Please help! Terrible itching!!! Probably not PUPPPS.

[lovetobemama]

Hey there! I'm not in your DDC, but my dear SIL is due Aug 6th. My own DDC was a life-saver with my last pregnancy, so I thought I would pop in here and see if you mamas could help with a problem my SIL is having these days.

Basically, she is suffering from terrible, full-body itching these days. It can be anywhere, but is worse on her extremities.

It started a week or two ago, and there is nothing on her skin, at all! Just a random itching that comes and goes but is worse at night. Doesn't seem to be PUPPPS because her skins seems to be completely normal.

She has tried oatmeal baths, super-duper moisturizing, and a Benadryl two different times, but nothing seems to really help.

Anyone know what she can try?

[JamieFay]

www.itchymoms.com

Take a look at this link and have her call her caretaker right away if it sounds like her symptoms are the same. I suffered from ICP with my first. I started itching horribly at about 38 weeks with no rash-starting with my extremities and always worse at night. I acutally used the tips of knives on my skin it itched so bad! I still have scars from the sores I ended up with. Thankfully it was diagnosed early enough and I was able to be induced to prevent harm to my son, but if it goes undiagnosed it can be very dangerous for the baby.
I don't mean to cause alarm, it could be absolutely NOTHING, but better safe than sorry. Good Luck to your SIL

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

colestasis is always my first thought with pg woman with full body itch but no rash.

[Dahlea]

Yep she definitely needs to get checked out. Grandpa's pine tar oil soap would help if it's just itchy skin not anything wrong. Also oatmeal baths are very soothing.

[lovetobemama]

Yikes!!!

Thank you so much, mamas, for all the info! I checked the diagnosis out last night, and talked with my SIL today. She is going to see her care provider tomorrow and we'll see what happens from there. I'm hoping that she gets the blood work done, or that ICP can be definitively ruled out!!

Thanks SO SO SO much for your input. I'll let you know how tomorrow goes!

And good luck to you all for your last few weeks!

[seattlemamma]

Hope it all turns out okay.

[lovetobemama]

Just wanted to give you guys a quick update.

My SIL saw her OB, and after talking about the itching again, the OB actually brought up ICL, and suggested that they do the blood tests to rule it out before my SIL even had time to bring it up.

I am SO thankful to you guys for the suggestion, and so relieved that her OB was so forward-thinking in handling the situation.

My SIL is 38 weeks tomorrow, and the itching doesn't seem to be getting consistently worse, and is even somewhat lighter at times. So hopefully, she either doesn't have ICL, or has a mild, late-developing case. She'll get the blood work back in a few days.

I'll keep you posted!
Thanks again