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

[SchrodingersMew]

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.

Hey Schro
Did they tell you what your lft's and bile acids were?
S

Sdotg They didn't actually tell me what my levels were, just that they were fine.

Seen an out of hours GP last night though who said he wants them re tested as it's got worse and could have been too early before for anything to show up.

Sleepy Last night the GP prescribed me steroid cream with antibiotic in it as he said my foot is infected from where I have taken the skin away! Here's hoping the cream works.

I'm 33 weeks today and already only have 4 weeks till induction (for severe SPD and Hypermobility) If this doesn't work I think I will have to ask for induction at 36 weeks as I am a complete wreck. :(

I'm glad yours got sorted out though and just hope I get as lucky!

And itching really is the worst type of pain. :( I have never experienced anything so extreme! Especially considering it is everywhere!

I really hope you don't develop it again. :( If you do I'll be back to hold your hand. :)

Just to agree it sounds like PUPP. I also see steroid cream and it cleared up in a week.

I didn't really find much that helped, used aloe vera gel and calamine lotion which cooled my skin off enough to let me sleep etc. I have since read that dandelion tea and also capsules are the answer but you'd have to run that by your GP as think the Vit A levels may be questionable. I was induced because of the itching in the end but was overdue anyway and they only moved the induction date closer by a few days. It really is miserable but as soon as you have the baby it will improve almost instantly if it is PUPPPS.

I've started using the steroid cream and it seems to be helping a little bit.

Still itchy but not tearing my skin off itchy IYSWIM? Hopefully it stays like that and doesn't get worse again. :)

Baldricks My friend said it sounded like PUPPP as well, think she found it a little funny that if it is that means I'm probably allergic to my own baby! Bit of a jynx I guess as my Gran told me the other night she took an allergic reaction to the sun that gave her an itchy rash and I almost didn't believe her!

Hopefully whatever it is clears up sharpish, or at least gets a little better or I may completely lose the plot.

Calamine doesn't seem to work for me and neither does aloe vera, I've been using aftersun with aloe vera in and I guess it cools it down a little bit but then 5 minutes later it is worse than ever!

I have 4 weeks until I am being induced at 37 weeks, so really can't be moved any earlier than that. :( I guess it's only 4 weeks isn't it?

Schrodinger can I ask the name of the steroid cream you are using and getting a little relief from? I'll be making a note of it and giving it to my doctor

It's Fucidin they have given me. But I think that's because I have the infection and it has antibiotic in it.

They might give you a better one.

thanks Schrodinger, I'm glad its giving you some relief anyway

It seems to be making it bearable for the moment.

I really really hope you get something done soon Pam. Could you not phone up MAU and insist they test you for OC or give you cream if they think it would be PUPPP?

I'm in Ireland Schrodinger and there is no ring in facility that I was told about or aware of. I just contact my GP, who was amazing at getting me a dermatology appointment so quickly, she had to really keep hounding them at the hospital until they saw me. So when they did see me and I told them I was 12 weeks pregnant, they just went to sleep and told me to come back in a month, gave me aqueous cream and recommended Aveeno. They also suggested taking pirotin, I told them I had taken it and I got no relief. So they took a bile salts blood test and I am now waiting until the 8th of September. So when they see me on the 8th they may well take me seriously because I just might not have an upper layer of skin left from scratching.
I told the gynaecologist about this and he said it could well be OC but if I was being treated by the dermatology dpartment, that was better for me :( Gynae are at least nice, unlike dermatology who have no sypmathy and smack your hands away!!!!
I am frustrated...you may have noticed that coming through...
I'm really glad your Fucidin is working for you, and also glad you don't have too much longer to go until you meet your boy and the itch (hopefully) disappears :)

Pam Try phoning Gynae again. Waiting till the 8th of September for results is ridiculous. Your GP can take the blood tests and they should have done a priority LFT.

I know what you mean about the top layer of skin as that is how I now have a very painful, green infected foot and now leg! :(

And that really is a risk as infection can turn into septicemia, especially considering your immune system is lowered during pregnancy.

There must be someone you can call?

In the mean time get some after sun! It did help me try and sleep. GP last night just laughed at the aqueaus cream, especially because of the broken skin.

I still haven't slept.

I feel dizzy and have never felt this exhausted.

If I fall asleep I just wake up in a state, nearly screaming and scratching manically.

I was actually sick from exhaustion last night.

All I want to do is cry.

Oh Schrodingers - so sorry you're still non the wiser at what's causing the itching. I really thought they'd say it was OC, it really sounds like it.

I have no advice for you really, except that we're all here if you need to chat/vent.

x

They wont even test my blood again because it came back fine the last time. Even though they had originally said when they took the bloods they would re test in a week and an out of hours GP the other night said he wanted them tested again incase it was too early for anything to show, especially as they found bile in my urine.

They haven't even tested my urine again since the first time!!

Today I went in in hysterics, I mean hysterics they eventually gave me stronger steroid cream but this is a completely different kind and is irritating my skin. : I bought dandelion tea today in the hope that might help.

