Yesterday I had another Dermatology appointment. He removed my Colts blue stitches, maybe that's why they lost and reviewed the biopsy with me. It definitely came back as PUPPS, much to his surprise. He is having another person read it "just to make sure." He repeatedly told me how sorry he felt for me and wished that it was Scabies, again, just so he could cure it and give me relief. After scrapping more spots it came back negative for Scabies, of course. So he sent me on my way with 50mg of steroids a day, some compound cream I had to get at the pharmacy, and an increase of Benedryl, 4 pills at a time now. He didn't let me go without saying "that is the worst case of PUPPS I have ever seen!" and preceded to take his own pictures of me.
I was going to start prenatal water aerobics last night at the YMCA but I just could not do it. I was too embarrassed to be seen so "naked-like" in my fragile state! So hopefully with the help of EVERYTHING I am trying, next week I will look more presentable, with less clothes on.
Since I am at my whit's end on what to do for my "condition" (that's what everyone seems to be calling it)I decided I would try some alternative medicine. I went to see an Acupuncturist. It was quite the experience. The guy was also a Chiropractor so I felt it was safe. By no means am I a fan of needles but we are starting to be acquaintances. The office staff was extremely nice and sympathetic to my needs. First he discussed everything and then we got started. The first visit was to realign my chi. It was all about the chi today. So I laid down and had little needles come from the sides of my ears, 3 on each of my hands, 3 on my legs and feet. The last thing he did was wrap tape around my feet. Then he ran a pulsing current through a few of the needles. At first I really was unsure of what it felt like. Then as the 20 minutes continued on I started to feel relaxed and at ease. It never did hurt but felt odd. Once again I heard what a strange case I was and that it was going to be a great challenge. When my "aligning of the chi' was over I got up and felt different in a way, maybe it was that I was light head or just really wanting to feel something. I am still itching but maybe not as much? Time and chi-ness will only tell. He reassured me that he can manage my itching!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
The Pregnancy Fun Begins!!
Hello Everyone!
I have decided to start a blog about my pregnancy! It started out great! I wasn't sick at all. I am now 5 1/2 months along! The great news is we are having a little boy, Cooper Jackson McFadden! I am starting to feel pregnant with my belly sticking out. I have only gained 7 pounds since getting pregnant!! All the drama/stress/misery began about 8 weeks ago. Here's the story: Before I got pregnant, after many fertility specialist visits I was diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) and caused stretch marks on my stomach. The beginning of September (I was about 14 weeks along) the stretch marks became extremely irritated, itchy, and hurting. I went to my OB/GYN and she said it was nothing too serious. A few weeks after that I started to break out with
a rash on my legs and arms that itched uncontrollably. I went back to my OB/GYN and was referred to a Dermatologist. He told me that I had contracted scabies from a one of my preschoolers that I work with daily. FANTASTIC! Who really gets scabies, I thought that it was only an urban legend? So I was put on a steroid and a body cream. John and Winston (our beloved Pug) was treated too although neither ever had any signs of it. After I finished the 25 day steroid I was not better. The rash had spread to my hands, fingers, arms, legs, feet, belly, boobs, back and even my butt! It was awful!! I called my Dermatologist and he was able to see me right away. He took a biopsy from my leg, I had 3 stitches! Now we are up to date, this past Monday John rushed me to the emergency room! I was so miserable. I was itching and hurting terribly. I could not calm down and was hysterical. It was my first visit to the ER....interesting! Needless to say I started out my birthday (Tuesday, the 21st) the same place it all began 27 years ago! They finally released me , still not knowing what was all over me, with a bag of fluids, benedryl, and pepcid in an IV. My pulse rate was 140 and my BP was extremely high. The next day I called the Dermatologist again. He finally got my biopsy back. It said that I had PUPPS (Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy) which I have been telling all 7 doctors I have seen for this in the last 8 weeks. When I called my OB/GYN she told me it was the worst case she has ever seen and that I should be taking pictures. So that is when I decided to make a blog. Here is a little bit about PUPPS....it occurs in 1% of pregnancies. The cause is unknown but one theory is that male fetal DNA acts as a skin irritant, in other words I am having an allergic reaction to the baby boy I am carrying. I am on the steroids again which are clearing up the rash some but it still itches like crazy everywhere. I am having trouble sleeping without waking up to itch and then it causes me to bleed from all the scabs on me. I am amazed that I can even function at all. In the last 8 weeks I have had only 2 breakdowns, surprisingly! My doctors have no doubt that all this will go away pretty much the instant I deliver but for the next 17 weeks I have to live through it. Most cases of this doesn't start unitl around 35 weeks, I am the freak of nature that had it start at 14 weeks! I take a million pills a day to try to control it but I think my body is getting immune to some of them and not working like it once did. So for now I will stick to my daily ritual of taking an oatmeal bath, sleeping with cold air blowing on me, and scratching my skin uncontrollably with the exfoliating gloves you can use in the shower. Through all my misery the thing that keeps me going is knowing that none of this is hurting the baby!! On a final note: Since I will have to stay on the steroids the rest of my pregnancy do you think I will have at least a 20 pound baby? Will he walk out of the womb on his own and ask for steak and potatoes...hahaha. I know it will definitely make me gain a lit of weight that I have tried so hard to maintain. Keep checking in for updates!! 
