itchy body espically hands and feet

Elizabethjohanna · December 2013

is it normal to have your body itchy. i know that if your belly is itchy is normal but how bout hands toes back, legs

i tried avenno i tried cortisone i trie everything nothing works
i feel scared i am first time mom

littlepig2 · December 2013

you're scared that your body itches? have you searched threads on this board or read anything else that anyone has posted? or tried google? or your doctor?
it's normal to be itchy, especially in the winter. what's not normal is extreme itching or a rash. I don't really know how to respond to this...

littlepig2 · December 2013

cholestasis doesn't normally present itself as a rash but it's severe itching on the palms of your hands and soles of your feet. it doesn't feel better when you scratch it, though. your dr can test for it with bloodwork checking your bile salts.

littlepig2 · December 2013

@adinashoshana I figured that's what you meant!

littlepig2 · December 2013

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Dexter&11 · December 2013

I get the itchy toes, just the toes, every few weeks for a few days....drives me insane as I can't reach to scratch them and end up looking like a bull pawing the ground while I try to get rid of the itch - gives the SO a good giggle though.

I've found warm salty water to be quite good at temporarily getting rid of the itch....does come back with force a few hours later though

ehighlan · December 2013

Drink more water. It will help hydrate you more from the inside out. My feet were itching really badly and my doc said more water and medicated foot powder. Just another fun symptom of pregnancy. For me it only lasted a week and then was gone. Good lotion may help too. GL.

slwprincess · December 2013

Dexter&11 said:

I get the itchy toes, just the toes, every few weeks for a few days....drives me insane as I can't reach to scratch them and end up looking like a bull pawing the ground while I try to get rid of the itch - gives the SO a good giggle though. I've found warm salty water to be quite good at temporarily getting rid of the itch....does come back with force a few hours later though

Not trying to be a smartass, but this one sounds like Athlete's Foot to me. I'd try some Lotrimin cream?

quidditchcapn1120 · December 2013

Itchy hands and feet, especially if it is worse at night, are classic signs of cholestasis. Your bile salts (total and fractionated) need to be tested, especially now that we are getting closer to the end of pregnancy. It does at times take a few weeks for levels to increase after itching in some cholestasis patients. This is very important and very serious. It takes approximately 5-10 days for these results to come back.

Just so you know, many doctors are not knowledgeable about cholestasis. It is important to educate yourself so you can be an advocate if you were to happen to have it. It is rare, so it is likely that it is something else, but I have had it two pregnancies now and I can't emphasize enough that you should be tested.

RedSoxGirl10 · December 2013

Another cholestasis person here- just got diagnosed this week. My itching wasn't even THAT bad but I knew something was wrong and I called the doctor. They immediately guessed it was cholestasis and both my liver tests came back to show that. The baby is doing fine but it's MUCH better if you know you have it- they will monitor you more and probably induce early. Seriously, get it checked- it's a quick blood test and the worst thing that happens is they say your liver is fine and it's just regular pregnancy itch.

Also, I highly recommend the extra strength gold bond lotion (green bottle), that has totally changed my ability to sleep with the itchy feeling!

Dexter&11 · December 2013

Athletes foot? Hasn't spread to the SO and its only for a couple of days at a time then disappears completely for a couple of weeks - no treatment required. Never had that before so wouldn't have a clue what symptoms are....also avoiding Dr Google in case I get told my feet need to be amputated

It's 21:00 on Friday so I guess I'll be waiting til Monday to get the answer to that question

Elizabethjohanna · December 2013

thank you!!
i am waiting on my blood work to see if it is cholestasis. the test takes 9 days. i hope its just pregnancy itch.
thank you everyone for taking time to reply and help me out.

RedSoxGirl10 · December 2013

Good luck @Elizabethjohanna I hope that it's not cholestasis! But if it is, it's good that you caught it

Elizabethjohanna · December 2013

finally got my results i have cholestasis

RedSoxGirl10 · December 2013

@Elizabethjohanna

Ugh- I was hoping it wouldn't be for your sake!

Here is my only advice so far... totally not an expert but if you are looking for it.

1. I've had a lot of luck with Gold Bond Medicated Extra Strength Body Lotion (it comes in a green bottle). It literally cools down your entire body (which is cold, but worth it). Sarna lotion works well too, but I like the Gold Bond even more. Sometimes I alternate though just because I put it on like 3 times a day, ha.

