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Itchy postpartum rash, anyone?
by Gili, Dec 04, 2006 12:00AM
Hi, I got this really annoying itchy rash 2 weeks after giving birth vaginally to my daughter. medicine and sarna lotion don't seem to work. It itches even more when I scratch and at night. I heard other moms had postpartum rash too. What can I do to alleviate the itch and what is the cause? I breastfeed and it's unbearable at night with the itch.
Member Comments (5)
by Gili, Dec 04, 2006 12:00AM
By the way, the rash first started on my shin and other parts of my legs and now it's also on my ankle and near the buttocks.
by 4my3boys, Dec 04, 2006 12:00AM
Are you on pain meds? It sounds to me as if maybe you are having an allergic reaction to somethings. I haev never heard of a post partum rash. BTW congrats on the baby!!
by aborgial, Jan 24, 2008 01:33AM
To: Gili
Hello. I am 2 months post partum and have developed the rash all over my body. It started on the back of my knees and a small patch on the back of my neck. Later it spread to cover my entire legs as well as stomach and arms. I have small red circles on my cheeks but the rash does not extend over my nose. I am concerned that this may be Lupus. Anyone?
by Krista974, Jun 29, 2008 04:29PM
To: Gili
Okay, here's my story and a cure for the itching at least! I had a C-Section and had a solid hive from my mid-thigh to my mid-stomach. The hives were due to the betadine (iodine) used to clean the area for my C-Section. I also had a rash on my upper arms and stomach starting about the 8th month of pregnancy. And, about 3 days after birth, I started itching on my legs, arms, stomach, sides, and back that would turn into a rash/hives after I would scratch it. So, I think I had PUPPP and an allergy to betadine, but I also had this third thing too that I'm calling "postpartum rash". The steroid shot and dose pack got rid of the betadine allergy and the postpartum rash temporarily, but the postpartum rash came back. The PUPP went away after birth (except I still have a rash on my upper arms, but it doesn't itch.) But this third thing has been itching like crazy and I'm 6 weeks postpartum now. I have been to numerous doctors and lately a dermatologist that has referred me to an allergist just recently. I'll be making the allergist appointment because I do believe this is an allergy due to changes in hormones from pregnancy. The dermatologist told me that pregnancy/birth does such a number on your body that you can develop allergies that you never had before. Anyway, I have taken about every prescription that everyone has discussed as well as over the counter stuff too. At one point, one doctor even prescribed scabies medicine thinking that might be it! The cure for the itching is a combination of Hydroxyzine (25 mg 4X per day) and Doxepin (10 mg 3X per day). This will make the itching go away. When I was just using Hydroxyzine without the Doxepin I was using Fluocinonide ointment too (which is a stronger ointment than Triamcinolon). I also have a presctiption for Clobetasol ointment which is supposed to be even stronger than Fluocinonide, but I haven't had the need to take it. The only downside to the Hydroxyzine/Doxepin mix is that it makes you tired. I've ordered the Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap that everyone is talking about here to hopefully see if I can at least get rid of the leftover rash on my upper arms from PUPPP because it sounds like that might help. And, I'm going to an allergist to try to get rid of the postpartum rash for good so that I can stop taking the Hydroxyzine/Doxepin. Hope this helps!
by donnagaller, Sep 22, 2008 03:53AM
To: gili
Hi, I had the same problem..the rash was so maddening that I thought I would jump off a cliff if I didn't get rid of it soon. After weeks of misery and sleeping with ice packs, I finally went to a doctor who knew exactly what was wrong. I was allergic to my husbands DNA in the placenta. When the placenta starts to deteriorate at the end of the pregnancy, the lower stomach usually starts itching and gets welts. Then, after pregnancy, as the placental materials left in the body get reabsorbed into it, the rash becomes systemic and you feel like you will lose your mind from the itchiness. He gave me a prednisone pack and it was almost gone by the end of the day. In a few days, it was completely gone and never came back. I couldn't believe it was gone. It seemed too good to be true...but it was.
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