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Pregnancy

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

Original poster

HELP PLEASE! Stretch marks itchy rash...

24 replies

MP29 · 22/06/2017 17:16

I have just gotten back to the doctors close to tears. My stomach is covered in a rash and stretch marks which are driving me insane with itching. He just laughed at me and told me it was part of pregnancy and there's nothing he could give me. I asked him what would make it better he laughed again and said nothing and told me to keep scratching!

Besides my obvious want to change doctors now, and being made to feel like I've wasted his time and I'm stupid. Please tell me there is something I can try to help stop the itch? I've tried itch relief before going to doctors. I have sworn by bio oil in the past but that's stopped working. My other half has suggested calamine lotion. Any ideas? I'm willing to try anything!

OP posts:
DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 22/06/2017 17:19

Anti histamine and find yourself a new GP.

TippyTinkleTrousers · 22/06/2017 17:46

This is the third time I've agreed with Dame
Definitely get yourself a different GP! What an arse.

I had somethig called PUPPP in my last pregnancy and it was fucking torturous.
If it's that, then it absolutely CAN be treated.

How far along are you? Are you carrying a boy?

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 22/06/2017 17:48

I'm sure this is a 'thing' as I read about it in the paper the other week.

TippyTinkleTrousers · 22/06/2017 18:01

The rash is?

Topsyloulou · 22/06/2017 19:16

I had an awful rash on the underside of my bump from about week 38. Went to see the GP to check it was nothing serious & he gave me some intense moisturising cream that you normally use with eczema. The relief putting that on was pretty instant & because it wasn't medicated I could use it several times a day which I did. Think it was cetraban? You can buy it over the counter, I'd recommend giving it a try if GP won't prescribe anything. I was also given a mild steroid cream & told to use sparingly but to be honest it didn't seem to do anything so I stopped using that & relied on the other one. Rash went about 2 days before I had DS at 42 weeks.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 22/06/2017 19:42

www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/puppps-rash

Print that out OP and shove it up your GP's nose show him!

littlepooch · 22/06/2017 19:47

Sounds like pupp which I had in my last pregnancy and was horrendous. It actually made me reconsider getting pregnant again. I'm 30 weeks now and dreading it cropping up again.

Any way, there are things that can be prescribed, I got given antihistamines and a menthol aqueous cream to relieve the itching. Both my midwife and GP took me very seriously and even referred me to a consultant as I was in so much discomfort. So your doctor sounds like a tool and shouldn't have fobbed you off. Definitely go back and ask to be taken seriously by another doctor. X

SoMuchToDoToday · 22/06/2017 19:49

I had PUPPP and it was torture. It did go when the baby was born. I had to use a bit of steroid cream sparingly. If you use a thick ointment, that may help too.

littlepooch · 22/06/2017 19:49

I found plenty of cool showers relieved the itching for short periods of time. That and slapping on the menthol cream. If it is pupp it is flipping awful and you have my sympathies. I was nearly induced as the itching was driving me to despair. Thankfully it went as soon as I went into labour.

TittyGolightly · 22/06/2017 19:52

I had PUPPP. Absolute torture - it's your body having an allergic reaction to your baby. My midwives and GP had never heard of it. Hmm

Adalind · 22/06/2017 20:01

Oh man, I had this on my first and it was torture! I tried everything, oats in the bath, cold showers, homeopathic remedies - in the end silcocks base was the only thing that gave me any relief!
Also, id contact your midwife and just mention it - it can be a sign of something up with your liver.
Hope you get some relief soon!

PieceOfTheMoon · 22/06/2017 20:05

I have this too and it's driving me crazy and is worse when I get hot. I found moisturising creams made it worse. Calamine lotion has worked pretty well though

Sunshinegirl82 · 22/06/2017 20:13

PUPPS is a total nightmare!! It sounds very much like PUPPS as it often starts in the stretch marks. Mine actually got worse after the birth, it was worse than the c-section. They can give you things, I had piriton and they gave me a cream to run on. In the meantime you could stick E45 cream on really regularly. It's not a magic cute but it helps a bit. See another doctor and take a print out about PUPPS with you. I was lucky that my GP recognised it but a lot don't, my midwife had never heard of it.