2. Make sure you are being monitored by your doctor more often now. I go in 2x per week (but my doctor said this was at 33-34 weeks so not sure how far along you are)- one for a non stress test and one for an ultrasound/meet with doctor. I'll be induced between 36-37 weeks, this seems to depend on your doctor.

3. This is a great resource https://www.icpcare.org/ and there is also a facebook group.

Elizabethjohanna · January 2014

RedSoxGirl10 said:
@Elizabethjohanna

Ugh- I was hoping it wouldn't be for your sake!

Here is my only advice so far... totally not an expert but if you are looking for it.

1. I've had a lot of luck with Gold Bond Medicated Extra Strength Body Lotion (it comes in a green bottle). It literally cools down your entire body (which is cold, but worth it). Sarna lotion works well too, but I like the Gold Bond even more. Sometimes I alternate though just because I put it on like 3 times a day, ha.

2. Make sure you are being monitored by your doctor more often now. I go in 2x per week (but my doctor said this was at 33-34 weeks so not sure how far along you are)- one for a non stress test and one for an ultrasound/meet with doctor. I'll be induced between 36-37 weeks, this seems to depend on your doctor.

3. This is a great resource https://www.icpcare.org/ and there is also a facebook group.

thank you so much!! i will definitely look for the lotion you recommend i cannot sleep at night!! its a nightmare for me its so hard to deal with this i cant help it but scratch my whole body i take 2 showers a day with warm water but i doesn't help alot i spend like an hour or more at the sink soaking my feet and hands in cold water.. it sucks because its really cold out and by doing this i am getting sick thank god i took the flu shot. doctor put me on ursodiol 250 mg twice a day but its not helping he said to wait at least 3-4 days or even a week in order to see effects. i am 35 weeks now i have an appointment scheduled for friday to see how baby is doing and to check the placenta hopefully everything goes well. he said most likely ill be induce at 38 weeks but he isn't sure.

RedSoxGirl10 · January 2014

Yeah, being cool/cold really seems to help which is why the Gold Bond lotion works (I think) you will feel a huge chill when you put it on. I was doing it in front of the fire place when I was at my parent's last week but now I'm home and just have to suffer through the cold. It's a bit rough in Boston winter but it's WAY better than itching.

I have been on Urso for 9 days now and I have JUST started to notice it helping the itching a little bit. Hopefully it will help you eventually too!

quidditchcapn1120 · January 2014

It took about a week for me to notice a difference in itching once on the ursodiol. It sucks but worth it.

However, just for realism's sake, I have heard of ladies not getting relief from the meds. I hope that's not the case for you! Ditto on the cold helping. Luckily I live in Chicago so I can just go outside for a few minutes and voila! Numb skin!

christsgurl · January 2014

I just have itchy feet (just the tops of my feet)with no rash but a history of eczema, my hands are not itchy though but thinking maybe I should get a blood test anyways.

RedSoxGirl10 · January 2014

@christsgurl

I would get a test. It's really easy just a quick blood tests and you'll have the results in a few days. If you don't have it, then good but better to check since there is so much they can do to help if you know what you have. My itching was probably something I could've ignored too but since I read online it COULD be a liver issue, I called- I'm now glad I did because I do have cholestasis and wouldn't have known otherwise.

christsgurl · January 2014

RedSoxGirl10 said:
@christsgurl

I would get a test. It's really easy just a quick blood tests and you'll have the results in a few days. If you don't have it, then good but better to check since there is so much they can do to help if you know what you have. My itching was probably something I could've ignored too but since I read online it COULD be a liver issue, I called- I'm now glad I did because I do have cholestasis and wouldn't have known otherwise.

Yeah I don't have a doc appt till the 20th & I'll be 36 weeks then so I think I will see if I can move it to a sooner date, just in case the tests are positive

RedSoxGirl10 · January 2014

Yeah, I went in one morning and just did the blood tests. They also gave me a NST at the same time, but I didn't see a doctor until later in the week when they confirmed the diagnosis!

christsgurl · January 2014

Yeah, I'm going in for just blood work on Monday since I couldn't get my regular apt moved up any closer.

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