December 2015 Moms

Any one else SO ITCHY!?

About 3 nights ago between my toes, on top of my toes and the sides of my feet and heels started itching intensely around bedtime. I put some hydrocortisone cream on them and elevated them and it got a little better and I was able to sleep that night. Well it has come back each night and has gotten progressively worse. There are little tiny bumps under my skin that feel like a rash to the touch but they don't stand out like a rash, like no redness or swelling, just to look at my feet. I feel like I'm going crazy. Just clawing my feet and not sleeping because I itch so badly. Have any other mamas experienced this and if so what did you doctor have to say or what did you do to treat it? I plan on calling Monday morning and seeing what they want me to do but in the meantime I'm going to lose my mind!! Help!!!

Re: Any one else SO ITCHY!?

  • @skcaulder -I just mentioned itchiness to my Dr. at yesterday's appointment... I don't have signs of a rash but I am itchy all over mostly at night when I lay down but sometimes during the day too when laying down... The itch feels as though there are bugs crawling under my skin... It's really unnerving... She drew blood for a bile acid test which will check for a condition called Cholestasis which can be dangerous to the baby... So much so in fact protocol is to deliver at 36 weeks to prevent complications such as still birth... Definitely mention this to your Dr. or maybe even call your nurses line if your insurance provides such a service... Don't want to scare you but my motto during this first pregnancy is its better to be safe than sorry
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  • That sounds like athlete's foot. Lotrimin (the regular cream in a tube) is safe in pregnancy. But you could ask your doctor, to verify. It's just where you're itching that sounds like athlete's foot to me (between the toes especially). Treatments usually help the itch while it's healing.
    Baby Boy Due December 29th!

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  • Like PP said, definitely mention it to your doctor to be safe. During my previous pregnancy I broke out in a horrible rash between my toes and pads of my feet. It started out just itchy with little bumps then got blister and raw. They said it was a combination of athlete's foot and eczema. While pregnant I washed with Cetaphil wash and then kept lotion on it and went bare foot as much as possible. Once DS was born I was given a combination anti-fungal and steroid creme and it cleared up completely in a month.
  • I'm not a Dr but I remember extreme itch being a concern for something more serious. Call the doc, could be athletes foot, could be something else. Worth a call either way.
  • @skcaulder if def sounds like Cholestasis to me. Good thing you had the bile acids drawn. I've had this twice previously and currently 29 weeks with it for the 3rd time. I'll be induced between 36 and 37 weeks. It is scary at the start but just know that with the medication (Urso) and monitoring the still birth rate is that of a regular pregnancy. Hang in there mama, hope you get some sleep tonight! I know how intense and inexplainable the itch can be :(
  • Hi @acstewart14... Was this comment directed towards me instead of op? I had responded to op with my own recent experience with itching and notifying my Dr. who ordered the test... Just wondering if you could give me some insight as to if my symptoms really do sound like cholestasis... The Dr. said we wouldn't have the bile acid results back for days... Really interested to hear your experience and thoughts....
  • @Jina32 hi kins sorry about that! It was for you. I also had the bugs unde my skin feeling and mine goes away during the day. It is most noticeable on my heels but mainly my feet and palms itch. It is normal to have the bile acids take a few days to return so try not to worry. The worst part about this condition is the fear but hear me when I say it will be ok :) with regular monitoring and the mediation the still birth rate is lower than that of a regular pregnancy. It sounds like your Dr is doing what needs to be done now, and for the time being there isn't much else to do but monitor once a diagnosis is made and try and get some sleep. I find Sarna lotion helps take the edge off and if you can freeze a 2l soda bottle and keep it at the foot of your bed to cool your feet at night. Mostly I try not to start itching as best as I can as once I start it feels like it 'spreads' and is hard to stop. I am 29 weeks now and on 1500mg of Urso. Feel free to message me at acstewart14@gmail.com if you'd like :)
  • I finally got mean enough to get an appointment. I had blood work done today and actually had a doctor who seemed to care about what I was saying. I'm having my liver functions and bile acid levels checked. I should hear something back hopefully in a week or so. Thank you for encouraging me to get checked out! Good luck to you itchy mamas too!
  • Get checked by a podiatrist! Might be athlete's foot, or like I was just diagnosed: a toenail fungal infection :(
  • @skcaulder oh that's so good! You really do need to be your own advocate sometimes to get testing and a diagnosis with this condition. Everyone always wants to convince you its something else but if you're that itchy there is no describing how bad it is! Good luck to you, let me know how your tests are!

    Ps-say pregnancy I itched for 16 weeks before anything showed in my labs so if you continue to show symptoms be sure to press for more blood work.
  • Hi. Just a lurker from A15. I'm glad you got the labs to check for cholestasis. I've had it in 4 pregnancies. The itch is indescribably awful. I agree with @acstewart14 to retest if you are still itchy and you still don't have a Dx for it. In my 4th I had itching, but mild enough that my labs weren't elevated. I made it to 38w and my labs were suddenly critically high.
  • Hey ladies. Got results today, by bile acids were a 14. My OB office said anything up to a 19 was normal but they are not well versed in ICP or up to date. All the research I've read this last week says anything over a 10 is positive for it. I've joined a few ICP support groups on Facebook and they confirm that my level indicates ICP. I feel like I'm going to be fighting hard for the next 8 weeks with my OB until I'm finally induced. Any advice or suggestions? I'm just worried about our sweet boy.
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