Itching at 35 weeks

[Aldan]

My chest has been really itchy for about a week now and I've scratched that much I have a red rash on my chest. The itchiness is much worse at night. Today my wrists and the tops of my feet have started itching too. Anyone any experience of cholestasis?

Yep, was diagnosed with OC at 31 weeks although had been itching for a while before that.

It started on my chest and neck then spread (although never to my palms and soles of my feet which is the typical sign of OC). Mine was also worse at night, probably cos I had nothing to distract myself!

You MUST go and get a blood test tomorrow, it's a simple way to see if you have OC or not. Even if you have it, don't worry! My consultant told me that it is only dangerous if it is undiagnosed, untreated and you go past 38 weeks.

If you have OC, you will be regularly monitored (baby on monitor, blood tests for you etc), put on meds to try and bring your bile acids down and improve your liver function and you will be induced by 37 weeks or before if your bile acids and liver function are too high.

I was induced with DS2 at 35 weeks - so where you are now- which was a bit of a shock but all is well, he's a cheeky 12 month old now!

Have a look at the OC support website: www.icpsupport.org/index

Good luck!

Thanks for the reply, I'll ring delivery suite in the morning

yes, I had it. This sounds just like it. Please contact midwife. They should immediately do blood tests to check your liver function.
my dd was born fine

I had oc with dc1, please get checked ASAP. I had it on soles of feet and legs the most, still have a couple of scars from the scratches..... Have you tried something like piriton in the meanwhile which is safe to take when pregnant? I also ending up being induced as a result.

Hi I am 38 weeks and today I have had severe itching across my bump (which I have scratched red raw I didnt notice i'd been scratching so much but have caused sore scratch marks over my tummy, Also on my arms and elbow, my legs and my scalp, I have had a shower but not changed anything I normally use to wash myself. The itchiness is really intense very stinging.
It is slightly uncomfortable when I wee and my mum had gall stones 6 weeks after having my sister in the 70's, am I just getting carried away or should I call the midwife in the morning?

I have just come online as cannot sleep for the itching. I am 35 +2. Will phone the midwife tomorrow.

I have never even heard of oc.

Ladies, please get yourselves checked out straight away.

It's a simple blood test, results are back quickly too.

If the test shows no OC and the itching continues you need to repeat the blood test as OC sometimes does not show up on the blood test at first.

How did you get on today Aldan?

To reiterate what someone else has said, if you get a negative result for OC when you get your bloods done, but the itching doesn't go away, go back for re-testing after a few days. I had OC but it took ages to diagnore because initially the blood results didn't look worrying (borderline, but not conclusive) and I also had a rash. OC doesn't cause rash - so my itching was attributed to the rash, rather than the OC - it took many visits and seeing quite a few different people before it was confirmed I had two separate conditions simultaneously. Don't get palmed off as OC is serious (although shouldn't be dangerous as long as everyone is aware and you're being regularly monitored!).

There is more than one test as well. There is liver function and serum bile acid. The latter one is supposed to be a better indicator. However I just had liver function tests and they were raised.

The other thing to note is that OC is now referred to as ICP (intraheptatic cholestasis of pregnancy).

If you are on FB, check out this support group:
www.facebook.com/groups/icpsupport/

thanks everyone. I rang maternity and have an apt in the morning, itching hasn't been bad today though???