Itchy Rash

I had the same problem and my doc told me I could take benadryal(spelling wrong) it saved me. I would check with your doc and see if it is ok for you to take. Good luck

Oh T., I feel your pain.

My rash came on late in my pregnancy - on my abdomen and then slowly creeped down my legs. Mine also got worse after I delivered. I remember having 3 doctors look at me in the hospital and no one knew what it was. I think it might be something that's triggered because of the hormones and may be there's no specific diagnosis. At any rate, I found that after I delivered and my milk came in, it got worse and I found it primarily started (after the abdominal area) in my joints - my knees, hips and spread from there.

The one thing I found worked really well was to dillute a 2 quart pitcher of water with a cup or so of white vinegar. I'd pour that mixture on to a washcloth and nuke it in the microwave to make it really warm. I'd apply those washcloths on to the really itchy spots for several minutes and just sit there. I did find that this helped a lot - may be didn't take all the itch away, but the vinegar helps neutralize the itch. I know it might sound hokey, but give it a try - I did find the rash settled down about 3 weeks after I delivered, I think once things hormonally settled down for me.

Hang in there!

Hey...I had the same thing with my second pregnancy but it was in my first trimester. Nothing helped me but soaking in a bath with baking soda. Mine went away after a couple of weeks, though.

Strange, I just read an article on this in Parents magazine. Apparently it only happens in the first pregnancy. Good luck!

T. I can tell you this it is probably not PUPPS since 99% of the time you ONLY get that when it is your first pregnancy! I had a rash with my last pregnancy and I had to get Steriods, jsut like one of the other mothers said, for it because it would not go away! Do you have it all the time? I only itched when I was hot or in areas the were warm like under my belly and such. The name for what I had is....Cholinergic Urticaria. Here is its definition...

Cholinergic urticaria is a very common form of hives. It manifests as multiple, small, 2 to 3 mm red hives on the upper trunk and arms, although it can occur from the neck to the thighs. These hives appear in response to a rise in body temperature from exercise, overheating, or stress.

I hope that this helps, this maybe it...you can look online by googling Cholinergic urticaria and see a picture of what it looks like and maybe you can tell you doctor that. I still get these "hives" when I work out and in the shower with hot water....I am also 8 months pregnant. Good Luck and NO SCRATCHING!!

Hi T.! First of all where is the rash? And what do you think caused the rash. During my last pregnancy, I developed an allergy to the ultrasound gel and got a really intense painful, itchy rash across my abdomen. The docs gave me a hydrocortisone cream that took care of the itching and pain. And I had to keep it as dry as I could. The hydrocortisone will not hurt the baby...

M. F

take benadreyl i had this stuff also itches like crazy but this meds the doc gives doesnt work

Hi there. There is a rash called Pytiriasis Rosea (check the spelling)- I had it twice for no known reason but I was asked both times if I was pregnant b/c apparently it is linked to pregnancy in some women. It's primarily on the trunk of your body (and starts with a 'mother' patch)and spreads down arms and legs too. It was miserable to say the least. Knowing what you are dealing with will help them give you the best course of treatment.
Good luck.

Hi,
An itchy rash can be an early sign of endema, a protein deficiency in pregnancy. You may want to review you diet and make sure that you are getting enough.
BTW--if you rub Noxema on an itchy spot it block the nerve signal and makes you not itch.
Good Luck,
C.

T.,
I have eczema, now I know this may or may not be what you have and that is ok. But I use a bath oil that is the ONLY thing that helped me when I was pregnant and had it everywhere including my scalp and privates ! I was on steroids and all other kinds of meds because of it but nothing helped!

RoBathol is the only thing that helped it go away and it keeps it from coming back !

I purchase it online for about $10 a bottle. It is sooooo worth it and totally safe to use even on newborns!

Blessings.
M.

I had this rash when I was pregnant with my son, and beleive me it is absolute hell. it took 3 doctors to diagnose me with it. Don't beleive that it will go away within 8 weeks, my son is 14 months old, and I still have outbreaks on my elbow. It is the craziest thing ever. During pregnancy, the only thing that helped me was lanacaine, and lots of it, just to numb the rash. It started out on my belly, but by the time the worst of it was over I had it on every part of my body (not at the same time) I really feel for you. I went to a dermatologist, and he gave me a hydrocortisone cream prescription, but of course that wasnt until after I had my son. I also had tried 2 rounds of prednisone but it kept coming back. Good luck, I hope it is better for you.

I had a mysterious rash too (twice) and the only thing that stopped the itching (although they told me this is a horrible thing to do) was REALLY hot water! THen i would put raw shea butter on it and that seemed to help calm it down. The only other thing that ever helped was a cortizone shot, which my OB approved. Good luck!

T.,
Your message brought back miserable memories for me. I, too, had a horrible itchy rash during my second pregnancy. I tried oatmeal baths and topical (prescription) lotions, but nothing worked. I couldn't sleep, I cried, and I scratched until I bled. I really empathize with you!!!

After several weeks of misery and failed treatments, my OBGYN sent me to a dermatologist, and they agreed to put me on a round of Prednisone (oral steroid). I was well into my 2nd trimester, so they assured me it was safe. (My daughter is 4 now, and perfectly healthy and bright, so it appears they were correct.) It brought relief almost immediately, and the rash didn't return after I finished the medication.

I hope this information is helpful...or that it at least helps to know that you're not alone. Good luck to you.

Hey T.! I had the same thing in my 3rd trimester, and I can feel your misery! I was also prescribed something, and didn't like the reaction, and just got Benadryl pills and cream, and it took a few days, but it worked and i felt much better! Good luck and hang in there, I know it's hard, but it will pass! Hope this helps!