PUPPS?

Lesley423 · August 2011

Anyone have this? I have a sinking feeling I may be developing it. I've been itching like crazy all day today. It started on the side of my breasts and then quickly move to my stomach, neck, and upper arms. I am trying not to scratch it but it's really hard. I haven't had a good chance to take a look at my upper body because I'm at work and don't have access to a mirror (where I feel comfortable without my shirt on to see if there's a rash). This sounds similar to PUPPS from what I've heard it described as. Does it come on suddenly like this? Anyone have any experience with this? Suggestions?

ladipale · August 2011

I did have it. Mine was not very sudden, but kind of sudden. It started in my stretch marks on my stomach, and eventually spread to my lower legs. It probably would have kept spreading if I had not delivered when I did (just a day or 2 after it spread to my legs)

Its hard for me to remember what it actually looked like bc I spent so much time scratching it or icing it that it was just always red, but I believe it was tiny red bumps. Icing it really helped with the itching, as did pine tar soap.

It usually starts in stretch marks. If you are itching, might be worth a call to your doc, bc there are other pg related illnesses more serious than PUPPS that cause itching. PUPPS is annoying as hel! but generally not harmful to baby or mom.

MsPurple24 · August 2011

Oh man... I'm having flashbacks.....

Yes. It sounds like PUPPPs, but that doesn't necessarily mean that's what it is. PUPPPs typically starts on the belly (around the belly button) and moves outward, then spreads to the upper arms and upper legs, then can move to the breasts, buttocks, feet, back... I didn't have it in all those areas, but it does travel.

I haven't heard of it starting on your breasts, but I'm sure it's possible. Do NOT scratch! Do whatever you can NOT to scratch! In my experience, it made it WAY worse.

There are a lot of remedies you can try- what worked best for me was an Aveeno bath, and Aveeno extremely dry skin lotions. Hydrocortisone cream worked if it was in a small area, but once it took over my entire legs, a little bottle of that was not practical anymore.

I heard great things about Grandpa's Pine Tar, but never had a chance to pick it up. I'll see if I can think of the other remedies I used. I hope you don't have it!

MsPurple24 · August 2011

Oh yeah, and it did look like a bumpy, red rash. The good part is that it would fade from one area in a couple of days... but then it would pop up in another area at the same time.

You can talk to your Dr., but mine told me there was nothing to do for it but deliver the baby. Luckily, mine went away before I delivered- thank goodness! Hopefully yours won't stick around too long!

Lesley423 · August 2011

Thanks, ladies. I'm going to take a look at it when I get home. It didn't start at any stretch marks though which is what I've read. I don't have any stretch marks yet. My upper arms are starting to itch and if I look at them they are red and seem to have little bumps on them. I think I'm going to email my doctor and see what he says. It's torturous not to itch!

ladipale · August 2011

It was brutal! And worse at night

If your doc prescribes meds, take them. I regret not taking them more just so I could get some sleep

MsPurple24 · August 2011

ladipale:
It was brutal! And worse at night
If your doc prescribes meds, take them. I regret not taking them more just so I could get some sleep

I wasn't offered any medications! I wish I had been! It was torture, ugh. Every time I had the urge to itch, I would just slather on a bunch of anti-itch lotion. It didn't relieve the itch, but it was just enough to keep me from scratching.

Good luck!!

Celyn · August 2011

Some people think that PUPPP is related a liver that isn't flushing itself properly. There are some cleanses that are safe in pregnancy. You can ask your doctor about them.

RevJG · August 2011

I had Puppps. It was sh*tacular. Like PP it started in my stretch marks and eventually (in about a week), spread to my entire abdomen and then arms and legs, hands and feet. I think my feet were the worst and I looked like an alien from another planet. I developed it at about 33 weeks and it got so bad that I had to be put on prednisone (a steroid), which helped me be functional at least.

I tried just about everything out there but the only things I found that gave any relief were ice packs (I would cover my entire body with them), cold showers, soap from Rainier Soapworks (you can google it), and acupuncture. Itching it will release histamine and that will make it flare up even more. It gets worse at night because of hormonal changes and after not sleeping (literally not sleeping at all) for about 5 days I agreed to take the meds and took a Benadryl nightly to help with sleep. Good luck and take care of yourself. It's a beast.

MrsEmm · August 2011

I broke out in a weird rash at the end of my pregnancy and it turned out to just be an allergic reaction to our detergent. I was covered in an itchy red rash. I was very relieved that it went away and wasnt PUPPS. Hopefully yours turns out not to be as well. My skin was much more sensitive to things with that last pregnancy - things that never affected me before.

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