Advice please!!! Late pregnancy itchiness :(

[Bthomson]

Hey All! I am currently at 35 and a half weeks pregnant and have recently developed a rash EVERYWHERE possible. It's unbearable and I am finding it hard to cope. The midwife said to take 4 Piritons a day to help the symptoms but I'm still a bit scared to do this as the usual dosage of them is 1 a day and not to take during pregnancy/breast feeding! I have also tried to use calamine lotion but I have seriously sensitive skin so it's making it worse. Anybody else experiencing the same and/ or have any other suggestions? X x

 

[Sharmon]

Oh that sound dreadful, have you been tested for obstetric choleosis? I know this can cause severe itching. Not sure what other advice I can offer, sorry.
Hope the itching eases soon

 

[Bunny432]

Lulu had this and it was to do with her liver, I would demand the MW do some proper checks on you! It could ease up babe and be nothing but I'd rather be safe x x

 

[Louise2013]

If you have a rash it is less likely to be OC (typically presents without rash and most itchy on hands and feet) and more likely to be polymorphic eruption of pregnancy (PEP, formerly known as PUPPP, Google it for pictures, and unlike OC typically presents WITH a rash but NOT on hands, feet or face). And if it is, you have my every sympathy. It is horrendous. I was one of the weird cases that had it post partum and I was beside myself.... If it is PEP it is harmless to both you and baby, just utterly unbearable. Take the antihistamines and see if they work would be my advice firstly! I have a whole list of other things I tried after that if you don't have joy but I won't list them all now....

 

[kumber]

Sorry Louise but I'm going to massively disagree with you on the rash. Lulu90, who has just had her boy at 37 weeks due to OC, was covered in a rash from 28 weeks. The rash was on her neck, chest and legs, as well at itching on the hands, wrists, arms, ankles, feet and legs.

OP, I would go and see your mw or GP as soon as you can, whichever is quicker, and request for bloods to be done to check liver activity and bile salt levels to check for and rule out OC (obstetric cholestasis). Check the thread at the top of tri 3 too, it has lods of tips from previous mummies with this issue.

 

[Bthomson]

Thank you all for taking the time to give advice! I actually ended up going to MAC on Monday evening as was so concerned and had bloods taken, however no one has been in touch yet with results. Going to ring tomorrow if don't hear from them. The rash is mainly on legs and arms and face. However it's itchy everywhere, head to foot! Just hoping it will die down, this combined with SPD is not a good combination whilst heavily pregnant as I'm sure you can all imagine! Hate moaning? Just want to enjoy the pregnancy! Xx

 

[Louise2013]

Sorry Louise but I'm going to massively disagree with you on the rash. Lulu90, who has just had her boy at 37 weeks due to OC, was covered in a rash from 28 weeks. The rash was on her neck, chest and legs, as well at itching on the hands, wrists, arms, ankles, feet and legs.

OP, I would go and see your mw or GP as soon as you can, whichever is quicker, and request for bloods to be done to check liver activity and bile salt levels to check for and rule out OC (obstetric cholestasis). Check the thread at the top of tri 3 too, it has lods of tips from previous mummies with this issue.

No need to apologise, I wasn't saying it couldn't be OC, hence use of the term 'typically' as Oc most commonly and usually presents without a rash: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregna...ing-obstetric-cholestasis-pregnant.aspx#close. There are always exceptions.

Glad you've been seen Bthomson! Hope something works soon for you xx