Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

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

Flip

Original poster

Really, really itchy legs, help............

21 replies

BethAndHerBrood · 06/02/2006 09:26

I'm 18 weeks pg, have got incredibly itchy legs, I have scratched myself raw in some places!
Can't get a Dr's appt till wednesday morning - does anyone know of anything that might help? I've tried E45, sudocrem, showering with a really moisterising gel, nothing is helping. The only thing that does any good is being in a cool shower, but can't spend all day doing that!!

OP posts:

Angeliz · 06/02/2006 09:30

I'd ring the midwife or anti natal clinic and get it checked TBH. I just had my booking in app with Midwife and she said that excessive itching should be reported!

Chloe55 · 06/02/2006 09:36

Definitely phone the midwife, itchy hands/feet/legs can be a sign of something underlying. Ring them today.

Original poster

BethAndHerBrood · 06/02/2006 09:39

Rang the m/w. She said try to get an appt sooner. Rang the Dr's, told to ring after 4.30pm to see if there is an emergency appt available. So just have to wait and see now!!

Thanks Ladies.

OP posts:

Chloe55 · 06/02/2006 09:45

Hope it all goes well - let us know what they say

alexsmum · 06/02/2006 09:46

beth- i'd pop down to the maternity hospital if i were you. don't wait.excessive itching is a symptom of obstetric choleostasis which is a liver problem.it's probably not that but get checked sooner rather than later.

LynnC · 06/02/2006 09:47

I can completely sympathise, I had very bad itching from around 6 months unfortunately until the end of the pregnancy. I had it on legs and stomach and it is SO hard not to scratch. In some cases I drew blood. Hopefully the doctor will be able to give you something that helps but in my case nothing took itching away apart from calamine lotion and had to reapply frequently. Infact midwives laughed at me saying I would scare my baby the state legs were in Anyway sending lots of sympathy your way and hope it clears soon.

Original poster

BethAndHerBrood · 06/02/2006 09:51

alexsmum, we don't have a maternity hospital, and nowhere where you can just "pop in". Just the maternity ward at the ordinary hospital, staffed apparently by direct descendants of Attila the Hun!!! Don't fancy that!!

Could be obstetric choleostasis, i've had it before. But it might not be, too, just have to wait and see.

OP posts:

alexsmum · 06/02/2006 09:53

well don't take no for an answer from your gp this afternoon, insist on being seen.don't want to seem bossy but i'm a worrier! and you can't take chances!

Original poster

BethAndHerBrood · 06/02/2006 09:55

yes Mum!!!

OP posts:

alexsmum · 06/02/2006 09:56

well just make sure you do!

CarlyP · 06/02/2006 10:30

sounds like OC, i had this with no.2.

good luck.

pepperpots · 06/02/2006 10:32

had OC with both pg don't take any risks make sure your gp refers you for blood tests good luck x

emmatom · 06/02/2006 11:01

Once you've checked with the professionals that it's nothing serious and is just general bloody annoying pregancy itching, try Sudocreme, the stuff you use on baby's butt.

I ripped my skin apart with my scratching but sudocreme had an instant calming effect for me.

Original poster

BethAndHerBrood · 06/02/2006 16:40

Got an appt at 5.10pm. I'll let you know how i get on.

Fingers crossed for nothing serious, just want some cream!!

OP posts:

Distel · 06/02/2006 16:43

I am allergic to being pregnant apparently and I had terrible itching all over my body. E45 anti itch cream is quite good. I ended up in the bath in the middle of the night quite a few times with ds1. Hope they find something that can help.

Prufrock · 06/02/2006 16:52

If you've had OC before I would say it is this again - my itching started at around 13 weeks 2nd time - way before the LFT's showed OC. Get tested asap and get started on Urso asap - it does help with the itching.

Body shop do a peppermint leg gel which helped me beause of teh cooling edffect - but don't use it if you've broken the skin from scratching or it will be agony

Original poster

BethAndHerBrood · 06/02/2006 18:46

Right - been to the Doc's. Got a huge tub of Diprobase cream to use for now, and have to go for a blood test on wednesday morning. He said it's not neccessarily OC, just because i've had it before, but will check anyway.

Prufrock, can you have it before it shows up on tests then?

OP posts:

TuttiFrutti · 07/02/2006 09:46

Beth, I had something called gestational urticaria which causes very itchy legs and stomach in last stages of pregnancy. It's a bit like OC - less serious in consequences but just as annoying! It's not so well known as OC, so not all doctors will know about it - make sure your doctor is checking for this as well as OC.

Prufrock · 07/02/2006 12:07

I had a big debate with many doctors about this Beth. I definately had itching before my LFT's were abnormal. And having had OC before I knew the itch. But I had a non typical case of OC in taht my LFT's were way up by about 18 weeks, wheras my bile acids (the definitive test and the thing that they think causes the danger for the baby) were perfectly normal until about 30 weeks.

TBH I don't think it's that helpful to have to put a name to something - you have terrible itching so you need medical attenion. End of story. Whther or not you test poitive for OC at this stage you still need treatment. If and when tehy get round to saying you have OC it still won't make a difference to how you feel - and as I'm sure you know the OC isn't dangerous to the baby until much later in the pregnancy, so even having the "label" at 18 weeks as I had didn't really mean anything.

Prufrock · 07/02/2006 12:08

btw - If the diprobase doesn't help, you could ask your doctor to prescribe you diprobase with 2% menthol in it. You'll smell but I knwo soem people have found it really kelped because it provides teh same cooling effect as a cold shower

KathrynWales · 07/02/2006 13:14

I had a stage between about 13 - 19 weeks where I too was scratching myself to bits.... mentioned it at ante natal appt with consultant. He prescribed me antihistamine tablets & calamine lotion and also did liver function blood test to just exclude obstetric choleostasis. results were fine. I am now 21 weeks and itchiness has gone.

Good luck!

Flip