Itching = Cholestasis? Should I ask my doctor? Help!

res932

I had an earlier post in which I mentioned that my feet have been itching a lot recently. It seems to happen in the evening when I am tired and my feet are swollen and sore. I don't really have much itching other places, other than sometimes on my breasts and my belly. One poster mentioned the possibility of having cholestasis, which after I Googled it really concerns me. Should I be calling my doctor and having them run tests?  I have an appointment next Wednesday with the doctor. Should I wait until that appointment or does it seem serious enough to call now?

Temp401037375003448

I'm the one who responded to your post previously. In all likelihood your probably don't have it, it is rare and it would be a tad early for it to show up. The itching is usually concentrated to the bottoms of your feet and palms of your hands, especially at night. Being itchy during pregnancy can be common due to hormones and your skin stretching but in some rare cases (like mine) it can be cholestasis. You can always call your nurse regarding your itching, try creams and benadryl if she suggests that to you. If your itching persists you can discuss checking bile levels at your next visit with your doc. I didn't mean to alarm you in any way, I just wanted you to be aware that sometimes, very rarely, itching can be cholestasis and should be monitored.

res932

The itching isn't intense, and is mainly around the ankles or on the sides of my feet. Nothing on my hands. I have two little bites so I don't know if maybe I got some bug bites too and that is irritating me even more. It has only been bad for a day or so, and I also got a nasty sunburn this weekend so my skin is very dried out.  I just get very nervous about anything that could possibly go wrong. I am such a worrier and always find the worst case scenarios.

I also wonder if some of the itching could be from my feet swelling. I have been getting swollen and very sore feet at night which is when I tend to itch more. Last night I put my feet up in bed and felt better pretty quickly.

I think I may just call the nurse today and mention the itching and see what she says. If it continues, I have a doctors appointment next Wednesday and I can ask the doctor more about it.

spolan

The U.S. National Library of Medicine lists these as symptoms, too:

• Clay-colored or white stools

• Dark urine

• Inability to digest certain foods

• Itching

• Nausea or vomiting

• Pain in the right upper part of the abdomen

• Yellow skin or eyes

If you don't have any of these, try to take a breather and try some topical relief treatments.

I'm not a doctor, but I wouldn't be surprised if you had athlete's foot, personally.  With your feet swelling and being hot and sweaty all day, it's a perfect breeding ground for bacteria.  I don't know if you can use any of the athlete's foot creams while pregnant, but I used the stuff for external treatment that came with my last monistat treatment my doc prescribed... worked like a charm

Temp401037375003448

Bumps and swelling are not a symptom, so you are probably in the clear. I honestly didn't mean to make you worry for nothing, I just wanted you to be aware that it exists. I'd try lathering yourself up in a good anti itch lotion and give it a few days. Pregnant skin is much more irritable than it would be normally. good luck and I hope those itchies go away, I know how miserable it can be.

res932

wcoates:

I honestly didn't mean to make you worry for nothing, I just wanted you to be aware that it exists.

I just worry about everything! Other than itching how did they know you had it the first time? Was the itching really severe? Did you have any of the other symptoms? I was just wondering.

Temp401037375003448

res932:

wcoates:

I honestly didn't mean to make you worry for nothing, I just wanted you to be aware that it exists.

I just worry about everything! Other than itching how did they know you had it the first time? Was the itching really severe? Did you have any of the other symptoms? I was just wondering.

Oh my road to diagnosis the first time was a mess. I was super itchy, like clawing my skin off until I bled itching. At night I couldn't sleep because I would just itch my palms and soles of my feet, I was miserable. My husband googled it and came up with cholestasis, I blew his diagnosis off. The next doctors visit I was itching so bad during my appointment I was making my doc itch. He told the nurse to have my bloodwork drawn to test for it, she put in the lab order wrong, so needless to say I got a call back that I was normal. I was shocked. Apparently no one caught the lab mess up until 6 weeks later when I got a call telling me to drop everything and get to the lab. This of course freaked me out. Sure enough, a week later I got my results back and since I was at 37 weeks they went ahead and delivered my beautiful, healthy son. I honestly wasn't aware how serious it could be until I did the research later. I moved so I have a new doc this pregnancy, he is very proactive and does the test every visit so if I get it again I should know quickly. *pardon all the formatting issues, bumping from my iPad*

res932

My itching isnt that intense, and as I said I'm almost wondering now if it is a bug bite and or another type of allergic reaction. I have two small bites or bumps on either side of my right heel and that is where I am itching the most. Other than an occassional itching of my belly and breasts it isn't bad.

I think some of it also might be mental as we found fleas on the dog the other day and since then I have been paranoid that the fleas are biting. It is also very possible that it is athletes foot like PP suggested as my feet naturally sweat a lot.