Pregnancy Related Itching & Rashes
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April 2003
hi, i am about 7 1/2 months pregnant and have an itchy,
painful rash that started around 4 months. i've seen my OB,
my regular doctor, and a dermatologist and no one knows
exactly what it is or what to do about it except give me topical
steroid creams which don't seem to do anything. i've done
lots of research on rashes during pregnancy (including
reading the website) and know (from my doctor) that it's not
PUPPS or the itchiness that means something's wrong
w/your liver. i am now thinking of seeing a homeopathic
doctor, Dr. Kreisberg. so i'm interested in both advice and
recommendations: has anyone who had one of these awful
rashes during pregnancy tried homeopathy (or anything
else for that matter)? has anyone seen Dr. Kreisberg for
anything and have you liked him? i'm new to homeopathy
as well, so any advice is welcome. thanks.
pregnant and itchy
I don't have experience with homeopathy for pregnancy rashes,
but I did have an incredibly severe case of PUPPs at the end of
my pregnancy (I looked like I had rolled in poison oak and had
big itchy wlets everywhere). I tried every over-the-counter anti-
itch product I could find (coritzone, anti-fungal, creams,
lotions, ointments...) The only ones that had even slightly
beneficial effects were Beneryl and Calamine lotion (the old-
fashioned pink kind, not the Caladryl). The other thing that
offered some relief was covering myself with REALLY COLD
compresses (wash cloths frequently re-chilled in ice water).
Though everybody claimed it goes away with delivery, mine
reached its height the day after. It was TRULY UNBEARABLE. My
doctor prescribed an oral steroid--Prednizone(they said it was
o.k. while nursing, I don't know about pre-natally) which was
both a blessing and a curse. It did clear up the rash, however,
it had SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS that I was not warned about and
didn't recognize were connected to the drug until too late. The
tricky thing about Prednizone is that different people have
different reactions to it --running the gammut from no side-
effects to completely opposite ones (i.e. either increased
appetite or lack of appetite, insomnia or lethargy...)
The Prednizone made me completely unable to sleep. I was
literally awake for 5 days; despite being exhausted from giving
birth and doing tons of relaxing things (including getting
wonderful massages), I could not fall asleep when I lay down. I
also had no appetite and felt slightly naseaus. The combo of no
sleep and no food meant my milk never fully came in--despite all
the extensive measures I took (with the aid of a lactation
consultant), even when it did finally come in, it never was
enough. An additional side-effect, is that Prednizone can impede
the body's ability to heal. In my case, it meant my epesiotomy
stitches were rejected, and just fell out.
So, if you do opt for a steroid, I recommend you be informed
about potential side-effects and be mindful of your own reaction
to the drugs in deciding whether to continue them.
Good luck!
Julie
Homeopathy is wonderful for many things, including rashes,
including getting healthy while pregnant, but it is in an
entirely different league than buying a cream. It is powerful,
gentle, deep, lasting, and safe, but it does involve a
committment to refrain from coffee (all kinds)and other things.
It can effect you on the mental, emotional, and physical
levels. Healing from the inside out. The in-depth initial
interview takes at least an hour, maybe two. There is a
wonderful homeopath named
Christine Ciavarella, P.A., at the
Hahnemann Medical Clinic close to the Albany-El Cerrito border.
Her number is 524 - 3117. She is really great with kids, too.
