Itching........

[Mum2OneAndBump]

I have got very very itchy arms, mostly at the tops but also on the insides, i also have slight itchy legs & back si this normal? My arms are that bad that where i have scratched & scrathed i have scratch marks now.

Why are they itching??

I know itching c can be related to obstetric choleritis (or something like that, which is a liver condition) But I think the itching is usually on palms and feet. It is also meant to come on in the last trimester.

I also have quite itchy legs- when I last mentioned it to the consultant she didnt seem too concerned.

Are you hotter than usual?

Yes, it can be a sign of Obstetric choleritis (or however it's spelt) but I think there are other sypmtoms with this too. When do you next see a midwife?

Well i never had it with ds so all this is new, i am now 38 weeks...i have midwife appoint today at 3.20pm so i will show her my arms & ask her what she thinks i also have marks on my legs, its irritating more than anything else.

Can be lots of things but obstertic cholestasis looks like you itch everywhere.

Sorry SD crossed posts, funny you say that cause i have been very hot, not all the time though just spurts of it.

Obviously get checked for liver problems - one of my friends had that ...

Otherwise, I found myself pretty itchy in pregnancy. Using lots of very heavy moisturiser helped. The cold weather will make your skin drier, too.

of to read the link thanks

Hmmm not to sure. I think i will be ok my main concern is my arms as they are very very itchy, but i do have hot baths which could be drying my skin out, my skin does feel quite dry.
I will show the midwife in a bit & see what she thinks.
Thanks

Hi M2OAB

I was diagnosed with Obstetric Cholestasis a couple of weeks ago coz I happened to mention in passing that I had been itching a lot. I thought it was a reaction to the co-codamol I'd been taking for my gall stones pain, but they immediately had my blood tested for Bile Salts and it came back sky high.
The itching can start anywhere, it does usually end up in the feet and hands but doesn't necessarily start there. It's a simple blood test but it takes a few days to get the results as they have to send them off to a lab in Birmingham for testing (I believe theres only one or two places in the country who can test for it).
If it is OC theres great pills they can give you called Ursodeoxycholic Acid which brought my itching right under control and my bile salts back to within normal levels. However, even if it gets under control with the pills they will still always induce before 38 weeks due to the high risk to the baby (which is why I'm being induced Tuesday (37 +4).
I've heard that not all midwives/hospitals are too familiar with it so often just brush off itching as normal pregnancy stuff (Frimley Park where I'm booked seem to be pretty hot on it thankfully) but I would definitely request a Bile Salts blood test to be sure.

Hope this helps.

Lis x

you need to get this sorted asap your m/w will refer you to the hosp and they will test your bile salts i had this with both my ds1 and ds2 and they were both induced i hope things go ok

Oh blimey only just seen your posts, just got back from the midwife she is not to sure about it, but said to leave blood test for now & if it gets any worse or spreads then ask tomorrow at the hospital ( i have to have a scan as she thinks baby may be breech) sigh can things get any worse god i feel down now!

BBW,that's interesting. I too suffered gallstones after my second pregnancy and had to have my gall bladder removed 12 weeks post partum. I also had Obstetric Choloestasis for all my pregancies too. All of it hideous!

I had OC both times with my pregancies and had gallstones in between!