Help! Treating severe contact dermatitis while bfing

[sky_and_lavender]

After a week of a spreading, very itchy rash, I went to an internist and a dermatologist today. They diagnosed a very severe allergic contact dermatitis. The rash is still spreading (it already covers a large area of my abdomen as well as parts of my arms and legs). It is starting to appear on my breasts, even. bfing is very uncomfortable already.

Anyway, I am feeling really uncertain about the prescribed course of treatment: prednisone and loratidine. I am a person who avoids medication and seeks out natural methods. I am in the care of a constitutional homeopath. But this rash is literally disabling. I can barely care for my 13 mo baby during the day. I decided to try the loratidine first to see if it affects my supply (too early to tell). But tonight I am sitting here literally seeing new blisers appear in front of my eyes. How will pred affect bfing or my baby? Is there another option?

I was really hoping to wait this out and consider pred an extreme last resort, but the situation seems to be demanding intervention.

x-posted

[tibeca]

Short term use of steroids is not a reason to stop breastfeeding, and they should help clear up the rash rather quickly. You can find a basic list of medications at:

http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/....html#Steroids

Steroids are an L2. There are only a few L1s, Tylenol being one of them. There are topical steroid options for your situation that can also be of help (the topicals don't enter the blood stream at the same rate, but can minimize the rash).

For me, I have found that a single dose of loratidine is too harsh on my system. I often take 2 children's doses (the daily equivalent of 1 adult dose)spread out 12 hours apart. Zyrtec is also a good option, but I rarely take more than a 1/2 an adult's dose in 24 hours.

[Llyra]

I was on prednisone for eight weeks, while breastfeeding-- which is likely much shorter than the time you'd need it. Anyway, my kiddos were just fine, and so was my milk supply. The real danger with steroids is long-term growth-- if a mamas is one them for a long time, it can affect growth. But you'd likely need only a short course, right? In your position, I wouldn't hesitate to go ahead and proceed with them.