PUPPP - itching driving me crazy NEED HELP!!

[tootsroots]

So have this nasty vindictive end to pregnancy... 37 weeks tomorrow and this week developed the red REALLY REALLLLLLY itchy rash of doom on my bump, now chest, butt, whispers butt crack legs.. have been prescribed antihistamines and low strength hydrocortisone.. but still want to peel my skin off.

Any one have tips or advice on the itch of doom?

ps also called Polymorphic Eruption in Pregnancy.. or PEP...

Had this towards the end of my first pregnancy and remember it was truly horrendous. Doctor wasn't particularly helpful and prescribed me some hydro cream which did nothing. He also helpfully told me that PUPP definitely meant I was having a boy (we didn't want to know the gender). Anyway DP, who is Italian, swears by Olive Oil as the cure for all ills and massaged my itching legs and stomach with that - it really did provide some relief. As you hopefully know the rash will vanish as soon as you give birth so hope that's some consolation!

And I had a girl!

I know nothing about this but second olive oil, my ds had eczema when about 12 weeks. We went to baby massage and the olive oil was very effective on the affected areas. Good luck.

I had this and it was unbearable! By far the worst thing about pregnancy. I found a cool bath helped but nothing else. On the upside as soon as you have the baby it goes! I really feel for you.

I had PUPPP with DS, started at 35 wks, and I was so itchy I begged my OB for an induction. He refused of course. I would spend all night crying while sitting in a cold bath, as warm or hot water made me so itchy.

What worked for me was having cold compresses of pinetarsol (not sure if this is just an Australian product - it's a brown liquid used to reduce itching in chicken pox and other skin conditions).

And, I know this will sound woo, and I swear I am usually a mainstream medicine kinda person, but the most effective remedy, much better than hydrocortisone and antihistamines (which didn't help me at all) was dandelion root tea. I had relief within mere hours. I bought it from a health food shop - make sure it's dandelion root - it looks like instant coffee and tastes similar-ish. A friend also had PUPPP a few years after me, and told me she found it effective too.

Oats in a sock and let water run through it whilst filing the bath.

Aqueous cream keep in the fridge though I think there is a menthol version which is really good but you do need to apply it cold to help

Ah, so glad I've seen this thread! Just been through night number 2 of no sleep... Am 35 weeks but rash is just on my belly at the moment.
Have been recommended the aqueous cream too... But it only soothes for a little while before it becomes irritated and horrid again

Yours sounds horrid. I hope it gets better and that the hydrocortisone does take affect soon! I'm going to try the olive oil... However it only seems to be at night that i get the worst irritation, so could make for some interesting sliding around Dandilion root tea sounds good too.

Fingers crossed for you, OP!

Didn't have pupp, but did have OC so itched horribly on extremities. Cold was the only thing that helped- so aqueous cream with menthol (it evaporates and cools skin) cold flannels and sleeping with a fan on. And I switched to pure linen bedding, which I even took into hospital with me.

I've had it in 2 out of 3 pregnancies, so totally sympathise! I used calomine lotion (pink stuff) at night.

I was induced because it was so bad in my 3rd pregnancy. I know it's supposed to be boys only, but the two times I had it I has girls and a boy when I didn't!

This sounds bizarre but I swear it works! I had this and Dr's were not very helpful so I spent many hours consulting Dr google for ideas and found an American site where people were talking about pine tar soap. I couldn't find it in the UK so I got coal tar soap instead - it's about 80p for a bar and most supermarkets and chemists sell it. You need to have at least 2 showers a day with it, really lather it up thick and leave it on your skin for about 5 minutes before rinsing off - a good scratchy flannel is best for this. Afterwards cover yourself in e45 or something similar. It will completely dry out the rash and you'll be a bit scaly for a few days but it really works! Within 4 days I was so much better and after a week it was almost completely cleared up. I swear I am not a troll! I wish it was taken more seriously and women were given more information on this as the itching is hell. Good luck and I hope it gets better soon

Also agree with Claredelune that it is not just boy pgs - mine was a girl. Apparently 70% of cases affect women carrying a boy but that still means that the remaining 30% happen when the baby is a girl.

Thanks for all the advice but after posting this My waters broke popped so loudly , started contractions 45 mins later and gave birth to a boy just after midnight!

So here I am with a little newborn... And still have the itchies!!!! And rash and it spreading . Wondering if I can use the cream or antihistamines as Breast feeding. The hospital were not fussed by the rash... Ugh!

Omg! Congratulations!! Amazing stuff :)
You can definitely carry on with the aqueous cream... But check with gp/midwives. Surely if it was ok to use them during pregnancy then it's ok during breast feeding? I don't know this for definite though!

Good luck - hope it goes away soon! X

Congratulations!!!! Fantastic news.
Fingers crossed that the itching should pass fairly quickly now.

Congratulations on your newborn! Sadly I had a friend who's rash continued post delivery. Eventually a specialist dermatologist prescribed a sufficiently strong steroid to clear it up, but it took her a long fight to get the right treatment. She felt that no one really understood how horrible constant itching is... Hope yours clears up much sooner!