(make diaper rash/ear infections go away for good. . .no side
effects) Good luck whatever you decide.
brichman
Itching and Rashes During Pregnancy- The Secret of Dry Mint Leaves! My itchy rash started around the 18th week in my decolte (below the neck and upon the bust, between shoulders). My dermatologist said it was the effect of direct sunlight on skin, which becomes more sensitive during pregnancy. I used Dermatop by Aventis. It helped. Then, over one night in the 20th week the rash was all over my body, except my face and soles; including my thighs, underarms and bikini area. It was itching tremendously from within- like after a sunburn. I visited another dermatologist and started using the old fashioned Calamine Lotion (pink), BasisCreme by GlaxoSmithKline, Calcium C effervecent tablets with vitamin C and Zyrtec. They helped to soothe the rash but after a while my skin became very dry, full of scrathes and the ''itching crises'' was continuous. I used to wake up (if I could sleep!) in the middle of the night and take a shower... I came to 23rd week. Then this MIRACLE, SIMPLE solution was offered by a friend's doctor: 1- Take a warm shower. 2- Clean your bath tub and fill it half with hot water. 3- Add one cup of (or more if you want to) dry mint leaves. Let it brew. 4- Add cold water to make the water warm and safe for the baby. 5- Stay in the mint-leaves-all-over-bath tub for 20-30 minutes. 6- Before getting out and taking a shower, rub your body with the mint leaves with the help of a sponge - especially itchy areas!- This helps you for about 4-6 hours. You might itch -just like a few mosquito bites here and there- but not all over! Repeat it as much as you need to. I do it in the morning before going to work and at night before going to bed. I continue to use only BasisCreme after the shower. I take Calcium C tablets regularly. If for some reason there is ''crisis'' at some point, hot water over the itchy areas help also- avoiding the abdomen and the baby. I hope it works for you, it worked for me!! Meanwhile, I avoid direct sun- makes it go crazy. Stay in airconditioned areas. Avoid ''allergy known'' food such as tomatoes, orange, peaches and whatever your are suspuicious of! Deniz
I am 27 weeks pregnant with my second child. I have
developed a rash over most of my body that is extremely
itchy and prevents me from sleeping. The only time I
had something similar was a few months after my son was
born. Scanning different web sites, I have diagnosed
myself with PUPPP, a pregnancy related rash. Has anyone
had this during pregnancy? If so, what if anything,
worked to eleviate the itchiness? It is driving me crazy.
Also, did anyone first develop this on the leg, as opposed
to the stomach? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Jenny
Please go see your doctor promptly and get a professional
diagnosis. Your symptoms sound very similar to my
sister-in-law's, who was diagnosed as having a liver problem.
This condition typically begins in late pregnancy, with
itching on the arms and legs. Sometimes itching develops all
over the body. This liver problem occurs when the mother's
liver is unable to keep up with processing the extra load
on it due to pregnancy, resulting in a build-up of bile salts
in her body, and this causes the itching. This condition can
sometimes be very harmful to the baby, and if this IS the cause
of your itching and rash, you need to get your liver function
monitored regularly (via blood tests). However, I don't want
to scare you unduly in my sister-in-law's case, the doctor
scheduled regular blood tests and fetal non-stress tests
(these are completely non-invasive) to monitor her condition,
and she recently delivered a beautiful strong healthy baby at
full term.
Good luck!
Kathy
I had an unusually severe case of PUPPP at the end of my
first pregnancy, and what a nightmare it was. I didn't get it
until I was 36 weeks along, and they finally induced my labor
at 38.5 weeks because of it. In hindsight, the only thing that
was really effective was oral steroids. Some of the other things
I did included 1) an ammonia and baking soda paste applied to
the most recent itchy patch, and 2) applied aloe vera gel after
a shower and then put on snug fitting cotton clothes and gloves.
Whatever you do, don't take Benadryl. It quieted the itching
enough to go to sleep, but then I would wake up about an hour
or so later sweating and itching much worse than when I went
to sleep.
I would confirm your self-diagnosis soon, and you might want
to see a dermatologist that has some experience with PUPPP.
My case went from unpleasant to completely unbearable over the
course of several days. I wish I had gotten more aggressive
steroid treatment, and had it sooner. I think I would have been
more able to hang on and not be induced. The condition usually
resolves after delivery, but it still took 6 weeks for my rash
to go away completely, so it really wasn't worth it. The other
key part is that if you do choose an induction, be clear about
what your pain relief options are - they refused to give me an
epidural because of the PUPPP. And an unmedicated induced labor
after weeks of rash-induced exhaustion is not pretty.
