My heart goes out to you. I have experienced both extreme pain and extreme itching, and, in my opinion, itching is worse.
The systems of the medical profession are only about 60 years old and they cannot understand the body as do practitioners of Chinese Traditional Medicine, a system that has been working effectively for over 5,000 years.
I would recommend one of these practitioners. One of the best in the area is Dr. Shao. Of course, one has to pay. Even when one has insurance, it will not pay for such therapies. However, the work is not as costly as mainstream medicine.
Blessings to you, my dear, and I pray you will find relief.
I felt compeled to rspond to you. I experienced the same thing during pregnancy. I read that it is associated with high hormone levels and anxiety.
I used coritsone cream and other anti-itch creams. The OB can probobly prescribe you something like a steroidal cream that should help with the itching.
Focusing on other things besides the itching, such as deep breathing or progressive muscular relaxation (where you relax each part of your body) helps a lot to. I find when I focus too much on the itch I went crazy. Also, keeping the house very cool helps as well.
Good luck!! It's worth it..
I have the same thing happen to me. I'm not pregnant now, but it started when I was and happens occaisionally now. Try putting a pillow under your knees and elevate your feet a bit. I think it's caused by bad circulation, especially since you're pregnant. Perhaps the baby is sitting on a nerve or blood vessel when you lay down.
Good luck! I know how uncomfortable it can be!
Gina
You HAVE to get your liver enzyme levels AND Bile acid levels tested and tested frequently. You most likelt have what I had, it's called Obstetric Cholestasis. Mnay OB's will dismiss the "itchyness" as pregnancy dry skin. This is NOT the same. It is so miserable that by the end of my pregnancy, I had itched almost all of the skin off of my legs and would go outside to run the skin raw on my hands and feet to stop the itching. I even placed my hands on hot burners for a second because the burning pain relieved the extreme itching. There is medication that can ease the itching. The biggest concern is there is a 10% chance of stillbirth after 36 weeks. You MUST have your baby monitored very closely after 32 weeks and you HAVE to deliver early to prevent stillbirth. My fourth daughter was born at 36 weeks and was in the NICU for 8 days, after they did a fetal lung maturity test to make sure she was "ready". Although that was tough, at least she wasn't going to die randomly inside of me. There is a website that offers TONS of support and information. I went to over 10 OB's and almost all of them dismissed my symptons, leaving me miserable and possibly endangering the lives of my children. It is the grace of God that allowed them to live, without proper care. Go to : www.itchymoms.com Get support today and demand support and acknowledgment from your ob, go to your next appointment with printed out information from the internet and go with a friend who will stand up for you and not let your doctor talk you out of your knowledge and need for better care.
Sounds like some kind of neuropathy. Diabetics get it but it can be for lots of other reasons. Do not take any meds for it. Your baby will become toxic and have neurodevelopmental issues.. Maybe try spreading vaseline on them at night and covering with socks. www.developmentalbaby.vpweb.com
Let me tell you, you are not alone. I am going threw the same thing as we speak. The itching is all over my body also with no rashes. I called my ob gyn and told her I wanted blood work done, so I go in tomorrow. I am 38 weeks pregnant and just took benadryl to try to get relief. If I were you I would demand blood work to check the liver. You can never be too careful. I know some itching is normal during pregnacy but not this extreme. Anyway, good luck. Let me know what happens.
I had the exact same thing!!! It started in my feet, spread to my hands, then later to my thighs, outer arms, and lower stomach...basically my entire body it was AWEFUL!!
My dr. did take me seriously and immediately sent me for blood work you are correct about it having something to do with your liver function your body may be producing to many salts (or leaving to many salts) and they get stored under your skin. There are a few effects to this that can be harmful to you and the baby, but don't be alarmed.
I was sent twice for the blood work, after the first test came back negative and the symptons never went away. It came back negative both times and showed nothing was wrong with my liver. I just changed lotions and body soap and it got a little bit better
After I had my daughter it got much worse and a rash develped on my lower abs (I did not have a c-section so this had nothing to do with it) and my thighs, hands, and arms. I went to my ob and they couldn't figure it out, I went to my derm. and he couldn't figure it out. Basically I kept changing lotions until it went away.
