would you take an anti-histamine?

[motherpeculiar]

I'm 35 wks pg and suffering a horrendously itchy rash since Sunday. It's like weals and lumps all over my back and legs and is now moving onto bump and arms. VERY uncomfortable and quite difficult to find clothes that don't rub and irritate it.

Went to my GP yesteday and he said it is urticaria - a rash due to an allergic reaction to something. He prescribed Chlorphenamine, which are seemingly a very long established anti-histamine (I think possibly also marketed as Pirotin - sp?) which he reckoned should be safe to take. Although he did say they wouldn't ever have been tested on pg women so there was no guarantee. He felt they'd be safe as they've been around for donkeys years and there has never been a problem reported.

I'm trying to resist taking them but the rash is spreading and I am downright miserable and sore.

Has anyone else taken these in pg, or know if they'd be ok?

I generally try to avoid all medication - although have taken the odd paracetamol for a headache - from some online research last night I believe Paracetamol has never been officially tested on pg women either

HELP!!!!!

I'm sure it would be OK. I give the kids Piriton syrup (it's fine to do that), so I think you'd be fine. Easy for me to say though!

I had a horrible rash and itchy in my last pg and the doctor said that there was no ah I could take while pg. I spent my whole time covered in diprobase cream which eased it.
P.S. Have you been tested Liver problems?

was tested for liver probs about 6 weeks ago when I had a much milder version of same. No problem showed up and it went away with some homeopathic cream. This one shows no sign of shifting with the same cream though and I'm getting very miserable.

Where do you get this Diprobase stuff Xena?

I took that antihistamine all through both pregnancies with no problems.... for the same as you. No drugs are tested on pregnant women!! Can you imagine putting yourself forward for a drug trial when you're pregnant? Nope.... they just know that the ones that have been around for ages have little or no side effects.

You can get Diprobase from the chemist over the counter or by prescription.

Oh Toothache I think I love you

off to happily gag down a pill as fast as possible now.............

one last thing - did they make you drowsy? I need to drive later

I feel v sad now was suffering terribly when I was pg. Wish I had been a mnetter then. Hope it makes you better MP. Will you let us know so that I can bear it in mind if we have another?

Hi MP - was just reading about your rash on Due April thread!

It is really up to you how uncomfortable you feel and to weigh up the benefits vs the unknown risks. The BNF says that there is no evidence of complications.

Not sure which creams you have tried? Aveeno cream works well for me and DH uses oilatum products.

Hope you get better soon

Posts crossed
Yes very sedating in answer to your question

A hnow YES they made me very drowsy, but apparently not everyone does. Best to check first. I used to take them at night. THe antihistamine effect lasts most of the next day, but the drowsiness has gone. If you run out of those tablets you can swig away at Baby Piriton!

right - I've done it (feel like some kind of junky!)

Xena will let you know how I get on - sorry you had to suffer through two bouts of this

Strawberry - have tried oilatum, homeopathic remedy sulphur, tea tree oil, calendula and hypericum with urtica urens etc etc etc. Nothing is working

just hope I can drive lat.....Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Motherpeculiar!!! You might be allergic to the oils!! I know I am.

hey - you might be right - it all kicked off after I had a bath with some children's E45 stuff in it on sunday. won't be putting that in DDs bath!

ah hasn't kicked in yet - still alert and itchy

will go get DD by bus if
I'm feeling drowsy later.......

Ha ha that could be it! Although my urtecaria is almost always triggered by my allergy to tomatoes!

poor you Toothache - can't imagine having to steer clear of tomatoes

I am now feeling VERY VERY SLEEPY

unfortunately have rather a large amount of stuff to get through for work

which is very likely to be put off very shortly now (head drops on top of desk with a CLUNK)...........

Motherpeculiar - Me too, hence why I keep taking antihistamines!

Ooops, that didn't make sense! I mean I don't steer clear of them!

note to self< must preview.

i got really bad hayfever while i was pg with my ds, the only thing that i could take that was safe for pg women was the homeapathic (sp?)
stuff, i cant remember wehat it was called but i got it from the chemist.
i know not very helpfull, but though i'd say it anyway.

i took another one last night before bed - itched all night and was awake from 3 until 4.30 so much for the sedative properties!

I'm not going to take anymore as they don't seem to be having any noticeable effect on the itchiness so it's not worth it.

Back to the pharmacy to try some more creams.

Grrrrrrrrrrrr.

Haven't read all the posts but I am 29 weeks pg, motherpeculiar, and I take antihistamines on a as-I-need-them basis. I only take piriton though. Two GPs told me to take it because I had a horrendous allergic reaction a few weeks ago where I couldn't breathe.

I suffer from dreadful urticaria and have been taking atarax (ah) for 10 years. I take a low dose (say 5-10mg every 2-3 days) to keep it under control.

I took it through my first and my second pregnancies with no problems at all. I am 19 weeks pregnant now and have managed without so far. I was told by my consultant not to suffer and if I need to take it, then I should.

motherpeculiar have you tried oatmeal bath?

regular porridge oats .. put some in a stocking / tights and tie round the tap so that your bathwater runs through it .. then bathe in the milky water its really good at reducing itching

thanks, glad to hear others have taken them too with no obvious ill effects

• will try oatmeal bath - my friend recommmended it too but didn't really know how to do it so that's very helpful Mud (I had visions of me lolling about in very watery luke warm porridge )

the itching is still very bad - didn't sleep much last night and DD1 is full of beans now.

Groan.

I take Loritidine (sp?) when i have a hayfever and/or skin rash and although i am not pregnant Im pretty sure i took this when i was preg with ds (born Sept with bad hayfever all through hte summer).