cholestasis of pregnancy

hi ladies,
I don't usually post but I read all your posts and find it really helpful.
I am 35.2 weeks pregnant w b/g twins and developed really bad itching problem during this week. I mentioned it to my OB, he wasn't too concerned, told me to use benadryl, yea right, it is not helping at all. Well I am itching all over, so I went on internet today and I found about cholestasis of pregnancy. In my mind I have almost all symptoms .I was wondering if any of you were diagnozed with it? I guess from what I read the only treatment would be a delivery and it is pretty dangerous for babies.. I am freaking out.

 

I saw one of the birthing shows on TLC or wherever and the mom had it, and it was deliver that took it away. If you do think that is what you have I would bring it up to your doc, let him know that all your symptoms are pointing in that direction.

Good luck

Dianna

 

Man, do I feel your pain! I'm only 30 weeks but i've had slight itching since about 15 wks. The further i get in the pregnancy... the worse the itching gets!! My doc said it's what they call PUPPS, and it can get very servere in the last trimester. Sometimes it will cause a rash, but sometimes it wont. PUPPS is harmless to the babies...it's just extremely uncomfortable for the mommy In your case, it could be anything...but since your in the 3rd trimester, i was just throwing that out there! Best of Luck!

 

I had it, It can be very serious and u have to deliver before 38 weeks. Go back to your doctor and ask for the blood test. I woz on medication which did help a little. But the itching drove me insane

Once u deliver the symptoms will disapear pretty soon after.

feel free to PM me if u like


amanda

 

thanks Amanda, I tried to sent you a PM, I am not sure if I sent it though :blink:

 

I had it as well. One of the hallmarks is severe itching on the palms of your hands. Benadryl, Aveeno, etc. didn't make any difference at all. I woke myself up because I was scratching in my sleep and my legs got all scratched up. If you have any chance of having cholestasis, you should get the blood test as soon as possible. It's not an emergency but it should be dealt with within a couple of days.

 

girls, did you have any other symptoms?

 

sorry didn't get the PM seem to have problems with them.

My main symptom woz the intense itching. If u can get on the medication it can keep the liver levels under control, which in turn means less harm to the baby as far as I know.

a good website if you do have the cholestasis is www.itchymoms.com

good luck keep us updated when u visit ur doctor

amanda

 

Just found this on the blood tests incase u want to take the info to your doctor

Serum Bile Acid Test (SBA)

The most sensitive indicator for ICP is the Serum Bile Acid Test. It may also be called the Bile Acid test, the Bile Salt test, or the Total Bile Acids test. Bile acids are the substances that are being left in your bloodstream and causing the itching. Because certain bile acids are toxic, they pose a threat to your unborn baby. The SBA test will determine the level of these substances in your blood and confirm whether or not you have cholestasis. The SBA test is an uncommon blood test and may need to be requested by name. It is possible your doctor, midwife or nurse may not even be aware of the test or the need for it. The blood sample is usually frozen and you may need to fast before taking it. If your doctor's office is unsure of how to take the test, they can call the labs they work with to get more information. Lab Corp and Quest are two labs in the United States that run the test.

Liver Function Test (LFT)

When bile acids are elevated, they affect the cells of your liver. This aggravation of bile acids causes your liver to release enzymes into the bloodstream. These enzymes can be measured with a Liver Function Test, also known as a Liver Panel. This test may or may not be elevated in ICP patients, therefore the LFT should not be used as the sole criteria for diagnosing ICP! This is very important as it is common for ICP to be misdiagnosed by using the LFT only. Be sure to have both tests run, and more importantly the Serum Bile Acid test.

 

yea, I was on this site, I am going to schedule the blood test tommorow, thanks girls!

 

Just wondering how u got on. Thinking of you


amanda