Help! What is this itchy pregnancy rash? (Pics)

[Silentreader]

Sorry for the lengthy post but I'm a desperate 15 weeks pregnant lady, please can anyone shed any light on what this rash could be? The thought of having to live with this for another 25 weeks terrifies me..

Around two weeks ago I developed a dry, itchy rash in my left armpit which spread to my right armpit and the creases of my elbows. I visited the pharmacy as the itchiness was keeping me up at night and the pharmacist suggested Canestan 1% as he thought it could be a fungal infection. I stopped using any skincare with fragrance and only use aveeno wash and moisturise with aveeno/epiderm.

I was able to get a telephone appointment and the Dr suggested an OTC hydrocortisone cream (Daktacort) which I started to apply twice a day.

The rash started to spread but the spot formation became almost like chicken pox everywhere else instead of the initial dry large patch of psoriasis looking rash. In desperation I visited my GP who was flummoxed and prescribed Eumovate steroid plus told me to continue with Canestan and also gave me some menthol aqueous cream for the itchiness.
I have only been using this medicine for the past 3 days but my rash has significantly worsened and is now EVERYWHERE.

The itching is absolute torture and I am waking up in the night and having to get in the bath for some sort of relief.
I add a sock with porridge oats to my bath which helps the itch temporarily but I'm currently having atleast three baths a day which is becoming quite challenging with work and a 3 yr old!

It doesn't appear to be PUPPS as I am not far enough in my pregnancy and it is not particularly bad on my stomach/stretch marks.
The maternity triage will not see me until I am 16 weeks but when I spoke to them they are not concerned about intrahepatic cholestasis due to rash and as I have not experienced itching on my hands and feet. I have not had any blood tests however.
I have whittled it down to perhaps Atopic eruption of pregnancy (AEP) or perhaps pityriasis rosea although the 'host' rash was not on my stomach/back and I don't have a Christmas tree formation on my back so who knows...

Has anyone had any experience of this and can tell me I don't have to live like this for the rest of my pregnancy :(

I was prescribed this when I had the same rash it eased it a bit

it went away straight after I had the baby 🙈🤷‍♀️

@Silentreader how was your appointment? Hope you got some answers!

@Lid88 Complete waste of time sadly. The dermatologist had no idea what it was, spent ages scrolling through a 'pregnancy induced rashes' website and sighing..
She thinks it's less like to be Pityriasis Rosea and more likely to be PUPPS but said I should have a biopsy for them to look into it.
The wait time is 3 weeks privately and I am not sure if it's covered by my insurance so she said I can do to my GP and ask for a dermatology referral. She said it will be reasonably quick as a pregnant woman.
I asked what the treatment plan would be for PUPPs and she said exactly what I am currently doing (steroid cream and antihistamines) so not sure what the point of the biopsy would be.
Very frustrating x

@CityKity @Lid88 just checking in to see how you are getting on and if you have had any breakthroughs?! 🤞

@Silentreader oh I’m so gutted for you, I really thought they’d be more help!! I had a couple of days of really reduced itching and got my hopes up but mines back full force again last 24 hours. I found the e45 itch relief cream helped a little as it’s not greasy but no, nothing to note in terms of finding something that works! I’ve had mine a month now so I’m losing hope that I can control it before baby comes so I guess I’m just going to have to put up for the next 11 weeks 😩

how are you?

I'm almost certain it's polymorphic eruption of pregnancy. I had it in my last pregnancy. It's like torture. It started exactly like yours then just spread and spread until it covered my whole body, even my scalp. Just not palms, soles and belly button!
The only thing that really helped me was oral steroids but you are not far enough along.
If you're anywhere near Spire Macclesfield I can share the name of my consultant who was wonderful.

It may be scabies! I got them just a few weeks ago. You need to use Sulfur cream or Sulfur soap if it is...(use it even if it isn't Scabies as it works for any rashes) it worked better than any treatment the Dermatologist gave me. I had to tell him what I had from Googling! Mine had no idea either. If it's worst at night it's likely Scabies

The treatment from the Dermatologist was an anti parasite cream...it worked and went away so definitely was scabies! Being pregnant was a bit awkward as they told me Pregnancy Hormones a million times but I had this feeling it wasn't...so pleased I worked it out myself!

@Silentreader hello, sorry I haven’t checked back in a while. How are you getting on?
So gutted for you that the appointment seemed like a waste of time, I’ve been in exactly the same situation with a GP Googling ‘steroids safe in pregnancy’ which did not fill me with any confidence and sparked rage instead! The good GP I saw said similar, that a dermatologist will also just prescribe steroids and anti-histamines so in the end I never chased up my referral.
I was so happy that steroids were working and I was finally sleeping that I dropped the ball on following it up BUT now whilst I’m lots better, I still have a rash just one that’s less raw than the initial flare. I’m out of my steroid cream now and don’t want to have to take it all pregnancy so I’m a bit gutted it didn’t solve everything for me.
Im also wondering if the recent cold weather has set my skin backwards, as I’m so dry and flakey atm.
Sleep wise it’s a bit hit and miss, I am less itchy but I still am covered head to toe in s really unsightly rash, so will chase the referral now to see what’s next - I really can’t stand another 6 months of this!

