PUPPS or PEP - help

[kidsareok]

Hi! Just got PEP rash at 37 weeks pregnant. It's insanely itchy. Been checked over for any other reasons for the itch and all bloods etc were fine. I don't know if I can handle the itch for another 3 weeks 😱. Any tips or remedies? Thanks!

I had this and you have all my sympathy, it is awful!

I found putting damp towels/tea towels in the freezer and then putting on skin really provided relief. I did suffer from this in middle of summer though so it may be less pleasant right now!

I also used grandpa's pine tar soap which doesn't smell good but I think it did make a small difference.

Lastly when it really did get too much I did also get some steroid cream prescribed from GP which I was advised to use very sparingly so that is also worth a try!

I hope it gets better ASAP!!

@metallicbear thanks so much! I feel like I got to 37 weeks and was doing well and now this has just completely changed everything - feel drained, tired because I can't sleep with it and just generally can't wait for the baby to be out. It's put such a dampener on the last few weeks of pregnancy. Thanks for the tips! I ordered some pine tar soap from Amazon so I'm waiting for that to arrive. I had a bag of frozen sweet corn on it last night 😫. Think I'll defo need a cream from GP or something. Luckily I've only got a short time to go, I've read that people have this from week 24 😱 I don't know what I'd do! Thanks lovely

I had this in my last pregnancy and I'm terrified it will come back. I think I was 27ish (maybe earlier) and it just never went away. Oh the itch! I used camomile lotion and a lot of ice and only wore cotton.

Now 20 weeks and terrified of it returning 😂.

There was a menthol smelling cream I was given. Some kind of steroid. Rubbed it all over my belly.

@LifeIsBusy I read that it's less likely to happen in a second pregnancy which is good news!! Apparently it's more likely to happens if you're carrying a boy too?! Ahh it's just awful - mine feels like my skin is burning x

@kmini thanks! I'm going to contact my midwife tomorrow for something on prescription that'll help x

@kidsareok i also read it was more common with boys when I looked into itlast time. I can only thank my DS for all the itching and still hoping it doesn't return. Let me know if you find any cures just incase I need to leverage off it 😂

I had this with my second pregnancy - it was a girl btw!

It is awful. Like other posters have said, you need to keep cool. I used to run a cool bath (no products in it) and keep the water in. I’d have a quick dip through the night when it got unbearable.

I also used Pine tar soap. Work it into a lather with a puff and leave the foam on for a few minutes before rinsing with cold water.

Wear loose light weight clothes.

Thanks everyone! I got some pine tar soap but it made it really red raw and painful 😫 - so annoying. I also got some E45 itch relief cream which works for a few hours. My GP prescribed me Loratadine antihistamine so I've taken one a few hours ago but it's still itchy 🙄. I suppose the edge has been taken off it. Hopefully I'll get some sleep - need to charge my batteries for when baby arrives!

@kidsareok hopefully babs arrives soon as it will disappear instantly. Its fine, youre never going to feel rested again 😂.

I've been diagnosed with this. I found at the outset that when the itching was really bad that olive oil helped to relieve it. It would last for a good 3 hours before the itching came back. However eventually I called the GP as it was now not only on my tummy strech marks but it covered both arm, my bum and my legs! I was going mad. I am now on one loratadine antihistamine a day for 7 days and I was also prescribed arjun 2% cream. With the first application of the cream I absolutely smothered myself from head to foot (what a mistake!!!!) and then felt like I'd been dropped in an ice bath and was suffering from hypothermia, I was frozen for over an hour!!!! And although being that cold was really painful I didn't itch for a good 6 hours after that. So with the arjun 2% cream a little goes a long way, no need to smother it on and you can apply it as often as you need. I have also been applying Clotrimazole cream (as I use this for heat rash and it works at getting rid of that) and its helping as well. I know how you are suffering. I'm 31 weeks and have already had the rash for 2 weeks so I'm hoping the combination of antihistamine, arjun 2% cream and Clotrimazole will continue to give me some reprieve. I'm still itching but not as bad. I hope this post helps you

Thanks everyone! Still in PUPPP rash hell at 39 weeks but soldiering on. It's really the most unpleasant thing ever! I've asked to be induced twice but they've said that the rash isn't usually a reason they'd look to induce early 🙄. It's kind of spread now away from my stomach and is worse on my arms, back and legs - my legs feel so swollen and itchy 24/7. Is that normal? Stomach is just mildly itchy now. I'm hoping bubba won't be much longer 🤞🏼. Over 2 weeks of this, definitely don't want another 2! X

I am only 24 weeks ftm with girl, and started having this.
It's a torture and i think it's just the beginning...
I started using a cream that the dermatologist recommended, will attach a pic.
I also put my burts bee belly better on top twice a day... and really try to ignore the itch as much as possible.
You're almost there though!

Butter* not better 🙄

@kidsareok totally normal if compared to the latter parts of my pregnancy. I really had to be careful what clothing I wore as anything non cotton was awful. I also used get up in the middle of the night for a good itch