obstetric cholestasis

[duzzlightyearsmum]

Just had bloods taken today and will get my results tomorrow, mW concerned it is OC despite being only 21 weeks. I'm just after advice really from anyone who has suffered/is suffering?!?! My whole body is a complete mess with broken/healing skin from my non stop aggressive scratching! Have been given some allergy tablets and aqueous cream on prescription and got some calamine lotion to try. Have already tried all manner of baby products, E45 and sudocrem all to no avail!

Any tips on anything to help ease this itching???? And if it is OC what's the likely course of action?

TIA xxx

I developed OC at the end if the 2nd trimester. For me like you the itching was quite harsh. The only thing that helped (didn't take it away) was medication that they prescribed think it was called urso, can't remember the longer name but it took the hospital a good few weeks to prescribe it.

There is also a support group for OC if you google it's in one of the google forums which was a very useful place to get advice and information.

The most amazing thing was as soon as our dd was born the itching stopped

I had it. Blumming awful you have my sympathy. The thing that helped was an e45 oil for the bath. Didn't stop it itching but seemed to calm it a bit. X

I had it too. Bloody awful. You have my sympathies! Sounds mad, but I used to put my feet in ice cold water- the numbing effect eased the itching.
And definitely no baby oil, had to have several cool showers just to get rid of it after it had been recommended to soothe the skin.

Thanks! I'm just about to go and run a bath and chuck all the new stuff at it so hopefully will not be woken up by it tonight

Xxx

Oh god it's awful. I found that athletes foot spray (the sort that freezes your feet) worked to help the itching. And buckets of ice cold water, yes

I had it too. Three times. But the third time the drugs (ursodeoxycholic acid) actually worked - if you are diagnosed, get this prescribed ASAP.

Risks to you or the baby are no higher than normal as long as it is diagnosed and treated (which usually means induction at around 37 weeks).

I found that the only things that helped with the itching were:

1. Keeping cool (I bought a "chillow" cooling pillow thing off amazon)

1. Oats - in a pair of tights in the bath, also prescription aveeno cream from docs

1. Talcum powder if you get at all sweaty - especially at night

1. Loose clothing, cotton if poss.

1. Sleep in the daytime

Hopefully it won't be OC but infringe then yep, for me it went literally the day my DC were born

Sorry for typos - on my phone :) hope message makes some sort of sense. T

Fortunately I only developed it around 37 weeks, was induced as a result. Re the itching, agree with others...get urso on prescription and buy aveeno cream.

I was diagnosed with it with my first pregnancy right at the end - I think I was 36 weeks. BUT it totally felt like I was diagnosed with it because they couldn't rule it out. Liver Function tests were high but not as high as some and I was itchy yes, but not like you have described at all. I was induced in the end and for me it was not a pleasant experience.

I am now 28 weeks with my second and had my bloods taken yest as a routine to see if i have it this time. Again, I'm slightly itchy but no more than normal (I'm always itchy, even when not pregnant) and I am so so so so terrified that they will say the same thing again and it will go the same way as before :(.

Don't feel like my MW has been supportive either - she just keeps saying 'Oh you might have it but there is no way to tell until you can tell' and sort of ignoring talking about having a more supportive birth this time round.
Am hating this :(

Not saying for an instance that you will have the same experience of course. I do remember them telling me to try following a low fat diet - did anyone else get told that?