New to forums, question about eczema during pregnancy, a little bit upset :(

[Mummy2bexxx]

Hi everyone! I am 15+3 weeks pregnant after having a miscarriage earlier this year. I am so overjoyed about being pregnant again, but can't help being a worrier after losing the previous pregnancy!

I have suffered from very bad eczema all my life, it flares up for no reason and it gets infected if I don't apply steroid cream and moisturiser. During the first trimester I had to go on penecillin twice due to having impetigo, which kept coming back due to the painful inflamed eczema all over my hands and arms. I was presribed Betnovate, to use sparingly twice a day, and also some moisturiser. I wasn't happy at using the steroid cream though so I went back to see another dr to get a second opinion, who basically said the same thing and that its only steroids taken by mouth that are a huge risk, and that any risk of using the cream was incredibly small compared to the risk of the eczema becomming infected. (I have since asked another dr, and have been given the same opinion 3 times!) It says on the leaflet to tell your dr you're pregnant before applying the cream (which I have done 3 times lol)

I visited my midwife earlier this week and she commented on the excema on my arms, as she was trying to take my blood tests but found it difficult due to the rash on my arm, and she said I should go and get some cream from the drs. Last night my eczema got REALLY bad, so itchy and inflamed, so I decided to apply some betnovate, as just using the moituriser wasn't working. Well this morning I googled "betnovate during pregnancy" and all I can find is people on pregnancy forums saying how dangerous it is to apply during pregnancy, I really wished I hadn't googled it now as I have just spent the last hour crying my eyes out, as I don't want anything to harm my wee one I am due to visit my dr on Monday, and don't currently have a number for my midwife. I am unsure whether to ask her again, as I have asked so many times. The eczema hasn't completely gone this morning, but is looking a lot better. I have tried natural creams but they haven't worked, and weaker creams like hydrocortisone (sp??) don't work either.

Since the start of my pregnancy I have used the cream about 5 times in total, as I only want to use it when I think it's REALLY neccessary, even though my dr told me to apply it twice a day.

I'm such a worry bum

 

[lola1985]

hi hunny, a rash i have on my entire body has been that bad that i had to have oral steroids at about 8 weeks! i also had a miscarriage in june tthis year so am extra cautious like yourself but as the doctor explained to me, if the rash becomes infected a blood infection could be not that far behind so u have to take the risks vs benefits. also steroid creams are in the catagory not for use in pregnancy unless under medical direction, they are not in the do not use wat so ever in pregnancy catagory.

i understand ur torment at the moment both with ur skin and any desision on how to treat it, if it makes u feel better me n my bubs are fine, strong heartbeat n is measuring great x x x x

 

[sarahhoney]

I'm afraid I can't give any advice but I would trust in what your docs say first and foremost... though the internet is great and forums like bnb are of fab support, you can also scare the s**t out of yourself quite easily by googling things!!!

Sure everything is fine... if your really panicked then speak to your doctor again and tell them about things you've read and your concerns.

 

[AimeeM]

I did read that the progesterone in pregnancy can flare up eczema. I would go and see your doctor and get some advice or ask to be reffered to a dermatologist as they are i would say more experienced in medical conditions than midwives.

 

[Mummy2bexxx]

Thankyou lola1985 I hate eczema, it flares up at anything, can't use perfumed products, make up etc. without it flaring up everywhere! Do you find that yours gets worse at night? I scratched my legs so much the other night I made them bleed I'm getting through tonnes of moisturiser but the only thing that seems to help is the betnovate, which is obviously worrying me sick, especially after I read that it is classed as "potent" (3 different classifications are mild, moderate and potent I think). But then why would 3 different doctors recommend it to me, all knowing that I am pregnant? I certainly don't want impetigo again and have to have yet another course of penecillin!

I hope your rash is now better and isn't causing you any more bother! Many congratulations on your pregnancy too, whens your due date?

 

[Mummy2bexxx]

I'm afraid I can't give any advice but I would trust in what your docs say first and foremost... though the internet is great and forums like bnb are of fab support, you can also scare the s**t out of yourself quite easily by googling things!!!

Sure everything is fine... if your really panicked then speak to your doctor again and tell them about things you've read and your concerns.

I'm never going on google again after today, scared me so much I think I have cried for about an hour and a half sooo glad I found these forums though, I think I would've been crying for the rest of the afternoon!

Thanks for your post Aimee, I think I will ask about being referred to a dermatologist when I see my doctor on Monday, hate the thought of having to cope with this eczema for another 25 or so weeks as I can't sleep sometimes it gets so sore and itchy!

This is my 2nd big scare this week, had to have an emergency scan on Monday as I had had some bleeding and my midwife couldn't find the heartbeat with the doppler, turns out my little one was just standing on it's head! lol!

 

[Smiley Lou]

Hiya, I have psoriasis and normally use the same creams as you and some others. I was applying Dovobet (the red one, half steroid half vit D annalog - bl**dy brilliant for future reference) until I found out i was pregnant and then I stopped. When I asked my doctor she told me to stop using it. Luckily for me, my psoriasis has cleared up during pregnancy, but I cant imagine what you are going through if yours is getting worse, it is just sooooooo uncomfortable isnt it !

The other day I got an ear infection and was prescribed otomize (which has a bit of steriod in it) by one doc and told not to take it by another doc .... strange ! However, one doctor told me that althou they say no steroids in pregnancy they would have no problem pescribing it if you have asthma and the likes. So at the end of the day I think as you have used this sparingly and infrequently I think it will all be fine and dont listen to the internet at all !!!