I don't mean to scare you, just encourage you to take this
pretty seriously and consult with professionals you trust. Most
cases aren't that bad, so with good care you probably won't
have such a bad time. Good luck, and if you have any questions
please email me.
Suz
I too had PUPPP for a month before and about 6-7 weeks after
the birth of my first child. I am now also 27 weeks along on
the second but it hasn't yet surfaced. Last time it started
on my belly but right after birth spread everywhere -- all
down my legs and arms and trunk. I was miserable!!!! I found
that cold showers and baths helped the most. And when I couldn't
do that I just blotted the itchiest spots with very cold wash
clothes. I also used topical ointments but I don't remember
them helping much. Of course the best thing you can do is not
itch -- the itchiness just feeds on itself. Good luck -- I hope
you can find some relief soon!
Mary
I developed PUPP around the 20th week of pregnancy. It
started out on my stomach and gradually crept up to my
breasts, arms and right under the neck. I was so miserable.
I scratched, and had scabs all over. I had to wear long sleeves
because my arms looked so horrible. My ob/gyn said that I
had eczema. It wasn't until I searched the Web that I discovered
I had PUPP. My girlfriend's friend had PUPP and the doctor
prescribed Claritin and hydrocortisone. I went back to my
OB/GYN and told him what I had and told him about my friend's
friend. He then prescribed hydrocortisone and Claritin. It made
an intolerable situation tolerable. The itching on my arms stopped
but my stomach was still very itchy.
Good Luck!
A friend of mine had the same symptoms you describe for her
first child - just at the end of the pregnancy. She took
medication which never really helped. When she was only a
few months into her second pregnancy, she started itch again
and was afraid that she'd be miserable for a long time. However,
she went to see a skin specialist, Dr. Jailing Yu in SF (who by
the way has helped my one-year old daughter with what the
pediatricians call eczema in the most amazing way). Dr. Yu is
truly a life saver!!! She is a skin specialist, herbalist, accupuncturist. She treated my friend
through dietary
restrictions and herbal creams and as soon as my friend
stopped eating certain foods (tomatoes were a big culprit) her
skin itching and the rashes cleared up. Hard to believe, but
it's true. Try diet. It can't hurt and requires no medications!
My daughter's skin is beautiful now too and it only took less
than two days of a modified diet and Dr. Yu's creams. Good
luck!
AW
I have had experience of this - at about thirty weeks
my whole stomach became unbearably itchy, covered with
a red inflamed rash. My doctor prescribed steroid cream.
I went home, threw the prescription away - I was not
prepared to apply steroids during pregnancy.
I then applied natural live yoghurt all over the rash.
It went! I tried yoghurt on the basis that it works for thrush
- and I was immensely relieved that it worked for this
rash. I never found out what caused it.
Good luck!
Janice
I developed a rash while pregnant at about 32 weeks (I think...
its hard to remember now with a 19 month old). My rash started
between my toes. At first I thought it was Athlete's foot. I
spent about a month using Tinactin and Micotin and any other
OTC cream. The only thing that seemed to help was keeping my
feet in a bucket of ice water. The first Ob Nurse told me to
use topical cortizone along with the anti fungal cream, but
that didn't do anything. I was spending what seemed like hours
washing and medicating, and scratching my feet. By then I was
about 38 weeks and started seeing the Ob department more
frequently and ended up seeing a new NP she said that I had
a pregnancy related rash, but she had no idea which one/kind,
that there are many different ones. She gave me a prescription
for a topical corticosteroid which came with the standard CYA
instructions that it was not supposed to be used by pregnant
women. And it did help with the itching, somewhat. She told me
that probably by the time a dermatologist figured it out I would
give birth and the rash would go away. In fact I did give birth
that week, and the rash was gone by the time I woke up after
my c-section. Since you still have a while to go I would
definitely recommend that you see a dermatologist, maybe they
can figure out what it is.
