Intense all over body itching

[Namechangeapril20]

In currently 38 weeks

Over the last week have had intense all over body itching the irrupts at night time (have episodes during the day but they're sparse and less intense). It feels like something is crawling under my skin. It erupts like fireworks, and I find as soon as I scratch it it flares up somewhere else so I'm frantically chasing it around my body. Literally everywhere is affected. There is no rash with it. Its driving me mental, absolutely mental. I'm so exhausted its keeping me up all night, I dont know how I'm functioning on so little sleep.

My last 2 midwife appointments have been cancelled due to coronavirus so I haven't been able to mention it to anyone. My next one is on Thursday. Last night and tonight it has become drastically worse. I want to peel my skin off just so I can get some sleep.

I'm worried in case its intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP), also known as obstetric cholestasis (OC). Do you think it can wait till Thursday? Or should I try and contact someone beforehand? The only midwives I can contact are the ones in the admissions unit at the hospital, so not sure if would cover this, or the midwife at my GP who I'm seeing on Thursday, but is only in my GP on a Thursday so I cant speak to her before then. Does it merit an appointment with the GP even?

Has anyone had similar that can give me advice? Could it be something else? Anything I can do to relieve symptoms in the meantime? (I've tried cold naths/showers/flannels, moisturising so skin isnt dry, keeping hydrated, avoiding perfumed products, loose breathable clothing etc)

Do you have a 24/7 triage number to call for advice? I wouldn't leave it and would contact a midwife personally

Hi OP, this probably won't be any help but I had the exact same thing when I got closer to my due date. I had tests done and everything came back negative, completely unexplainable . I just had to put up with it and it was horrible so I'd recommend calling midwifes/triage to see if they can do tests ASAP. I put my itching down to the heat as it was during the 2018 heatwave but I'm convinced it wasn't that. How strange! Hope all goes well! x

My initial thought was obstetric cholestasis to be honest, one of my friends had it.

Def call either midwife or maternity unit triage as you're 38 weeks.

Call your assessment unit. Go be seen if you can't sleep. They'll run some blood tests etc. Take a hospital bag with you just in case. Good luck x

You need to ring your triage and be seen to rule out OC. Don’t wait until Thursday. Hope it’s ok

Thank you all. Will phone them now and see what they say. I always panic that I'm wasting their time but thank you for reassuring me that I should!

I was about to post a similar thread as I'm experiencing the same thing! I'm 30 weeks tomorrow and the itching is so severe, its keeping me up at night. Im also experiencing rib pain on my right hand side where my liver is so I'm panicking slightly. Will text my midwife tomorrow morning and try to get a blood test asap, though I'm not sure how it all works at the moment with coronavirus.

Please keep us updated with your situation. I hope its nothing to worry about

@ChocoLover7
Call your unit. They'll see you, especially if you're in pain too. It's not time wasting, honestly.

Let us know what they say.

My initial thought was your skins stretching but this sounds much worse than that.

Glad you're calling- best be safe.

Hey OP, I would definitely ring up your midwife/pregnancy unit.
I have had similar itching for about a week or so, I went the doctors 3 days ago for bloods, got the results the next day to say I have elevated Bile Acids and diagnosed with ICP.
They done a growth scan and traced baby's heart rate, all is well with baby, I am 37 weeks and I am being induced at 38 weeks, I have been put on medication in the mean time.
The itching is unbearable especially at night on my hands and feet especially.
It could be nothing but I would certainly mention it, you won't be wasting anyone's time.
Best of luck xx

@ChocoLover7 call your unit. Don’t wait to speak to your midwife, it might be hours until she responds to you. It’s better safe than sorry

I had ICP and your symptoms sound very similar to mine so definitely phone your unit/midwife.

For relief of symptoms putting my feet in ice cold water stopped my itching all over for a while it was the best relief I found & also was forever taking ice cold showers in the middle of the night.

If it is ICP they will either induce you (I was induced at 38 weeks but had ICP since about 32 weeks) or if not they gave me medication that slightly helped the itching. Only thing to stop it is to have the baby and as youre 38 weeks, if it is ICP I think they’ll probably deliver you early. Good luck! Also don’t worry too much if it is, my son was totally fine.

Hi all,
Phoned assessment unit during the night but they were very busy as they had 6 labouring mothers in, they will call back at some point today to get mw in for blood tests. Thank you all for your kind and reassuring messages and advice. Hopefully will get sorted out today.

Don't let them ignore this, if they don't phone back you'll need to phone up again, you'll need to get checked out as it can be dangerous if your not monitored, good luck cx

Have to agree with @sarahc336
Although I am not saying you are in danger as I honestly don't know.
Keep on at them.
I have 1 dc so knew nothing in my pregnancy and I ended up having so many bigger issues from smaller niggles I was told 'oh don't worry'.
Watching that new life & birth program recently just reinforces what I've said.

Go with your gut. I'm sure all is ok.
Keep us updated

Hey @Namechangeapril20 any updates? Hope you are doing okay x

Bloods were done but before results came back I went yellow with jaundice so hospital worked on the assumption that I have ICP and induced me on Saturday evening. DD3 born safely at 3.30am Sunday at a whopping 10lb 12oz (ouch). I've had more bloods done to monitor bile levels but jaundice is already fading so fingers crossed they'll let me home today. Me and baby both doing well. Thank you for all for your advice :)

Thank god you phoned up I say, congratulations. My friends had that disorder with both pregnancies and her levels returned to normal both times after the birth xx

Oh wow! Thank goodness all is okay Hope you get to go home soon xx

Congratulations!!

Congratulations! 🥰

Holy moly 10lb 12oz at 38 weeks?! Congratulations! Hope you're at home now, or going home tomorrow.

Wow congratulations!!

And what a big bundle

10.12 at 38 weeks
I hope they didn’t stint on the pain relief. Congratulations OP

Thank you all. I'm diabetic so prone to big babies... this one wasn't even my biggest 🙈 home for a few days, ba levels going down and I no longer look like a member of the Simpsons! Will be checked again at 6 weeks pp but they dont have any concerns. DD3 doing very well, DDs 1+2 besotted with their new sister