PUPPPS rash and induction - anyone any experience?

[Wilkiepedia]

Posted a few days ago re itchy stretchmarks, which has now developed into full blown PUPPPS rash. Prob is, as this only affects 1% of pregnancies I am really stuggling to fine anyone that has suffered with this.

It is so severe that no one, and I mean NONE of the doctors or MWs I have seen over the past 5 days have seen anything like it, the itching is unbearable.

They have given me steroid cream and antihistamines but have said if it doens't calm down before next week then they will induce me at 38.5 weeks (next week) as the only thing that will cure it is delivery.

Has ANYONE got anything they can tell me or just talk to me? I am terrified of being induced.

I've got no suggestions but thought I'd bump this for you xxx

I've been a long-time lurker here and have never posted before (on any website at all!) but my heart went out to you as I too had this and just want to sympathise.

Unfortunately, I have no experience of induction due to the rash, so can't comment on that aspect of your situation,
but below is a summary of how it went for me in case it brings any comfort just to hear someone else's experience. Don't read further if you're not that way inclined!

Mine started about 1.5 weeks before my due date (my first day of maternity leave, so gone was the prospect of sitting around in the park reading novels!). It was a bit of a shock as I'd had pretty much a trouble-free pregnancy up until then. Midwife had no idea what it was (even when I told them the GP diagnosis). Thankfully, the GP I saw had an inkling but had never seen it for real so he googled for more info while I was consulting with him! I saw images of some horrific cases on his screen and I remember thinking that mine would never get that bad.

I too was given antihistamines and mild steroid cream. Neither helped at all, so was then given stronger steroid cream. As this only helped for a few minutes after application and carried a possible side effect of skin discolouration (on darker skins), I didn't think it was worth continuing. So I just made do with regularly slapping on calamine lotion. I agree that the itchiness was so severe that it was enough to drive one insane and it certainly drove me to tears a few times. I couldn't bear the feeling of anything brushing against the rash so just lay on the sofa in just my knickers, limbs splayed out so that no part of my body was touching another.

The rash spread from a tiny patch on the lower part of my bump to the whole of my torso. It had just started approaching the top of my limbs when labour started on my due date. Interestingly, the rash just stopped in its tracks at this point. Well, the newer parts continued to itch for a few days but it stopped spreading. The situation stayed like this for the days that I was in labour and I pretty much forgot about it thinking that that was the end of the matter. I too had read that it would disappear with delivery but it seems that this may only be the case with natural delivery - I had a c-section and a few hours after it, the rash suddenly just picked up where it had left off and continued to spread down my arms and legs. I suppose the body has slightly different hormonal processes in natural and c-section births. I remember scratching my legs so hard through my surgical stockings that my legs bled in places (still have the scars). It all seemed to fizzle out when the rash had nowhere else left to travel to. Interestingly, I don't think it came up beyond my chest to my face.

So not a happy experience I'm afraid but I really really hope that yours doesn't get anywhere near as bad.

Neverposted - thank you so much for your response!!!!!!!! It is so nice to actually 'speak' to someone about this f*cking AWFUL condition.

I have been at hospital today as it has spread all over my torso, boobs, massively down my legs and has just started on my hands and arms. It is so unbelievably itchy I just sob. The consultant at the hosp had ACTUALLY seen it before, she said mine was second worse case she had seen, she gave me a sweep (am 37+5) but said that she didn't think induction was wise as my cervix wasn't favourable and as the rash poses no harm to the baby (just the mother's sanity) she has booked me in for another sweep next Thurs to try and get things started naturally.

I just want to cry and cry - it looks like the meningitis rash, it has clumped together on my legs into four huge patches covering the fronts of my shins, backs of my calves and then the rest is just thousands of tiny ant bite marks.

My tum actually feels a bit less fiery today (possibly due to the Betnovate cream) although I have noticed that the skin has gone quite deep purple??

Sorry to rant on to you but it is so nice to actually hear of someone elses experience. How long did the rash take to go after your c/s??

Oh Activity thank you so much for your input too! God, starting at 20 weeks would be horrific, so glad yours cleared up!!!

