Antihistimine cream in pregnancy?

[Lucyand2]

I'm 17 weeks pregnant and for some reason my body has reacted terribly to insect bites. I've been using benadryl skin cream but found out today that it hasn't been proven as safe to use in pregnancy. I must admit that I'm a bit worried as I didn't realise, it is the only thing helping me to sleep at the moment as it itches so much!
Has anyone else used this safely?
Is there anything else I can use on the bites to help me sleep?
Thanks,
Lucy

Hi Lucyand2 - I'm still suffering from a wasp sting which I received over a week ago, and have had great difficulty getting anything for it (am 9 weeks at the moment). Pharmacist wouldn't sell me anything... So I've resorted to calamine lotion, which seems to do the trick. It certainly helps cool down the affected area, and stops it itching, but you may have to refresh the area with it a couple of times during the day/night. It's safe to use in pregnancy...

hope that helps.

You can take Benadryl tablets (activastine) which does as much good as the topical cream does in terms of preventing itching - if anything its better as it gets all of the bites without making them feel greasy!

Sorry thats acrivastine - spelling sucks!

I've been taking it for 8 years now, and its perfectly safe during pregnancy

isuffer from horrid dermatitis on my hands, and i was able to take my anthistamine tabs throughout my pregnancies...if your uncertain then phone the nhs line

Thankyou for the suggestions, I've been stressing that I've harmed the baby in some way by putting the cream on! I'll use calomine until I can get to a pharmacists to pick up some Benadryl tablets over the weekend, I'm looking forward to not itching anymore!

Lucyand2 - there are very few drugs that have been proven safe for use during pregnancy - but that is mostly down to the ethical issues surrounding testing on pregnant women rather than the danger of using them.

FWIW, the helpful pharmacist at our local place told me that as long as you are out of your 1st trimester, then antihistamine creams are fine ... (I had horrendous insect bites earlier on this summer, on a boating holiday!)

Lucyand2 i suffer with bites and stings and good old vinegar works a treat x