I had PUPP off and on during my pregnancy and it
nearly drove me crazy, so I can sympathize completely.
Nobody else I talked to had experienced it, but when
I showed the itchy bumps to my OB-GYN he diagnosed as
PUPP and told me it was fairly common. He said I
could take OTC Benadryl (Diphenhydramine HCl) to
relieve the symptoms which I did and I sometimes used
the topical cream on the itchy spots when I couldn't
afford to be sleepy. They both helped a lot.
Kitrena
I am currently seven months pregnant with my second child and am suddenly
itching like crazy. At the beginning of my pregnancy it was mostly dry skin and
a mild, non-scented lotion applied at least once every day did the trick. But now I
find that I can't use lotion at all without my skin breaking out in itchy rashes.
My legs are covered with bumps (not of uniform size, and not really localized to
any one spot) and my chest and stomach are starting to get bumpy now too. I'd
have guessed it was stretching if it weren't for the bumps and the fact that I'm not
really that big. Does anyone know if there's some sort of common
pregnancy-induced cause for this? Or if there's any connection between
pregnancy and exacerbated allergies (I've never had skin allergies, but now I
can't wash dishes without gloves and find soaps and lotions irritating everything
but my face)--my hayfever has been just awful this year too. Oatmeal baths
aren't helping either. Please help!
Heather
I KNOW what you're going through. I had two babies back-to-back (August
19, 1998 and August 17, 1999) and with both pregnancies, I began to have
an itchy rash all over my body at about 26 - 28 weeks along. The first
time it happened, my doctor said he thought it was what they call,
"Pregnancy Rash" and can be anywhere from mild to severe. He said if it
became so severe that I could no longer cope, they could induce me at 36
weeks and take the baby. I really didn't want to do that (since I
personally feel that when the baby is ready, THEN it's time) so I just
endured to the end. And immediately when I delivered, just as the Doctor
told me, the rash went away.
Then, one year later, at about the exact same time in my pregnancy I got
it again, but this time it was only on my stomach. Since I had just been
through it 12 months prior, I figured it was "Pregnancy Rash" again, but
just localized on my stomach and I didn't worry about it. It got so bad
toward the end of my second pregnancy, however, that I would barely
'scratch' my stomach (actually it was more like a rub because I was
trying to not be too harsh) and little dots of blood would appear on my
stomach. I would try SOOOO hard not to touch it, but I literally
couldn't stand it -- it was such an uncontrollable itch. Finally, in my
8th month, I mentioned it to my N.P. just to see if there was any
Prescription strength medicine for extreme Pregnancy Rash and she was
flabbergasted that I had gone this long without mentioning it at all. I
told her the reason I didn't mention it was I just figured it was part of
pregnancy and pregnancy rash. To make a long story short, she had me go
to the lab for some blood tests and it came back that I had "Pregnancy
Elevated Bile Salts (EBS)." I began searching on the internet, medical
journals, etc. and I have found that basically it means that my liver
wasn't able to keep up with cleaning out my blood and the baby's at the
same time (in my case it was probably due to the fact that I had JUST had
a baby a few months ago and my body hadn't had a chance to get back to
normal, but there are other reasons why a pregnant woman might have EBS).
Anyway, this problem causes an increased risk in preterm labor,
hemorraghing during delivery (I think?) and one more thing that I can't
remember. (Sorry my facts aren't all correct -- it's been about two
years now). In any case, they wanted to test the baby every few days
until delivery to make sure he was fine. Everything was fine by the way,
but I'm glad I mentioned it to my N.P. Because if everything had NOT
been fine, it would have been better for the doctor to know ahead of time
so he could have been prepared for any emergency circumstance that might
arise.