Sorry that I haven't really been much help because the itching didn't go away until my daughter was about 3 weeks old. But the GOOD thing is she is perfectly fine and so am I. I would really get on your doctor about getting those tests done. I know it will make you feel much better!
I had extremely itchy hands and feet for the first trimester of my pregnancy. Nothing helped. The symptoms went away after the first trimester and my baby and me were both healthy the whole pregnancy and I know have a healthy 3 and 1/2 year old. Hope this helps put your mind at ease a little.
I experienced something similar. My itching wasn't on my extremities (feet and hands) mine was on my abdomen. I was referred to a dermatologist. His prognosis was dry skin and the stretching of my skin due to the pregnancy. I switched to Dove soap. I stopped using body wash which can cause dry skin. I limited the amount of time I soaked in the tub which also can cause dry skin. It didn't eliminate the itching but it eased it enough where I could bear it. The good news is that it ended when I delivered my daughter.
You are not crazy! I experienced the same thing during my last pregnancy. My arms and legs itched like crazy. My midwife said it may be something to do with the hormones. Benadryl didn't do much for me either. what helped is a hot as you can stand it shower followed by a cool rinse and I would do gold bond after. And then just busy yourself with something to take your mind off it. I feel for you cause it is annoying but you will get through it! Congratulations by the way!
WOW! SO IT WAS'NT JUST IN MY HEAD!!!! I experienced the same thing while preg w/ my third child....my OB dismissed it off as "mass production of hormones" I was induced three weeks for this as I was literally scratching my skin off!! It was on the top of my feet as well as my hands.... :(THAT SUCKED!!! Guess what 10 yrs later Its happening again....no pregnancy this time...I had Liver Func. test done per my PMD....ALL negative....still dont have an answer wgt or what? Good luck....if ya find out the cause pls. share...
I am pregnant with twins and I had the same thing I tried everything have your doctor test you for something called ICP Its Cholestatsis of Pregnancy or go to itchymoms.com its dangerous and can cause stillbirth and premature labor I did and I had it and now I go to the hospital twice a week and they are taking them at 35 weeks. Its rare like 1 out of 1000 and goes away afterwards but it can happen Im on 2 medications for it to if your doctor dismisses that get a new doctor mine didn't argue when I told him. Good luck!
I realize this was posted in 2009 but I compelled to post for anyone that goes through this in the future.
I had the same thing and it started in my 6th week. My feet were fine all day but would wake me with intense itching at night. I could have itched the skin off. I was exhausted. There was no rash, it was not athlete's foot though I tried just about every fungus treatments. I had asked the nurse about and she looked at me like I had two heads. I found that soaking in cold water worked and started to bring ice packs to bed with me so that I could sleep.
I also had been suffering with bad pregnancy acne. I read one day that exercise helps your body deal with all the hormones. I started walking at least a few times a week and my feet stopped itching. I knew it was hormone related.
I spoke to the midwife at my next appointment and discussed my frustration with the nurse's response when I had asked about the itching. Not every woman has a text book pregnancy and not every pregnancy is the same. I have since talked with a number of women that had itching and rashes pop up. My midwife suggested that it may have been a restless leg syndrome symptom. Exercise helps that too.
I'm so grateful not to have this distraction through the rest of my pregnancy so I can sleep well. I'm now just about 13 weeks and have not had the itching for 3 weeks.
Thank you for the advice. I decided not to go to a dermatologist. I just didn’t want to pay my huge co-payment and then have them tell me it was my hormones. The itching has subsided quite a bit. My feet only itch once or twice a day and it isn’t nearly as painful. I’m able to get some sleep at night. I did do some research about cholestasis, but I didn’t have any of the other symptoms. I truly believe that it is related to my hormones.
Update #2: The itching remained during the rest of my pregnancy. At 39 weeks (I had a scheduled c-section due to a previous c-section), I had a beautiful, healthy girl. The itching is now gone. If it happens in my next pregnancy, I will be more assertive about getting my liver tested.