obstetric cholestasis

[NelleB]

Hello,
Has anyone suffered with obstetric cholestasis?
I seem to be very hot and itchy, especially my face and have been since yesterday. It's only of a nighttime, but tonight is much worse than yesterday. I'm only 17 weeks... online it says mostly third trimester ladies suffer with it.
Thinking of popping to see my GP in the morning.

Yes I had it, I was also hot at night and itchy, although they say the itching would be mainly on your hands and feet mine wasn't, mine was all over my body!! Phone your midwife as soon as you can they will get you in for a blood test, my results came within 24 hours. If your midwife says it nothing to worry about demand a test because mine said not to worry and it turns out I had it!! They monitored me throughout the rest of my pregnancy and I was induced at 39 weeks xx

Oh thank you so much! My midwife only sits this afternoon and i have the morning off so going to see the GP. Hopefully she can sort it out. Did they prescribe you anything? X

Yes I think it was called urso but I can't remember the full name of it but it will help reduce the bile acids and they can also give you some cream for the itching too!! Xxx

Hi nelle I was diagnosed at 28 weeks with OC or ICP it’s also known.
Get gp or midwife to do bile acids and LFT’s! Usually if your diagnosed you’d get weekly bloods and monitoring for baby and can be induced 37/38 weeks! I was at 38!!

If your on Facebook look up icp support it’s got the most up to date info!
I was luckily my itching wasn’t horrendous it settled when I was started on the medication (urso) ursodexyocholic (I think) vitamin k and antihistamines my levels stayed low also.

Some woman can be diagnosed even in first trimester although more common in third.

Good luck hope you get some answers x

Hi @NelleB I was diagnosed with it during my pregnancy with DS. It wasn't obvious straight away as when I rang my midwife she told me I would be itching on my hands and feet but like Proudmummy17 I was itching everywhere.

I went to the pregnancy assessment unit at our hospital and was diagnosed within the hour with OC. They then gave me urso and cream, along with antihistamines however they didn't really do anything (the cream worked wonders though!).

In my case it was quite severe and I had a c-section at 35 weeks as my liver function tests were worsening each week, however the consultant did say in most cases they like to induce at 37-39 weeks (depending on which part of the country you're in).

Definitely go and get seen they can take a blood test which will either confirm or rule out OC. If it is OC you will need to be under a Consultant at the hospital.
Some women suffer just with itching in pregnancy though and the cause is never identified so try not to worry too much at this stage as it might not be OC.

Thank you so much ladies.
I've been this morning, had a blood test and got some antihistamines and dermol. Got to wait until Thursday for results. Hoping it's just allergies really

Hey, glad you had a check up. I had it late on with my first. I had my bloods checked at about 30 weeks because I was itchy, they said it was within tolerance but the itching got worse and worse. Because i’d had it checked at that point and because my Midwife didn’t seem bothered I sucked it up until the birth when they were all “oh my god your ALT is nearly 900”. So... if your tests come back fine but the itching gets worse (I had to sleep in wet socks my feet were so itchy) please insist they check it again. I also started to get pale almost white stools (sorry tmi) which again my Midwife wasn’t interested in at the time but the Liver specialist I saw post birth said was a clear indicator. Fingers crossed you don’t have it. Good luck. X

I had this from week 11-35!!! Constant trips up to the hospital every week for blood tests so they could manage it. I had to throw away 3 pairs of shoes cause I kept clawing at my feet and they kept getting covered in blood from the sores!!! didn't prescribe anything for me as my levels were supposedly ok but it was horrendous!! All turned out ok induced for other reasons in the end my DS is now 14 months

How did you get on OP?

I thought I had this and called triage last night went in and got bloods taken and results back within a hour, thankfully it's not but I do have 'pupps' which is driving me insane, so itchy! And there's nothing that will put it away only things to try and control the itching