unbearable itchy rash issues

[shesmurf]

Evening ladies hoping someone can shed some light on my problem #
I've had a rash for around 2 weeks now, it started on my hands and lower arms and then on Thursday spread like wildfire and is now everywhere including my scalp and even my ears.
It's kind of like tiny blisters but the warmer I get the more it turns into a bright red angry looking raised rash. It's the most incredibly itchy thing I've ever experienced and I've made my knees and feet bleed because I can't stop scrathing (even in my sleep according to OH).
I spoke to my GP on Friday who told me I could use Calamine lotion and piriton (neither of which made any difference) and today I woke up with swollen hands and feet so called NHS24 as my GP said to call them if anything got worse.
I was given an app. and the nurse checked my urine and BP which were fine. She then consulted the GP on call who says he thinks it's an allergy and unrelated to the preganacy. He said NOT to take any oral tablets and to have a cool bath with bicarb to take the heat out of the rash.

I find it hard to believe it's unrelated to the preganacy as I've never had any health isssues or allergies before now and have had one thing after another since conception though nothing major. I've been told to go back to my GP if it hasn't improved by Tuesday.

I don't think I can cope with much more of it. Having it on my face now is really getting me down and I'd love to know if anyone has had anything similar cured?

Cheers

 

[jools221181]

I'm sorry I have no advice but didn't want to read and not reply! It must be awful

 

[mum2A&L]

how far gone are you?

I itched with alice and it turned out to be OC (i started 25 ish weeks), but i didn't have a rash. I can tell you what helped me with my itching, but it sounds like its been caused by different reasons to yours. Have they sent off liver tests (lft's and alt's)?

I was given Prition to help with my itching. if it is an allergic reaction wouldn't that help? check with your gp and see if you can have that.

aquaris (sp) cream was lovely. They gave me some with menthol in it. You can wash with it as well instead of soap - i used it for alice when she was little. (edit - she had some without menthol in it)

have a cold flannel in the fridge - it was a god send at night when i couldn't sleep cause of the itching!!!


have you changed washing powders or anything like that? I try not to use perfumes - they irritated my skin.



I hope it gets better.

 

[gracie]

Hi

I had a real itching problem when i was about 16 weeks. I too had small blisters that turned red when i itched. It was worse at night and mine started on my hands, spread to my arms then my feet and legs. In the end it turned out to be scabies. I still have no idea where i caught it from but the relief when the cream worked (it took a little while for the itching to subside completly) was amazing. Maybe ask your GP if it could be this. If so the treatment is relatively easy.

Anyway whatever it turns out to be i hope you get it sorted soon.

Grace xx

 

[shesmurf]

I'm 24 weeks. Not had any tests sent off but if it doesn't miraculously improve by tomorrow I will be straight back to the docs and I will ask about it.
I haven't changed anything - same shampoo, conditioner, washing powder everything. I have a bunny rabbit but have never been allergic to animals of any description and when it spread I was away from home at a conference so I don't think it's her.
I've tried aloe vera gel, bepanthen, sudocream, moisturising with palmers, benadryl cream and calamine lotion so far and am open to any suggestions.

Will ask about aquaris too thanks.

 

[MrsBrightside]

Does the rash look like nettle rash???

I have suffered for years with an "allergy" that the dr's didnt have an answer for. I like you at the time hadn't changed anything at all and it came on over night... i would itch like you in my sleep.... I know its really really hard but itching it will make it worse.....I used to take an different anti histamine daily b4 I was pregnant but had to change to piriton when I got pregnant. How much of the dosage have you take cause I always find if I hadnt taken it for a while it would take a few days to get into my system.

I currently have a very dry section under my right boob.... its itchy when it drys out and I find using Sudocrem takes the itch out of it but keep it in the fridge so its cold.. works better when its cold and put it on quite thick, then if you are tempted to itch you cant even if you want to and the cool cream helps.

I would say tho that it could be pregnancy related cause your body can very easily become allergic to things during pregnancy that you wouldnt normally and your skin etc can change soo much!

 

[shesmurf]

yeah it does look like a smaller version of nettle rash but more widespread or pickly heat when it's worse.
Definitely worst on my hands, lower arms and legs and feet, the rest is almost doable!
When I saw the doc it didn't look it's worst, the lumps were still there but not red and sore looing like previous days and he said it was clearing up. I tried to explain that it subsided during the day and get worse at night but he wasn't really listening.

I don't think it can be scabies or my OH would have it by now as it's very contagious plus I looked up some pics just now and it doesn't look the same.

 

[mum2A&L]

if you are not getting a response from your GP, speak to your MW and say that its 'getting you down' . From my experience of doctors in general as soon as something may be effecting how you feel they would take notice.

as for piriton - i was taking 3 tablets 3 times a day, but im not sure on the dosage in the pill if you know what i mean.


def push to get more answers. If only to help put your mind at rest. don't let them sweep you under the carpet hun

 

[MrsBrightside]

it sounds very much like wot I have... mine was always worse at night...... i took pictures to show the Dr wot it was like at its worst and thats when they finally said it was an allergy and to take citrezine... (zertec) sp.... thats wot Iused to be on but got moved to piriton when I found out I was pregnant!!

keep pushing cause I know wot I went through at the start... sending you big hugs xx

 

[shesmurf]

Thanks for the help ladies.
I was all set for a sit in protest yesterday but it wasn't required, the doc from NHS 24 made me feel like I was making a fuss over nothing and said it was clearing up which was complete crap so expected similar response from my Doc. Fortunately my own GP was good- first thing he said to me was waw that's a cracking rash! Now using piriton though I'm still itching. Not sure if it just takes a few days to kick in or if it's just not working. It does feel marginally better today though I still want to scratch myself silly but I'm suffering side effects of drowsiness and blurry vision (either that or I'm coming down with something).

