Seriously Itchy

[Anglyn]

Ok, I thought this was normal pg stuff for me at least, but all the talk Ive seen around here of PUPPPS and ICP has me wondering if I should be worried. With DD I had a rash and itchy welts on my arm. When I got pg. with ds2 the return of the rash in the exact same spot was my first symptom, long before it was time to test even. Never hives that time, just the little red bumps. This time around, I dont know about a rash, but my scalp and neck itch like crazy and I know I scratch them bloody. Ill go to scratch my neck and scratch off a scab from last time I clawed myself. It comes and goes. I even had dh check to make sure I hadnt picked up lice or gotten dandruff.

So how much itchy is normal? Is this something I should mention to my care provider? I have sensitive skin anyway and just figured its my bodys reaction to the hormonal changes. Should I be worried?

[wanderinggypsy]

I don't know but I've been hit with the itchies in the past couple days.... on me it's all over the place... driving me crazy. I'm going to call my midwife in a couple hours and see what she says. I 'm going to insist on bloodwork to make sure it isn't cholestasis of pregnancy....

I hope you are feeling better soon! (and me too....)

[grneyes328]

Definitely, definitely check it out. Itching can be totally normal, or it can be really dangerous so it's not worth messing around with it.

[moonfirefaery]

My skin was very dry during pregnancy. I got hives, which I NEVER get. I also had times when I would just itch for NO reason, and my usual itching allergies were 100 times worse. I recommend trying to identify the culprit and elimiate him...and I really would recommend getting an antihistimaine from your doctor, especially if it gets so bad you can't sleep which is what happened to me. I'd be up all night itching.

[hanno]

I have so many itchy sores and I scratch them until they bleed. I sneak off to the bathroom to scratch the scabs because it's better when they hurt as opposed to itching. I didn't want to admit there was anything wrong but it has spread from my legs to my belly (and ruined my perfectly lovely so-far-stretchmark-free baby ball!). They sores are ugly and it's so hard to sleep. My nurse practitioner doesn't know what it is but ruled out bugs because there was nothing on the slide and my animals and husband have no symptoms. The dermatologist doesn't have anything open until several weeks from now. From what I've read and the pictures I've seen, I'm pretty sure it's PUPPP. http://dermatology.about.com/cs/pregnancy/a/puppp.htm
Everything fits- 35 weeks onset, 1 week was the most intense, first time mom, male fetus and the ITCHING. I just want it to stop and I want my pretty belly back!

[jocelyndale]

I've got a nasty rash on my inner elbows and itchy spots (sometimes rashy, sometimes not) on my inner thighs, kneepits, ankles, and breasts. My OB says it's probably just allergies, since I'm allergic to everything, but nothing seems to control it. It's driving me nuts.

He said it *might* be an atypical presentation of PUPPS, which he describes as an allergic reaction to the placenta. You know, that would be just my luck.

I also break out in hives frequently. It was worse in the fall, with the fall pollens. I had a break during the winter. And now they're coming back.

But my belly, soles, and feet are just fine. Oy.

I've had to take chlorpheniramine in order to sleep for the last two weeks. Otherwise, I end up scratching until I bleed.

[wanderinggypsy]

I have been itchy since Wendesday night. Yesterday I had liver function bloodwork done, and it indicated that while I'm still pretty good, one of the levels of something they tested for was high... soooo we're just going to keep an eye on those levels. Oh and the doctor at the hospital told me no more meat this pregnancy, and cut out as many fats as possible (goodbye avocados, my old friends...). So I"m coming up on 24 hours with no meat or dairy, and almost no fat at all, and I think I'm less itchy than I was yesterday. I'll be getting my levels checked again on Monday.

If you are itching and there's no rash, I'd ask for liver function bloodwork. Better to know what you are dealing with, and contrary to popular belief there is sometimes something you can do to control it.

Good luck... itching is miserable.

[LilMomma83]

Originally Posted by wanderinggypsy

I have been itchy since Wendesday night. Yesterday I had liver function bloodwork done, and it indicated that while I'm still pretty good, one of the levels of something they tested for was high... soooo we're just going to keep an eye on those levels. Oh and the doctor at the hospital told me no more meat this pregnancy, and cut out as many fats as possible (goodbye avocados, my old friends...). So I"m coming up on 24 hours with no meat or dairy, and almost no fat at all, and I think I'm less itchy than I was yesterday. I'll be getting my levels checked again on Monday.

If you are itching and there's no rash, I'd ask for liver function bloodwork. Better to know what you are dealing with, and contrary to popular belief there is sometimes something you can do to control it.

