*!!super Itchy!!*

[jaxsmomma]

K... 35 Wks Along... Yesterday My Hands And Feet Started Itching - Terribly!! My Hands Are The Worst!! Is This Normal? Anyone Else Itchy? This Is Driving Me Insane!! I've Been Washing My Hands Thinking Something Might Have Been On Them... Using Aloe Vera Like Crazy!! Anyone Else Have Any Ideas??

[Steal]

I am exactly the same along and I am itchy all the time. I find that I am scratching my feet and hands constantly and I am taking multiple showers a day and using Eucerin cream for relief. Nothing seems to help; I am itching as I type. I think part of it is the skin getting dry from stretching, but I am itching in areas that are not stretching. I also think that the heat doesn't help. But, none-the-less, it is good to know that I am not alone.

-Steph
Almost 36 weeks

[fgummett]

Have you tried soaking in a lukewarm (not hot) bath with Aveeno -- oatmeal?

[Seagal]

Have you tried coconut oil? It has terrific health benefits. I buy mine online (Nutiva extra virgin at Vitacost)because it is less expensive than at Whole Foods or health food store, but you could splurge on a jar and see if it would work for you. It is not liquid (unless it is very hot)but a solid that looks like crisco. Doesn't need refrigeration and lasts a long time. You many not like the "oily" feeling, but it is worth a try if you are going crazy with the itching.

BTW, multiple showers will dry you out

Keri

[jaxsmomma]

ive been using cocoa butter for my stomach - that skin is obviously stretching (and the cocoa butter helps), but with my hands its just... ugh!! nothings working and i dont understand why my hands are itching so bad!!

[Steal]

I just looked up an article on the subject. It said the itching comes from an increase in estrogen and while I thought that I was helping and relieving the itching through showers, it says that this makes it worse. Oh man.

I hope the article helps you:
Itchy skin during pregnancy | BabyCenter

-steph

[Brookie]

Hi there,

Though I didn't have itchy skin, I do remember hearing a patient talking to a nurse about it while I was doing my stress testing. Though it may be an estrogen thing like Steph says, I would mention it to your doc to make sure it's not anything more serious. I'm sure all is fine, but just talk to your doc about it too.

Congrats on the baby!

[klpants]

Hi

It could be excema, is there little red bumps on your hands and feet? I sometimes get excema on my ankles but not often then got pregnant and voila, more often on my ankles, a bit on my lower back and itches really bad, moisturise is usually the answer....hormonal fun!

[rmel]

It may be fungus - my feet itch like crazy unless I use one of those foot sprays against athlete's foot - I remember reading somewhere (please correct me if this is wrong folks! ) that diabetics are prone to fungal infections in the feet......have you had your nails done recently? That could account for the itching on both the hands and feet. A dermatologist could sort you out, too. Good luck!!!

[jaxsmomma]

just letting all of you know... i went to the doctor and its called intrahepatic cholostasis. exactly what i thought - when i googled about it, it was a textbook case...

its super annoying and the only cure is to get the baby out. since im only 36 wks, thats not going to happen and i have to live with it. ive tried all kinds of creams to try to relieve the itch, but no good.

basically, intrahepatic cholostasis is a problem with the liver being compressed by the baby. im not producing enough bile and it has something to do with salt coming up to the skin and making me itchy.

ugh!!!

[Lizzie G]

oh no that doesnt sound like too much fun....how long are they going to leave him? hope everything else is going along well x

[jaxsmomma]

its not fun at all!! 36 wks is too soon to induce or section him, so i have to wait ATLEAST 2 more wks... ugh!!

i am MISERABLE and my doc sees that, so hopefully we can do something about it at 38 wks... it doesn't harm the me or the baby, but my lack of sleep will!!

living in 105 degree weather isn't helping much either... the pool feels a little better, but then the chlorine dries out my skin... its just one thing after another and its totally frustrating...

[Lizzie G]

oh dear that sucks....but at least the end is in sight....iv got about another 28 to 30 to go and im miserable just from feeling sick and tired all the time...these are not the happy days i was hoping for!!!

[Steal]

Jaxmomma,

I am in the exact same boat and my husband just keeps saying that he feels so bad for me. I don't even know that I itch myself in my sleep. I try everything, but I have so many little cuts from the scratching.

Anyway, we just found out that I am going to be induced on Saturday! They are doing an amnio tomorrow, to make sure that all is developed, and if so, Saturday will be the day!

I am counting down the days. Only a few more itchy days to go.

-Steph

[jaxsmomma]

hey steph,

lucky u, girl!!

i have a doc appt in the morning and i am going to push in induction or section sooo bad!!

i have been completely miserable and i dont sleep... between gettin up every hr to pee and scratchin all the time, im lucky to get a combined 2 hrs a night!!

this is completely ridiculous - i think that sleep deprivation is worse for the baby and myself then for him to be 2 wks early...

im definitely going to talk to my doc tomorrow!!

congratulations for saturday!! hope all goes well!!