GP is sending me to MW tomorrow and is testing me for OC and I didn't have to ask. Said he thought it was an allergy but just wanted to be safe. On one hand I want them to find something. Being a scientist type I want facts, if they know what it is should be easier to fix but then I don't want it to be something that's going to affect bump.

Thankfully I don't think bump has been bothered by it - still normal movement, in fact kicks are definately getting stronger, I'm a human punch bag so not sure the last month or two will be much fun for me!

Just as an aside totally unrelated to my itch, does anyone else wake up on a regular basis with a lopsided lump? It's the weirdest looking thing, like there's been a landslide on my belly lol!

 

[claire_louise]

glad your doc was on the ball!!

have you tried the moisturising gloves you can get, wear them over night, and if you do scratch your nails are covered and it doesnt do as much damage , thats the only suggestion i've got , sorry

 

[ShineyHappyPeople]

Im the same, I have a rash on my belly right were the baby is above the pubic bone and I noticed a few extra hairs so I just put it down to hormones

 

[Mummy Rich]

apparently because of the extra blood flow in your body you can get a rash which can sometimes be itchy.


I wake up with a red rash all on my arms and the tops of my legs... its itchy at times and subsides thru the day.

the midwife said that products we normally use can be irritating when pregnant.

i dunno what i could be using whilst am asleep tho

id say get back to your doc tho. book an app on a day when its flared up so he does not fob u off again x

 

[shesmurf]

I still bite my nails so can't do much damage with them anyway but thanks for the tip.
I use hypoallegenic creams as my face has always been quite sensitive (wouldn't go so far as to say allegic though). Think I've worn make-up twice since I've been pregnant and I don't spray any parfume on my skin (read something about it having impact on baby boy foetus). In fact the only thing I put on my skin regularly is palmers and I don't have a rash in the bump region where i put it. it's not unheard of to take spontanoeous allergies during pregnancy.
MW tried to take blood yesterday but stabbed me instead, I've got ridiculuosly thin veins so now have to see the phlebotomist for my OC test. It's such a hassle getting blood out of me. MW doesn't think it will be OC as that usually gives you itchy palms and soles and agrees with my GP that's it prob an allergy.
I am less itchy than I was but it's not gone, the rash is still there and I've been on piriton since Tuesday now. The aqueous cream has been a lifesaver, thanks, have been slathering it on to stop my skin drying out too much but suspect I'm going to be sent for the dreaded patch testing. That will drive me to distraction, sure you have to keep them on for three days! However, worth it if there's a cure at the end!

 

[mum2A&L]

MW doesn't think it will be OC as that usually gives you itchy palms and soles and agrees with my GP that's it prob an allergy.

the itching was worse for me on my forarms. yes my palms where itchy, but it was my arms that was the worse. But i never had a rash


Im the same when it comes to getting blood from though!!


glad they are on the case regardless of what it is though. they really seem to be covering all bases.

(aqueous cream became my best friend!!! )

 

[shesmurf]

hmm that's interesting because my palms are itchy and I've now been on piriton for near enough a week with little improvement. I still have a rash, admittedly it's not raging like before but still itchy and the distribution hasn't decreased at all. Some parts are actually worse - I've now got patches of skin that are extremely sore, dry and red. My bicarb baths are becoming more like torture than helpful.

 

[mum2A&L]

have your blood results come back yet? They told me it could take a week to get them back but my GP put his foot down and i had them taken again and got them back the same day (but i had to sit on a ward all day to get the results back).

have they said any thing else as to what could be causing it?

 

[shesmurf]

Nope doc is convinced its an allergy but no idea what to. He said he just wanted to do the blood test as precaution.

Has anyone else been prescribed Hydrocortisone? I spoke to my GP today and explained the patches that have appeared, they're red, dry and really sore, mainly at the join in my arms, behind my knees, back of my lower legs and it's spreading to my neck and upper chest. He said it sounded like exema so would write me a prescription to pick up.
I looked it up online and hydrocortisone has been linked with kidney problems, cleft pallet and other things so I'm not comfortable with the idea of using it. Hope when I pick up the presciption it's a mre pregnancy friendly equivelant and not hydrocortisone.

I just feel like there's something else going on. Been really tired last week or so but not sure if that's just because I'm not getting a decent sleep. One of my close friends is training to be a nurse and thinks I should ask to be referred to a dermatologist but I can't help but feel the skin problems are a result of something else as I've never ever had any kind of skin condition or allergy before.

 

[shesmurf]

Finally blood results! Thankfully I don't have OC, doesn't solve my itch but it's better for bump. I do have a really low blood count though so on the iron tablets, I can forsee that this may have to be accopanied by fybogel sachets as I remember the effect iron tabs had on me as a teenager!

the pharmacist prescribed me a soap substitute that's also a cream and has antibacterial properties. Think she called it an emollient (??). It's a green bottle called dermol something or other. I'd recommend it to anyone who's having itching problems, has given me so much relief - I put it in the bath at night and it has definitely helped me sleep better.

Thanks for the advice ladies!