SEVERE Itching

For the last two weeks or so I have had this excruciating itch all over...belly, legs, arms, back. Lotions don't touch it. I even tried an oatmeal bath, wow. 35 week twin momma+strong husband+oatmeal bath=slippery=butt crack full of oatmeal
It seems to be worse in the evening and the discomfort may be aggravated by heat. I asked the specialist about it and they did blood work. The NP said I might have some -itis and they could give me gallbladder medicine??? That was last Thursday and we haven't gotten the results back yet. It's killin' me! I don't need another reason for lack of sleep. Yesterday I tried taking a Zyrtec and tonight, out of desperation, I took a Benadryl. Neither one have relieved the itching and the Benadryl still hasn't knocked me out. And usually I can't take OTC because they make me super drowsy.
Please help!

 

Oh Steph. I had this. You have my utmost sympathy. It's called PUPPPS. The great news is that it's harmless to the babies. The horrible news is that there isn't really a cure until delivery. There are a couple of theories as to why you have it:

1.) Your liver is not functioning as it should due to pregnancy. (Not a cause for liver failure or anything uber serious, just ANNOYING AS H*LL)

2.) Boys. Something in carrying boys and multiples- their boys dna mixing with your girl dna = unhappy, itchy skin.

Now, this being said, I tried everything. Your peri can perscribe a steroid, which I was reluctant to take. So I tried safe OTCs and topicals.

This woman has the best site I've seen on what you can take. I was able to manage this fairly well after about a month of expirimenting.

What worked for me was:

the Grandpa's Tar Soap - 3 or 4 baths a day.

Taking the steroid faithfully for about 3 or 4 days to get on top of the itching.

Then, alternating:
-Benadryl (topical)
-Aloe Vera
-Caladryl (topical)


Some of the odd things I tried were bananas, which worked but left my skin weird.

I got to the point where I tried anything in my cabinet on my skin. Oddly, Vicks Vapo Rub worked really well. :laughing: I will say that I got on top of this and was able to manage it fairly well once I knew what worked for me.
:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

I would also slap my legs if I got an itch attack and didn't have anything on me. I would warn friends that I needed to slap myself- they hated the sound but I'd rather feel pain than itch. :girl_devil:

I hope you can feel more comfortable. PUPPPS was the worst part of my pregnancy. :hug:

 

Oh Steph, that does not sound fun at all. :hug: Michelle gave you some great information. I hope you get some relief soon. :hug:

 

@Cheezewhiz24 Thank you so much for all of the info. I just used the last two bananas in my smoothie this morning.
I've tried Vagisil and athlete's foot cream. DH, trying to be helpful, suggested in lieu of oatmeal baths we just cover my body in oatmeal cookies.

 

It's the peel of the banana that you rub on yourself, sorry.

The oatmeal stuff did not work for me at all- just made me feel sticky. Lol at your DH!

 

How are you feeling? Any better?
I did get a crazy itchy rash on my belly which my OB said was probably PUPPS and I used topical corizone 10 and just slathered it on thick and it helped quite a bit.

Hope you are doing a little better!

 

I had the same rash when I was pregnant and nothing helped. I was so miserable! I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. It will go away once you begin labor, so when you stop itching you're almost done!

 

I had this and it wasn't PUPPS. It got really bad at night time as well, I would wake up and just itch ALL over. They sent me for a blood test and when I kept calling my doctors because I was in so much discomfort they put a rush on it. I had Cholestasis and the minute they found out, they induced me. I was already over 38 weeks, so it didn't really matter, but still...it sucked! The minute I had the twins the itchies were gone.

http://www.itchymoms.com/

 

It really does seem to set in late in the evening. Here I am, in the bed now, scratching and scratching! OMG! I sleep until 10:30am because I can't get sleep at night. I had my bloodwork done last Thursday at the specialist and I have still not heard from them! I called on Tuesday and they hadn't heard anything from the lab yet. We have an appointment tomorrow afternoon. I will be sure to tell them how miserable I have been the last week waiting to hear something.
Now I have noticed, the last few days, when I start scratching a spot and it turns red I can see tiny tiny little bumps on my skin. This is not what I have read and heard PUPPPS described as. Whatever the hell it is, make it stop!

On a side note, I am having more and more Braxton Hicks, breast pain, and the babies have certainly dropped (riding on my pelvis). Hope this means they are on their way. Selfishly, I'd be completely happy if they came on out.

 

I had this also, which can be more dangerous than pupps just mention cholestasis to your doctor so they do the liver test, the website above itchymoms is a great one for info

 

I can't say enough good things about Sarna lotion - which has menthol in it just like the Vapor Rub! The menthol really soothes you down for a good long time and then you put more on. I alternated that with Aquaphor but that was just to keep my skin intact after scratching a lot.

My cause was different (antibiotic reaction/rash all over my body) and I was getting psychotic with the itching. I went to my my family doctor's office many times and eventually my OB's office crying my eyes out. They admitted me to the L&D floor for 3 or 4 days, put me on IV steroids and Benedryl and a mild anti-depressant or anti-anxiety drug. The hospitalist evaluated me for Stevens-Johnson syndrome but thankfully I didn't have that.

If your liver checks out OK, you may want to see a dermatologist to see if he/she can recommend anything. That's where I got the Sarna lotion from.