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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Aaaaagh, the itching!

53 replies

lookout · 17/09/2011 15:23

Over the last few days I've started to get horrible itching all over my body but especially on my feet hands arms and legs. I've been reading up on OC and have got myself a bit worried about it. I am seeing the GP on Friday but do you think I should go in on Monday and get it checked? Also are there any other symptoms that might confirm what it is? I'm 35 weeks btw.

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Buttonnosedsausage · 20/09/2011 18:21

I had puppp diagnosed around my 33rd week. The tests for oc had also come back negative and I was kept in hospital for observation.
It was very itchy and the nights were unbearable, I barely slept, I was desperate and tried everything - E45 itch relief, drinking a lot of dandelion root tea and I went through quite a few bottles of calamine lotion.

Luckily my symptoms abated around the 39 week mark and I was able to sleep again.

I hope your clears up soon.

Original poster

lookout · 20/09/2011 20:09

Just got the rest of my results back and the bile acids are too high . I have to go back in tomorrow for more tests.

acatcalledfelix, I was told that OC can take a while to show up in bloods so I wouldn't have thought that one blood text was sufficient. Ask again, or phone the hospital if you're really worried.

I am worried, can anyone explain the risks to me and baby of OC, and how to deal with them please?

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TheOriginalFAB · 20/09/2011 20:33

Bluntly, if a woman has OC the baby could die but there is no risk to the woman. Once the baby is delivered the itching would stop.

Original poster

lookout · 20/09/2011 20:38

Wow, that is blunt.

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TheOriginalFAB · 20/09/2011 20:42

You did ask and there is no point pretending when your baby's life could be at risk. You need careful monitoring ime.

PaperView · 20/09/2011 20:46

I had severe OC. FAB is right - the itching does stop immediatly after birth. It can be fatal and you will probably have a hospital stay or go back and to for monitoring. I lived a 10 min walk away from the hospital and was allowed to go in every other day for monitoring. You will most likely not go to 40 weeks either.

Original poster

lookout · 20/09/2011 20:46

There's a way of saying these things though, don't ya think? It's not helpful to put the fear of God into someone who's already worried.

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PaperView · 20/09/2011 20:47

There is medicati you an take which will reduce the levels, its called 'urso' for short and iirc its ursodeoxycholic acid or something. You may also be offered vit k and a liver scan. Like i said though mine was severe! My levels were sky high and kept rising despite medication.

PaperView · 20/09/2011 20:47

sorry for typo's my keyboard is dodgy!

VivaLeBeaver · 20/09/2011 20:49

Lookout, the drs will monitor you carefully. They will keep track of your bile acids to ensure they don't getbtoo high. If they can't keep them at an acceptable level they will deliver you early. They can give you urso to help with liver function.

There is recent research now saying that the risk of stillbirth is no higher for women with known choleostasis than women without it. This is because monitoring is so effective.

Original poster

lookout · 20/09/2011 20:56

Paper, did you deliver early then? On Saturday they talked about being monitored every two days, and then this afternoon they did mention medication. I guess I will know more tomorrow.

Viva, thanks that's a bit more reassuring.

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PaperView · 20/09/2011 21:02

I was monitored for a minimum of half an hour every 2 days. Bloods taken every 2 or 3 days. I was on urso and vit k and had the odd night on delivery because they weren't happy. I also had a liver scan and a growth scan.

I delivered him at 37 weeks exactly naturally after a sweep the day before. My section was booked for the following day.

Be careful when you are scratching, i have scars from overzealous scratching I used to call it itchy blood because the itching felt so much deeper than just the skin iyswim.

Neither of us has had any long term complications and the birth was fine, although i had to be monitored continuously.

Please do bear in mind that some of my monitoring and scans may have been down to placenta issues i had. It all went pear shaped at the end wit complications.

BlingLoving · 20/09/2011 21:07

I had OC. Few points :

One test is not enough. Mine came up clear originally. Then weeks and weeks later they tested again and found I had it!

As I u derstood it from my research, the main risk is if you go overdue with OC - hence they induce you early to ensure not. Although you do need extra monitoring (I didn't get that as only diagnosed right at end).

The anti histamines did not work that well for me. My only relief came from copious applications of aloe Vera gel as well as regular moisturiser. When it got truly awful I took 2 paracetamol. I also found i had to be very careful about food/drink/other things - eg no acidic foods such as tomatoes, citrus, wine; v careful about household chemicals and so on. I had a terrible flair up after trying on some clothes at a shop in my final weeks.

Good luck!!

Original poster

lookout · 20/09/2011 21:09

Wow, PaperView, that sounds hard. But at the same time it's reassuring to have that level of care I guess. I know exactly what you mean about the deep itching. I am getting great satisfaction from scratching the sole of my feet and ankles on the angles of the table leg as I type. But I will try and take care, it's just so hard not to touch!

Happy to hear you're both fine, a positive outcome is what I'm hoping for now.

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BlingLoving · 20/09/2011 21:12

Deep itching is such a good description. My breasts and chest were the worst and it felt like I wanted to rip my nipples off.

