Itching in 7 month pregnancy

[Steph]

Had anyone else experienced severe itching in the last few months of pregnancy? I am so itchy I could scream, its all over the body, all night. I am going to the docs Monday,on the recommendations of my widwife but could do with advise on any creams that might make it stop in the meantime as its driving me up the wall...

I know it could be cholestasis but hoping it is just another of the lovely annoyances of late pregnancy.

Thanks

Itching alert

If you experience severe itching which occurs on your arms, legs and feet as well as on your body, consult your doctor. It could be a symptom of a rare liver disease called obstetric cholestasis. Other symptoms of the disease may include loss of appetite and generally feeling unwell.

[Ko]

as you mention there is cholestasis so see your doctor.

on the other hand, i felt extremely itchy throughout my pregnancy and it was just due to the increased blood flow in the body making the skin more sensitive. i used diprobase cream to moisterise daily and cool my skin (very good on my itchy feet!!). i also used piriton, although this was prescribed due to eczema (although i had lots of other itching that was not the ezcema patches - hope that makes sense). piriton takes a slight edge off the itching but you need a doctor's advice before you take it in pregnancy. the diprobase cream was very good though (also from the doctor). quite honestly it drove me mad so you have my sympathies. but sounds like not long to go x

[Pickle]

I had severe cholestasis in both pregnancies, starting from 30 weeks onwards, and your symptoms sound the same as mine ("normal" pregnancy itching isn't anywhere near as bad). You need to see someone ASAP to get tests done, as it can be serious and you will need ongoing monitoring. I was induced at 37 weeks both times due to this, and was absolutely miserable through it (complete lack of sleep, no creams/drug worked for me to relieve the itching).

I used piriton, aqueous cream, calamine (complete waste of time), ursodioxycholic acid... nothing worked.

One of the signs that it's cholestasis as opposed to regular itching is if you are finding the palms of your hands and soles of your feet are itchy. Mine was so bad I ended up with bleeding open sores on my legs and feet, as when I did manage to sleep I must have been scratching in my sleep. Three years on from my first baby and I still have scars from it.

I did quite a lot of research during my 2nd pregnancy when it struck again, and found that dietary changes helped a little (basically cut out anything nice - fat, sugar and dairy). On the plus side, it disappears as soon as you have your baby, and both of my children were born completely healthy at 37 weeks.

Please feel free to PM me if you would like more information. I really struggled with this condition, it made pregnancy miserable for me. Horrible horrible condition.

Take care, and please go to the maternal assessment unit ASAP to get the tests underway (quite honestly I think going to a GP will be a waste of time in terms of this condition, you're best going to Kings) - they will do liver function and bile acids, but the bile acids generally take a few weeks to come back from the lab which is frustrating!

Take care,

Pippa x

[largeginandtonic]

Hi Steph - I also had cholestasis in my last pregnancy (but not in my first) and second what Pickle says. The itching was unbearable. I also have scars on my legs!

Luckily the urso did work for me, but the consultant wanted to wait until the bile acid test results came back before prescribing this for me, and this took about 10 days as Pickle says. In the meantime, you can take piriton and use various creams but they're not very effective.

The only thing that helped was sticking my feet into a pillowcase full of ice packs! Also, with cholestasis the itching is worse at night so if there is any remote possibility of trying to sleep in the daytime and stay up at night, I would do that.

I agree with PIckle that you need blood tests asap so seeing your GP is basically only going to delay things. If you can, I would call your midwife and get them to write out an urgent request for liver function tests to be done at KIng's - or get yourself down to MAU.

Good luck

[alibo]

Phone Kings and ask to see a consultant, and tell them it is extremely uncomfortable and that you are worried, you do not want to see a nurse or a midwife, demand to see the consultant. It is the only way to get a proper diagnosis and I did it a few times as had a few problems, they always saw me straightaway when I insisted . GPs are so uninformed about pregnancy issues in my experience.

[Ann]

Unfortunately you won't be able to get a Consultant over the weekend.

