talk to me about OC

[ThePrisonerOfAzkaban]

Just been told I maybe a sufferer of OC I'm currently 19 weeks gone and my body is a mess of scratches and red blotches, went back to the doctors today, id seen them at the start of the week but was given anti-histimines, but they got in contact with the midwife trigae team explaining about the itching, they wanted me straight in hospital but no beds as yet so I've to wait.

Google seems to be confusing anyone have any experience?

They will monitor your bloods every week, if your bile salt levels rise they will put you on medication. If that doesn't work they induce you early.
Yellow skin and eyes is a rare symptom of OC, once you give birth your liver will return to normal, aaand you are more than likely to have it again in further pregnancies.
That's basically the gist of it :)

Oh poor you. Oc is horrible. But with treatment there is no increased risk to your baby. If it is OC then they will probably induce early (even if the medication works) - this depends a bit on the hospital though. I would also visit the OC Support website (google HCP support or OC support) but resist any other googling!! 19 weeks is quite early to develop oc so it could be something else.

Ps you shouldn't need a bed in hospital - this doesn't make sense. But you do need blood tests to check for raised bile acids etc. the midwife should be able to do these for you. Push for this as if it is oc, you want the medication (ursodeoxycholic acid) ASAP.

I was recently diagnosed but as above, its usually in 3rd trimester.

my itching hasn't been particularly bad but I understand it can be. I was diagnosed at 34 weeks & had liver function & bile acid tests on my blood. my levels were through the roof but otherwise I was well. they gave me vitamin k & another medication - which I still take. I have had monitoring at hosp regularly & am being induced bang on 38 weeks. They usually induce between 37/38 weeks. my bloods have gone back to norm but they will still induce as it could just be a fab response to medication.

I feel absolutely fine... was scary & worrying at first. especially when they gave me steroid injections to bring on babs lungs "just in case". now I like the extra monitoring & scans as v. reassuring.

I have had blood tests for loads of other things too to rule out anything else. also had a liver scan & all was fine. OC will go as soon as bab arrives & risks to bab are that it is left undetected & u are left to go to 40 weeks.

hope that helps!?! xx

Thanks
we still aren't any clear as too what's going on. Went in to have bloods done, couldn't get any they tried over 20 times. As too the bed they still do want me in, had an horrid pregnancy so far and have history with a damaged liver due to another illness. They did give the option of staying in or being accessed regularly by the day accessment team so choose that as I've been in hospital 5 times over the past 4 months for a.week each time with this pregnancy so far.

Had it with both pregnancies, absolutely horrific itching, given me shivers just remembering! Insist on liver function tests they will be able to tell in a matter of hours If you have it & give you Urso, this does take several days to kick in and ease the itching.

I think though you should also ask to see a dermatologist, 19 weeks is very early & OC doesn't bring out red blotches. PUPPS though does! I also had this as well, luckily my hospital were fab & referred me. Google & websites say often PUPPS marks come from where stretch marks are & if you are having a boy, neither was true for me. Not a single stretch mark & had a girl. The itching was all over my body with PUPPS & I had horrible red blotch marks from my shoulders down to above my knees.

With OC the itching started on the soles of my feet & palms so was easy to distinguish from PUPPS. It was 'different'.

I got PUPPS from about 22 weeks and OC at 29 weeks second pregnancy (32 weeks first pregnancy, no PUPPS first pregnancy). I suffered badly with itching & have scratch scars now as a reminder!! No itching after I was induced at 37 weeks!

Both OC and PUPPS are liver related, just another 'option' for you to consider as OC is usually later without marks.