OT - diaper area "relief"

[LosingMyMindInGA]

Well yesterday Lily woke up with a horrible case of diarrhea.  She literally pooped close to 20 times in the last 24 hours.  Some was just like a wet poot (sorry tmi) and others were full on diarrhea.  I took her to the doc today and they did blood work, she has a virus.  It is causing some low grade fever, but the horrible part is her little area.  It is bright red and tender - to the point where when she sees the changing table she immediately screams before I even put her down.  I've been using the tricks I used on my others but it's not helping.  I've done the vaseline w/corn starch poweder, desitin, lanolin, oatmeal bath, leaving her diaper off.  Nothing seems to be giving her any relief. Doc told me to lay off dairy products, BUT to let her drink activia twice a day to help with the acidity in her poop.  So, here's my question...

What have you used to soothe a very tender behind?  

On another note, she is 10 1/2 mos now and is 20 lbs 12 oz!!!

[tiredbuthappy]

Glad she's improving. When DD was the same age and had a similar virus, the ped also had us switch to a lactose-free formula for a week to give her tummy a chance to heal. He said that even after the virus leaves the system, it can take a week or 2 for her tummy to return to normal. He said we could try lactose free or soy. I'm not a fan of soy, so we went lactose free.

[LosingMyMindInGA]

Thanks Sabrina!  I have let her go bare for a few minutes here and there, but now that she's crawling - naked and diarrhea just don't mix LOL!  She pooped ALL over the both of us at the doc office the other day because I was holding her bare bottomed to let her air out.  I went through a LOT of baby wipes after that!  Eww!

I finally discovered that I have some ketaconazole, after trying several other antifungals I have.  I used it a couple times yesterday. Then before bed I put it on, let it absorb some and coated her bottom with the purple desitin.  She woke up this morning with a stinky diaper (fortunately it had more substance to it) and the diaper change went SO MUCH more smoothly.  A lot less screaming and even a few smiles at the end.  

I stopped all dairy products and meats.,...pretty much just went to a formula and activia smoothie diet for a few days.  Mostly because she wasn't wanting to eat.  

She seems much better today!  Hopefully there will be continued improvement.

[smjmekg]

Elijah's had a million diaper rashes, and like Ivy said we've used the anti-fungal for all his yeast rashes. I'd try to start her on a diet that will help relieve the loose stools. I put the yeast rash cream on and then put desitin over it. I OVERDO it big time. I put so much desitin on that when I'm done it looks like I just spread icing on his rear, I do it super thick every night, but through out the day I let him run around naked. After every stinky diaper I'd let him sit in the tub for a few, gently pat him dry, let him be naked a while and put desitin on after it was dry. Wetting it in the tub and then letting him be naked seemed to dry the rash out and it went away faster. Good luck, I know it s*cks!!!

[LosingMyMindInGA]

Well none of the other things seem to be giving her any relief.  

I went through my medicine closet and guess what?  KETACONAZOLE that had been prescribed for Gabe for a diaper/neck rash (and no it hasn't expired).  So, I just put some on and will use this for awhile and see how it helps.  I'm stopping the cornstarch for the time being.  It mixes with her pee and the creams and balls up and sticks to her and she screams when I try to get it off.  I hope this stuff gives her some relief.  Poor baby, I feel so bad for her!

[Ashelen]

you could also try the aveeno diaper cream it's SUPER thick

but I do have to disagree slightly - if it's bright red patches that look like they may bleed it's likely it's beyond just irritation and into a yeast rash, which is what happened with Grey - the wet environ from his diarrhea caused a yeast rash....and while an antifungal isn't what we use for vaginal yeast infections, it's the SOP to treat yeast rashes.....

But I do agree with tired that if the lotrimin isn't working buy some really thick regular cream for now (or keep at what you're doing with your script cream) and call monday for some Ketoconazole...2 days and Grey is almost completely better whereas 2 days ago just a drip of pee in his diap or, heaven forbid, a poo set him to screaming and trying to wipe him clean set him into fits of crying so hard he almost couldn't breathe...

