Conference moira::parenting

    Robin,
    
    What is PUPPP, I've never heard of that acronym before.  I had "hives"
    during my first trimester and I was miserable.  I was very lucky that
    they went away in a few weeks (although felt like years).  I went to a
    dermatologist who kept in close contact with my ob while trying to
    figure out what I could use to at least alleviate the itching.  She
    prescribed a topical ointment (can't remember what it was) which helped
    some, but not a whole lot.  What I was told was that I was having a
    reaction to the increased amount of hormones due to the pregnancy and
    it was going to last as long as it takes your body to get used to it.
    It's more common in the last trimester than in the first, but it can
    happen at any time.  
    
    There's nothing that can be done to prevent it (short of not getting
    pregnant 8^) ) but topical ointments (with ob's ok), aveeno baths, cold
    compresses and keri lotion (keeps the skin moist) all seemed to help
    ward off the worst of the itches.
    
    I truly sympathize.
    
    Susan

somewhere in "What to Expect When You're Expecting" but I didn't experience
it, nor do I know of anyone who did.

Not much help, I fear...

    I had a rash on the lower half of my stomach and on the tops of my
    feet that itched SSSOOO bad I could have dug to China and back!
    The Dr. told me it was caused be the extra hormone levels.
    The rash broke out in my last trimester and it finally cleared up
    within 2 weeks after having the baby. I still have like a brownish
    colored scaring where I really dug.
    As to the PUPPP acronym never heard of it.
    
    Sherry
    

    
    With my Son about 6 weeks before my due date, I broke out in red spots
    all over my legs.  They sent me to a dermatologist and he said the
    baby was pushing on my liver causing something to be taken out of my
    body through my skin and not in the normal channels.  He also said I 
    would be delivering very soon and it would go away after that.  I
    delivered 2 weeks later (a month early). The red spots went away.
    
    BUT with my daughter (now 9 months old)  I started with the spots
    in the first few weeks of pregnancy.  It lasted through the entire
    pregnancy.  It subsided some when I delivered, but didn't go away
    completely,  it subsided more when I stopped nursing (6 months).  I
    still see a Dr. about it.  During the pregnancy - no one could
    figure it out. Not the OB, Thyroid Specialist, General Practictioner,
    Dermitologist, etc.  I took Benedryl through most of my pregnancy
    and tried about 30 different creams and lotions throughout the
    pregnancy. (All Dr. suggested)  They even put me through light treatments, 
    I burned! It was horrible and I made the decision then that I
    would not go through that again.  I asked if it was PUPPS and was
    told most likely not.  Basically I was told that I was allergic
    to being pregnant.... That was the only thing they could offer. 
    A couple Dr's also said that once you have this, you could expect
    to have it with subsequent pregnancies.  I'm still scarred from
    this on my arms and legs.  It was worse than the morning sickness!
    I don't know of anyone else who had this as severe as I did.
    
    Sandy
     

    
    
    Thanks for the replies...
    
    From reading them, it sound very much like what the Dr. is telling me. 
    That it is the hormones coming out, and that it will probably last
    throughout the pregnancy and go away some time after delivery.  It is
    really really awful...I went to bed last night feel down about all this
    and woke up at 12:00 to find that they had spread even more.  My feet
    aget so swollen I can't walk well not without a lot of pain.  My joints
    in my hands stiffen up, and I ITCH all over!!!!!! 
     
    I went in this morning for a light treatment and talked to the nurse about
    it getting worse, and she said she was not surprised.  She said to give
    the light treatments a good two weeks to work.  If in two weeks there
    is no change or it is worse they MAY try something else.  So in the
    meantime its Benadryl, oatmeal baths, and topical ointments.
    
    Sorry for rambling, but nobody else has heard of this.  They look at me
    like I'm crazy...alergic to be pregnant????  I wouldn't wish this on
    anybody, but I am glad to hear that there are other people who have had
    similar breakouts.  Thanks for listening.
    
                                               
    			Robin
    
    
    

    Robin,
    
    Sounds like you're going through what I did, feel free to contact
    me off line if you wish.  I've been there, I know what it's like, I
    had a beautiful healthy girl, even with all the stuff I went through
    with this.  
    
    Regards,
    
    Sandy
      

    Good buddy of mine said that during both her pregnancies his 
    mother had this problem, and also had a fever - she was quite sick.
    Its exactly what she said - she felt that it was like being
    allergic to being pregnant. 
    
    my heart goes out to you!
    take care,
    Monica

Robin,

My wife had this in her first pregancy. The way it was explained to us

	o - happens in a very small percentage of first time pregnancies
			(lucky you huh?)

	o - not much that can be done about it.

In Lyn's case, it got pretty bad. Some nights she didn't sleep much at all
because the itching was so bad (nor did I! The whole bed would shake).
She would scratch until she bled.

It did go away a few days after delivery.