TippyTinkleTrousers · 22/06/2017 20:24

All those of you who suffered with it can I ask two questions?

1- did you have a boy

2- does the baby you had, have any allergies themselves?

SoMuchToDoToday · 22/06/2017 20:28

Tippy,

  1. No
  1. Yes, eczema
TittyGolightly · 22/06/2017 20:29

No and no.

I had steroids (post birth) to deal with it.

More likely with overdue babies, apparently.

Onyvaquimalypense · 22/06/2017 20:29

I had this after pregnancy too. GP and midwives / health visitor had never heard of it either but I was given antihistamines and steroids which got rid of it, and some anti-itch cream in the mean time.

Sunshinegirl82 · 22/06/2017 20:30

I had a boy. Only allergy I have is hay fever, looks like Ds suffers from that too but no other allergies have shown themselves yet. Ds is 1 this week.

Cakedoesntjudge · 22/06/2017 20:33

In my last two weeks of pregnancy with DS I got a rash that only came up at night and drove me crazy. Because it only came up at night my midwife said it was nothing to worry about and when I said that it kept me awake literally all night she just laughed and said "well, best get used to that." It was infuriating. I never did find anything that helped but it did go away once I'd delivered.

It did also give me my funniest pregnancy related story - in the middle of the night one night I just grabbed the closest bottle of 'moisturiser' I could find without turning any lights on because didn't want to wake up DP. Was staying with my DM so wasn't my room and had no idea what was laying around but it looked like a bottle of moisturiser. Absolutely covered my bump in a thick layer of it and left it to soak in. Repeated that a couple of times during the night.

Imagine how horrified I was to wake up in the morning to find out I'd been covering myself in aftersun with self tanner in it! My bump was varying shades of patchy orange tan. I am really really pale so looked even more ridiculous! The midwife almost wet herself laughing at my next appointment!

So yes, my advice would be to be careful what bottle you reach for in the dark to get yourself some relief!!

WowAnActualBaby · 22/06/2017 21:15

I had the same thing - my husband would regularly find me sat in a cold bath at 2am sobbing as I was in absolute itching agony over my stomach and down my legs. It totally vanished about 1 week before baby due. GP did nothing.

Top tip is to keep aqueous menthol cream and/ or E45 in the fridge.
I also put a damp cloth in the freezer and would hold it on my skin to numb it.
At night I put freezer blocks in a small insulated cool box and kept the cream and cloth in there, next to the bed for easy access. Sounds crazy but it helped!

harleysmammy · 23/06/2017 00:09

I had incredibly sore stretch marks, my skin was literally stretched to bursting point by the time my son was born. They were itchy too, but so so agonisingly painful to the point where I broke down in tears in Marks & Spencer because my t shirt was rubbing them and making them hurt more. I bought aloe Vera gel cream (I assume normal aloe Vera does the same, mine was just gel form) and it took the pain and itch away within 2 days. Any form of aloe Vera I would think does the job, maybe try that x

Original poster
MP29 · 26/06/2017 04:13

Yes it has now spread all over my body and the more I read about this pupp the more I think it is this! It is definitely itching agony, I've got the health visitor round for a general house all in the morning so will mention it to her, then ring my midwife up if still no resolve.

Thankyou so much for all your help ladies! It's really appreciated!!!

OP posts:
Beth1998 · 23/06/2018 00:35

Hi everyone, I’m new to this website and new to the mum world as I recently had a little boy :)
Now my problem is my stretch marks! They have become very itchy and sore and have red sort of blotches around the legs and stomach and back, it has become very irritating an the doctors have said there is nothing they can do as it’s over the counter stuff that’s more effective. They gave me some cream hasn’t really been helping just cooling it sort of and it’s like my whole body is on fire can’t get anything done. I’m in absolute agony can someone help!!!

EstWll · 26/07/2019 11:40

I had this and my husband found me sat in a cold shower at 2am in tears because I couldn't stand it. over stomach and down my legs too

Aqueous menthol cream over the counter at Boots - keep in in the fridge to cool it further.
I kept a damp rag in the freezer to pop on and relieve the itch! Kept a rag and the cream in a cool bag with freezer blocks beside my bed at night so I could lay it in my skin to give some relief - I was desperate

Midwife was MUCH more sympathetic and helpful than GP

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