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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Horrendous itching

19 replies

NancyBlacket · 26/11/2011 22:04

i'm 33 weeks pregnant with DC2 and suffering with the most horrible itching, mainly on my upper arms, neck, face and back. But also bump and legs. I've had blood tests for liver function and bile acids which so far have come back normal. My gp has prescribed piriton (6 a day) and hydrocortisone cream but it has a very temporary effect. I feel like I'm going mad with the itching which is far worse at night. Am currently in bed with a freezer cold block to help cool the pain. Not fun.
Anyone else had this? And any suggestions for even temporary relief (Before I rip my arm off!)? Thanks in advance.

OP posts:

Pursang · 26/11/2011 23:03

I'm a chronic eczema / random rash / strange-little-itchy-bumps-on-skin-when pregnant sufferer and I find Magicool (water in an aerosol can that is, aherm, magically cool when sprayed) brilliant for instant / temporary relief. I think you can get it from Boots. Hope it gets better!

Crosshair · 27/11/2011 00:04

I have a very itchy tummy, like a rash in my stretch marks. Its very annoying! Ive been using e45 cream although its not really doing much.

MaMattoo · 27/11/2011 00:16

Oh you poor thing. I had the same thing. Nothing prescribed worked, the tests revealed nothing. I kept wet towels in a bowl near me and kept patting myself with them at night. Have no skin issues but this itching...I wanted to scratch with a sharp knife!!!
It disappeared in week 37 as suddenly as it had appeared! Hang in there...!

DogStinkhorn · 27/11/2011 00:21

Go back to your midwife and get tested again.

Chaotica · 27/11/2011 00:30

Horrible, isn't it. You have my sympathy.

Google PUPP or PUPPP for some ideas. I found nothing helped much apart from having the baby (which is what my gp said when he diagnosed me). You could try calamine lotion, or baths in oatmeal as well as the piriton.

Original poster

NancyBlacket · 27/11/2011 03:11

Thank you all for your replies. I've tried calamine lotion with out much luck but will try an oatmeal bath and am seeing midwife next week so will speak to her about it (again!)
I appreciate the sympathy, I think my DH thinks I'm mad as there really is no visible sign to the itching and it's resulting in not much sleep and me feeling pretty grumpy!
So thankyou! I'll go grab a cold flannel and see if I can get back to sleep now.

OP posts:

MaMattoo · 27/11/2011 18:51

What I did try and worked to some extent was aveeno bath lotion with oatmeal and the aveeno moisture cream (not lotion) it helped. It shall magically disappear soon! Apparently women expecting boys get this in 80% of the cases..doctors in my country recognise it as a 'pregnancy allergy' that has to do with gestation stage and gender of baby but don't worry about it if tests come back fine.
Wet flannel it is the ?

Ginismyfriend · 27/11/2011 18:57

I had Pupps when expecting DD last year - it was awful so I feel for you. One thing that really helped was Pine Tar soap, I think I bought mine off the Ray Mears bushcraft website?! Lather it all over and then let it dry on your skin a bit before washing it off. It smells a bit odd but worth it for a bit of itch-free time.

It cleared up like magic the minute I had DD, and didn't leave a mark so it will pass...

BlingLoving · 27/11/2011 19:03

Get them to keep testing you. My OC was only diagnosed at 38 weeks.

In the meantime, cool clothes sometimes helped.

Aloe Vera gel, applied liberally, helped a bit. I would follow it up with a regular moister ire like Nivea or dove. But reapplication was needed almost hourly when it was at its worst.

Good luck. It is awful. I hated it.

Oh, also be careful about soaps and shampoos. Mine was marginally better after I started using baby shampoo and e45 shower gel. Not massively, but every little helps.

Original poster

NancyBlacket · 27/11/2011 19:13

Thank you both for the suggestions, I have some aveeno hand cream, will look out for the bath lotion at the supermarket tomorrow, the pine tar soap sounds good too! So far today it's been fine, I'm shattered after an awful night last night and nervous of it starting up again tonight. It's always so much worse at night! Good to know it stops when I've had the baby! Wonder if it's a sign that I'm having another boy
Thank you again for the suggestions and sympathy no one I know in RL quite understands the desperation the itching causes!

