Could eczema/ itching be something else?

[flaxen]

I have suffered from excema in the past but not usually this bad. Ive had an itchy foot for quite a while thought it could possibly have been athletes foot even though am only bare foot in bed and dont go swimming etc.

The itching has got worse over the last month and has driven me insane, Ive scratched til Ive made my foot bleed and is now soo sore to walk on because I have scratched so much skin away that its now too thin to walk on, basically the whole ball of my foot and my toes, I scratch them til Ive made blistered and given my self burns.

My feet are swelling slightly now which is making it worse as it oozes from where Ive constantly mutilated it ( doesnt get chance to heal) It has now started on both my knees, my elbows and my shins.

I have tried everything, E45, sudocream, camomile lotion, athletes foot cream, fuciderm, flamazine ( silver nitrate) cool packs and nothing is working. Its actually waking me up in the night too.

I had bloods done 3 wks ago and nothing came up and have mentioned it to the midwife who wasnt bothered or interested.

Its driving me insane. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Niknak]

Try taking some piriton at night before you go to bed - I have got quite bad eczema and have had it all my life, the piriton will help take the itch away which may help you to get a good nights sleep - Piriton is the only antihysthamine that you can take throughout pregnancy (according to my doc) I try to keep to minimum doses where possible just because I don't want to take stuff if I dont have to. Another good trick is to go and buy some cheap cotton socks then before you go to bed smother (and I mean absolutely cover your feet) in a good moisturiser, something really think - you could even try Sudocrem then put socks on over the top to keep the moisture in - the same goes for your hands, you can buy cotton gloves from Boots... I know it sounds a bit dramatic and generally people who havent had any itchy type problem on their skin have no idea how you will be feeling - its hideous and I totally feel your pain/frustration - I have been known to wake my husband up with my scratching and I don't even know im doing it! The only other thing you could try is 1% hydrocortisone cream, its ok to use preggers and you can buy it over the counter from chemist, they will just make you promise not to use it on face/eyelids etc. You could always put the hydrocortisone on underneath a thick layer of moisturiser before bed to give it the best chance of soaking in and not being rubbed off. The biggest things I have found are fresh air and moisture, sometimes it can even help to put vaseline over the top of moisturiser just to keep it on the skin for more than 2 minutes!!!
Sorry for the very long post but hopefully something I have mentioned will be of help if it is eczema x

 

[NinjaKitty]

You need to get checked for Obstetric Colitis which can cause itching of the feet and hands (and other places) which is worse in the evening/nighttime. There's a sticky thread at the top of Tri3 about it with lots of information about it in it. It's caused by abnormal liver function which causes bile salts to build up in the blood which causes the itching.

You may not have been screened for it the last blood test. Just call your MW and explain so she can arrange for you to get the blood test to check the bile salt levels in your blood. Don't worry it may well not be this but you do need to get it double checked. If it is OC it is pregnancy related so you'll need treatment but the good news is from what I've read it clears up once LO is here.