Itching in pregnancy, Cholestasis tips, share your itchy experience

[mamaebun]

I was diagnosed with OC at exactly 34 weeks in my 1st pregnancy, my bile acids and ALTs were extremely high. I probably had this earlier as I was very very itchy, and the most annoying part is the itching is very intense at night, by the morning it's fairly better so I don't end up calling my midwife.
Anyway I went through and was induced, unsuccessful induction, and had my baby boy via CS.
I am expecting my 2nd baby and was diagnosed much earlier with OC at weeks, I was placed on Urso- 1 "250mg" tab 3 times a day, but still very itchy.
The consultants increased my Urso dose to 1000 mg a day, and am not as itchy but I found a solution that helps, especially when I start to itchy around night time. I go into the bath and take a shower, then rub the menthol cream all over, and I found this eased the itchiness a lot more.
I am 32 weeks now and this bath solution seems to be ideal instead of taking more and more Urso.
I feel weak after taking Urso in the morning, I decided to take it around 11 am which is going on okay so far!
Share your experiences and I hope the shower helps you

I have just been diagnosed with OC on Tuesday @ 37weeks. On Sat night I had really itchy hands in the night (like between 5 and 6am I constantly scratched then went back to sleep.) rang the day assesment unit and they said to come in for bloods. I VERY nearly didn't ring them as the itching was better by the morning and didn't want to seem like a hypochondriac. I had liver tests and bile acid tests done and a dr came round and said that I don't have OC but turned out she was only looking at the liver function tests which were only slightly abnormal.

So went away and went back to the day assesment unit on Tuesday for my pre-schedueled preop assesment (for csection booked next week) and they said the lab had just rung through more results and my bile acid levels were 46 so they have put me on URSO 900mg a day.

Hospital have told me that their policy is not to induce early for OC which I find strange. The only thing I've found to help the actual itching is 1) holding hot drinks in my hand and 2) smothering in savlon cream. I've found the ICP support website and their fb page really helpful too :)www.facebook.com/groups/icpsupport/