Unexplained Itching? The Horror!!!

I had hives with my daughter but they were short lived, manageable, and tolerable.

While I've had no hives with Little Fox, I've had itching from time to time pretty much all over. It was short lived, though but my OB had me tested for cholestasis of pregnancy and at that time, the results indicated a negative result.

Little Fox looking healthy this past appointment

Fast forward to a few days ago: the itching returned with a vengeance, especially on my tummy and leg areas. It's absolutely horrible at night, and I had tried benadryl, vinegar bath, coconut oil, lotion, and calamine lotion....there was no relief!

I called the on call OB at about 1 am and she put in a prescription for Hydroxyzine and triamcinolone acetonide ointment (steroidal ointment).  I took the hydroxyzine tablet and used the ointment where the most severe itching was and had......no relief!! For several nights I wanted to literally get out of my skin!

Luckily I had an early morning appointment with my MFM OB and made him aware that the itching was unbearable. He drew blood to recheck for cholestasis and prescribed me prednisone.

I took my first dose last night and the itching was gone! An entire night of peace!

I'm still waiting for my blood results but for those of you wondering, cholestasis is a liver condition that usually shows up in the third trimester. It can cause intense itching that is especially bad at night, which is why I'm getting retested. (Update: Cholestasis testing, bile value, showed no indication of cholestasis. So...itching unexplained still!)

It really is wild and amazing, what can occur to your body when pregnant. Some things are amazingly awesome, like feeling those baby movements, while others are quite hard to deal with or explain.

*My MFM Dr let me know that the use of prednisone during pregnancy can result in premature rupture of the bag of waters. Unfortunately, the intensity of the itching was so severe, this was a necessary medication and would be used if my testing for cholestasis comes out positive. 

Completely Exhausted...Completely

It's no big secret that pregnancy can be exhausting for many women. I mean, we are quite literally growing life! Definitely no small task.

But here I am, 22 weeks pregnant in my second trimester when energy levels are supposed to be higher. Instead, I want to cry from frustration due to lack of sleep. (I know, I know. Just wait til the baby gets here to talk about lack of sleep. But seriously, I've had two babies so this isn't my first rodeo.)

Maybe part of my exhaustion is due to being of "advanced maternal age" as the doctors so eloquently put it. I can't say for certain whether or not that has any part in it.

I CAN definitely place the blame on several other things though, like the insomnia (both the normal for me insomnia and the pregnancy induced insomnia) and frequent trips to the bathroom every night. The sudden onset of nasty heartburn. The restless leg syndrome that makes me feel like I can run a marathon.

However there are two newish sleep thieves essentially stealing what little sleep I was getting.

The first of those is the nightmare. Or nightmares, I should say. Vivid, all to real, freak me out kind of nightmares. The ones that once awake, you need to take a few minutes to figure out if you were actually dreaming or if it was real life. The kind that plague you and rear their ugly heads in your mind as you go about your daily activities. Those kind of nightmares.

Then there is the itching. The all over, "want to scratch your skin off" itching. It happens during the day but is manageable. At night though, it becomes unbearable. I had the same issue when pregnant with my daughter. It wasn't PuPPS and we never pinpointed the cause. Being that was over 12 years ago, I have a call in to my MFM doctor this morning.

Between my constant tossing and turning, bathroom trips, and now incessant itching, I'm surprised even my very patient husband hasn't exiled me to the couch nor has he relocated there, either.

In fact he called me from work this morning, heard the half awake tone to my voice and immediately told me to go back to sleep. I seriously needed that nap today and am so thankful I am married to such an understanding and patient man.

I don't expect much sleep during or after my pregnancy. But I do need some, no matter how little it may be, before I become a "mombie" prior to even holding my little one in my arms.