Eczema in pregnancy - driving me mad!!

[LCR77]

I've had eczema for years but seems to be getting worse in pregnancy and as I can't use steroid creams am struggling to treat it. Trying to avoid anti-histamines as much as I can too. Am using Aveeno cream for moisturising - head to toe but not clearing it up. I'm waking up in the middle of the night scratching my hands and they're becoming a mess. Have tried olive oil and cotton gloves at night but they just come off.

Anyone got any good tips for natural remedies/ products?

I'm using hydrocortisone 1% still. My GP said it is fine to use occasionally in pregnancy when I was pregnant with DS - he is now 2. I have had to use it more in this pregnancy but only on my hands, every 2-3 days when my eczema flares up from being at work (yes I am officially allergic to work!). Try E45 cream as it is non-perfumed. Also Dermol 500 lotion for washing (prescription only), also E45 wash but can be expensive - you could get it with your free prescription certificate if you ask your GP.

Thanks milkyjo I've been using hydrocortisone sparingly just don't want to use it too much as the skin on my hands is getting very thin. Unfortunately I can't use E45 or Aqueous cream as it makes my skin flare.

Going to wait another couple of weeks before I head to the docs but will be loads better once my free prescriptions cert comes through.

Any chance of a holiday in the sun
? Expensive way to treat it but 3 mins on a sunbed clears my eczema up so quickly

I'm a fellow sufferer and usally copious amounts of aqueous or aveeno with HC cream when needed will manage it but since being pg the only thing that seems to help is Lush's Helping Hands (ok technically a handcream but i don't care!) i'm finding it really soothing and my rough red patches are almost gone on my legs now after only a couple of days use.

worth a try.

OP have you ever tried Dream Cream by Lush? When I worked for them we had hundreds of customers telling us that it was a miracle cure for them. Some of them had the worst eczema I've ever seen

I too have been suffering a flair-up not seen since teenage years.

OB consultant has prescribed hydrocortisone, emuvate and betnovate for differing levels of problem and diff places. I was also given an old style anti-histamine for when the itching is driving me up the wall (particularly at night) but only took it for the first week when it was at its worse.

The creams have worked but has to some extent resulted in chasing the issue around my body.....

In addition my skin has never been so dry, I have also been given dermol cream (and for washing) and oilatum for bathing. These haven't helped much, but at the weekend I found some hemp oil spray and that has helped loads (though smells quite strong).

Before seeing the doc I tried all the usual heavy duty moisturisers, Plamer's cocoa butter, aveeno etc - but non made much of an impact on the skin on my body. My face is so dry I'm putting cocoa butter on it several times a day.

Anyone else suffering really has my sympathises (I even have it on my nipples and buttocks)

What Kilkers said- I also used to work for them and people would come in literally raving about Dream Cream. Ask politely and they'll almost certainly give you a free sample so you can see if it's any good for you.

Going to try some dream cream tomorrow. Thanks for the tip.

I get eczema too and I'm 11 weeks pregnant. I had no idea I couldn't use my normal collection of creams and potions when pregnant. I guess I need to speak to the doc again for clarification. My fingers / hands are also very bad and I'm trying to remember to moisturise them more often to help. I get Haelen Tape on prescription for them and think this might still be ok because its not steroid based. It might be worth asking the doc about it.

OP I have horrific eczema when pregnant, pretty bad when I'm not too at times. I use a antihistamine every night (the old style piriton is the safest) this helps me sleep. Main aid is bandaging hands with loads of emollient underneath. Ask docs to px you don't bandages. You can't get these off in your sleep!

Had the same problem this pregnancy. I left it and tried natural remedies such as coconut oil but in the end it got severely infected. Dr said it was fine for me to use fucibet and she prescribed me that as well as an oilatum emollient to use in the shower, a HUGE bottle of oilatum moisturiser and some very strong antibiotics.
Glad I did, cleared up within 2 days.

Thanks for all your tips - really useful. Want to keep thing as natural as possible as I've tried most of the prescription emollients such as epaderm and none seem to work. Waiting for a prescription of Aveeno body wash to see if that helps and going to try the Lush products.

Hope starting this thread helps other people looking for eczema advice and tips in pregnancy