Good luck... itching is miserable.

When you say you had no rash, did you have any visible skin irritation just caused from scratching? Because my OB said I have puppp and that my "rash is not bad" but DH and I don't think I have a rash at all - we think I have just caused my skin to be red and cut up from scratching so much...

Where do you itch??

I have been doing far more research than I probably should and scaring myself!!!

[Anglyn]

Mine doest seem to fit the PUPPP presentation as this is my fourth pg and the itching for me starts immediately almost. I think my sensitive skin is simply MORE sensitive during pg. I am going to mention it at my next visit though, now that I know it could potentially be something more serious. DS2 was born with a permanet hive (solitary mastocytosis) so I dont know if the two things are connected or not.

[wanderinggypsy]

I've had a few reddish areas from scratching, but nothing I'd call a rash...

By the way, now that I've been off all fat and meat for almost 48 hours, I'm not itching anymore!!!

[hanno]

Originally Posted by wanderinggypsy

I have been itchy since Wendesday night. Yesterday I had liver function bloodwork done, and it indicated that while I'm still pretty good, one of the levels of something they tested for was high... soooo we're just going to keep an eye on those levels. Oh and the doctor at the hospital told me no more meat this pregnancy, and cut out as many fats as possible (goodbye avocados, my old friends...). So I"m coming up on 24 hours with no meat or dairy, and almost no fat at all, and I think I'm less itchy than I was yesterday. I'll be getting my levels checked again on Monday.

If you are itching and there's no rash, I'd ask for liver function bloodwork. Better to know what you are dealing with, and contrary to popular belief there is sometimes something you can do to control it.

Good luck... itching is miserable.

That's so weird! I've had high liver enzymes for years. All I've been told this pregnancy is to eat MORE avocados and fat...as much as I possibly can. Maybe it's cause I'm vegan but it seems strange to get the opposite recommendation. Sometimes I feel like people who eat meat are told that meat is the problem and people who don't eat meat are told that not eating it is the problem :
BTW it you want a good recipe source for fat free recipes, try fatfreevegan.com.

[annettemarie]

I had nasty nasty PUPPS this time (fourth pregnancy, first time rash) and taking 3 dandelion root capsules 3 X a day really really helped me.

[QuietTempest]

I got itchy 4 or 5 days after giving birth to a baby boy 6 weeks early. It started on my belly, then was on my palms, soles, and thighs a day later. Now it's everywhere -- my arms, my elbows, my knees, my buttocks, my breasts, my neck, my ears, lips, and my cheeks.

I've tried an assortment of creams and lotions and nothing seems to help. I want to try the dandelion root capsules, but need to know if that's an option while breastfeeding?

[mainesax]

As far as ICP/OC (cholestasis) goes, it generally shows up as all-over itching, often more so on the palms and soles of the feet, and NO rash. The only skin involvement is what you do to yourself from scratching - which can be a lot!

If you think you have it, make sure you get a liver function test AND serum bile acids. The SBA is a rare test, has to be sent out and can take a week to get back. The liver function actually changes in response to the rise in bile acids, so if you catch it at the 'wrong' time, you could have elevated bile acids, but it wouldn't change the liver functions yet...

If you need any more ICP info, feel free to ask - I've been through it twice!

[MonTana Mama]

Anyone had postpartum itchiness?? And major hot-flashes at night??

[grneyes328]

Originally Posted by MonTana Mama

Anyone had postpartum itchiness?? And major hot-flashes at night??

No itchies anymore, but good god, what is up with the hot flashes? I am soaked to the skin every time I wake up.

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by grneyes328

No itchies anymore, but good god, what is up with the hot flashes? I am soaked to the skin every time I wake up.

Holy crow, me too--but just wherever my body touches the mattress. The rest of me is freezing. Dang hormones!

[jocelyndale]

Massive rashy itchiness. And while I'm really hot at the moment, I've had a number of chills where I could not get warm. Stupid hormones, indeed.

[QuietTempest]

Ugh! I need some advice.

I tried the dandelion recommendation and my rash is going away. It's still sort of visible, but nothing like it was before. I'm still a little itchy, but it's tolerable. My current complaint is that all the places where the rash was is swollen, my arms and hands especially. My skin is so dry that it's getting flaky. Could this be a reaction to the dandelion? The only other medication I've taken was Benadryl when I was extra-itchy.

If the swelling doesn't go down soon, I'm going to be making another doc appointment asap.

Anybody else experience this?