I can barely see straight I am so exhausted and am terrified to go to sleep as each time I wake up it's worse and I am in a state. :(

The only reason they would even see me today is because he hadn't moved as much since yesterday. As soon as I walked in the door her first words were "there's nothing else we can do for you!!" I started crying uncontrollably and then she decided to go and get a Doctor.

Then.... Instead of them having the prescription for the cream sent up they made me walk over a mile to the hospital pharmacy to pick it up! Even though I could barely stand. :( When we were on our way down the security guy was appalled as he could see I was in no fit state to do anything.

I've been feeling irregular contractions as well, MW the other day said they would be Braxton Hicks and then another MW on the phone this morning said not to worry unless they come regular but they are fecking painful and mostly in my back too. :(

At the point where I am thinking if labour is deciding to pop up early I want it to hurry the fuck up. Very selfish I know, but this can't be good for him either.

Sorry for the long post. :(

I had to make real fuss the first time to get taken seriously. But once I had the cream it cleared up. What HCP support are you getting generally in your pregnancy? Are you working or have you started mat leave? If you're feeling exhausted now it means you won't be rested for labour/delivery.

It is definitely seeming a struggle to get them to take me seriously!

I'm consultant led so I don't really see a midwife. Sometimes this is helpful sometimes it isn't. My friends have had named MW's they could text for advice if they had a problem, I don't, I only have the MAU. :(

I stopped working when I was about 8 weeks pg as I got extremely unwell with sickness and fatigue. (I have Ehlers Danlos III and Fibromyalgia so pg made the sleepyness worse and I was just sleeping 18 hours a day!)

I really don't think I could cope with labour/delivery the way I feel at the moment so I dread to think how it will be in 4 weeks and I'm being induced and I have heard that is worse. :(

The cream they gave me today is actually making the itch worse and burning/irritating my skin.

I'm really at a loss as to what to do.

Can you go back to your GP with printed info on pupp and demand an urgent referral to a dermatologist. I put the cream on very thickly which seemed to help.

I have an urgent referral to the dermatologist already but it could take weeks and I really don't think I can cope that long.

It really is un bearable. :(

I can't put the cream on thickly either as it's steroid cream and will thin the skin too much. I asked for oral steroids (have read that's what is given in severe cases of PUPPP but she said no and the cream was all I was getting. :( Plus if I overuse the cream they probably wont give me it again.

Arghhh, this is all such a mess. :(

Thanks for replying. :)

schrodinger I have just read what you have been going through and I don't know what to say, I am so sorry for you and I find it terrible that 'there is nothing they can do' I'll be following this and thinking of you x

Oh Schro and Pam. What a bloody nightmare.
I don't know anything about PUPPP but really surprised how easily they have ruled out OC or not giving lft and bile acid tests a bit more speedily.
Hugs to you both

You will get through labour Schro, the old body finds some reserves from somewhere, have you got help you can call on post birth so you can sleep. Sounds like a tough pregnancy, reckon you deserve a good sleeper after that.

You prob know this but I found that if I was worried that I hadn't felt the baby move recently i drank something hot or v cold and that got him wiggling.

I know steroid cream thins the skin but if you use a reasonable quantity then it should clear up and you'll only be using it for a week. Can you afford to see the dermatologist privately?

Pam I have been thinking about you all today and yesterday. And starting to realise just how frustrating it must be for you that they wont take you seriously. :(

Sdotg I have had scans and been admitted due to lack of movement but he's just really lazy. Even the MW's and Sonographers can't get him to bloody move most of the time!

Today though, when she said about me saying he was moving less I had said I think he has dropped (which I know he definitely has! Suddenly I can fit nearly 2 clear handspaces below my ribs) and she had said "well you're still really early and dug 2 fingers into my pelvis in quite bloody hard even though it says in my notes I have severe SPD. You can tell just by looking at the ball at the very bottom of my stomach that he has dropped never mind having to start me up with even more pain.

But yes, hopefully he will be at lazy when he is out as he is inside. :o And I really have no idea how I would cope with labour but I will just have to manage, I don't think I will be getting any sympathy from the hospital tbh.

I'm going to ask my GP to re do my LFT's and my bile acids. I have a letter from the OOH GP saying he wanted them re done as it was early when they done them and they still wont do it.

Glitter I've been slapping the steroid cream on a bit now, the one that works a little is quite mild so think I should be okay.

On the plus side, it seem to be making my awful new stretch marks disappear!

Pam I found something to do which helps a little bit! It's called "Avéne" Eu Thermale. It's a kind of anti irritating water spray thing that you can use for eczema, sun burn etc but I have no idea where to buy it as my Aunt gave me it ages ago.

Maybe if you Google it you will find it and it could help you a little too?

Thank you again everyone for replying. :) Your kind words are keeping me ever so slightly sane. :o

I honestly have the deepest sympathies for anyone who has ever went through or is going through OC or PUPPP. It is the most distressing thing I have ever lived with.

Glitter I really can't afford to see a dermatologist privately at the moment. :( I was going to try the Chinese remedies but went into the medicine shop today and they wanted £50 for a tub of cream the size of a lip balm tub!