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June 2012 Moms
PUPPP :(
Its been a long time since i have posted on here... and from what I've read it sounds like a lot of the women have moved over to a Facebook page, but hopefully you ladies can help me out!
Is anyone else suffering from PUPPP (Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy)? hopefully not! Apparently I'm a part of the lucky 1% of pregnant women to get it! It just started last weekend but has already spread from my stomach to becoming horribly bad down my legs, side & butt and is starting to spread down my arms to my hands. My OB prescribed me hydroxyzine hcl 25 mg tablets (and said they were safe) but after researching them, I'm not comfortable taking them at all. From the research I did, you aren't supposed to take them during the first 3 months of pregnancy and then only when benefits outweigh the risks during the last 6 months. I'm just not okay taking something that has the potential to harm the baby... especially since this rash has no effect on him (just makes me miserable!)
Just seeing if anyone had found any lotions or anything that seemed to work for them, or someone they know! I've been reading so many different things online and there are several suggestions but i'm going crazy trying all of them w/o any significant results. So far the only thing that seems to provide some relief is a cool bath then covering myself w/ calamine lotion! Thanks for any help! 
This discussion has been closed.
Re: PUPPP :(
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I got it closer to 30 weeks in my pregnancy. It. Is. AWFUL. I really feel for you. The worst part of it for me was that I could not sleep because I would wake myself up clawing at myself like a wild animal. I did a lot of research and here is what I found. Long, but take what you like...
1. OBs don't know jacksh*t about allergies and derm issues, and Dermatologists don't know sh*t about pregnant ladies. Which made me so mad, because I was so uncomfortable. Essentially PUPPP is kind of like an immune/allergic reaction to your pregnancy hormones, and it is a heat based reaction that manifests itself in this itchy rash.
2. Like the PP said, Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap is AMAZING. You will smell like a trucker who just got drunk by a campfire, but it is worth it (you only smell for the first hour or so). Get yourself some (whole foods sells it, also available online for $4-6/bar) and a loofah, which is the only sanctioned scratching. Also, make sure the water is not too warm. Initially, I was showering 3 times a day with this (morning, after work and before bed) for about a week and it made life tolerable.
3. Use Sarna lotion (available on drugstore.com or amazon) sparingly when you just can't stand it anymore. The menthol stuff in it is amazing.
4. Pack yourself a big ziplock bag of calamine lotion, sarna, Aveeno anti itch, baby powder and take it to work with you in your purse.
5. This website is amazing for more natural PUPPP methods:
https://www.naomikritzer.com/motherhood/PUPPP.shtml
It's a writer's experience and she has meticulously logged all OTC/everything she tried.
6. Get a pair of super light and soft pajamas. Sleep with only your sheet on. AVOID heat and warm rooms at all costs. Use your AC like a crazy woman.
7. Try not to punch people in the face when they suggest it is your detergent.
8. This is not for everyone, but I also wanted to avoid steroids, (which only work for about 50% of ladies with this condition) so I went to an acupuncturist. It helped me tremendously. She also gave me some herbal supplements that are super safe. It is all about reducing the heat reaction in your body (that's where my knowledge of Chinese medicine ends...)
If it's any consolation, I am feeling 85% better than the first two weeks. I am not a medical expert but I am sympathetic, so PM me if you have any questions or just want to complain.
Feel better!
Great response!! Especially liked #1. I'm convinced we know jack$hit about skin and food allergies in general. Most of the research and funding is focused on nasal allergies. And there's certainly no money to be made on a disorder that only effects pregnant women and only for a limited period of time.
Fortunately, I have avoided PUPPP, but I do suffer from severe skin allergies. Every few years, I add a new allergy. I really feel for you ladies, because at least I know my reactions will only last for a week or so. Good luck and I hope you can find some relief!
I've also had major relief from using Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap. Yes, it smells, but it doesn't last on your skin so you just have to deal with it in the shower.
I got mine at Whole Foods for $5. I think a lot of "crunchy" stores carry it.
So sorry! I don't have PUPPPS, but I do have Pemphigoid Gestastionis. It is an autoimmune disease that causes blisters & itching in the top layer of my skin. Before I knew what it was, the only remedy that helped me with the itching was a mixture of baking soda & water. You make a paste & put it on your skin.
Hope you feel better soon!