OP posts:

thousandDenier · 27/11/2011 19:23

Tiger Balm and anything with a strong whack of menthol gives temporary but blissful relief. I was concerned about using Tiger Balm in pg but a pharmacist advised that the soft version was fine.

Piriton did work for me but took a while to get into my system. A couple of weeks IIRC.

purplebridgett · 27/11/2011 19:24

Sounds like PUPPP to me. My GP prescribed aqueous cream, which you can actually buy over the counter, and a medium-strength steroid cream, I forget what it was called - hydrocortizone is only mild - as well as Piriton. It all helped for a bit but then the itching would come back with a vengeance, the only thing that ultimately stopped it was giving birth. I couldn't help scratching until my skin bled so I understand your desperation OP. Aquanatal classes helped take my mind off it, the water was very soothing - are there any in your area? They count as antenatal appointments so if you're working your boss has to give you time off to attend.

Original poster

NancyBlacket · 27/11/2011 19:26

X post Bling
Am already in minimal cotton clothing (get very strange looks when out in a t shirt whilst others are in jumpers, coats and scarves!)
Am currently using minimal shampoo and shower gel as am so nervous of it making things worse, but willing to try anything so will add aloe Vera gel to the shopping list!
Am seeing midwife/doctor on Wednesday ( am already regularly being seen at hospital for diabetes) so will ask to be tested again. Can you have the symptoms of OC without the test results coming back positive? I've looked at pictures of PUPPs and don't have a rash like that, I do have some sore patches but think thats just where I keep scratching. I do have itchy palms. But think that once I start feeling itchy everywhere itches if you see what I mean!

OP posts:

BlingLoving · 27/11/2011 19:42

I was tested because of itching and it was clear. Then tested again at 38 weeks and it showed up. So yes, you can have symptoms but blood test can be clear.

And yes, no one in real life gets it. People would say, "oh yes, the pregnancy itch" and I would want to scream. They clearly weren't spending hours sitting on the bed covered in aloe Vera cream to allow maximum absorption. Was awful. You have my sympathies.

In portion, be careful. It can make you v irritable and out of it.

NoWayNoHow · 27/11/2011 19:46

Poor thing, I completely empathise. I had the same thing during my pregnancy - it presented initially all over my bump and then moved to my arms and legs, and I too spent all night with freezer blocks to stop the itching.

I saw a dermatologist and apparently this kind of rash if very common in first time pregnancies with male children, as your body is producing histamine in reaction to the male DNA.

Steroid creams hardly worked, and I'd love to say I found something that did work, but to be honest the only think that gave me any relief was a gigantic bottle of dirpobase, kept in the fridge, and even then, the relief was temporary.

Try your absolute HARDEST not to scratch bump as myh stretch marks are so much worse than they needed to be, just because I couldn't stop itching myself...

Missgiraffe1 · 28/11/2011 16:42

I had this in my first pregnancy, it was awful. The only thing I got relief from was a Body Shop aloe vera gel - it was amazing! It worked way better than anything I was prescribed. This was 15 years ago though, but there's a good chance they might still do it. If they do, I'd highly recommend it! x

Original poster

NancyBlacket · 29/11/2011 18:27

Thank you again for the sympathy and suggestions, it all helps! Had another horrible night and feel exhausted. Am trying hard not to scratch As my arms are a bloody mess :(

OP posts:

FirstNoelle · 29/11/2011 19:09

I had this in my second pregnancy and would strongly suggest you get checked out again for OC. I had terrible itching from 29 weeks, but tests didn't show any problem with my liver function until I was 35 weeks (I was tested three times in 6 weeks before the tests showed anything).

pregnantmimi · 29/11/2011 19:17

I had the same on saturday and its driving me nuts too! Im nearly 37 weeks I have had tests done and have some abnormal liver tests back but need to wait for bile function to be sure its OC. I find baths help with no bath products in before bed to help you sleep also the meds have helped me but make me so tired so just have them at night. So try having lots of baths I had 3 in one day yesterday! Hope it feels better soonxx

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