Urgent help needed please stop this itching!

[MummaHG]

Im 15+ weeks pregnany and since last week ive had a red itchy rash on my chest, arms, back & top of legs. the Doctor said its hormonal and has given me cream to use and bath soak. These only provide releife for about half hour then im back to itching like mad again! The night time is so bad I cant sleep which means i struggle to look after my 2 boys as im so tired.

Can i take antihistamines in pregnancy?? The doctor said nothing about this but im now wondering if this is the route to take!

Please can someone help me from this nightmare of itching!!

[Hevster]

you can take piriton quite safely and can get it on prescription or over the counter. I wouldn't say it solved the problem for me but it certainly helped.

[ohnelly]

Hi it might be worth changing your washing powder & conditioner to something like Fairy non-bio & I used E45 bath oil & cream. Took few days but definately helped. I had this too when pregnant - skin must be more sensitive than normal

[newmomma]

I had this - did they give you Aqueous Cream and Balneum bath oil? I was about 30 weeks and the doc said it would probably last for the rest of my pregnancy. However - I did stick with the bath oil and slapped on the cream twice a day and within two weeks it had eased. Make sure you avoid soap and perfume etc - and use the aqueous to wash. The bath oil is great - you need TWO capfuls though and a long soak in the bath everyday.

My doc said if it got no better or even more (!) unbearable he would be able to prescribe antihistamines.

They also did a liver function test - have you asked for one of these? Unlikely to be a problem unless you've got jaundice but better to rule it out...

Best of luck

[MummaHG]

My GP gave me Eurcerin bath wash & cream but it hasnt done any doot. to be honest it just olds in the heat which caused me to itch more so I stopped using it yesterday, today i have used double base cream & camimile lotion but still really itchy & very hot to touch. Im wondering if im now having an allergy to my Clexane which i inject twice a day so think i might take another trip to the doctors on Tuesday. Thanks for your advice, im considering using non bio washing powder- a few people have suggested that.

[Eliza70]

I feel your pain. I had this with my first pregnancy and was diagnosed with PUPP (you can google it) terrible itching, rash, unable to sleep it was so bad. It took lots of phone calls and a trip to the maternity hospital before it was diagnosed - I was miserable!!! I was given a steroid cream and it cleared up in about a week.

HTH

[newmomma]

The Balneum is quite good as it has a local anaesthetic in it...

Non-bio certainly can't hurt - I did the same.
I would definitely ask the doctor for some different tests/treatments if the ones they've given you aren't helping.

Fingers crossed - let us know how you get on!

[MummaHG]

Thanks for all you adivce, will definatly change to non bio and demand more tests from the doctors. Im so miserable it causing arguements with DH, i just feel so horrible all the time, cant stop crying and the doctors dont seem to care.

A stronger me will definatly come out on Tuesday & not leave that surgery until someone does something to help me.

Thanks again & have a great easter x

[MadameCheese]

Ask for Doublebase cream. Literally smear it on and leave, I had a similar reaction to hormones after I gave birth and this really worked. Hope you feel better soon, it's maddening to be itchy.

[ThisCharmingFlan]

I remember my pg itching - horrible. The only thing that stopped it when it was really bad (esp at night) was tiger balm, but there's conflicting advice about whether it's completely safe - pharmacist said fine but Dr. Google said that it can pass the placenta if you use a lot. 8mo DS seems fine though..

Deffo get the tests to rule out obstetric cholestasis though.

[Elsa123]

I think Eucerin is pants- it used ot make me cry as a child. I second balneum and slap loads of aqueous cream on. Stay oily- its the best way!

[muddychipmunk]

I'm 22+1 pregnant and spent yesterday at the maternity dept of the hosp with terrible keeping-me-up-at-night itching. After two blood tests came back ok (I think one was checking for certain viruses?), I was prescribed piriton - the over the counter anti histamine that someone else mentioned, one tablet every eight hours.

Might be an idea to see if they fancy doing the blood tests?

In my experience, doctors can be really reluctant to prescribe anything at all during pregnancy - my own doctors advised me not to even take paracetamol. Personally - the piriton has saved my sanity - I really sympathise!

Taken three tablet so far and the gap between needing them is getting much wider as if something is being brought back under control?