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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Itchy hands/feet

20 replies

user1464279374 · 11/11/2016 10:29

Hi all,

For the past few nights (less so in the day, but still annoyingly present) I've been having really itchy hands and soles of my feet. I thought maybe it was a reaction to something I've eaten but it hasn't gone away.

The only thing the dreaded google has brought back is that it could be obstetric cholestasis. Has anyone else had the itching (it's nowhere else on my body and there's no visible redness) and found out it's this or alternatively it's nothing to worry about at all?

Will ring the midwife today as I've also been saying to my partner (got to love the pregnancy chat...) this week that suddenly my urine looks really dark all the time, despite drinking the same amount of water. Apparently another symptom.

A bit scared now as I'm 34 weeks and I've read it can be linked to premature or still birth :(

Anyone with a reassuring experience would be great to hear from!

OP posts:

crayfish · 11/11/2016 10:36

I had the same problem with itching, it was absolutely dreadful, i couldn't sleep at night etc. so I feel your pain. My midwife though of OC as well so I was given a test for that (I think it was simple blood test but can't 100% remember) and it turned out I didn't have it. There was never any explanation for the itching but it did go away aftre about a month and I had no further problems. Baby was fine.

On the other hand, somebody I know had the same and DID have OC. Again, all was fine and both she and the baby were healthy, they just monitored her more closely throughout the pregnancy and she was induced, although there were other factors involved in that decision as well.

So the upshot of that is, it may or may not be OC and its certainly possible to have the itching without it being OC, but either way - dont panic but do ring the midwife.

crayfish · 11/11/2016 10:36

Sorry for typos!

Jodie1982 · 11/11/2016 10:44

Do you a Maternity Asessment Unit you could call? They should tell you to go in for tests.

Good luck.

Nikki2ol6 · 11/11/2016 10:57

My friend had this and it was oc. But her first test was negative then it wasn't until her whole body itched she got a positive test. It's best to call MAU and they will do a blood test for you

frenchknitting · 11/11/2016 14:32

That sounds like textbook cholestasis, but you will need a liver function test and bile acid level test initially to diagnose. If those are abnormal, they will likely do a number of other tests, maybe including a liver ultrsound and further blood tests to rule out other causes.

My experience of this is that because it is quite rare, midwives can be a bit dismissive. You might need to insist on the LFTs etc. But it is very important you get it done as soon as possible, as there is medication you can take that may help control the levels.

Check out the ICP Support website and facebook page for some great sources of information.

I was induced at 36 weeks due to this issue, and my baby was absolutely fine. I had weekly (then twice weekly) blood tests and monitoring in the weeks leading up to that, and some extra scans, etc.

It can take a few weeks after the itching starts to show up in blood tests, so make sure you get retested if you get the all clear, and are still itching in a weeks or so.

I find the best things to help the itching are keeping cool, aqueous cream with menthol, and running your feet under the cold tap in the bath. Also, cut your finger nails really short to avoid tearing yourself to shreds.

PeachBellini123 · 12/11/2016 10:01

I'd go straight to hospital, bypass the midwife.

frikadela01 · 12/11/2016 11:26

I was very lucky in that I love in an area with a large number of ethnic minorities so OC is seen a lot more (higher incidence in south Asian populations apparently). I had bloods done the day I mentioned it and was called in the day after to be monitored and to start on meds. I had bloods and feral heart rate monitoring twice a week until I was induced at 39 weeks. My consultant would have allowed me to go into spontaneous labour however I had hypertension too.

Get some aqueous cream and put it in the fridge.or something with menthol in it.

Original poster

user1464279374 · 13/11/2016 11:35

Thanks all - went in for tests and liver function tests elevated so suspect it is OC. Waiting on bile results.

Not super excited (or prepared!) to be induced at 37/38 weeks but if it's best for the baby then it has to be done! Hoping it's not as painful as people seem to say...

Thanks again :)

OP posts:

frikadela01 · 13/11/2016 12:13

You might not necessarily be induced that early. A lot of trusts are now inducing at 39/40 weeks.

Good luck anyway. And keep moisturising, my hands ended up in a right state from itching and using aqueous regularly made it slightly better.

Nikki2ol6 · 13/11/2016 12:47

I was induced at 37+6 because of reduced movements and it was not fun!! It doesn't hurt more than a normal labour but it took a lot longer than my induction I had at the end of week 38

hayleyjones2701 · 15/11/2016 09:29

Hi all,
I am having the same symptons very itchy on hands feet and face i went to the Maternity department sunday night and had blood test and everything came back normal they gave me a persciption for pririton and told me to moisterise where itchy but i am still very itchy especially my face piriton isnt working and everytime i pit cream on it makes my itching worse any advice?

MrBloomIsActuallyAttractive · 15/11/2016 13:30

Dermacool is good, I got prescribed it 14 weeks ago with cholestasis(was induced as soon as it was diagnosed at 37weeks 5 days) wouldn't advise it for the face though. Hope induction goes well, my induction was fine and my son was born perfectly healthy dead on 38 weeks, 3 hours after my waters were broken, it was no more painful than my daughter! :)

PeppaPigTastesLikeBacon · 15/11/2016 21:02

Ring triage tomorrow and bypass midwife.
I didn't have itching but I was found to have OC (through my mums nagging to get something else checked)
If you have OC they can medicate you for it. Usually they don't let you go past 40 weeks if you have it.

PeppaPigTastesLikeBacon · 15/11/2016 21:05

Sorry. Just seen your update - they will monitor you for now with regular blood tests and take it from there. DD came at 39 weeks after my waters broke. I was only induced as labour hadn't started naturally so you may not be induced as early as 37 weeks (I was still at work so prayed I didn't need inducing)

Original poster

user1464279374 · 16/11/2016 23:19

Thanks all - they've given us a date of 5th December for induction so not long to get everything organised. Slightly stressful as wasn't planning on finishing work until that week.

The itching has actually improved a bit so maybe the blood tests will improve too (although last one got worse). How likely is it that they'll cancel the induction if things get a bit better? Or now I've been diagnosed is it induction and that's it?

OP posts:

Pantsalive · 16/11/2016 23:26

I had OC in my first pregnancy.
One of my friends had had it and suggested I might too.
I was allowed to go over with a lot of monitoring and DC was born 40+4 after being induced.

Original poster

user1464279374 · 16/11/2016 23:42

Pantsalive do you know why they let you go over?

OP posts:

Pantsalive · 17/11/2016 00:45

Because I had an amazing consultant.

I'd been with her for my previous pregnancies (the first a mc, the second couldn't go to term) and she knew that I wanted as natural a birth as possible.

I agreed to regular monitoring (every day?) and she said we could wait.

In the end I had a sweep and then did end up being induced but was still able to go for a water birth.

chatnanny · 22/01/2017 10:00

Can I just clarify, is it just soles and palms as well which raise a red flag? Not itching on side of foot?

frenchknitting · 22/01/2017 10:57

It can be anywhere. There is a diagram here in the symptoms section, of the most common places:
www.icpsupport.org/abouticp.shtml

I had itching on the top and sides of my hands and feet as much as the sole.

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