*Please Read* Obstetric Cholestasis

[Katie1980]

Halfpint - I had OC in my last pregnancy so happy for you to pm me if you have any questions that I might be able to help with.

Kate.
Xxx

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

I have has severe itching and today during a routine urine sample the doctor found traces of bilbrium is my urine. So she has taken some blood to test for cholestasis and I have to ring for my results in the morning. x

 

[Jo]

Good luck honey xx

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

What are the risks of having it? My GP played it down a bit but then others are saying it's really dangerous x

 

[Jo]

It can be dangerous if gone undetected to both mum and baby but it would have probably been picked up before now hun if the itching has been severe for a quite a while. If it does turn out you do have it you would probably be induced ASAP. I'm sure you'll both be fine doll

 

[Kizzy454]

I had bloods taken for this today, no phone calls though so im taking it that its good news X

 

[quail]

hi im going for a test for oc as im itching,can i ask do they give you anything to help with the itching and do they induce early if so how early,thanks.xxx

 

[kelloggs]

Hi quail. They induce from around 37 weeks depending where you are. Most will offer a cream to calm the itching and there are drugs available to help the underlying symptoms but they are not widely licensed.

good luck! xx

 

[ceejie]

hi im going for a test for oc as im itching,can i ask do they give you anything to help with the itching and do they induce early if so how early,thanks.xxx

There is a medication called urso which I was prescribed for OC. It helps reduce the bile acids building up in your system. After a week or two of continued use it will help with the itching. My OC wasn't caught til later on, so I was barely on urso 2 weeks before I was induced so I didn't really have a chance to see the full benefits of it.

My induction was scheduled for 36 weeks 4 days, but didn't actually start til 36 weeks 6 days and my little girl was born at 37 weeks exactly.

I hope all goes smoothly for you.

 

[momto3kiddies]

I never had this personally but I do know someone who did and her doctor refused to deliver her before 39 weeks because he insisted the baby would be fine and that stillborn was a very rare rare scenario and at 38 weeks she went in for a check up and her babys heart had stopped and she delivered her still born daughter

 

[Tickles]

My lower bump has been itching the last couple of days no rash or anything. It feels kinda tender and bruised to touch. I havnt been moisturising as often as i have the whole pregnancy and also its been ridiculously hot this week and i often suffer prickly heat. I have a bit of a heat rash on my forearms now and still no rash on bump but its all driving me mad.
I had mw on tuesday but i didnt have many symptoms so didnt mention it. Everything was fine at apt blood pressure and urine etc.
I did call the labour ward for their opinio last.night as my mw had finished work and they said it didnt sound like anything to worry but i still cant help but worry.

Anyone have an opinon for me? I would appreciate it

Xx

 

[natty1985]

hi ive just be told ive got oc and could do with someone to talk to i really dont understand it all ive got a scan tmow to check growth xx

Hi hun please feel free to PM me I had OC in all 3 pregnancies here if you need advice xxx

 

[halfpint2011]

hiya i got my induction date on monday there going to induce me on the 19th june ill be 37+5 a lil worried thou xx

 

[ceejie]

hiya i got my induction date on monday there going to induce me on the 19th june ill be 37+5 a lil worried thou xx

Good luck! I hope things go smoothly for you! I required 3 treatments of prostiglandin, but once I was hooked up to the oxytocin I progressed extremely fast and my little girl was in my arms in less than five hours.

 

[halfpint2011]

thank u , yh i hope it works quickly xx

 

[Beany01]

Hi,
I thought I'd chip in with my story.
I had slight itching on my hands and feet at about week 28 but no where near as bad as some of the ladies say on here. I mentioned it to my midwife in my next routine appointment which was about a week later so she took some bloods. I had a call from her the next morning saying I was to go to the hospital to discuss further as my levels were quite high. Once I got to the hospital they discussed my levels, my ALT at this point was 800 so they kept me in. I was put on Urso and kept in hospital for a week while they did all manner of tests to rule out the possibility of anything else.

At their highest my levels were: ALT 1049 and Bile Acids 61. Pretty stressfull as at this point I was only just 30 weeks. Just so you know normal levels are: ALT below 60 and Bile Acids below 10. The doc told me that their cut off for bile acids is 40 and at that point they would consider the pros and cons of getting the baby out. I'm happy to say my leves are going down slowly but surely so I am keeping my fingers crossed that I make it to 36-37 weeks and that my levels continue lowering.

I just think if anyone has any itching on palms of hands or soles of feet (even mild itching) they should ask for a Liver Function Test. My itching really isn't too bad so as you can see it's not a case of the more the itch the higher the blood results. Also something to point out is that this condition does run in familes, my mum had OC and had the itching as severe as many of the ladies on here. Also when my mum was pregnant (more than 30 years ago) they didn't know about or treat OC so she went untreated in each pregnancy and had 3 healthy children.

Another tip: don't google! My consultant said you will find horror stories on the internet but it's not worth scaring yourself. Just talk facts with your consultant and insist on regular monitoring and induction at 37 weeks.

Good luck to everyone with OC.

 

[Kato2]

Did the itching literally appear overnight? My mum had it and my feet (not soles), legs, bump and bvk started itching 2 nights ago... Been horrific tonight but calmed down since I've lathered body butter on and opened window?

 

[becky011]

Hi,
I have seen the doctor today as my blood results showed there was a problem with my liver functioning, he has told me to have another blood test in 4 weeks, he did not mention OC, but did say if I experienced itching then I could have my bloods taken in two weeks instead.
I explained that I have itching on my arms and legs (I have all ways had it..before I was even pregnant!), and he said if it got worse then to get my bloods done earlier.
After reading these post I am really worried, should I get my bloods done tomorrow or get them done next week?

Any advice would be really appreciated
Thanks xx

p.s I am 27 weeks today ... my ticker is wrong xx

 

[Beany01]

Kato2: I don't remember it appearing so quickly, I just kind of noticed that I was itching on the soles of my feet and palms of hands. I would say you're best off just going to see your doctor and request a blood test. At least then you can put your mind at rest or if it is OC then they can start treating it.

Becky011: If I were you then I would ask the doctor what exactly he means by a 'problem with your liver'. You're entitled to know exactly what tests they have carried out and the results of those tests. Maybe ask if he thinks it is OC then I would ask what your ALT and Bile Acids levels are (normal ALT below 60 andbile acids below 10). I guess if it were me, then I would request another blood test sooner rather than later, although bear in mind that sometimes it takes a while for the levels to show OC which is maybe why he's suggesting to wait. However you could have one at 2 weeks and then another at 4 weeks maybe??

Good luck to you both.

 

[curiouscat6]

Hi ladies,
Just thought I'd also chime in with my story. I'm currently 29 weeks with twins and last thursday I started to notice my hands and top of feet were itchy. By Monday it was worse, so I went in to the MD's office and he gave me a blood test. My liver enzyme test showed an ALT of 278 and AST of 148 (the norm should be 40 for both). My bilirubin was normal and my total bile acid level was only 4.1 (also normal) but I'm still itching like crazy so he's put me on Urso and ordered more blood work (including a fractionalized bile acid test).. My question is: can you have a normal bile acid number but elevated liver numbers and STILL have OC? I'm on Urso 300mg three times a day I hope it kicks in soon and I'm SO scared for my babies...