cholestasis, anybody else had this?

[Hello Kitty]

I'm 32 weeks and started to get itchy everywhere so I went stright to the docs and got blood tests done, came back I had high bile acid, cholestasis of pregnancy so there keeping me in hospital for the weekend to monitor me.. Everything seems fine with babs thank god, just wondering has anybody had this before and what normally happens as in keeping it under control and keeping baby safe?

 

[Sealgirl]

Yip me, I've got it. And a few people have posted asking the same question as you and I always reply and give all my details and no-one ever replies to me LOL!

I'm just looking for a cholestasis buddy to share with, so here goes....

I've got gallstones and due to an acute gallstone attack on Christmas eve, I got diagnosed with cholestasis and put on ursodeoxychloric acid 300mg 3x per day.

I've been returning to the hospital every week for a scan, trace, bloods and BP and everything has been fine.

I am getting induced on Sunday though at 38 weeks bang on, they are hoping to break my waters on Monday and if nothing has happened by Wednesday it'll be a C-section unfortunately. The risks (small though they are) become more to the baby after 38 weeks, so I'd imagine you will be induced too!

Its been a scary time for me, but I'm nearing the end and it can't come quick enough for me.

What's their plan of action for you? x

 

[Hello Kitty]

Yip me, I've got it. And a few people have posted asking the same question as you and I always reply and give all my details and no-one ever replies to me LOL!

I'm just looking for a cholestasis buddy to share with, so here goes....

I've got gallstones and due to an acute gallstone attack on Christmas eve, I got diagnosed with cholestasis and put on ursodeoxychloric acid 300mg 3x per day.

I've been returning to the hospital every week for a scan, trace, bloods and BP and everything has been fine.



I am getting induced on Sunday though at 38 weeks bang on, they are hoping to break my waters on Monday and if nothing has happened by Wednesday it'll be a C-section unfortunately. The risks (small though they are) become more to the baby after 38 weeks, so I'd imagine you will be induced too!

Its been a scary time for me, but I'm nearing the end and it can't come quick enough for me.

What's their plan of action for you? x

Hey sorry to hear that, its such a pain isn't it
There's no plan for me at all yet, my GP rang me thisevening and told me I had to go to hospital for the weekend and explained that the bile acids were high, the doctor hasn't came around to me yet so I havnt a clue what happening its scarey though

 

[Sealgirl]

It sure is, but don't worry.

The tablets won't hurt your baby and should help to keep bile acids under control. Plus they will really look after you and for me, going to hospital once a week was extremely reassuring. I'm scared about getting induced and the fact that they need to tell you the "risks", but I've done lots of reading (look up Jenny Chambers) and the risks are no higher (with meds and check-ups) to a woman with cholestasis than to one without.

Still its not a nice feeling!

The only thing I have found is that very little is actually known about cholestasis and the Urso drug is very much unstudied. To be honest I've seen 3 different consultants and they have said different things. They seem to have an ego thing going on, thinking they all know best, when in actual fact, I've found that the midwives have been the most reliable sources of information.

My own GP actually refused to renew my prescription for Urso on Tuesday claiming she thought it was unsafe in pregnancy and I freaked out. I was reassured at the hospital though that all drugs "are not recommended in pregnancy" but you have to balance the risks of the liver problem with taking a drug which is very much unstudied, but has never been known to cause any harm to mother and baby.

Needless to say this unsettled me and I've just not been very happy this week, because they are all so clueless about it.

All I can say is get yourself clued up on the subject by doing the reading and take advantage of all the checks they will do on you. A lot of pregnant ladies don't get that priviledge.

Thats me trying to put a positive spin on it. xx

 

[mrsthomas623]

No advice girls but the is a sticky thread about it above the normal threads... hope it helps!

 

[Hello Kitty]

Thanks mrsthomas, was reading through some of the sticky thread there now...

Hmm I wonder what tablets they will give me, I don't like the whole "understudied" thing, I'm a freak with takin tablets, I mean even when I'm not pregnant I won't take a painkiller unless its a panadol! I'm no good with takin tabs at all! That would freak me out big time