Polymorphic Eruption of Pregnancy

[march19]

Hello,

I just found this place and I am hoping for some advice please.

I'm nearly 24 weeks pregnant and have just been diagnosed with Polymorphic Eruption of Pregnancy. Apparently it is unusual to get this before the third trimester and usually starts on tummy. I am covered in rash but my tummy is the one place where I have none.

It is the itchiest rash I have ever experienced and I don't know what to do with myself. So far, I have only been prescribed Zerobase Emollient Cream but is isn't helping.

I'm told this rash will probably last until I give birth - I am in due in March!

Has anyone else had this? Please can you offer some advice on how to cope with it?

Thank you.

I had it and you have my utmost sympathy, it's awful! I found cool baths and showers helpful, I used that cooling spray which helped a bit, I took piriton and slathered on E45 cream.

It didn't stop the itch but it helped a bit. It's one of those things that most people haven't come across and because it's not dangerous to you or the baby I found it quite hard to get people to understand how debilitating it was for me.

You will get there, good luck.

Have you considered trying calamine lotion or, if you can find some, calamine cream? It is often recommended in pregnancy.

Also, can you go and see an important doctor in such matters, and get them to prescribe you some drugs to reduce the itching? 24 weeks means that it is too many weeks for you to suffer and maintain any semblance of sanity, as itching is just too hard to deal with for extended periods of time.

I’ve not yet had any pregnancy itching, but did have some really extreme itching several years back. I could totally tell you tips to deal with that, but unfortunately the stuff I used to calm it is not anything a layperson could suggest a pregnant person take it upon themselves to try!

Having said that, if you could convince a medical person to prescribe you some hydrocortisone cream, as well as something you could take, this might help.

Also, I always used all the creams I was using together. Nothing ever worked on its own. So if I were in your position now, I’d get some thick E45 cream, or some diprobase cream, and rub it in, then follow up with some calamine cream if I could find it, or lotion if I couldn’t. I’d also switch to an unscented shower gel (I’d recommend a Simple one), and make sure to moisturise thoroughly using unscented moisturiser (Vaseline or E45 standard or thick unscented moisturisers are my go-tos) after getting out of the shower. This is just to give your skin a baseline of being clean and as non-irritated as possible. I often found that having a shower took away a level of horrendousness.

Good luck! Itching is the worst.

@Sunshinegirl82 @Spargle

Thank you both for the reply and the tips. My GP didn't think I could take anything for the itching but my midwife says it might be possible. I have a consultant appointment tomorrow anyway so will mention it to him then and hopefully he will be able to prescribe something.

Nobody I have spoken to outside the surgery seems to have heard of this before until now. It seems like such a long time until I can expect this to clear up but I keep telling myself that my little girl is totally worth it.

Just as an update for anyone who might find this helpful...

I have seen the consultant today. They were surprised by how severe my rash is but I now have other medication to help deal with it:
Antihistamine tablets
Steroid cream
Menthol aqueous cream

I have a good feeling this will help. Fingers crossed.

That’s excellent news! I’m so pleased for you! Fingers crossed it does the trick!

(If it doesn’t, you could probably still add calamine something to the mix. At my worst, I had to combine everything I could find, and everything helped!)

Oh! And sometimes people like oatmeal baths, or something, to help to soothe their skin. I’m allergic to oats so I’ve never tried it, but google it and see what comes up!