The best mosturizer i found is the palmers coco butter one if you havent already tried that & E45. Have you tried bio oil maybe ? worth a go (also good for stretch marks apparently).

I really hope yours gets better, if not maybe arrange to see a dermatologist ??



The one that I found was the best was Dovobet (for future reference) it is a miracle one !

 

[honeygrl]

Ignore Goolge because that is always going to give you a worst case scenario no matter how tiny and slim the chances are of something bad happening!

If 3 doctors told you it's OK, I would trust what they said. There are lots of drugs that aren't generally used in pregnancy unless there is a real need for it. Ibuprofen is generally not a good idea, but what most people don't realize is that its mainly just bad in the 3d tri. They just make a broad statement about it because most people don't read directions very closely and they don't want to take chances.

They actually give pregnant women in early labor steroids to help the baby's lungs get developed better. It's definitely not an absolute-never-use drug! An infection in your body is WAY worse for baby than the steroids are. If you get a fever from it, that can actually cause harm to the baby! Taking antibiotics repeatedly isn't the best thing either but obviously keeping an infection is worse. They probably want to prevent you from having to be on antibiotics through the whole pregnancy. A blood infection could cause some *serious* complications to your pregnancy also! The teeny teeny tiny chances of the skin cream causing harm is WAY less than the chances of the other stuff doing harm. Please take the cream as they told you to so you don't get worse! If they said it's ok sparingly twice a day, then do it exactly the way they said to! I promise 3 doctors wouldn't say it if it weren't OK!

 

[loopy_lou]

HI, i have the same issue with eczema have had the problem all my life and the doctor has told me not to use betnovate (.1%) or hydrocortisone (1%) instead he prescribed me hydrocortisone (.5%) and told me to use it sparely. MW seamed to think it might be ok. I also dont use soap (not used it in many years) just use aqueous cream and i use 3 different moisturizers Dermol 500, Double base and palmers coco butter using about 500ml every 2 weeks. Also tried oilatum after shower oil or Johnson's baby oil to damp skin (never dry fully as this stips the skin of its natural oils). I even try cotton gloves at night to stop me scratching.

But still my hands and arms have open itchy sores and my face is red and blotchy basically any bit of my body i can get to are blotchy and the bits i can get to more often tend to be the bits with sores on.

MW and Doc both say that some womens eczema gets better with preganncy and some it gets worse and i am unlucky. I am now out of hydrocortisone but i dont think the doc will give me any more. They have also said that its going to be after i stop breast-feeding before i can go back to the higher steroids

If like me your eczema gets worse in winter this is caused by the change in weather so when you go from inside to outside only way to combat that is to ensure your body is not overly hot or cold using gloves, hats, scarves and just keep applying moisturizer.

I am sure the above is not new to anyone but maybe it helps to know your not alone?

 

[expectantmum]

I always suffer from eczema. My Mum's vanished and never came back when she was pregnant with me - think she passed it on to me! I had always hoped mine would disappear but no such luck. It's actually even worse. My hands wake me up at night and I am like a cow on a barn gate scratching my feet up against the bed frame. Telling me not to scratch would be like telling me not to breathe. I am using Elocon a strong topical steroid. If I didn't use it I know I would scratch so much that it would end up infected and potentially cause far more harm to my pregnancy.

 

[YorkieMom]

Oh no! Dr also prescribed me Betnovate! Im too scared to google it now! My Dr told me it was fine to use! I was getting really itchy eczema flare ups during pregnancy and a few times even on my lower bump! I've been using it almost everyday for the last 2 weeks!

 

[georgebeff]

Hii hope you ok reading your story sounded like e with my first my eczema was alwful and after getting pregnant the hormones made it flare up even more it was so horrid and painful !!! But I used lots of creams and I was using betnovate until 28 weels when I went to doctor to get a repeat prescriptionit was different doctor and he wouldn't prescribe it as it can stunt the babys growth !!! But my daughter was born healthy at a small 5lb3oz but that was due to smoking they reckoned now stopped !! But nnot the cream but even if she was small she was healthy !! Xxxxxx

 

[freckles09]

Hiya, i also suffer with excema - mainly on my legs and arms. I was using betnovate every day for a couple of weeks in my first tri and got totally freaked out when i read the label and it said not to be used in pregnancy! I didn't even think about it I called the docs and they said to stop using it but my dermatologist said i could use it sparingly if it flared up. I stopped using it though.

My legs aren't so bad at the moment so i use doublebase twice a day to keep them moisturised, but my arms still itch so i use Dermol on my arms twice a day as this has an anti itch formula in it.

I can understand your panic but try not to worry! I worried too and also googled but that really freaked me out with scary stories.

 

[jbt]

Hi there, I know how u feel i went through the same thing (still going through) lol. Suffered from eczema badly my whole life, then when i was about 8/9/10/ weeks i suddenly got it all over my face (worse than usual) then this got infected, so i had to get signed off my work for 2 weeks because it was almost like wet cold sores all over my face, so painful, and depressing. Went to the doctor and they said it was just infected eczema, and gave me antibiotics. Took about 2 weeks to de-flame, then i was left with a mask of dry skin, that comes back when it wants to. I rarely get a day where my skin is OK. today for example its really bad. I went to a dermatologist and he gave me the usual stuff, Betnovate and eumovate, dermol 500 to use as a soap substitute. Just gets me annoyed cos used everything and it just doesnt really do anything to help really.
I am 23 weeks now, and my skin now looks like i have white areas at my eyes, almost like a mask, and the rest is red and enflamed.
massive story sorry lol xxx