My suggestion to you is, PLEASE tell your Doctor or N.P. as soon as
possible so that they can rule out any signs of trouble. Especially
since you mentioned that this got bad during your 7th month. That's
actually one of the main signs of EBS -- uncontrollable itching like
crazy that begins in your 3rd trimester.
April
Heather, so sorry to hear about your itching. I had a terrible pregnancy
rash in my 7th or 8th month. The only pregnancy rash I know about is
called PUPP and unfortunately I can't remember what the acronym stands for.
Apparently it isn't uncommon and usually starts on the abdomen around your
stretch marks and then can spread up your torso and to you legs. I feel for you - I
remember being miserable for at least 2 weeks. My OB referred me to a
dermatologist who had to look it up in a text book to diagnose me. He gave me a
topical cortisone cream prescription which did work some. At that point the rash
started getting better and then gradually went away. If it had persisted (I hear
that sometimes it persists until you give birth) he would have given me a cortisone
shot. Good Luck.
Kristina
Pregnancy does strange things to our bodies. That said, what you're
describing sounds to me like a food allergy. I spontaneously developed an
allergy to yeast in my mid-twenties. I wasn't pregnant, and there was no
discernable cause or warning signals. Suddenly I started breaking out in
rashes. After seeing many specialists, including a dermatologist who said it was
probably stress, I went on a whim to see an allergist, and lo and behold, it was the
yeast. I still eat bread, etc., but control it with acidopholus. A food allergy, or
pregnancy-induced sensitivity, might be your problem. It's worth investigating.
Melissa
I had the same problem when I was seven months pregnant with my second
child. I developed a rash that spread all over my body. I couldn't
sleep, as I was up all night scratching myself raw. I was miserable.
After an unsuccessful round of steroids, I was put on antehestimines and
was given a topical cream by a dermatologist. The rash finally went
away, although I had to take the medication for the duration of my
pregnancy.
There is a pregnancy related rash called PUPP (I can't remember what
it stands for). PUPP can be very serious, is extremely uncomfortable
and lasts until delivery. It doesn't sound like you have it as PUPP
usually starts on the stomach and is also more typical in women who gain
an extraordinary amount of weight, are pregnant for the first time and
are having boys. For more information, you may want to go to
AskJeeves.com
I tried many over the counter remedies. What worked best was
Benadryl Gel. I would recommend talking to your OB and maybe a
dermatologist. Feel free to contact me if you want more information. I
spent many sleepless nights getting information on the Internet!
Jenny
My sister had a skin condition called PUPs, or puerperal urticaria of
pregnancy. She almost went crazy itching, I think she ended up taking low doses
of steroids during pregnancy (baby was perfectly fine) and then it got better after
she delivered.
Her OB dismissed her complaints it as something one puts up with; it took a
dermatologist to diagnose it.
Perhaps that isn't what you have (hope not) but you might ask to see a
dermatologist asap. Hope you are feeling better, and goodluck.
Mandala
I, too, itched like crazy during my pregnancy, particularly from months 7 and
later, when I was really huge. My hands and my belly were extremely sensitive. I
figured it was a normal thing, given that maternity stores sold creams
particularly for the itching. But I'm glad you mentioned the allergies, because I
had major nasal congestion almost from the moment of conception. I had been
prone to hay fever, anyway, but my sinuses just froze up. I mentioned it to my
OB/Gyn, and he said he knew of women who had some pregnancy-related
congestion in the later months of pregnancy but wasn't aware of anything close to
what I was experiencing that early. Still, right after my son was born, poof! No
more congestion, not even what I had had pre-pregnancy. So, I wouldn't be
surprised if pregnancy exacerbates allergies. I'd be interested in knowing if other
women experienced this. As for the itching, I rubbed a ton of lotion on the itchy
areas. Because of your reaction to lotions, you might consider Benadryl or other
antihistamines (after checking with your doctor, of course).
