Schroedinger is totally believable, the itching is driving me really really insane and I feel so sad about it too. I find the support on mumsnet better than any medical 'advice' I've been given, the most I can have is Aveeno or piriton. I may as well be having smarties. Its very debilitating and really impacts on your life because of the sheer exhaustion and frustration. I really hope we both have a positive outcome. keep me up to date on how it goes for you

Original poster
SchrodingersMew · 16/08/2011 14:59

I really didn't realise itching could be this debilitating Pam :( I really do feel awful for anyone who has to go through this. I was already at the end of my tether for other reasons and now I feel like I am going crazy a bit! And I agree about Piriton might as well be smarties, in fact I think smarties would make me feel btter :o. And Mumsnet definitely has the best support I have found anywhere, I guess we just need to take solice in knowing this won't last forever although it seems that way I feel much worse for you though as you are so early in pregnancy :(

OP posts:
ghansell · 16/08/2011 16:04

Hi,
I feel for you as i had this. It started on my legs, i took chunks out of them through scratching. I mentioned it to my mw she didn't know and ruled out oc as it wasn't on my palms and soles. Then at about 33 weeks i itched all over and it was driving me mad to the point of not sleeping and going into the spare room. Eventually the mw saw i was distressed with it as i had bags on top of bags under my eyes. She wrote out a prescription for piriton and aqueous with menthol cream. It did work for a a couple of hours during the night then it would return. So i do recommend that but it's not a cure.
As soon as i delivered at 38 weeks i had the best nights sleep ever.

Original poster
SchrodingersMew · 16/08/2011 16:16

Ghansell Mines started on my legs too but has now spread everywhere.

Tried the aqueous cream last night and it burned my skin but I don't react well to menthol. Tried after sun after that and had the DP lather enough on to help me fall asleep for an hour or 2.

Can I ask, how often did you take the Piriton? The Dr who gave me the crap information said not to take it more than twice a day because I was pg but when I phoned NHS 24 they had an emergency GP call me back who said that Piriton needed to be built up for it to work well and should be taken 4 times a day. Confused

OP posts:
sdotg · 16/08/2011 16:16

All my sympathies OP, I too had OC, the menthol cream and piriton were the best combo out of a bad lot, take piriton 20 mins before bed, cover yourself in cream, lay very still and hopefully your'll get to sleep.
Cut your nails very short.
The oc support group are good and consider their clinical trial.
I'll read through the other posts as I'm probably repeating what other have said but wanted to offer support.
I went into labour at 35 weeks due to the OC they think, all ok but I suffered with gallstones post baby and had to have my gallbladder removed so post baby do watch out for any back pain and get down to the gp for LFT ASAP
Sorry to post and run, will check back later
Best of luck

sdotg · 16/08/2011 16:31

On the subject of rubbish GP's your midwife should refer you someone better.
I'd be inclined to forget the gp and go straight your antenatal ward, mine had a walk in day clinic and I spent most of 32-35 weeks in there being monitored.
St Thomas' hospital (in london) has a link to Jenny Chambers (at Imperial college and on the ocsupport group) who is doing a lot of OC research and is lovely. They got me on a clinic trial, where I could get the Urso (or a placebo), I still don't know what I had, made no difference mind.
Once diagnosed you should have LFT and bile acid tests every few days, you should also have an ultrasound for gallstones.
Have you had any back or shoulder pain at all or erm how to put it, really dark sticky or really white poos?
sorry bit grim

sdotg · 16/08/2011 16:34

I took piriton twice a day, it made me sleepy so helped put me to sleep at night.

Original poster
SchrodingersMew · 16/08/2011 17:07

Thanks for the reply sdotg I honestly thought I was going into labour in the early hours this morning as got really bad cramps and tightenings but I think it was probably because of the stress and I only had about 4 and they went away.

As for rubbish GP's it's not the GP who's rubbish he was actually pretty lovely, it's one of the Maternity Consultants. She's pretty bloody crap.

After they get my bile acid test back (which should be on Thursday) if it's OC then I think they said about having to go on the Urso but for the moment my LFT looks okay but they are going to test again on Thursday instead of Fri incase it just hasn't showed up in my bloods yet.

Piriton unfortunately doesn't make me sleepy. :( I'm exhausted today though so think I will drown myself in calamine and after sun and try and get a semi decentish sleep later.

It's really fecking pissing me off having people say to me "Oh you think it's bad and you're tired now just wait until the baby is born" I want to frigging smack them.

I would very very happily take screaming baby over all the rest of the pregnancy crap! In fact, I think I would probably sleep longer!

OP posts:
spout · 16/08/2011 18:02

indeed - it's highly likely that both the itching and SPD will bugger off straight after the birth, making having a newborn extra blissful. Tell the doom-sayers to do one Wink

sdotg · 16/08/2011 18:32

Itching disappeared during labour, it did come back briefly after which was a nightmare trying to not get the menthol cream on a newborn.
Although they kept me in after my waters broke on a holding ward but made me wear dvt socks even thought my legs were scratched raw. Cruel.
Ahh the unhelpful comments, I tended to detail the risks of OC for the baby as a smackdown. Are you still at work? Gah and SPD too, yes it will get better when the baby arrives!
I'll try and dig out all my blood results after DS is in bed but mine did also.
start at 32 weeks.

Original poster
SchrodingersMew · 16/08/2011 19:39

Spout I think it will probably make having my baby an even happier time than if I had had a great pregnancy. Everything will seem so much easier and peaceful!

Sdotg Ouch! I can't even stand touching my legs just now and snapped at DP for it last night, it just burns so badly! I would have ripped the bloody socks off!

And no I'm not still at work. :( Very very bored, can't do much because along with the severe SPD I have Hyperobility so my hips and wrists keep subluxing and I have Fibromyalgia. Both of which were fairly manageable before pregnancy but not now. :( Meant to be getting a wheel chair to make the last weeks a bit easier.

Thank you again for all the advice. :) I don't know what I would do right now if I couldn't talk to people who had been in the same place!

But yes, those unhelpful comments. I don't think I will even be able to give a come back next time. Just a smack and some firm words to do some reading before they make assumptions!

OP posts:
sdotg · 17/08/2011 18:50

How was today in the itching stakes? A better night of sleep?

Original poster
SchrodingersMew · 18/08/2011 07:47

It's not getting any better. :( I think it's getting worse actually. :(

I've been getting DP to smother after sun on me when I wake every hour and the itching on the bottom of my feet is driving me nuts as I can't scratch because I have tickly feet!!

Going to get my results today though so if they find anything today I can be treated. :)

I will admit to having false nails done so I can scratch harder. Blush But one fell off within an hour because I was scratching so hard....

Thanks for coming back to the thread. :) MN is keeping me ever so slightly sane for the moment!

OP posts:
MaryBS · 18/08/2011 07:59

Every sympathy for you. I HATED the itching on the soles because no matter how hard I scratched it never seemed to help! Once I was given Urso, it was brilliant!

nunnie · 18/08/2011 08:14

I am currently waiting for CMW to ring back left message this morning. However after reading this mine really isn't a severe as you are all describing. Stopped me sleeping last night but more annoying than rip skin off itchy. I am itching everywhere. I have had it a while but not every night and ignored it thinking I was just overtired when I was going to bed and this was causing the itching. Last night was worse than it has been before but that could be related to the fact that a read a thread on here about itching at night and people suggesting the person writing the thread seek urgent medical advice, so I last night could have just been psychological itching related to thinking f this.
I am 35 weeks tomorrow.

MaryBS · 18/08/2011 08:48

Let us know how you get on, nunnie. Best to get tested.