Itchy Nightmare

I found out I was pregnant October 2015. Two months later I noticed little bumps developing over my body. Everyone had their opinions- it was my soaps, my diet, or it was oak mites. I couldn’t take it much more so I scheduled an appointment with a doctor. The doctor was shocked I had developed a rash so soon; I was thirteen, maybe fourteen weeks pregnant at the time. She assumed it was PUPPs, and I was given a prescription for steroid cream.

Only it didn’t get better, but instead, continued to get worse.

Weeping sores and large patches

My new OB suggested I see a dermatologist as she was not knowledgeable with rashes. I picked a lady in a neighboring town and was told it was PUPPs, because it couldn’t possibly be the other rash as none of my symptoms fit. I was given a stronger cream and advised to take Benadryl and Zyrtec. So far I had changed to basic Dove bar soap, no perfume, no scented lotions, even dye/perfume free laundry soap. Nothing improved my rash. My forearms began to develop huge, weeping sores that itched and hurt. The inner area of my upper thighs developed large patches that are still discolored, going on two years later.

After delivery it became worse

I wound up delivering early for reason other than the rash. I had hoped it would clear after delivery but instead became even worse. My abdomen broke out and the rash spread over my entire legs. My OB was concerned and suggested I see my dermatologist, who told me it was scabies. Seeing as how I had been in the hospital for almost a week, I found it highly unlikely that it was scabies. My OB was skeptical as well, and sent me to a different dermatologist. They tested one of the sores on my arms and determined that I had had what is called atopic eruption of pregnancy, and I had developed eczema at some point in my adult life. I’ve had to switch soap after soap, can’t use any sort of perfume on my skin, and I have to be careful how often I shave. What should have been a rather mundane third pregnancy was a nightmare that I’m still sorting through, two years later.

Do you have a story about skin symptoms during pregnancy?