Gwynne
While pregnant, my sister had itching that she said was unbearable. She went to a
dermatologist, who diagnosed something that sounds like the name herpes
gestationis which is actually not related to herpes but an auto-immune reaction to
pregnancy. She had blistery manifestation on her legs and torso. It's
characterized by not affecting face and hands. This particular problem is quite
rare, but there are a number of similar skin
problems in pregnancy. Some can be treated topically, but in
her case, she required Prednizone.
Stefanie
I had HORRIBLE itching fits when I was pregnant and they got worse in the 3rd
trimester. It only occured on my back though. The only thing that helped was
Gold Bond medicated cream. The powder helped a bit also. During these fits, my
husband would rub my back with Gold Bond which helped immediately. Towards
the end of my pregnancy, I discovered that hot showers before the rub down
worked wery well also. I guess the heat opened my pores. In any event, the good
news is that after the baby, the problem disappeared.
MW
the good news is that two months from now it will go away COMPLETELY! I had
scars from scratching in my sleep. Made it worse by taking desperately hot
showers instead of cool baths... There's a name for it, which I've forgotten. The
cure is delivery but there may be ways to ease the itching.
Heather
I'm not sure if this is what your experiencing, but I found this information on
naturalchildbirth.org:
Obstetric Cholestasis, otherwise known as Intraheptic Cholestasis of pregnancy,
(or OC for short) is a liver disease. It's not really known why it manifests itself
during pregnancy, although there is believed to be some sort of genetic link. (One
of the ladies who has written into the SANDS (WA) site had heard that it was
commoner among Chileans, being half-Chilean herself, and had also had a close
relation who had possibly suffered from it). If you have it with one pregnancy
there seems to be a good chance that you will get it again.
The symptoms are general itching with no obvious rash, usually starting in the
3rd trimester. This is not to be confused with the common itching of the abdominal
skin as it stretches during the pregnancy. This itching is usually on the arms,
legs, hands and soles of the feet, which are not areas that usually itch during
pregnancy. The itching associated with OC is often so severe as to cause the victim
to scratch until they bleed. It is usually worse at night, often leading to completely
sleepless nights. Other symptoms may include dark urine, pale stools and stomach
pain. (Although I have read elsewhere that stomach pain is not a factor - that's the
trouble with researching these things, you read one thing in one place and the
complete opposite elsewhere). A small percentage of victims may be jaundiced but
this is not a common indicator of the condition. (This has often caused it to be
missed - doctors look for jaundice, and if the woman isn't jaundiced they tell her to
go home because she would be jaundiced if she had a liver problem. I don't think
this attitude is as common these days).
OC can be detected by a blood test. Your doctor will take blood for liver function
tests (LFTs) and a serum bile acid test to find out how your liver is functioning.
Liver function and serum bile acid tests are important to confirm a diagnosis of
obstetric cholestasis. Liver function tests measure the activity of enzymes which
are released into the bloodstream from damaged liver cells. Often these are raised
in OC but not always. (LFTs are also used to diagnose other complications of
pregnancy, such as pre-eclampsia. There are numerous enzymes produced by the
liver, all of which have specific functions).
Hope this helps,
Tunisha
There are some pregnancy-related liver conditions that can result in
itching-- they usually go away soon after childbirth, but it is definitely
something you should tell your doctor about. I know of one woman whose
midwife decided not to allow a homebirth because she was concerned about
very, very remotely possible liver complications. Talk to your doctor or
midwife about it...Sorry I can't give advice on how to reduce your discomfort.
EB
I also experienced itchy red rashes all throughout my pregnancy. After
consulting with a dermatologist and having a biopsy done, they came up with
"pregnancy related rash" as a diagnosis. They call it PUPPP or something like
that, and gave me some hydrocortisone cream that gave me some relief.
Unfortunately, there wasn't much else they could do to help. A friend of mine had
a similar pregnancy related rash that was so severe, her doctor ended up inducing
her labor so they could get her on some stronger medication to take care of it.
Hopefully yours isn't that bad. The good news is that my rash went away almost
the second I had the baby. Good luck!
