Pregnancy rash and repeat visit to hospital

[Yummymummy2020]

I have a pregnancy rash which is driving me up the wall with itching, I don’t just mean slightly uncomfortable I mean constant skin crawling no sleep at night drive you to tears itching. I am 31 weeks pregnant now and have had it at its worst over 2 weeks. I went to the hospital the first week, and was told to use chamomile lotion. Did absolutely nothing. The next week I rang and asked for help again and got told to come into clinic. Waited hours for the doctor to tell me as I’m a high risk patient they couldn’t help me but to come back the next day to the high risk clinic. Agreed to do this, and was told to take an antihistamine and got bloods taken to rule out liver issues. Thankfully bloods are ok but at this point I’m drawing blood scratching, even with baking soda baths the tablets and wearing socks on my hands at night, it really is unbearable. My question is, aibu to go back tomor again and beg for a steroid cream? I suggested this in the first place and was told they don’t like to give it but the rash has spread all over now to my arms and legs back and stomach. I am confident It is just a pregnancy rash and not putting others at risk but also embarrassed going back again because I’m worried it will look like I’m being a diva when they see I was there twice last week but I am getting desperate! What would you do? I have an appointment a week away so would be going quite early to go tomorrow!

Coal tar soap is worth a go (only about £1 in supermarkets). It's so horrible but it will go eventually. A combination of Piriton, soap rubbing myself with camomile tea bags in the shower after washing seemed to help mine! I was given a low dose steroid cream at one point and it did nothing! Good luck!

It's PUPPP, I've had it with two of my three pregnancies.

For instant relief, wet a flannel muslin in cold water and drape it across the itchy sections. Ahhhhh instant relief!

For long term fix, you need steroid ointment. It will only get worse without this. Believe me I was covered head to toe.
I never left it get that bad with DC3 that's for sure.

Are you having a boy? It's more likely that you are if you have this.

Also look up Group B strep and request a test for it, this can cause a rash and then issues in labour/birth

I also had PUPP but was already fairly overdue by this point so just given some hydrocortisone. Disappeared within hours of DD being born a few days later.

PUPPPs! They said I had it but after blood tests it was my liver flushing toxins into my skin borrrrrk. It was hell and the only thing that helped was swimming in highly chlorinated pools, would give me a few days respite. Mine continued til baby was about 6 weeks old.
Sorry I have no advice I saw the title and came to say get your liver checked but I see you did that. Keep on at the docs ad there’s no harm in suggesting serious cream

Omfg this post has brought back all the memories I'd surpressed from my first pregnancy PUPPP. It's not easy to explain to people who haven't experienced it just how devastating an 'itch' can be. Friction would help, so walking around in clothes give me some relief. So I spent most nights either in a cool bath or walking around the town/24hr supermarket/garden. I had very little sleep during the last 8 weeks or so of pregnancy due to this rash. I was given freeze gel stuff from the GP, which gave slight relief. My midwife told me to suck it up, but I think I worried her enough when I completely broke down on her about the itching, saying I just couldn't stand it anymore. She then persuaded the gp to give me antihistamines, which did alleviate it a bit too.

I have no advice for you. Just wanted to commiserate. It's one of the worst things I've ever experienced. I scratched my skin till I was bleeding, had scabs/scars all over my tummy, thighs, arms. Horrible. Calling it a rash does not convey the horror of it.

You can buy hydrocortisone steroid cream OTC, tell them you're doing that and see what they say! They may suggest a different better one.

Just came on to say this: Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap 92 g https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0001TO3NA/ref=cmswwrcppapiii_lEh1Db5B5833W

But see other posters have beaten me to it! See the reviews. Also Amazon Prime for fast delivery

Hi OP,

I'm a long time lurker, but first time poster - I've joined so I can reply to you.

Sounds like you have PEP (PUPPS) rash - easily confused with ICP. It is AWFUL. I had it with DS- only thing that worked is steroid cream. Aqueous cream with menthol gave some relief, and piriton - but basically your body is having an allergic reaction to your pregnancy :( it is horrific. Mine went about a week and a half after I'd given birth.

Just beware with steroid creams - your body can become dependent on them, which can in turn lead to worse symptoms as your skin has effectively withdrawal symptoms. Just wanted to say tread carefully with the cream, and good luck. Ice baths on my feet at 3am helped a fair amount -and it will end once baby arrives...just keep getting your bile levels/liver function tested in the meantime.

Until the coal tar soap and steroid cream arrive, it might be worth trying an oatmeal bath. Put some porridge oats into an old sock and put that in the bath with you. (The sock is just to keep the oats in, or the drain will get clogged up).
For added relief, wipe the skin with the oaty sock.
Hope it improves soon.

My word, I really feel for you. I had this with my son from about 36 weeks and it was hell. I ended up at a&e (I was living in Hong Kong at the time) and nearly punched the doctor who gave a twinkly laugh and suggested that giving birth was the only cure. I burst into tears! This is my regimen that helped a tiny little bit, it never went away while pregnant but did disappear fairly quickly after giving birth.

• Scrub with a shower puff in a hot shower with pine tar liquid soap. Somehow letting myself go nuts for a few minutes with scrubbing helped for a while afterwards.
• Splash oilatum all over then rinse off
• Moisturise with QV cream
• Put Biolane Anti Stretchmark cream on worst areas
• Tepid baths with oats in a sock (smoosh the pouch of oats on your tummy too!)
• Drink V8 juice, can’t remember why this helps but loads of people recommended it and it didn’t make it worse so it’s worth a try!
• Wear cotton gloves at night to stop the worst of your scratching (although expect to find them thrown off at some point in the night!)
• Don’t wear bras if possible and wear cotton vests to stop shirts and jumpers rubbing your tummy.

I was prescribed piriton to take at night in the last couple of weeks of pregnancy and it helped a little bit.

I had unbearable itch in pregnancy , I used to buy body lotion and put it in the fridge and cover myself in it

Oh man I had the same thing with both pregnancies, had to have blood tests every week etc, I feel for you!! I used to wake up with blood all over my legs where I’d been scratching in my sleep. I was never offered a remedy by hospital etc either so can’t help, but the suggestions here are worth a try!

Please be careful and go to delivery suite. I had this and had obstetric cholestasis where my liver function was abnormal and it can cause still birth. I had an emergency c section for concerns over baby

I’m 34 weeks pregnant and having my bff it’s child, started itching like crazy so was tested for Cholastis (I think it’s called) but that was negative now I’ve seen a lot about this puppp rash, so thinking it may be that. Has anyone found anything that actually helps?? I’m in agony with it and everything I have tried doesn’t work I just want to tear my skin off my stomach is destroyed 😫

You have my every sympathy OP. I had PEP, I think it may be slightly different but similar. I mentioned up thread but the only thing that really helped was Grandpa's Old Pine Tar Soap, it's on Amazon Prime, have a read of the reviews - (bags of frozen peas on my bump also helped soothe for a bit) once DS was born I had steroids as I had a rare extreme case but I am not sure you can take whilst still pregnant. In my experience midwives seem to know so little about this as did my GP, but it feels so debilitating. Good luck Xxx