@Silentreader @Lid88 How are you ladies doing? Just checking in in the hope that your doctors have been more useful than mine, and you’ve finally cracked the magic cure or have any tips?!
I’m gutted that as soon as I stopped my course of steroids I’m right back to square 1 😥.
@Silentreader have DM-ed you pics of my rash (sorry!) so at least you know you’re not the only one!

Hi @CityKity 👋

Nothing to report here I’m afraid! I’ve not even bothered to go back to the GP as they’ve made it clear there’s nothing more they can do. I do have fortnightly blood tests to check my liver function but so far all normal.

I’m almost 30 weeks pregnant now and have had it around 6 weeks, some days are worse than others I find. A few things I’m doing to mitigate it getting worse are:

• washing my hair over the bath so the products don’t touch my skin
• quick luke warm showers using pine tar soap and not daily
• steroid cream twice a day
• e45 itch relief cream twice a day
• switched to doing all my washing with fairy sensitive
• weekly oat sock bath

There by no means any form of cure, but I do find some days are slightly more bare able than others. I definetley find the constant change in temperature a trigger too! For work I wear really light cotton clothes.

10 weeks to go lol

@CityKity @Lid88 Evening ladies and sorry for the radio silence we have been moving house!
I'm almost too scared to type it incase I jinx it but my rash seems to be getting better.. eek!
The red rash has completely gone but the skin where the rash was is still itchy and slightly discoloured than the rest of my skin, like a suntan. I decided to go back to using the steroid cream.. so applied Eumovate very thinly once a day only to the affected areas after my morning shower. Ive also been exfoliating loads with one of those long handled exfoliating bristle brushes whenever it's been itchy. You know the type that looks a bit like a boar bristle hairbrush? It seems to be much better than scratching with finger nails.
Other than that I haven't used any other products other than aveeno baby body wash.
My diet and everything else is normal.

The itchiness is about a thousand times worse at night and I am still waking up between 1 and 3 and scratching all over like a woman possessed and having to take some piriton syrup but worst case scenario if I have to live like this for the next 24 weeks then it's bearable.

@CityKity I'm so sorry that it's flared up again for you. Were your steroids oral or topical? How long have you had it for now?
I haven't received any pics via private message but I don't use Mumsnet often so might be looking in the wrong place!
I have been given the contact details of a dermatologist who is meant to be really good if you happen to be in the London area?

@maryberryslayers @Skylar45 thanks for your suggestions, good to know there are other avenues if the rash rears its ugly head again.

Hello both 👋

@Lid88 I’m going to bother my GP tomorrow, my it’s also apparent that they don’t really know what to do with me. Which steroid are you on at the moment?
My tube ran out just as the cold weather hit again, so it’s a bit of a double whammy as the cold really hasn’t helped the situation!
Thanks for the tips, I’ve tried most of them, but interested to try pine tar soap! I’m using Aveeno baby body wash which my skin is tolerating but maybe pine tar might help.
I’m jealous the end is in sight for you! It’s still so early days, I have 6 months to go!

@Silentreader congrats with the house move, I’m also hoping to move soon 🤞, I hope it wasn’t too stressful. So I really wanted to DM you pictures, but maybe I’m being silly but it wouldn’t let me upload them?!
I’m so happy that it’s getting better for you!! It gives me hope that there’s light at the end of the tunnel 😅. From previous experience with eczema, the discolouration does eventually fade so I’m sure it will for you too. No other products other than Aveeno body wash and eumovate?! That’s amazing, not even a moisturiser?! I am started to wonder if I should give my skin a break from constant barrage of different creams and ointments.
My steroids were topical - Betnovate 100g, which I used over the course of 2 weeks and the GP is hesitant to give me another course as it’s on the stronger side, I wonder if I should ask for a milder steroid like eumovate which I can maybe take for a longer time?
My rash started before I knew I was pregnant at around 4 weeks, was terrible at 6-8 weeks, started steroid cream at week 9, had some relief and it’s gone worse again week 11-13 which I am now.
I’m in London and would love the details of
that dermatologist if that’s okay.

Sorry for the mammoth reply 😅

@CityKity Of course, Ill PM you if I can work out how haha!!

@Silentreader @Lid88 @CityKity Hi ladies, can I ask how things have fared for you since your last posts? Your symptoms sound incredibly like mine. It's really affecting me day to day and consultant/GP have been useless, essentially just told me that "pregnancy throws up strange things" and to use calamine lotion... which does nothing. It is so frustrating and nobody can empathise with the torture! @Lid88 , by now your baby has arrived safe and sound? Hope all is well. Any truth in the old wives tale that itchiness is more likely to be a boy? 😀

Please Help ! really getting desperate now I'm 33 weeks pregnant and get married in 3 weeks has anyone else developed this rash? It's not ICP as drs tested me for it. Gave me a cream but I can't keep up with it spread to back and legs now 😩