Itchy Rash...cat. C ointment in pregnancy?

[HappyLoveMama]

It started with noticing a couple red pimple like bumps on my inner thigh then after a few days it worsened and flared up a little and increased in size and spread to my calf and a little on the other leg. I saw the dermatologist and he said its most likely contact dermatitits, i must have came in contact with something...he said to use hydrocortisone on it for a few days. It did nothing and I am ITCHY! I then started with benadryl spray (cat. B) and it relieved the itch a little but it's not going away. Today, I go back to the derm and he gave me an ointment a little bit stronger than hydrocortisone but, it's a category C, as was OTC hydrocortisone. It's for twice a day. It's ugly and itchy and I've had it!

I JUST started feeling better with no nausea and back to myself, then this
darn rash thing came and then got my sons cold. It's like I can't get a break!
What would you do? I hate meds while pregnant, especially that I'm only 10.5 weeks. The name of the ointment is ApexiCon and it's diflorasone diacete cream USP 0.05%

[HappyLoveMama]

BUMP as I'm desperate now...

[karen1968]

I can't really help you in regards to this particular rash and cream, but I got PUPPs at ~24 weeks. I did use hydrocortisone cream that I had on hand. My midwives then recommended Dandelion Root (I used capsules) and it worked wonderfully! Itch was gone in two days and rash in ten. It might be worth a try. In the meantime, I don't think the cream is all that awful, but I HATE to be itchy, and there are two or three drugs I use pregnant or not.

[HappyLoveMama]

Thanks! I guess I'll check it out at my local health food store, it's worth a shot!
I'm going to try the cream tonight - he wants me to do it twice a day for about 3-5 days or so. Given that short time period, I wouldn't think it would do much as if I were using it for weeks on end. I just hate using a steroid cream - I'm so conscience of what I put on my pregnant body and I'm so frustrated that this even happened. Whats worse for me, is not knowing HOW I got this in the first place so I know what to avoid in the future.

[BlueIrises]

No real help/advice but I can commiserate I got a crazy rash twice this PG...once back in June when I was 6m PG...a few red bumps on my belly (which I thought was poison ivy) that spread like wildfire and was on one whole side of my abdomen. Turned out to be dermatitis. My derm told me that many people often have allergic reactions to topical benedryl (not the oral kind) and to beware of it...he thouhgt maybe part of why my rash spread so quickly was b/c of the benedryl. I was in such agony as the itch I had was constant...felt like bugs were crawling on me all day...I didn't sleep for 4 days. I was given Vanos cream and Pramosone cream...unfortunately both were topical steroids but I was in misery. Then in August I got the rash again on my thigh and it spread to a few other random spots. The rash has since gone away but my skin is still super itch all the time...I so hope this is just a PG thing as I have never been so itchy in my life. Two more weeks to go!

Hope you get better!

[WifeofAnt]

Sorry I haven't read through it all. Have you tried an oatmeal bath? It could relieve your itching a little and really doesn't have any harmful side effects.

[lillymonster]

I am taking a c class corticosteroid for something else. I use it when I need it, but I tried other natural options and it didn't work out. I also took it for my first, with DD.

Of course check your OB/midwife/CP and try natural sources first, but if it doesn't work and you need it to bring relief, well I see no point in being in misery. Some people have to take class C and B drugs their entire pregnancy. I am not saying go crazy and take drugs at the slightest bit of pain, but if you are in misery, well... it's not worth it to me because then I get more stressed.

But I would call your CP to double check it was okay to take.

[HappyLoveMama]

Thanks for the advice! I did use the cream last night but DH brought it to my attention that starting last Wednesday (so almost a week) I started with the hyrdrocortisone cream for about 2 days or so, then moved to benadryl spray for about 2 days. So, I guess it's almost a week using topical drugs that he wasn't sure it was okay to now start with this cream - making it a full week of stuff. It would be one thing if I had started using the cream from the start, but thats not the case here. So , now, I want to stop everything and I may just try ice. It's got to go away soon, right? Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[Shyentist]

I've suffered with various dermatological allergies for years, and one of the first things I did when my husband and I started trying was to ask the dermatologist and the OBGYN if my topical corticosteroids would be an issue.

I am not sure of their class, but in all three cases (yes, I have THREE different types!), both the dermatologist and OB said they were fine for limited (e.g. not occluding, applying about 2-3/day) use.

I have: fluocinonide, desonide, and aclovate. I haven't needed to use them thus far, but I won't hesitate to if I have a severe enough reaction to warrant their use.

The OB explained to me (and my web research seems to confirm) that the danger posed by steroids is primarily that, if administered systemically, they can affect the baby by increasing the steroidal hormone level. However, such an insignificant proportion of a topical corticosteroid is absorbed and circulated that it's not really going to do any harm at all. (We're not talking prednisone here, right!).

And, the dermatologist said, even MORE reassuringly: "A little steroid cream is not going to really affect the level of steroid compounds in your body. You produce them naturally all the time. Only a BIG dose would be detectable at all."

Hope that puts you at ease!

P.S. Sadly, no homeopathic remedy has ever helped my skin issues. If something else helps you, more power! (But if not, use the steroid cream, it's like magic.)