Obstetric cholestasis
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Category: Pregnant
Forum Name: Pregnancy
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URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=34106
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Topic: Obstetric cholestasis
Posted By: Raspberryjam
Subject: Obstetric cholestasis
Date Posted: 17 June 2010 at 1:58am
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OMG I am sooo itchy - what do I do??? How dangerous is this?? ------------- http://lilypie.com] 
http://lilypie.com] 
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Replies:
Posted By: Mrs_B
Date Posted: 17 June 2010 at 8:06am
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Cholestatis doesn't usually have any dangerous risks for the mother but can have serious risks for baby. I assume you have been referred to an OB as baby will be need to be closely monitored and likely delivered shortly given that you are 36 weeks already. Hope that doesn't freak you out too much but better to be informed of these things. http://www.itchymoms.com/ - This is a good website. Don't google you will worry yourself silly. Hope you get relief soon! -------------  
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Posted By: Raspberryjam
Date Posted: 17 June 2010 at 8:31am
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Its really only reared it head over night so Im not worried and am going for bloods this morning. I had it last time too, but not even enough to cause concern, and I was 37 weeks, had baby at 38 but thats cause she was ready then, wasnt induced
I dont do dr google, Its ok Mrs B  thanks though! I actually have OB on wednesday for VBAC appointment anyway and my midwife has assured me Im ok , like you said Im 36 weeks already!
Just want to know how to stop it so I can sleep now!!!!!!! ------------- http://lilypie.com]
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Posted By: fire_engine
Date Posted: 17 June 2010 at 8:57am
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I had PURPP which was like OC but without the liver involvement. Pinetarsol baths, Aveenocream, chalamine lotion every hour, 24 hours a day, banging my head against a wall, crying to the doctor ..... ------------- Mum to two wee boys |
Posted By: fire_engine
Date Posted: 17 June 2010 at 9:02am
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Oh, and hydrocortisone cream. Pharmacies won't usually sell it to PG women cos the packet says not to use it unless under medical supervision. My GP charted enough for a week, and that, in combination with the calamine lotion helped. ------------- Mum to two wee boys |
Posted By: SquishysMum
Date Posted: 17 June 2010 at 9:34am
| Just be careful with the hydrocortisone cream, it is a steroid so can be harmful in large doses. My mum knew a lady who died spreading HC cream over her whole body to stop the itch not long after having her baby. |
Posted By: Raspberryjam
Date Posted: 17 June 2010 at 9:41am
I was a dispensary technician for 10 years so I have a pretty good arsenal of drugs  but I will say to those of you who swear by calamine - like our parents did!! its really dangerous - its phenol based - which is poison and I wouldnt use it on broken skin even if Id scratched myself raw!
But yes If it drives me mad again tonight I will be getting out the hydrocort!! Aveeno is a good idea Fliss thanks - I hadnt even thought of that - thats the collodial oatmeal one yeah? I think I have a sample of the wash somewhere I wonder if soaking my hands in that will help ------------- http://lilypie.com]
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Posted By: fire_engine
Date Posted: 17 June 2010 at 10:30am
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I just used the regular Aveeno and it did good! ------------- Mum to two wee boys |
Posted By: weegee
Date Posted: 17 June 2010 at 11:11am
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Not sure if it's the same for OC as for PURPP but there's a naturopath in my preggy yoga class who said the thing for PURPP is taking dandelion root, apparently it's a miracle cure... might be worth a shot? ------------- 
Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010 |
Posted By: Raspberryjam
Date Posted: 17 June 2010 at 5:02pm
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Ok, found the aveeno wash - looks so nice I almost want it!! if that dosent help I will get the cream too - I need a good hand cream anyway so might as well get one that helps now - I have never had anything like this - its like chill blains - sooo itchy!!
and cool weegee - sounds good to me - my results from my blood test havent come back yet so will check tomorrow - but either way I NEEEED this itching to stop!!! ------------- http://lilypie.com]
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Posted By: mumoftwins
Date Posted: 18 June 2010 at 1:58pm
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I had it last pregnancy, started at 36 wks.....nothing stopped the itch until baby was born! Drove me insane!! Hoping I don't get it this time around!!
wrapping my hands and feet in cool faceclothes helped a bit. |
Posted By: Raspberryjam
Date Posted: 18 June 2010 at 2:45pm
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Its soooo cold to be using cold water at night but yeah It seems to help dosent it
Im also using aloe vera with lignocaine when I cant stand it anymore Aveeno definately helps so will get the hand cream when Im at the supermarket tomorrow I havent had my bile salts results back yet but my liver function is normal so at this stage no risk to bubba ------------- http://lilypie.com]
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Posted By: monikah
Date Posted: 18 June 2010 at 6:25pm
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oh my god i feel so sorry for you. they thought i had it with mack but it turned out it was something else. i started itching before 20 weeks and it lasted right through!!! i had bleeding scratch marks when i woke up each morning. i used st ives oatmeal and something body wash this time and never got the itching (coincidence possibly) also make sure you dont get too hot at night as it makes it worse. flicking shower on cold before you hop out can help too ------------- 
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Posted By: fallen
Date Posted: 18 June 2010 at 6:47pm
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I don't know where you are but it took a week or more for the bile salts tests to come back for me in Tauranga. Did you have to do the fasting thing before the test? The silly drs here kept taking blood and sending it away but the labs couldn't do the test because it had to be in a special vial and with the fasting business. Medlab did it right, but only after calling some expert person.
Only things I found that helped was not getting too hot. At night I regularly had to get up and let myself get really cold before I could sleep. ------------- |
Posted By: Raspberryjam
Date Posted: 18 June 2010 at 8:32pm
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I live in auckland so my bile test was done overnight at auckland hospital
Seems all my levels are within range - so If I do have it - its no risk to baby which is great and as I am close to term already and this will gradually get worse its unlikely to get high enough to cause a problem before I have bub, so I am just left with the pain in the arse itching - its only in my hands and wrists but Its sooo annoying - the worst bit is not sleeping - especially with a toddler and a huge belly to contend with but (jesus monikah!) at least I only have for a few weeks tops!! I have aveeno and will get some phenergan tomorrow incase it drives me to drink
Thanks for everyones help on this! ------------- http://lilypie.com]
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Posted By: Raspberryjam
Date Posted: 18 June 2010 at 8:34pm
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Oh wow Monikah - Just realised your ticker had changed! Congrats!! ------------- http://lilypie.com]
http://lilypie.com]
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Posted By: Northeast
Date Posted: 19 June 2010 at 4:34pm
| Gosh you poor thing - the itching is enough to drive you crazy. I had it at 36 weeks with 1st pregnancy and it was torture. I had it from my collar bones down to the soles of my feet and everywhere in between. I tried steroid cream (1/2 an hour's relief), calamine (horrid stuff), pinetarsol (still gives me nightmares) and so many cold showers I got sick. I tried acupuncture and it was the only thing that got me through. 10 mins in to the 1st treatment I could see the rash going down as I watched and after the hour I walked out and didn't itch for 3 days. I had about 4 more treatments over the next two weeks and it saved me from being induced early as my bloods went back to normal. Good luck and I hope you find something that works for you :-) |
Posted By: Raspberryjam
Date Posted: 20 June 2010 at 7:16pm
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Oh yuk, sounds like you had it much worse than me! Mine is just in my hands and I only have a tiny rash on my risks and I think thats more from the scratching than anything else ------------- http://lilypie.com]
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