Two and a half weeks ago I noticed a couple of itchy bumps on my ankle. I thought it was due to some yard work I had done over the weekend. Now, I have contact dermatitis where my legs meet my hips, hives on my forearms, and what looks like a heat rash on my belly. I saw a dermatologist and his nurse practitioner today, and they said it looks like I'm allergic to something. Could be my prenatal, could be a laundry detergent-- could just be pregnancy itself! It was mentioned that if the hives aren't gone in four weeks, they will probably be there for the rest of the pregnancy. I'm on a steroid lotion (weekdays only to minimize absorption) to try to help and Sarna lotion as needed. Anyone else have hives during pregnancy?
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Any chance it's PUPPS? I had a rash on my forearms and belly when pregnant. It usually affects women pregnant with boys.
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Oh yes, mine started in my second trimester and at first were horrible! Literally my arms and legs were covered in them. They lasted my entire pregnancy and for almost a year pp.
I also saw a dermatologist who prescribed a steroid cream. .I really tried to limit the cream (it didn't seem to help prevent them coming on but did give me some relief once they appeared). But sometimes I was so miserable I slathered that stuff on!
The dermatologist also thought I was allergic to something in my daily life but I'm 100% sure it was the pregnancy. When I got pregnant with LO2 they came right back in the second trimester, though not as bad. And I've only seen them a handful of times this time pp. (I'm almost 8 months pp)
Mine were worse at night and any kind of heat made them so, so much worse. I didn't take a hot bath or shower the entire second half of my pregnancy. Besides the cream, cold baths cut the itchiness the best. It sucked but worked!
Sorry this got so wordy but even my OB had never heard of getting hives just from being pregnant but it definitely happens! Good luck!
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@Tanjowen: I sure hope not... especially this early. I go for an OB visit next Friday so she'll way in. The doc today looked to see if I had a rash in my stretch marks only to find that I don't have any. I'm guessing even though PUPPPs generally starts in the stretch marks, if you don't have them, they have to start somewhere else.
@jmarionsmith: Thanks for sharing your experience! I too have found that cold helps the best. I was so itchy at work today and turned on my fan and felt a million times better. Did you BF? I'm wondering if I am allergic to being pregnant if BFing will prolong the allergy PP.
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@Ms. RV: I had terrible hives during my pregnancy and postpartum that didn't go away until AFTER I weaned at 15 months postpartum! The more I dropped feedings, the less severe my hives became. It was bizarre, and doctors had no idea what was going on, but now 2 years later, I am certain it had to do with pregnancy and postpartum hormones. What are your hives like? Mine were extremely itchy, and would even ooze sometimes.
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This might be a stretch, but could you have a sun allergy? I have it, it's called polymorphous light eruption (PLE) and it sounds like what you are describing. People generally get it on their joint areas and neck (I get it on my arms but have had it on hips/knees). I get it almost every year at the beginning of warm weather when my skin is first exposed to the sun (even with sun screen). Anyways, mine was worse during pregnancy. And maybe it's just crazy pregnancy hormones. I hope the treatments start to help, it's so awful not to be able to take/use anything strong while pregnant to soothe the itching!
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@Mrs. High Heels: Right now the itchiness from 1 to 10 is a 5. It can get intense but it can also not itch at all. They look like tiny little bug bites and that's what I thought they were at first.
@lamariniere: It is a possibility. What about skin that isn't exposed to the sun?
For the past 15 years when I didn't sleep well my ankles would get puffy in the morning. I didn't sleep well at all but they aren't the least bit puffy but there are more hives there. I wonder if the hives are a new manifestation of my cranky ankles. I'll try sleeping with them elevated tonight to see if that helps.
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