Rash (pics included)

OK, Sunday morning I come out in a bit of a rash. Little bit itchy, by midnight my hand is swollen and feels like a bee sting. Off to hospital we go on Monday morning. Diagnosis is an allergic reaction, prescribe some Phenergan.

Swelling of hands gets worse and worse, we are in Melbourne for DD's surgical review and we make it back to town to see the doctor at 3pm yesterday afternoon.

Diagnosis is an allergic reaction to Zantac, except I've been on that for 2 months and haven't taken any since Tuesday afternoon.
Cease Zantac and Phenergan and apply a small amount of Elocon cream.
Wake up at Midnight with half my face, ears and lips swollen up. DD asleep and no baby sitter so apply ice pack all night and head to hospital first thing.

Suggest to doctor that it may be cholestasis, he says that pregnancy can't bring on sudden liver changes and refuses to issue blood test.
Suggest preeclampsia, BP always sits at around 116/65ish. BP for the last few days has been 138/88. Dr says that BP isn't high enough to indicate PE.

Get told basically "I don''t know, go away and think about what you've touched or eaten."
I haven't done anythign different.

Heading to town in a sec to see OB, as he's generally good and will surely have some idea what's going on.

Pics are here..... (please no friend requests)

Link removed
Opinions?

out of curiosity, have you broached the idea of shingles?

I got urticaria whilst pregnant with DS1, but my doctor ordered Liver function tests and checked protein in urine and BP JIC. That GP is negligent. Of course pregnancy can cause liver changes. It's the swelling that I'd be worried about. I hope your OB orders the right tests. OC is very dangerous for bub and the only cure is delivery.

Hi Charlotte, I was thinking some sort of stress related rash too? Hope you get it sorted out soon, no doubt there will be a cream that can clear it up.

FWIW I'm not sure if you are worried at all about privacy but I couldn't help but notice where you live on your FB page.... I have been to your home town a gazillion times and have dozens of FB friends who live there.... As you know it's a VERY small area/district and an even smaller town. You may want to take down the link to your FB page and upload the photos to a site that is more private such as photobucket ;)

I wonder if it could be psoriasis brought on by your baby and stress? I Hope a dermatologist can help find you an answer and some comfort.
Good luck thinking of you.

Hi Charlotte,
have you been bitten by anything at all?
I suddenly developed something like this last year, they couldnt work it out for me either. It ended up being that I got two midgie bites, and broke out in a similar rash, all over my body but patchy at the same time. I wasnt allergic to them before then, but now everytime I get bitten I break out and itch for weeks. i just take an antihistamine, and use calamine lotion on the welts.
Hope it gets better soon!

double post

Managed to see OB. He's concerned for me but positive that bub is OK. Ordered a liver function test, which I'll get the results in a few hours.
I asked if this is brought on my the pregnancy (which it probably is), can it be relieved by giving birth? He said that if it's my liver, then yes. But, if it's just an allergy and my body overreacting because I'm pregnant, then no.

Started me on some antihistamines and Elocon.
Mentioned that the GP said that it could be the Zantac and OB burst out laughing and said "No, it's not."

OB very sympathetic and says he's fairly certain it's an allergy and I'm just going to have to ride it out. But it seems to have hit it's peak. Nowhere near as itchy this morning, hands still look like sausages but got the ice pack on them this morning. Going to try and drink plenty today to try and flush my system out.

Glad you have a good Ob!

Thank god someone actually does their job...
I'm seriously concerned for our society with the amount of drs and health professionals that seem to have gotten their licenses off a cereal box!!!

Liver function and blood tests all came back completely normal.
The plan is to unfortunately just ride it out. If things get worse, which they haven't, then I'll see OB early next week instead of Friday.

The rash is basically completely gone, hands still a bit puffy but nothing like they were.
Only thing is I woke up this morning and my arms were a bit itchy. Roll up my sleeves and I'm covered in hives. Only on my arms, though. Not too painful, but annoying.
The tops of my eyes are really swollen (got better over the day) and one looks like I've got a black eye, as it looks quite bruised.

OB says he's seen rashes occur in late pregnancy (I'm 37w today) and they stick around for a little while and then go away, with no known cause.

Although annoying, I must prefer having some hives on my arms rather than whatever the hell that other rash was.

I honestly just think my body is exhausted from the pregnancy.

At least there was nothing seriously wrong... I'm virtually hugging your OB for taking it seriously...
And a hug for you coz no rash is pleasant!

Hey, I was just reading my preg journal with DD, and I had awful skin irritation from about 36 weeks. Raised up welt like rashes, loads of itching, I do recall it now and it was awful :hug: