Itchy Skin all over. HELP?

Hi All,





I am 24 weeks pregnant and my skin is driving me crazy. I have itchy skin all over. I am aware that it is normal to have your stomach and breast itch because they are growing. However, i am having my whole body itch, my stomach, breast, legs, face, back etc. I was reading about this liver condition called Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy which makes you itch all over. Has any one ever had this? Is it normal to itch all over, did you have itching all over?





I am going to speak to my doctor in regards to this on thursday. I was reading info and Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy causes still birth, hemmorage, pre term labor and more un healthy conditions. My boyfriend thinks i am over reacting but i am concerned.





Thanks for any answers.

Itchy Skin all over. HELP?
HI you have every reason to be concerned. I am 21 weeks with baby 4 and yes I have ICP. I have had it in 3 out of the four pregnancies. When you see your Dr don't be surprised if they don't know about this condition or tell you it isn't serious. IT IS SERIOUS. What you read is true. To put your mind at ease the only test that can determine if you have ICP is a Bile Salt blood test and they take about 1 to 2 weeks to get the results. the Dr should also do a Liver function test but this only assists in the diagnosis. If the LFT comes back normal you can still have ICP. As I said only a Bile Salt test can tell you. Have a look at the itchymoms chat forum it is great there is alot of helpful information on it. You can itch all over or just your hands and feet. Don't wait !!!! See your doctor and get the test done, better to be safe than sorry.


I hope all goes well.





I have just read other answers telling you Not to worry.


But I can't urge you enough to PLEASE get the test done even if your Dr says it is just dry skin , demand it to be on the safe side. This is your babys life they are talking about.
Reply:hey, i haven't had the problem, but i did hear about some sort of liver problem from itching all over, so definately check with your doc, maybe even give them a call tomorrow, he may want to see you sooner.
Reply:go to the doctor for sure. it's rare that it would be something serious, but in my labor and delivery class i knew a women who had that condition, it's easy to test for and always good to know!
Reply:You probably are overreacting. I have this itchiness and I am 13 weeks pregnant. I sometimes cant sit in one place cause I get this crazy itch and I just need to keep moving. Is your skin dry? You should ask your doctor but I dont really think you need to be concerned. Good Luck!!
Reply:I'm 38 weeks pregnant and I've had this with both my children. The only thing I've been told by the DR is to keep myself well lotioned and use the Aveeno Oatmeal bath ... best thing EVER!!! Good Luck
Reply:By all means get tested just to be on the safe side but you are not unique with this. I was soooooooo itchy for the first half of my pregnancy, I had to cut my fingernails as short as I could or I would scratch while sleeping until I bled. I still have a mark on my leg from scratching. Turns out one of the reasons for this was I wasn't hydrated enough. Increase your water intake and get a soap free moisturizing body wash. I also put lotion on twice a day as well, and I still do frequently but the itching does calm down after awhile. My doctor said it was partly not enough fluids and partly the way my skin reacted to the hormones in my system.





Also you may be reacting differently to the laundry soap or fabric softener, try doing an extra rinse on your clothes. I've known a couple other pregnant women who developed sensitivities to soaps, perfumes, lotions etc... when pregnant.
Reply:dont wait until thursday to go... i experienced this in my pregnancy (turned out to be an allergic reaction to medication tho) and was concerned so i called my dr. they told me to come into their office right away for blood work because there is a condition where your liver produces too much bile and it ends up in your blood stream. its basically poisening your body. it can be dangerous for both you and baby if left untreated. you may be paranoid, but tell your boyfriend that this is your child you're talking about.. if they were born and you suspected illness, you'd have them at the dr right away!! its the exact same when they're still in utero. better safe than sorry and its a simple blood test to find out.
Reply:hi. i just read about a woman recently that actually came out in hives, like an allergic reaction, she was ok, just itchy and when she had her,healthy, baby they went away, was something like her body was mistakenly thinking it was allergic to her placenta.... but she was ok in end, your partners right, try not to think worse case scenario,i know-hard for a preg lady, but it could be twenty different things. just wait til u see your doc. and remember medical technology has come long way, if your fears are true you will have plenty of good help. good luck. x
Reply:I had the same exact problem near the end of my pregnancy with my daughter %26amp; it drove me absolutely insane. I highly recommend using "Sarna" lotion which is available at Target, Wal-Mart, ect. It did provide plenty of relief %26amp; they use it in hospitals. I did get the liver test done %26amp; it came back negative. You should get tested to be on the safe side. My daughter was born without any problems. Oh yeah, you could have PUPPP. See the attached source.