[tiredbuthappy]

Don't use lotrimin, as you already know the cause. It is not a fungal infection like some diaper rashes, but rather irritation/burn from diarrhea (probably acidic). Instead you need to use the thickest, stickiest ointment you an get your hands on. Until the diarrhea stops, the best you can do is try to provide a barrier between the skin and the poop which just burns it further. Put it on as thick as you can manage. Like, ridiculously thick. That is the only thing that we found helped the diarrhea rashes. We used vasoline, A&D, or triple paste.

[LosingMyMindInGA]

LOL @ Ivy!

Thanks ladies.  I tried the lotrimin severl times.  I put it on, let it soak in a bit, then put on desiting (purple kind) and the corn starch.  It seemed to help keep the diarrhea from burning what is already sore, but not helping much to heal what's already raw.  Last night I just coated her nether region in desitin so thick I probably won't ever get it all off, then added some corn starch.  She had a couple of poops early this morning and everything still looked the same under all the coating.  So, this morning I pulled out one of my scripts.  It's nystatin/triamcinolone.  I put some of it one, testing a small spot at first.  She didn't scream any louder or harder than she does just from me touching it so I took that as a good sign.  I put it over the rest of the raw area and left it just like that.  A few minutes later she cracked a half smile at her sister - first smile I've seen in a couple days!  We'll see how it goes.

I try to keep an eye and ear out so I can tell when she poops and can change her to get it off as quickly as possible, but I feel so horrible having to do that because it hurts her so bad :( I'm just glad that at this point it is much smaller amounts of diarrhea instead of full blow outs!!!

Ivy, Lily had finally been putting herself to sleep in her crib but last night I ended up holding her and rocking her then keeping her in her little Fisher Price rocking chair besides me while I did school work.  She was so miserable, poor baby.  Fever, fortunately, has not gone over 100 thusfar.  

[Ashelen]

err sorry the stuff my aunt uses is in a pink BOTTLE but the powder is white, lol

[Ashelen]

Agree with everything Michele said...use it as needed...I actually nix all diaper cream unless there's an active rash in order to keep the pH more balanced, but some people swear by regular cream use. My aunt also swears by (i think it's called) Caldasine...it's a pink corn starch powder that has antibacterial properties. But as for the cream...ours is a prescription that we're supposed to use 2x a day but I use it 2x a day undiluted...put it on, then cover it with desitin to keep it on...and then 2 more x a day I mix it WITH the desitin..and it seems to get rid of it a lot more quickly that way...doc didn't say anything was wrong with that and I'm pretty sure the stuff we have is much stronger than the lotrimin so I would say using it a few times a day is just fine. But if you end up needing something with a bit more of a kick the stuff our doc prescribed for Kahlan (and recently Grey) is called Ketaconazole.

Hope she feels better..it's awful...Grey woke up screaming the other night because he flipped onto his back and somehow jarred his sore bits...he fell asleep cuddled on my shoulder for the first time in months, poor baby! Can't wait til this rash is completely gone :-/.

[Michele, Katy, TX]

Cass, I did the Lotrimin/Desitin/Corn Starch each time I changed them until the rash went away.  You will probably see the biggest difference overnight when she hopefully won't poop.  As for the prescription anti-fungal...the one I first was prescribed was called Nystatin I believe.  It actually made Mary scream her head off.  It burned her but for some reason the Lotrimin didn't.  Strange because I know they are both anti-fungal.

As far as mixing the Lotrimin and the Desitin...I think that is a great idea while the bad rash is going on.  I would just be afraid to use it all the time when it's not needed because I would fear that when it is needed, it may not work???  IDK...maybe I'm wrong but it seems like maybe an immunity might be built.  To the Lotrimin I mean.  I could be totally wrong though.  But I only use the Lotrimin when I need it.  I do use Destin pretty regularly.  Like especially the diaper before bed, so it sits on their bums all night.  If I start seeing even the smallest of rash, I use the Desitin and then the corn starch.  And of course if a bad rash breaks out, I use the triple combo.  LOL!  But honestly, usually when the really bad ones happen is when they have some type of virus causing the diarrhea.

