How Did You Deal with PUPPS?

I got PUPPS really bad with my first, and then got it AGAIN with my second. I was so mad, because I'd also read online that it doesn't often affect subsequent pregnancies. Ah! The first time around, my nurse midwife didn't believe it was PUPPS, and let me know another week while it spread EVERYWHERE!! A week later, when I was practically crying in her office, and had tried every cream under the sun, she had a doctor prescribe an oral steroid, which totally took care of the problem. The second time around, I knew exactly what it was, and went in to a new nurse midwife right away. She prescribed a topical (cream) steroid mixed with Sarna cream. This was FABULOUS!!! The cream feels great when you put it on, and it eliminated the PUPPS within several days. Yay! It sounds like your oil is very similar, so maybe if you used Sarna cream in between applications of the oil, you would get that same soothing effect. Keep it up with the oil, the steroids should eliminate the PUPPS. One question, did your doc prescribe a new oil, or are you using the one from last pregnancy? The old one might be expired, and therefore not as effective. Also, PUPPS can be everywhere on your body, although it generally spares the face. Ah!!!

I feel for you honey! Another thing that helps when the Sarna has worn off and you don't get to apply the oil for several hours is ice packs. Wrap an ice pack in a towel and put it on the worst parts of the rash (mine was worst right on my giant belly). Other than that, just hang in there!!!

I didn't have it but my sister did. She had it everywhere- back, legs, arms, chest. She was in Phoenix in the summer and had to wear long sleeves and pants because it was so bad she would see people staring at her like she had a flesh eating disease (her words). The pictures I saw were awful, I felt so bad for her. She said what worked best for her was a lotion called Sarna Sensitive. For some reason it had to be the sensitve skin formula, not original. They didn't catch hers early, her dermatologist had no idea what it was. (!) They told her it was an allergic reaction to something. By the time she saw a doctor who knew what it was they said it was too late to start on the steroid cream and have it help. So she did oatmeal baths and baking soda baths and wore mittens on her hands to sleep at night so she wouldn't scratch herself open. But she said that lotion worked best. I think you can get it at drugstores. I had another friend who got it for both of her pregnancies, but a much milder case both times, mostly on her belly. I think hers only spread a little to her legs. My sister found the lotion by googling it and a lady had made a website just for suggestions for it- women would write in different things that had worked for them. There were a lot of suggestions. I am so sorry for you, it has to be awful. I hope you get some good suggestions and find something that works.

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=183842&amp...

During my second pregnancy I believe I had PUPPS. No body knew what it was...I couldn't take the itching anymore so I went to the ER. It was one of the nurses who told me that it's PUPPS. I was prescribed a steroid cream, but it really didn't do anything. It started around my belly button, went down my thighs, to my arms, then lower legs. I dealt with it from mid Aug to mid Sep. It was horrible, so I took baths and showers (sometimes hot other times cold, which ever was helping at the moment). I wish I had a fix for you, but in my case I just had to wait it out. I meet a friend who's second pregnancy had PUPPS and she told me it went away after birth...so that's what I started looking forward too. It's awful that you have to go through this and a second time at that. Best of Luck! Just don't over due the steroid cream.

Also, I sometimes wonder if I had something else on top of the rash. I would get welts. I would feel a tingle, itch it and then a welt would appear. Alot of times set on by hot water (doing dishes) or sweating. It slowly (I mean slowly) went away over the course of a year. Actually, getting away from the stress of my mom and sister help bring an end to the welts. Other than that the rash part did disappear shortly after birth.

What is PUPPS? I am so sorry for you. That must be so difficult.

I developed PUPPS in my 34th week of my first pregnancy and was able to get rid of it COMPLETELY by my 36th week! It was ridiculous. Luckily, I had already read about it and recalled how rare it was, so I jumped on the internet right away- even before I got in for an OB appointment. It starter on my stomach and stayed there for a few days. Then sure enough spread to my arms, thighs and legs. Behind my knees was the worst! I tried everything. On day 4 of PUPPS I had already gone to Whole Foods and bought organic dandelion root. After 6 days of the dandelion root I was getting better! Within 4 days of stopping the dandelion root my PUPPS was completely gone. I had a daily routine of cold shower- vinegar- calamine- desitin- menthol rub which I repeated every few hours. It was excruciating, but the dandelion was the answer. THANK GOD!!!!!