*Please Read* Obstetric Cholestasis

[Pixie81]

I'm so glad I came across this thread as I am so worried.

I had blood tests to check for Obststetric Cholestasis last friday and got the results back from my GP on monday and they have come back abnormal. I have had REALLY itchy palms, soles of my feet and all over my body in general. I'm constantly tired and nauseous and have completely lost my apetite... I'm terrified I've got it and my baby is in danger. However, all my GP has done has referred me to a gastroenterologist and the appointment isn't for another 4 weeks... my baby's due in 6 weeks! I'm not sure what to do. I am afraid I might lose the baby if I wait that long to be seen. I called my doctors surgery back and spoke to the receptionist and explained everything and she said she will pass the message on to the GP to see if he can push the appointment forward, although I haven't heard anything yet.

For the past 3 weeks I have been really ill. It started as a chest infection for which I was given antibiotics. This has cleared up somewhat, although I still have a lot of mucus on my chest. Also experiencing a LOT of acid indegestion which is making me sick EVERY night. So i'm also worried the baby isn't getting any food through the placenta.

Baby was moving around fine yesterday, and i have felt her move a few times this morning, when I've been poking her, although not nearly as much as yesterday.

The night before last DH and I had and I bled a bit afterwards. This continued up until the afternoon of the following day, although it was brown, like old blood and only a few spots here and there.
Now about half an hour ago I went to the toilet and had a really thick jelly-like brown discharge. Tried ringing my midwife and fetal health unit but got no answer, so in the end I called the labour ward. The midwife said it was probably my plug but nobody could see me today as its the weekend its emergencies only

I have my next midwife appointment on friday but think I will phone her on Monday morning just to be on the safe side. I am worried sick. If that was a plug... does that mean the baby's on it's way?

 

[kaleidoscope]

you need to be seen straight away if you have OC..I cant beleive your GP has merely made a gastroenterologist appt..this demonstrates that your GP possibly has little or no knowledge of OC..phone labour ward back and explain that you have had abnormal LFT's..also if you have had bleeding then this is an emergency so why they are turning you away I have no idea

 

[Pixie81]

They don't know if it is definately OC. He just said that my blood test results are showing abnormalities. I agree though, my GP is completely useless and seems to know NOTHING about OC or even pregnancy in general. I had to have 2 lots of blood tests.. one to test for my liver function as I have problems with it anyway and the other set of bloods was for my midwife to check for OC. When I asked if the abnormalities could have something to do with the itchy hands and feet he said "well it could well be. I'll refer you to a gastroenterologist and you can be checked out further". Useless.

I have problems with my liver anyway which he knows about, so for him to say there's something showing on the tests leads me to believe that it is something else. I have been reading up on the links from the first post and I have nearly all of the symptoms described.

I told the midwife on the phone about the test results and OC, but she still said they wouldn't see me today as its emergencies only. I guess I'll have to wait until monday and speak to my midwife. She's brilliant and usually gets everything sorted out for me straight away.

Worried about this plug though... how long do you usually have before you go into labour after you have a show?

 

[kaleidoscope]

if worst comes to worst..ask to be seen in DAU on monday..

your plug can come away weeks before labour starts although my understanding is that if its a bloody show then labour is usually imminent...if you get any other signs..go straight to labour ward..pre term labour IS an emergency!

 

[Pixie81]

Will do hun, Thanks for the advice. xxx

 

[rwhite]

Have had some bloods and urine test done for OC today, as have developed very itchy feet and hands over the past few days, not to mention almost everywhere else is itchy too

Really worried, as I'm 41 weeks so I'm concerned this might put baby at risk. Midwife's given me a sweep and some induction acupuncture today but if it doesn't lead to labour, I've got appointment to see her again tomorrow and I think I will be requesting induction for that very day if the blood tests etc come back positive for OC.

Haven't really had the pale stools listed as a symptom, but have been really tired (put it down to the fact that I've been pregnant for 10 months now! ) and tonight have been feeling a little nauseous. Not really any change in appetite though...

Freaking out I hope my baby will be okay Will update as soon as I know anything, depending on whether I do get that induction tomorrow. I assume midwife will have blood results tomorrow.

 

[Pixie81]

rwhite, I'm sorry you are going through this also. It's a horrible feeling isn't it? More-so for you as you are further along. I guess if it does turn out that you have it, at least they can give you an induction or emergency c-section. I really hope you're OK. Let us know how you get on.

I have just called my midwife and she is trying to chase up my blood results. She can't understand why my GP has referred me to a gastroenterologist either. She's going to call me back when she's found out what's going on. Hopefully won't have to wait too long.

 

[Pixie81]

Well, i've just got off the phone to my midwife. She said there's nothing on my test results to make her think its cholestasis. But there is something showing up on the other part of my liver function test which is why I have to see the gastroenterologist on 12th April. I'm seeing her again on friday anyway so will ask about the plug, etc. I'm so relieved. Still confused as to what is causing the constant itching and nausea though

 

[rwhite]

Well, i've just got off the phone to my midwife. She said there's nothing on my test results to make her think its cholestasis. But there is something showing up on the other part of my liver function test which is why I have to see the gastroenterologist on 12th April. I'm seeing her again on friday anyway so will ask about the plug, etc. I'm so relieved. Still confused as to what is causing the constant itching and nausea though

I hope everything turns out to be okay for you hun, hope it's not cholestasis after all Must be stressful having it at the stage you're at, as you're not quite term yet so induction would be a hard call for the midwife/doc to make right now eh?

It is odd that I have developed it so late, and rather concerning! However! I am in early labour now, thanks to a sweep this morning, so fingers crossed I won't have to battle this insufferable itching any longer...I will keep you posted on what my bloods said though - should find out soon enough. But hopefully by then it won't be a problem any more.

