Has anyone ever had PUPPP?

[Ava31]

It's a rash that women get during pregnancy that supposedly won't go away until after you give birth, the technical name is "Pruritic Uticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy".

When I was pregnant with DD (now 19 months), I caught a stomach virus. I spent all day vomiting my brains out and then early evening, my stomach started to feel better, but I noticed this itchy rash on my thighs. By the next morning, my entire body from neck to knees was completely covered and I itched like I had spent the night in a swamp full of mosquitoes. I have never been more miserable in my whole life (and I've had 2 natural births and severe gallbladder attacks, prior to it's removal). My doctor told me that I would have the rash until I gave birth and she mentioned possibly inducing me at week 38 (luckily, I gave birth at week 36.5). I tried everything prior to going the holistic route and taking Dandelion Root, which worked like a champ.

So, now I think I'm free and clear, won't ever have to deal with PUPPP again. Wrong! Fast forward to 10 months post-partum. Once again, I'm down and out with a stomach virus and just as I'm starting to feel human again, I get struck with the dreaded PUPPP. This time I can attribute it to nursing (for some reason this is in conjunction with the stomach bug). I start taking the Dandelion Root and it went away, presumably never again to rear it's ugly head.

Now, 19 months post-partum, roughly 20 months from the first time I was first introduced to this awful affliction, I got taken down once more with a stomach virus (I have no idea why I keep getting these things), and sure enough I have started breaking out with PUPPP again! I'm not pregnant, I'm not nursing, but I have recently started back on the pill, and that's the only cause I can think of.

It's bizarre! I read a few reports about people getting it post-partum, but for the love of jellybeans, getting it because I'm on the pill?! I'll never get over this crazy rash!

Has anyone experienced this thing or heard of it?

 

[piratesmate]

One of my really good friends had it with her last pregnancy - about 18 years ago. As far as I know it was just for the duration of the pregnancy & she hasn't had any recurrance. I'm really sorry you're having problems with this! I know she was miserable with it.

 

[Papa Deuce]

My wife had it... more common for those giving birth to multiples. She still has scars from scratching!

 

[katerkat]

I had it during pregnancy - from about week 32 until we induced at 38.5 weeks. I've never heard of re-occurrences! Are you sure it's not an allergic reaction to something you're taking with the stomach virus? Mine didn't appear after any illness or anything; the rash just crept up one day.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Oh my gosh. I had that rash, but they never told me what it was. They just gave me this brown stuff to spread on me, and I used a lot of calomine. I had that rash for about 2 months. It didn't last my whole pregnancy, though. I scratched so much that people would start scratching when they talked to me. This was 17-18 years ago (my dd is 17+ now), and I took a lot of tepid baths, and if I remember correctly, I used epson salts in my bath.

Man, what a miserable memory. Sorry you're going through this, Ava31.

 

[Buckalew11]

Ava,

A woman in my SS class had this. Yes, it lasted her whole pregnancy.

So is it hormone related along with a stomach virus? Being on the pill, doesn't your body sorrta feign pregnancy? Maybe that is why it still happens? Bless your heart, I know it must be miserable.

 

[Ava31]

I had it during pregnancy - from about week 32 until we induced at 38.5 weeks. I've never heard of re-occurrences! Are you sure it's not an allergic reaction to something you're taking with the stomach virus? Mine didn't appear after any illness or anything; the rash just crept up one day.

I haven't taken anything for the virus and wouldn't have been able to keep it down if I had. I read on a website that some women have re-occurences and I'm just weird enough to be one of them. I've never heard of anyone getting it from the pill, though. My best guess is that there is speculation that PUPPP is caused by an excess of bile salts, which is caused by a malfunction of the liver, which is why the Dandelion Root works (it's supposed to enhance liver function). Therefore, when I get the stomach virus, it has an effect on my liver and I get this rash. This is simply my internet-educated hypothesis...but according to my OB and my dermatologist, it was most definitely PUPPP.

Oh my gosh. I had that rash, but they never told me what it was. They just gave me this brown stuff to spread on me, and I used a lot of calomine. I had that rash for about 2 months. It didn't last my whole pregnancy, though. I scratched so much that people would start scratching when they talked to me. This was 17-18 years ago (my dd is 17+ now), and I took a lot of tepid baths, and if I remember correctly, I used epson salts in my bath.

Thank God for the internet! If it weren't for the various websites with PUPPP info, I would have never gone the Dandelion Root. I wouldn't typically gravitate towards holistic medicine, but this stuff works!

 

[Beca]

I haven't taken anything for the virus and wouldn't have been able to keep it down if I had. I read on a website that some women have re-occurences and I'm just weird enough to be one of them. I've never heard of anyone getting it from the pill, though. My best guess is that there is speculation that PUPPP is caused by an excess of bile salts, which is caused by a malfunction of the liver, which is why the Dandelion Root works (it's supposed to enhance liver function). Therefore, when I get the stomach virus, it has an effect on my liver and I get this rash. This is simply my internet-educated hypothesis...but according to my OB and my dermatologist, it was most definitely PUPPP.

Wow!! I had that rash, but it did not last my entire pregnancy (thank goodness...it itched like CRAZY). And yep, my liver went bad and I had to be induced early. It was a MESS!!! Interestingly, my Dr never mentioned to me that the rash might have anything to do with my liver!

You might try "detoxing" your liver. Gaia herbs makes some GREAT liver support capsules (in liquid form) that really helped me. If that doesn't work, you might need a whole body detox from a naturopath. Milk Thistle is really good for helping the liver to detox. I tried traditional medicine for a year to try to get my liver enzymes down, and nothing worked. A naturopath had them back down in 2 months.

Good luck!!! I hope it goes away soon!!