Itchy arm! Help!

[laura11111]

Is anyone having trouble with an itchy arm?

I'm 14 weeks and had an itchy arm since the beginning of the pregnancy. I've had this problem before (non-pregnant), either one or both arms, but it's only ever lasted a few weeks.

At first, it was both arms near the elbow bend. Now, it's just one arm, but it's spread down to my wrist and half way up to my shoulder. I'm not talking a normal itch. It's relentless (day and night) and turns into a burning fire itch if I scratch it. Nothing appears to be wrong with the skin. No rash. Nothing. I can't stand it anymore.

The only relief I can find is an ice pack, but I'm so sick of going back and forth to the freezer all night and I can't keep an ice pack on my arm all day. I have a baby and a toddler to look after.

I told my doctor and she wrote it off as dry skin. She told me to get a particular moisturizer. I did, no difference.

I meet my OB in a month and I intend to bring up the issue and not drop it until she understands the grief it's causing me. In the mean time, I need answers.

This is the only thing I can come up with, but I'm not a doctor: https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1355312-overview

This didn't happen during my other two pregnancies.

 

[PhoenixCT]

Yikes. I have no experience with that while pregnant. Could it be something you changed since getting pregnant that you're allergic to? I didn't show a major rash or anything, but after a surgery some years ago something caused my hands and arms to itch furiously. Like it kept me up at night, it was torture. They didn't know what it was and wouldn't give me anything for it. Pretty sure they thought I was crazy. But I narrowed it down to a dye in a bottle of ibuprofen.

 

[arturia]

I'd suggest visiting your GP instead of waiting a month for the OB. You can probably get some relief from a medication that'll last longer than an ice pack. Just make sure he/she knows you are pregnant and check with the pharmacist to ensure that what was prescribed was safe* for pregnant ladies.

*My nurse friend has on occasion lamented about doctors prescribing toxic medication combinations, so it's not a bad idea to check with a pharmacist who does this all day and isn't distracted by 548254891784 things.

 

[Gwen77]

If the itching spreads to the palm of your hands or soles of your feet, I'd get blood work done ASAP as well as a urine test. It could be a sign that your liver isn't functioning properly and can affect the baby.

 

[IchigoMewMew]

I've had this when not pregnant, it's irritation of the nerve endings. I had bad redness and weeping as well due to a new allergy so I was put on oral steroids which i doubt are suitable during pregnancy. sorry not much help I had to be referred to a dermatologist for it maybe your gp or ob could arrange something?

 

[Kanichen34]

You need a GP to take this seriously. A friend of mine had a bout of pins and needles in one arm for a few weeks. Then it was back again a few months later. She's now been diagnosed with MS. I know pins and needles and itching are 2 different things but just wanted to show that minor symptoms can sometimes have big causes and we shouldn't allow busy doctors to fob us off. Hope you get some relief soon.

 

[laura11111]

Thanks, ladies. I'm going to come back and reply. Just don't have time, at the moment

 

[laura11111]

Yikes. I have no experience with that while pregnant. Could it be something you changed since getting pregnant that you're allergic to? I didn't show a major rash or anything, but after a surgery some years ago something caused my hands and arms to itch furiously. Like it kept me up at night, it was torture. They didn't know what it was and wouldn't give me anything for it. Pretty sure they thought I was crazy. But I narrowed it down to a dye in a bottle of ibuprofen.

Hmmm...I'm trying to think if there is anything I've done differently. I switched my dryer sheets. That could have been around when I got pregnant, but why the only the one arm now? Also, I wore t-shirts while it was still warm. Hmmm. I'll keep thinking!

If the itching spreads to the palm of your hands or soles of your feet, I'd get blood work done ASAP as well as a urine test. It could be a sign that your liver isn't functioning properly and can affect the baby.

I did read about this. I believe it only presents itself in the third trimester, but maybe you're right and I should get checked out.

You need a GP to take this seriously. A friend of mine had a bout of pins and needles in one arm for a few weeks. Then it was back again a few months later. She's now been diagnosed with MS. I know pins and needles and itching are 2 different things but just wanted to show that minor symptoms can sometimes have big causes and we shouldn't allow busy doctors to fob us off. Hope you get some relief soon.

Yikes. That's scary. Yeah...I think I'm going to go back to my doctor rather than wait for my OB appointment and really make a big stink.



I appreciate all your help. I did find one more thing that helps for a bit...sunburn relief gel. It's made from aloe vera and has lidocaine in it. Although, it wasn't enough to get me through the night last night. I had to get an ice pack at 4:45am. Speaking of ice packs; I'm wondering if I haven't caused the spread myself by burning the skin! It's not red or obviously damaged, but I've been falling asleep with ice packs directly on my arm. I didn't know you are supposed to wrap them. Unless I'm imagining, the original itch spot feels different than the itch on the skin that it spread to. If I scratch the original spot, it turns into an intense tingle. The other spots, turn into a burn.

Again, thanks for your help. It seems this isn't a normal pregnancy thing.

 

[03babysquish]

Okay this may sound completely insane but is it your driving arm? Meaning would it be the arm up against the window when you are driving? When we are pregnant our bodies become super sensitive, and you will have allergic reactions to things that we don't normally have a response to. I have a sun allergy. If I don't put sunblock on, and I drive that day, then the arm that is against the window will be itchy as hell! I get it really bad on top of my hands and all over really. I know this is far fetched but it sounded similar to my sun allergy.

 

[03babysquish]

Oh! And also, the liver thing doesn't always happen in the third trimester. Something you can do is look at the whites of your eyes, and check to see if they are yellow at all. Itching like that, or rashes, can also be caused by issues with the pancreas. It is very far fetched, but also, worth looking into.

 

[laura11111]

Thanks for the replies, ladies. It's not my driving arm. I'm pretty sure it's this brachioradial pruritus thing. I joined a support group and I'm not the only one who has had it get worse during pregnancy. There are some treatments that seem to be helping people, but mostly there isn't much known about the condition. A lot of sufferers are being told to get off of their unicorn by their doctors.

The sun allergy thing doesn't sound far-fetched, btw