Genevieve
There's something called PUPP--pruritic urticarial pustules of
pregnancy--which basically means "itchy bumpy rash of pregnancy." If it gets
really bad and you can't bear it they give you steroids, but I think
otherwise you have to grin and bear it.
vam
April 2003
I have just given birth to my second child. Within 3 weeks, my
skin became highly itchy and wherever I scratched, bumps
appeared and spread. This happened after the birth of my first
child as well. In both cases, I also suffered an allergic
reaction to the epidural tapewhich caused my back to be
extremely itchy combined with a rash.The bumps usually begins on
my arms and spreads to the rest of my limbs. I even have it on
my scalp. It is extremely uncomfortable. The first time I had
it, it was treated with Prednisone ( a steroid). This time the
Prednisone did not work and the bumps came back. I have seen
two dermatologists and one believes it is a flare up of adult
excema and the other believes it is some sort of auto-immune
reaction to the pregnancy. Both said it was not PUPPs since I
was fine during the pregnancies. I currently am still suffering
from it even though my daughter is now two and a half months
old. The itchiness drives me crazy and the bumps are now
reappearing with red welts as well. Has anyone experienced this?
anonymous
I experienced a rash post-pregnancy, although it started during
labor and continued after. I had severe hives and it was one of
the worst things I have ever experienced - worse than recovery
from the c-section. I had them all over my arms, legs, and back
and stomach. I never had a diagnosis, but the prednisone did not
work for me either. After about 2 months I went to an allergist
who prescribed (not sure if I remember the dosage correctly)
Zyrtec (10 mg once a day) and Hydroxyzine (2-4 pills of I think
5 mg each, depending on symptoms, before bedtime). The first
week I took them the rash got worse, but after that it started
going away. I can't remember how long I took them but not longer
than 3-4 weeks, and the rash didn't come back. The allergist did
not want me to breastfeed at all while taking these medications
but I consulted with a lactation consultant, pediatrician,
pharmacist and hotline dealing with medication while
breastfeeding which all indicated it should be OK. I was careful
not to breastfeed or pump within 4 hours of taking the
medication. That was a big concern, but I could not deal with
the rash any longer and would probably have stopped
breastfeeding rather than continue to experience that. Perhaps
you could consult an allergist about these issues (I got a full
range of tests which indicated I was a highly allergic person
but no specific diagnosis and nothing appeared serious). Ask
your doctors about these medications or other antihistimines or
see an allergist, be persistent and make sure they understand
how this is affecting your life! Laura
i had very similar symptoms during pregnancy. bumps and welt-
like rashes (where my clothes rubbed especially). nothing really
seemed to help. but i also turned out to be allergic to the
tape used to hold the epidural. huge red welts on my back when
they took it off. but they prescribed a hydrocotisone cream
which seeemd to do the trick after a few weeks. feel free to
email. good luck.
March 2002
Help! Ever since I gave birth to my son I have had a pimply rash all over my thighs. I assumed it was due to
changing hormones and would go away on its own, but now it's been 7 months and it's still here. Bathing suit
season is approaching and I don't know how to get rid of it. Has anyone else had a similar problem? Any
suggestions? Thanks!
Wishing for clear skin again
'm not sure if my problem was the same as yours, but I had terrible hives after giving birth to my son. After a
course of prednisone, which cleared it up for a while and then it came back in a couple of weeks, my
obstetrician recommended I see an allergist. He ran blood tests to rule out anything serious, but basically just
gave me a course of Zyrtec and Hydroxizine (two antihistimines) which cleared it up in three weeks. He never
determined the cause and they have been gone for a few weeks. This all happened within my first three months
post partum.
I had that pimply rash on my thighs and upper arms for almost a year after I gave birth to my son! I used a loofa
regularly, but it persisted. Then after about a year, it just cleared on its own. I hope yours will go away soon.
this page was last updated: Nov 11, 2007
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