Good luck w/ it.  I HATE it when they get those!!!

[LosingMyMindInGA]

Yeah the lotrimin is pretty much the same stuff...maybe not the same name, but an antifungal nonetheless.  I've heard of these combos before, actually used them, just had forgotten all about them til you guys reminded me.  

How often do you guys use the lotrimin?  I've done it a couple of times tonight, along with the corn starch.  I've also been letting her soak in an oatmeal bath.  Poor things just SCREAMS bloody murder and jumps all over the place when I put her on the changing table.  I think I DO still have some antifungal creams from before, I have to go through my medicine closet to see what all is in there and what each thing is.  

Her temp was 99.8 at 8 pm so I gave her some tylenol and she finally passed out after having a few diarrhea squirts and being changed - she screamed herself til she was fighting sleep. :(  

I never though to MIX The lotrimin and desitin.  I need to try that.  I also need to remember WHAT That combo was that I used for Gabe awhile back.  GRR it worked great when he had one like this.    Stupid brain!  

Doc also suggested giving her an activia smoothie twice a day to help with the diarrhea and the acidity level in it.

[Ashelen]

Omg girl I am going through the EXACT SAME thing with Grey! He had horrid diarrhea for about 3 days and this horrible diaper rash appeared in a matter of hours...it's bright red splotches that are actually bleeding when they get wiped...

it's definitely a yeast rash (he had to go in for his 1 year shots so I went ahead and had them check for his rash as well)...they put him on an anti-fungal cream but I already had some because his sister has had yeast rashes before...a few applications later and the rash is 90% improved...Sabrina (smjmekg) says that the same stuff in the athlete's foot cream is what is in the antifungal and will clear up a yeast rash....I can't confirm but I trust her on this, her son had a lot of yeast rashes.

I mix the antifungal in with the desitin and it gives him immediate relief.

[Michele, Katy, TX]

Yeah.  The Lotrimin AF, Purple Desitin, Corn Starch combo is what I used when prescriptions DID NOT work for me.  Actually got this from a Dermatologist when the script ointments wouldn't work.  It really does work and I use it for all my kids now.  Haven't had to take them to the doctor for a diaper rash since then.  Oh, might sound silly because you may have already done this, but might also want to put Lily in the tub w/ just plain ole water and let her play.  When mine get like that, I do that and I think the clean water just helps.

[LosingMyMindInGA]

It's the purple I've been using.  No relief :(.  I forgot all about the maalox and lotrimin stuff!!  I'll def try those.  Doc said he could write a script for something but "you can do the sam,e thing at home with desitin or a & d"    

Thanks!!

[Michele, Katy, TX]

Oh yes, I always use the purple Desitin.  It actually is a stronger strength than the blue (creamy) one.

[waitn838]

i found instant rellief for Em using the purple Desitin, not sure if thats the desitin you used but it worked for Em

i agree with above that you should ask the doc for a script for rx cream to help her bottom.....

hope she feels better soon

[Michele, Katy, TX]

Also try Malox/Mylanta.  You can rub some of that on a cotton ball and apply.  The best remedy I have found is regular strength Lotrimin AF.  I would put that and blow on it for a minute to allow it to absorb into her skin.  Then on top of that, apply Desitin.  After that, apply/sprinkle corn starch.  If you don't have any of that, try the baby powder w/ the corn starch but I like plain corn starch since it won't have any additives perfumes/dyes, etc.  I actually used this Lotrimin method when the prescription creams weren't working.  She will begin feeling relief almost immediately.  YOU will see some major improvement within a few diaper changes and def within 24 hours.  I highly recommend this treatment because it worked for me when 2 prescriptions didn't.  And mine had broken skin to where you actually saw blood.  Broke my heart too.  I use this method now with all of them when they get the occasional rash or the diarrhea rash.  I swear by it.

[NicMom]

Can you ask your dr to write a script for an antibiotic diaper cream? We've been through that before and the cream they can give you seems to provide the most relief. If they won't do that I use neosporin because it takes away the pain, protects the area that's sore and speeds up the healing process. Good luck!!!