Obstetric cholestasis

Anyone else had it? How did you cope?

The hospital doctors think I have it. I've had the symptoms for nearly two weeks and am at my wits end. We're STILL waiting for the results of the blood test that tell us definately whether I have it. But the itching is driving me insane. My skin is starting to break down from all the scratching.

Plus we're on twice weekly monitoring at the hospital which involves sitting around up there in the heat for nearly the whole day each time. I haven't slept properly since it first started. Apparently this condition can cause problems to the baby so the doctors are planning on getting him out early.

We have an appointment with the specialist ob dude today. I am so hoping he'll give us a c/s date. I think I will probably break down if he says to do more monitoring and blood tests and see him again next week.

My liver function tests are getting steadily worse. They've tested me for diabetes three times now and dispite their best efforts to make me diabetic by feeding me that gross sugary drink, they've all been negative. At 34 weeks baby was around 3.3kg and is in the top 90 something percentile.

I know I'm rambling now.

Thanks Monikah, thats pretty much what they've told me too.

Were your normal liver function tests abnormal? Mine are, so thats why they think its likely I have it. That plus the itching. I've had to cut my nails as short as I can to avoid too much damage with the scratching. And I was wondering why I've had random bruises develop overnight. Probably from the scratching.

They are proceeding as if I've got the cholestasis even though the tests are taking weeks to come back. Because of my previous c/s induction isn't an option. So we've got an elective c/s date booked for 26/8. I'll be 38+2 weeks. I cried when the doctor told me that, I so wanted it to happen at 37 weeks. Now I feel guilty for being a bad mother...

What helped with the itching? I'm taking a 10mg phenergan tablet at night and plastering aqueous cream on several times a day. The doctors also prescribed me dermol cream which I found useless. It comes in tiny tubes and doesn't spread. Didn't seem to make any difference anyway.