Original poster

lookout · 20/09/2011 21:12

BlingLoving, I am happy to hear another positive story. The antihistamines aren't working for me either and I had such an awful night last night that I was considering paracetamol tonight. I've gone off wine the last few weeks but once I found out that OC was to do with my liver, that's it, not touching another drop til the boy is out!

Thanks for your replies.

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PaperView · 20/09/2011 21:16

I'm trying to find my previous threads but i had to get all my posts changed to another nickname and i can't remember which one that was!

I never had antihistimines.

Original poster

lookout · 20/09/2011 21:20

Paper, you didn't miss anything, they don't work !

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Hullygully · 20/09/2011 21:23

youll be fine! my oc wasn't diagnosed until v late and by then i was on valium. had to be monitored everyday (total pain) and had baby 37.5 weeks. but the itching didn't stop for around three weeks.

yeah, thanks

Original poster

lookout · 20/09/2011 21:28

Hullygully, .

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twittertotter · 20/09/2011 21:33

I had OC - was scratching the palms of my hands and feet until they bled. That was at 32 wks. I then had to go in for daily monitoring of my bloods and baby monitoring. I was induced at 38 weeks, they never let you go full term. but they need daily blood draws to check levels - there seems to be some level they know is too high and you will be induced before then. .

The only cure for it is childbirth . My DD is now 2 and it doesn't effect the baby. I really hope all goes well for you too,

I got a menthol like cream which I slathered on continuously which really helped, cool showers too.

snowball85 · 20/09/2011 21:52

there are some really helpful comments here.....and some really unhelpful ones! i though maybe a general round up of info would be useful? i have got the details from my midwifery textbooks so the info is as correct as it can be!

the cause of oc is unknown, although there are various theories that suggest some genetic component is involved that leads to a sensitivity to oestrogens and inability to remove the products of their breakdown.
due to the high circulating sex hormones levels in pregnancy the amount of breakdown products is high and this interferes with bile acid secretion.
basically this means that bile acids dont go where we want them to go (into the gall bladder) but into the blood stream hence the increased bile acids that we see on your blood results, and the godawful itching :(
this bile acid level, if allowed to get high enough, can effect the placental bloodflow, which of course can effect the baby. it can lead to preterm labour and fetal distress. the still birth risk is implicated if there is no active management of the pregnancy. there is no reported harm to babies of ladies who had oc
lookout you are being really well looked after by the hospital, they will be monitoring bean and your bloods and they will look at the placental flow on your scan tomorrow.
babies have been delivered at 24+ weeks for fetal compromise (not necessarily because of oc) if they were worried at all then they would have you in faster than you could say "itchy".
the doctors may give you ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) although some obsts dont like it, and they may give you vitamin k to help with postdelivery clotting

sorry if this is a bit wordy i didnt want to miss anything out but wanted to give you the full picture as certain pictures have been painted here that would freak you the hell out which i dont think is fair or necessary as you are being well cared for at a good hospital. it is also possible that as you have only had one blood test that the bile acid levels could have been a freak high. repeat tests are needed.

the downloadable booklet on this page is useful if you want to know more www.britishlivertrust.org.uk/home/the-liver/liver-diseases/obstetric-cholestasis.aspx

acatcalledfelix · 20/09/2011 22:30

So, one test for me came back clear 4 weeks ago. I still have itching, but it is in no sense unbearable, just a bit annoying at times. Should I still worry? LIke I said earlier I brought it up with my mw on fri and she said not to worry as I'd had the clear test, and I had foetal monitoring on Sunday night for a different reason that came back fine.

What should I do????

TheOriginalFAB · 21/09/2011 08:26

lookout there isn't a lot of ways that I could say if you have OC that goes undiagnosed the baby could die. I would much rather tell it how it is than say everything will be fine - as is often said by people who can't possibly know that - than say nothing and the baby die. You asked what could happen, I told you. I nearlyt lost my baby due to a midwife not doing her job right. I really wouldn't want anyone to go through that if I can help avoid it.

Original poster

lookout · 21/09/2011 13:56

FAB, I know it came from the best intentions but was just a wee bit too blunt for someone as sensitive as me. The registrar, doctor and midwife I saw today managed to convey the same message without being so harsh. Also, sorry to nit-pick, but you didn't actually say 'OC that goes undiagnosed' in your post, you just said 'if a woman has OC the baby could die'. There's a big difference beween those two claims.

acatcalledfelix, if I were you, and was still worried about it, whcih you obviously are (and have a right to be!) I would go back into your assessment unit and explain and ask for another test. As FAB said, it can be dangerous if it is left undiagnosed and they are there to diagnose you after all!

snowball, thanks for that info. I need me some of those midwifery books. I am being very well managed so feel a lot better about it today.

Just to say that after today's visit, I am on vitamin K and urso, back in tomorrow for blood results and more monitoring, then we'll take it from there. If OC is confirmed they will induce at 37 weeks. Otherwise baby is BIG!! And wrt that problem, if I'm not induced at 37w, I will go back for a growth scan and depending on that outcome, will either be induced no later than 40w or else offered a caesarean.

Thanks for all the support, and felix, get yourself to hospital!

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