For the itching - frozen peas! I tried some tonight and it worked wonders For a wee while anyway. I was in bed and OH was grumbling about how my feet were too cold

 

[Pixie81]

Lol, bless ya. I don't think I could handle frozen peas on me. I hate being cold!

Good luck for your imminent labour! I hope everything goes well for you and that the OC hasn't effected you or the baby other than the itching. Looking forward to reading your birth story and seeing some pics! GOOD LUCK! xx

ps. Does the sweep hurt? x

 

[rwhite]

Lol, bless ya. I don't think I could handle frozen peas on me. I hate being cold!

Good luck for your imminent labour! I hope everything goes well for you and that the OC hasn't effected you or the baby other than the itching. Looking forward to reading your birth story and seeing some pics! GOOD LUCK! xx

ps. Does the sweep hurt? x

Thanks hunni I will def keep you posted Good luck for your gastro appointment, I'll be stalking to see how you get on x

The sweep's a bit odd...it's very uncomfortable, as you could imagine it would be with somebody pulling apart your cervix with their fingers. I definitely don't think I want another one any time soon! But I think it would hurt even more if you weren't ready for it x Just make sure when the time comes you've been inserting EPO and hopefully things will be nice and soft x

 

[Pixie81]

Thanks for that. I will know what to prepare myself for now if I ever have to have one. I'm hoping as i've had a difficult pregnancy towards the end I will have an easy labour! LOL. Don't mean to sound thick, but whats EPO?? Lol. x

 

[rwhite]

Thanks for that. I will know what to prepare myself for now if I ever have to have one. I'm hoping as i've had a difficult pregnancy towards the end I will have an easy labour! LOL. Don't mean to sound thick, but whats EPO?? Lol. x

Fingers crossed! It's only fair that you do, can't wait to see your thread at some point saying you've gone in to labour It won't be far away now at all x

All these abbreviations on here get so confusing don't they EPO is abbr for evening primrose oil. They're capsules of oil that help to soften and ripen the cervix to ready it for labour. It can be taken orally or inserted vaginally (though best to wear a pad and do this at bed time as to avoid excess leakage of oil!) from 36 weeks onward Apparently man-juice does the same thing So either or I suppose!

 

[Pixie81]

Hahahaha. Ok. Will have to try that! Is it safe to insert an EPO tablet up there? x

 

[rwhite]

Hahahaha. Ok. Will have to try that! Is it safe to insert an EPO tablet up there? x

Lots of ladies do it so I think it's fairly safe (hope so anyway ). It's meant to be more effective than taking them orally. You just need to make sure you put it right up as far as you can, and it will just dissolve from the body heat Yay almost time for hospital, gas and air here I come!!

x
Nice talking to ya hun

 

[chief's wife]

thanks for the information.puts my mind at rest

 

[Pixie81]

You too. Good luck!!! xxx

 

[lewiepud08]

thankyou for raising awareness in this thread. I started itching on tuesday and its been doing my head in on and off - soles of feet and legs. I also have a weird rash on my face. Im not sure if its an allergy to something..... It dosent seem to be severe but its annoying and not normal for me. Im 29 weeks today, seen midwife today and ive had the blood test done and have to ring up monday morning for results. Im hoping its not OC im so anxious at the best of times

Jen xx

 

[Jo]

Good luck Jen
Let us know how you get on, with a rash it sounds a bit more like an allergy xx

 

[Pixie81]

I thought I would update you on what happened to me yesterday.

Well my midwife came to my house yesterday afternoon for my check up. Everything was fine with my blood pressure, urine, etc. But after looking at my blood test results again she wasn't happy with them as they seemed a bit high, especially with all the symptoms i've been having. For over 2 weeks now i've been really itchy, off my food, being sick, had a show last weekend, and also had some pains on thursday night which were coming every 10 mins, but only lasting 2-3 seconds each (I now realise these were Braxton Hicks!) Also had reduced fetal movements past 2 days.

Anyway, my midwife made loads of calls to the hospital, and although they were full up in the fetal health unit, they agreed to give me a CTG on labour ward. I was told to go to pathology first and get some bloods done and also to take an overnight bag!

We got to Labour ward at about 4pm and was shown to a bed where we sat and waited til about 4:20pm before anyone came to see us. I was hooked up to the CTG machine where they measured the baby's heart rate and my uterous to see if it was contracting at all. I was supposed to be on the machne for half an hour, but it ended up over an hour!

Everything was fine with the baby and I wasn't having contractions which is great. But when the midwife spoke to the registrar she looked at my notes and my LFT's and confirmed I now DO have Obstetric Choleostasis, even though they told me last week I didn't have it. I have now got to take Vitamin K tablets every day, and they have also prescribed piriton, and calamine lotion to help with the itching. I've got to go back on monday for more blood tests, which will be sent to Birmingham for some reason(?!) I have to have 2 CTG's every week from now on, a growth scan of the baby and a scan of my liver too and blood tests every week to check my liver function.

I am hoping i'll be induced at 37 weeks as I don't want to risk stillbirth if left till full term (2 weeks time and on DH's Brother's birthday!!). I just hope it won't be at 38 weeks as that'll be my birthday!

I was home 3 hours later, so didn't need my hospital bag after all! Lol.

They measured my bump at the hospital and she's measuring quite big - 39cm! So not sure if I will need to buy any premature/early baby clothes. I have 3 early baby sleepsuits just in case. DH will have to go and buy more if we need them. I've been feeling the baby move much more since I had the CTG which is a good thing at least. I have just got to wait for the hospital to call me now when my prescription is in for the vitamin K, etc as the pharmacy closed before we left last night.

I hope everyone else gets on OK. xxx