PUPPS driving me insane

[peanutbutterontoast]

I'm 25 weeks so a long way to go. It's been getting worse for a couple of weeks - started off just itchy at night but now it is all the time.

I'm itching on my tummy, breasts, arms, back, thighs; the seams from clothes is particularly irritating as is getting hot. I'm starting to get plaques from the scratching now.

mw has been spectacularly unhelpful ... has anyone done anything that has helped at all. I'm desperate.

you have my sympathy! I've had this with two pregnancies now, the first one I was induced at 37 weeks, it had got so bad i needed to have freezing showers ever hour (through the night too) to stop the itching. It was June though... second time it hit at about 17 weeks and I honestely thought iwouldn't be able to continue the pregnancy it was so awful. Then I looked it up on the internet and low and behold... Dandelion root capsules, 3 in the morning, 3 in the evening, cleared it up in two days. I kept up the capsules for a week, it totally cleared, stoppped taking them, it came back briefly at 34 weeks, took them again for a week, all gone. I have no idea how it works but it does and my son is a beautiful, healthy and bright 2 year old now.

if taking stuff worries you, methol aqueous cream can help a little bit too, but honestly, dandelion root DOES work. Look it up.

thank you! I'll have a look :)

mw said I as unlucky to get it so early - poor you getting it at 17 weeks - I am so grumpy & not at all pleasant to be around. Dreading the weather getting warmer. She also said it was much more common in boy pregnancies.

My first PUPPPS pregnancy was a girl, second a boy. I didn't get it at all with my first (also a girl). It is unbearable and awful and I wouldn't go through it again for anything!! I really hope the dandelion root works for you, but do look it up on the internet, there are some good, informative sites (none with any idea of cause, unfortunately) but no one seems to care about finding a cause or cure because it goes away a few weeks after you give birth. Best of luck to you!

Could I ask if I have PUPPS? 2 nights ago I developed red itchy spots under the bump in amongst the stretchmarks. They are still there & still itchy although seem to itch more in the evenings.

I wasn't sure if I should call my MW or wait until I have an appointment tomorrow. Am 40+3. If it is PUPPS and is harmless I will wait but don't want to ignore something I shouldn't.

Thank you - sorry to hijack. Hope you find something to sooth the itching soon. Could your GP be better advised to help?

How awful to get it so early on. I had it at 36 weeks and the 2.5 weeks I had it for seemed an eternity. I had so many LFTs in those 2.5 weeks as they were convinced it was OC. Google told me otherwise and I was eventually referred to the Derm specialist who took pictures and gave me some steroids but to use it sparingly. This helped relieve the itch and I was happy that DS arrived early as the itch stopped after birth. The red blotches stayed for weeks after though.
Some of the things I tried were:
Talcum powder (works long enough to fall asleep)
BioOil- completely pointless as it made it itch more
Coal Tar soap- an american website claimed this works but it didn't for me
Vaseline - didn't work & still itched
washing with aqueous cream instead of soap- didn't really notice anything but used it as dermo prescribed it.
I hope dandelion root helps you peanutbutterontoast although I never knew about it when I had PUPP.
haloflo do you have itchy palms and soles? I know you are due anytime soon but you should inform your MW just incase it is anything else.

Hi summer No my palms and soles are fine, the itching is just on the bump. MW appointment in half an hour - will see what she says.

I feel for anyone whose itchy is more widespread and started early. ARGH!

Pfft, MW didn't know what it was and advised me to go to the GP. They just said keep an eye on it and don't worry. I may go to the GP although it sounds like they won't be able to do much especially with me being so close to labour (I hope) C'mon on baby - it better disappear after delivery.

I have a consultant appointment next week (OC is at the back of my mind - I did have itchy palms though that has settled recently) - GP gave me hydrocortisone which I'm using on the worst bits (boobs & thighs). This is the nastiest 'minor ailment of pregnancy' that I've ever had.

Oh I could not read this thread without posting.

I had PUPPS for both pregnancies, similar to babblington. First time round the GP just gave me steroid cream which did next to nothing, and my PUPPS was severe, it drove me nearly to distraction. Even during labour it bothered me.

Second pregnancy I just kept going back to the GP. I know that once it gets hold, it just spreads. In the end, she herself consulted with an obstetrician and they decided that an antihistamine would post little threat to the pregnancy since I wasn't in my first trimester. I was prescribed three weeks worth, I only needed 3 tablets and I was all better! It made me enjoy being pregnant again!

God luck with treatment. Oh, my bathroom is covered with aloe vera plants, if you can find a plant, buy it. Cut off a couple of inches of spike, squidge out the gooey stuff direct on the area and wait 10mins, you actually feel the heat of the itch leaving.