rash...?

i have a rash spreading on my hands, wrists and now arms, and last night i found it on my legs. it's tiny little ITCHY bumps... it's not on my stomach or anywhere else (right now), just on my arms and legs. anyone else have this? eucerin cream is NOT working! aaaah!

 

Yes, I have that, in fact mine started on my belly and then went to my arms and legs. There are different rashes that you can get while pg and the dr. says the PUPPS is the most common. I would call them and ask if you are allowed to take benadryl by mouth. It does help but makes you sleepy. Keeping it moist with any type of lotion does help when you use it with the benadryl.

 

QUOTE(b/gtwinmom07 @ Sep 17 2007, 09:45 AM) [snapback]411159[/snapback]
Yes, I have that, in fact mine started on my belly and then went to my arms and legs. There are different rashes that you can get while pg and the dr. says the PUPPS is the most common. I would call them and ask if you are allowed to take benadryl by mouth. It does help but makes you sleepy. Keeping it moist with any type of lotion does help when you use it with the benadryl.



thanks! and... it'll make me sleepy? i could use something that will make me sleepy lol!

 

Any reason you can think of for the rash? I've heard of itchy skin, and personally if I itch, I get a rash cause I itched. I've dealt with rashes since I was 8 and so I know how you feel. If you've been using anything different, lotion, soaps, conditioner, shampoo, detergents, fabric softener, perfumes, etc... than you may want to give them up. If it's not contact dermatitis, than have you been sick recently or even now? Sometimes (all the time with me) when you get sick - even if it's small - you can get a rash. But I guess it goes to the question, has this happened before??

You can use benadryl, it's on the approved list. But stay away from cortisone or hydrocortisone creams as they are steriods. Moisturization is a big key when the rash starts to dry up a little, but if you've been itching it - it could burn a little - it's usually a relief for me from itching. Make sure it's not the cream itself that you are using that you could be allergic to. If you've never had a rash like this, sometimes allergies can come out that you didn't know you had when you are pregnant. Beef and tylenol is two of mine that have come out in my 1st pregnancy and now this one. (I respond to every allergen ingested or on the skin with a rash)

There are other remedies that I use throughout the day so I'm not knocked out all the time with the benadryl - vinegar (directly on the rash kinda zings it, but you can put it in your bath and it's good for yeast infections too), Ice (I perfer this because the rash can hold some heat to it, which increases blood flow to the area, which makes it itch more, and the more you itch it the hotter it can get). Some swear by tea tree oil, but I'm not big on the way cooling things make me feel when it's oil based. It makes my stomach turn.

Anyways, does the itching increase at night? or is it constant? Sometimes mine are bearable throughout the day and gets worse at night when I'm snuggled down in the blankets.

It would be good to see a dermatologist if it doesn't go away or it spreads (my rashes always spread but there is a predictable pattern to it) because that could mean you may have poison oak/sumac or mites (if you've slept in some other bed than your own in the most recent past).

Tiny rashes (does it weep or not?) usually indicate hives which come out when you've come into contact with something. I've always baffled the dr's with mine, because they weep... mine start out on the palm of my hands and bottom of my feet, than spread to wherever I've had a bit of a rash left, and in tell tale places.

I wouldn't think it's a heat rash because those begin under your arms, in between your thighs, and behind your knees (sometimes in the crease of your elbow too)......

HTH and you can get some relief (possibly figure out the annoying offender as well!)!!!

Oh, BTW, some of the things i'm allergic to I didn't know until I went to an allergist (the dermatologist just wanted to give me creams and pills) who did two different tests - one with a patch of things they put on your back and a blood test.

 

I agree w/ pp, sounds like PUPPS. Anyway, there wasn't much I could find that helped me, maybe cortisone?. Hope you feel better, it s*cks!

 

Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy - PUPPP
From Heather Brannon, MD,
http://dermatology.about.com/cs/pregnancy/a/puppp.htm
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP), also known as polymorphic eruption of pregnancy, is the most common rash in pregnant women. It normally occurs in first pregnancies during the third trimester with an average onset of 35 weeks. Thankfully, PUPPP does not usually affect subsequent pregnancies.

Appearance of PUPPP
The rash of PUPPP almost always begins in the stretch marks (striae) of the abdomen. It does not involve the belly button distinguishing it from other common rashes of pregnancy. The rash itself consists of small, red wheals in the stretch marks that grow together to form larger wheals on the abdomen. Sometimes the rash can include small vesicles. Over the next several days, the rash can spread over the thighs, buttocks, breasts, and arms.

The rash is very itchy, or pruritic, hence the name. This condition is harmless to mother and baby, but can be very annoying. It lasts an average of 6 weeks and resolves spontaneously 1 to 2 weeks after delivery. The most severe itching normally lasts for no more than 1 week.

Cause of PUPPP
The cause of PUPPP is unknown. It is not associated with preeclampsia, autoimmune disorders, hormonal abnormalities, or fetal abnormalities. Some investigators suggest that the rapid abdominal wall distension damages connective tissue and causes an inflammatory response. One study has shown that male fetal DNA can be found in skin biopsies of the rash. Since 70% of women with PUPPP give birth to boys, a new hypothesis is that male fetal DNA acts as a skin irritant.

Diagnosis of PUPPP
The diagnosis of PUPPP is clinical, meaning it is based solely on the appearance of the rash. There are no laboratory tests that detect PUPPP. Skin biopsies are not generally performed unless there is a question about the diagnosis.

Treatment of PUPPP
The treatment of PUPPP is symptomatic. High strength steroid creams or ointments, such as clobetasol (Temovate) or betamethasone (Diplrolene), used up to 5 to 6 times a day usually relieve the itching and prevent the spread of the rash. Once the rash is under control, changing to a lower strength steroid used less frequently is advisable. For severe cases, daily oral steroids may be necessary to control itching. Oral antihistamines such as atarax, benadryl, and zyrtec, are generally less effective for itching than steroids, but may be useful at night to help with sleep.

Updated: August 13, 2006
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So does this occur any where else other than the stretch marks? I want to know to prepare myself for what may come as I'm very inclined to rashes.

 

mine aren't in my stretch marks at all. just on my hands, arms and thighs. it's weird. it's not horrible or anything. just annoying

 

Yup, I have the nasty little annoying rash and the only thing that seems to make it feel better is witch hazel. I just soak a cotton ball and dab over the itching areas. Sometimes it stings just a little but the sensation to scratch my skin off usually subsides! Hope this helps, and if not see if your clear to take the benadryl.

 

I had PUPPS and it was terrible, I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I'm not sure that's what you have, since mine was mostly on my tummy and thighs and it hurt so bad, scratching it as hard as I could made it feel better because the pain of the scratching was better than the pain of the itch. Yuk.

After trying every lotion on the market, what worked for me was Dandelion Root pills (found in herbal stores.) After a few days they started going away, it was terrific! You might want to try that ... oh, and PUPPS, incidentally, affects more multiples moms AND those that are carrying boys.