Steph don't panic most itching is normal but I agree you need some blood tests done. You can be seen at anytime on the Maternal Assessment Unit at Kings. If you're itching includes the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet, I would go tomorrow, if not it's probably safe to keep your alloted appointment. Sorry if this sounds alarmist!

[largeginandtonic]

Alibo - did you have cholestasis or are you referring to different sorts of problems? My understanding is that cholestasis can be diagnosed only through blood tests, so seeing a consultant wouldn't necessarily help in the first instance - the consultant would simply ask for urgent liver function blood tests to be done before giving any advice. The same blood tests can also be demanded by GP's and midwives. Personally I'd want to get in front of anybody who could demand the blood tests asap (probably a midwife) and then push for a consultant's appointment afterwards - I'd be worried that demanding to see a consultant would only delay things. But that's only my opinion and I do agree with you about GP's being uninformed about pregnancy issues!

[bjm]

I had severe itching in my last pregnancy due to Pemphigoid. I found Aqueous cream with Menthol in it quite helpful. The dermatologists at Kings were amazing and so if your GP is unclear re a diagnosis after bloods have been done I would push for a referral- I got seen within a few days.

Hope you feel better soon!

[Steph]

Thanks for all the advise everyone...The itching seemed to ease up a bit last night and today. Also it's not particularly bad on the hands and feet, just all over my skin really.

Pickle, largeginandtonic, did you get days that were better than others or was it constant and did it get worse as your pregnancy progressed?

I have been eating so much chocolate, fatty foods and dairy throughout this pregnancy that it could well be related.

If it persists over the next few days I will nip up to Kings.

Thanks again x

[damzel]

I had OC too but not as severely as Pickle and Largeginandtonic did. Yes, some days were better than others and my hands and feet only itched in the later stages, mainly it was legs and belly with me. It took them ages to diagnose me as apparently there was only one testing place for this in England (Birmingham) and there was a bit of a backlog (and they lost my first sample). So get tested as soon as you can.

If you have got it then they will want you to have the baby at 38 weeks at the latest as it's after this time that the condition can effect the baby. As soon as you have the baby the itching stops - it's really weird!

Good luck with everything

[Pickle]

I had occasional better days (more so in my 2nd pregnancy once I'd started being careful about what I was eating), and it was much much worse at night. Even if you feel a bit better still go and get the tests done, better to be safe. Kings induce at around 37 weeks with this condition, due to the risk to the baby after this point.

Good luck.

P x

[largeginandtonic]

I can't really remember in my current state of exhaustion, but I think that it was quite mild at the onset and then deteriorated quite sharply. I remember that I was completely desperate by the time I was prescribed Urso, and this would have been about 2-3 weeks after the first symptoms appeared.

But I also had occasional better nights - after eating literally no fat or carbs all day.

I had a section at 37 weeks and the condition had completely disappeared by the time I was discharged 2 days later.

I agree with the others and think you should get the tests done just in case.

[newcomer]

I'm 8 months and have also had itching, but one thing I noticed was that my itching was worse the day after I go swimming. I'm not sure if it's the chlorine or the fact that I used the gym's shower gel instead of my usual unperfumed brand, but it seems that my skin is more sensitive than usual. I've therefore started bringing my own shower gel to the pool, and showering both in the pool changing rooms and again when I get home, and that has really helped.

So, in case you get your tests done but still can't find a cause for the itching, please bear in mind that your skin might simply be more sensitive than usual and you could perhaps consider changing the shower gel/washing powder/body lotion you are using.

[Smiler]

Hi ladies,

I had a postnatal thing where about three or four weeks after giving birth came out in quite a nasty, red, scaly, itchy rash all-over my face and body for a few days. The GP said weird skin things could happen after having a baby as well as in pregnancy. Had checks etc. and was prescribed the old type of piriton (which is OK to use while breastfeeding) and diprobase cream.

Seems quite funny now, but at the time it nearly tipped me over the edge!

Stephn - hope went well at the docs and that they check you out thoroughly (if you get sent to Kings take drinks, snacks and reading matter as it can take a while).