Had a slighly better night, I was in the bath at 3.30am, washed down with Aqueous Cream and then applied more Betnovate and managed to sleep from 4.20-8.00am (a miracle).

OC has been ruled out (thank god) but my hands are very swollen sore and itchy now on both sides.

Interesteing what you said about the rash turning purple when disappearing, I have to say that the bits that have gone a slight purply colour are definitely less itchy and hot. It is still spreading but I have got my head round it now.

My boobs are covered (including nipples) so I think my plans to breastfeed are out the window (also, having been applying steroid cream I'm not sure if the milk or skin would be contaminated for the baby??).

Well, 37+6 today, here's hoping he decides to make an appearance!!!!!

Thank you both SO much for your input and suggestions, I don't feel like I am going mental anymore.

Hi,
I had this last time with DS. Have heard it is far more likely with boys and first babies so hoping I will be free of it this time round. I am 23 weeks and just found out we are very likely to be having a girl so we'll see.

Have to admit I was going mad and scratching my skin off by the time I went into labour naturally at 38 weeks. Found anti-histamines at least made me drowsy enough to get some sleep but the steroid cream made very little difference. I tried oatmeal baths - quite soothing while I was in the water. I got prescribed emolient (liquid paraffin I think) and that was nice to put in the bath too. I asked for that because my niece uses it for very bad eczema.
All this was during the very hot summer of 2006. In the end the only thing that made me more comfortable was (and this may sound bizarre) lying on my bed on damp towels and wrapping wet crepe bandages round my legs (worst part of my body affected). I then sponged the bandages to keep them moist and every so often put my feet in a bowl of cool water.

Anyway, in anticipation of the same problem this time I have been doing some googling and came up with the following about dandelion root Maybe worth looking into further?
Hopefully you will have your baby in your arms soon and feeling so much better.

Sorry, Wilkiepedia, my memory of how long the rash lasted after the c-section is a little hazy as it was a couple of years ago, but possibly just under a week.

Like ActivityApple, the purple stage also seemed something of a peak stage for that particular area for me, so hopefully various parts of you will reach that stage soon and you'll get a little respite before the baby comes. Let us know how you get on, even if it?s just to moan about it for some release!

I too am really grateful for the anti-itching tips left by others because I?m now pregnant with my second and am paranoid that it?s going to make an appearance again.

Neverposted - a huge amount of the rash has reached the purplish stage now and I have to say, the purply bits are less itchy. My entire body barring my face and tops of my arms is covered though - my shins are totally covered with no 'normal' skin left in between. My feet have got new itchy patches.

My best tip is Betnovate applied twice daily with Aqueous Cream absolutely smothered on in between and allowed to soak in coupled with antihistamines every 6 hours (I try to save teh antihistamines for the night though and take them four hourly).

Thank you all so much for you advice and suggestions. Have another sweep booked for Thurs (will be 38+4) so fingers crossed it works!!

Hi Wilkie - a lady I know got PUPPS post-partum and visited our local herbalist. They made her up a huge pot of cream (using aqueous as a base) with lots of things in it to help soothe the rash - to be honest the only thing I can remember that went in it was chickweed extract! But there were lots of other things in there too. Sorry - bit of a preg-head at the moment.
Anyway, they do post things out all over the country so if you wanted to give them a ring, their tel. is 01709 531177. It's called The Apothecary. The lady in question said the cream took the itching away beautifully and while you'd need to mention your still preggers, I know the other lady was breastfeeding and the cream was certainly safe in that respect.

just quickly posting so apologies for not reading other posts. i had this for the final 5 weeks of my pg. i wasnt induced and went 4 days over. i spent night upon night in tears of frustration at the itching which for me, was from the neck downwards but worse on my hands feet and bottom of my bump. it did clear as soon as i had the baby. i tired creams, antihistamines helped me get a bit of sleep but acupunture worked to take the heat out of the itching, i would recommend it if you can. i also rememebr sitting in my back garden in a paddling pool of cool water and bicarb of soda!!

i really feel for you, it is so distressing.
i hope it all works out well for you.

by the way, i had a girl, and a csec, the rash went almost straight away.