						Mark

    It happened to me too.  I itched so much my husband threatened to 
    put me in a straight jacket.  I think it started somewhere around 6
    weeks before my daughter was born.  Nothing I tried worked either. 
    However, by the time I left the hospital after my daughter was born
    (less than 48 hours), it was mostly gone.
    
    The explanation I was given was also messed up liver enzymes.  I don't
    know if that is really what causes it, but in my case I do know that
    liver function was messed up a little (result of a little extra blood
    work).
    
    --Cyndi

    My sister had this with both pregnancies.  The only thing that helped a
    little bit was to avoid fats and drink copious amounts of water to
    avoid stressing the liver.  Seemed to help.  Anytime she ate something
    fatty, like french fries or chocolate, the itch would become
    unbearable.  With a controlled diet the itch was constant, but
    tolerable.  It's also help keep the extra weight off : )
    Sarah

    I clearly remember itching terribly during both of my pregnancies.
    Generally a warm (not hot) shower, followed by a partial, quick
    dry-off and then an application of skin cream or lotion helped
    tremendously.  If you can find a lotion with 10% Urea, all the 
    better. Studies show that Urea (don't ask what this stuff is or
    you may not want to use it) is very effective in trapping moisture
    on the skin.  The Egyptians used it (I think discovered it) while
    building the pyamids. Their urea came from Camels.
    
    I also developed tiny boils on my stomach during both pregnancies 
    and twice since. These leave very dark pigmentation on the skin for
    months. The last time I had it was Sept. 1991 (my 20 year high-school
    reunion) and I still have light brown spots where they were. That 
    particular time, the boils were all over my arms legs and stomach.
    I think stress may have played a big part in the attack. The doctor 
    was stumped on what causes it but I have been told the next time it 
    looks like it's happening, to wash every morning in the shower using 
    an over the counter anti-infective called HibaClens, since the boils 
    could be cause by the staph bacteria.   
    
    Jodi-

    
    My wife just went to the doctor about a rash and it appears to be
    the very thing you all are speaking about in this topic. He told her
    that she would probably be unable to take the Pill after this pregnancy
    as the rash would come back. 
    
    Are your doctors telling you to take Benadryl allergy pills for the
    rash? Even when pregnant? I am curious. My wife has some of those
    (we live in England but she's American) so she could ask her doctor
    about that next time. I guess she could take her box along since I've
    never seen Benadryl over here. 
    
    She's just looking for some relief so any additional information is
    welcome.
    
    Mel

    Hi Mel,
    
    The Dr. said to take "over-the-counter" benedryl .25 I think was
    the dosage.  It was the ONLY medication he said I could take for
    this being pregnant. I took it through most of my pregnancy and now
    have a beautiful 10 month old girl.  I also used some assorted
    creams (some prescription, some over the counter).  My sympathies
    to your wife with this, it's hard to live with, but knowing it
    will end does help.  I don't know about the pill and it's affects
    with this.        Regards, Sandy
    

    I had PUPP while pregnant with my triplets. Apparently its alot more
    common with multiples than singletons. I started during the last 2
    or three weeks of the pregancy (they were 6 weeks early) and started on
    my feet and upper arms. Every day it spread up my legs and down my arms
    until my limbs looked like 4 big hives. The doctor wasn't sure at first
    that it was PUPP and did a skin biopsy for some kind of rare Pregnancy
    Herpes (just what I needed to hear!). Of course it wasn't that but now
    my hip and thigh hurt from the biopsy in addition to the itching. The
    hydrocortisone cream that they gave me did nothing. I didn't take Benadryl
    because of the other medication I was on for contractions. Between the
    itching, going to the bathroom and the general discomfort with carrying
    three babies, I scarcely slept at all the last few days before my water
    broke and the boys were delivered. I felt relief almost immediately after
     they were born (within minutes!). The welts took awhile to go down
    (week or two) and were only itchy when my legs got hot or sweaty (like
    laying on those plastic covered hospital matresses). I had no scarring
    or other aftereffects. My advice: take that Benadryl if you can
    tolerate it and hang in there.
    
    Good Luck,
    Bridget 

I also had the awful rash!!  It started around 30 week on my lower abds.  
Nothing really happened until about 3 weeks before my due date then it
started to spread to my arms and legs and each day it got worse and worse.
During my 39th week it was so itchy and I was taking the Benadryl .25
every 4 hours.  And at night I would take a cold wash cloth and lay it
on my legs to help the itch.  However, I was getting very little sleep
that last week.  Finally, at my doctors appt (3 days after my due date)
they said they would induce labor since the rash had gotten so bad.  Boy
was I relieved.  The day after I delivered Derek, the rash was just about
gone, and within 4 days there were now signs of the rash ever being there.

Hang in there to everyone that has to suffer with this rash.  The end
result is absolutely wonderful!  Just remember that as you lay awake at
night....soon you will have a wonderful baby in your arms!  

cj