Here are the pictures of my PUPPS...they are a little graphic. The first ones are my legs and the lovely blue stitches ( Go Colts...haha)! And then are my arms and back and one more of my legs.
I have decided to start a blog about my pregnancy! It started out great! I wasn't sick at all. I am now 5 1/2 months along! The great news is we are having a little boy, Cooper Jackson McFadden! I am starting to feel pregnant with my belly sticking out. I have only gained 7 pounds since getting pregnant!! All the drama/stress/misery began about 8 weeks ago. Here's the story: Before I got pregnant, after many fertility specialist visits I was diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) and caused stretch marks on my stomach. The beginning of September (I was about 14 weeks along) the stretch marks became extremely irritated, itchy, and hurting. I went to my OB/GYN and she said it was nothing too serious. A few weeks after that I started to break out with
a rash on my legs and arms that itched uncontrollably. I went back to my OB/GYN and was referred to a Dermatologist. He told me that I had contracted scabies from a one of my preschoolers that I work with daily. FANTASTIC! Who really gets scabies, I thought that it was only an urban legend? So I was put on a steroid and a body cream. John and Winston (our beloved Pug) was treated too although neither ever had any signs of it. After I finished the 25 day steroid I was not better. The rash had spread to my hands, fingers, arms, legs, feet, belly, boobs, back and even my butt! It was awful!! I called my Dermatologist and he was able to see me right away. He took a biopsy from my leg, I had 3 stitches! Now we are up to date, this past Monday John rushed me to the emergency room! I was so miserable. I was itching and hurting terribly. I could not calm down and was hysterical. It was my first visit to the ER....interesting! Needless to say I started out my birthday (Tuesday, the 21st) the same place it all began 27 years ago! They finally released me , still not knowing what was all over me, with a bag of fluids, benedryl, and pepcid in an IV. My pulse rate was 140 and my BP was extremely high. The next day I called the Dermatologist again. He finally got my biopsy back. It said that I had PUPPS (Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy) which I have been telling all 7 doctors I have seen for this in the last 8 weeks. When I called my OB/GYN she told me it was the worst case she has ever seen and that I should be taking pictures. So that is when I decided to make a blog. Here is a little bit about PUPPS....it occurs in 1% of pregnancies. The cause is unknown but one theory is that male fetal DNA acts as a skin irritant, in other words I am having an allergic reaction to the baby boy I am carrying. I am on the steroids again which are clearing up the rash some but it still itches like crazy everywhere. I am having trouble sleeping without waking up to itch and then it causes me to bleed from all the scabs on me. I am amazed that I can even function at all. In the last 8 weeks I have had only 2 breakdowns, surprisingly! My doctors have no doubt that all this will go away pretty much the instant I deliver but for the next 17 weeks I have to live through it. Most cases of this doesn't start unitl around 35 weeks, I am the freak of nature that had it start at 14 weeks! I take a million pills a day to try to control it but I think my body is getting immune to some of them and not working like it once did. So for now I will stick to my daily ritual of taking an oatmeal bath, sleeping with cold air blowing on me, and scratching my skin uncontrollably with the exfoliating gloves you can use in the shower. Through all my misery the thing that keeps me going is knowing that none of this is hurting the baby!! On a final note: Since I will have to stay on the steroids the rest of my pregnancy do you think I will have at least a 20 pound baby? Will he walk out of the womb on his own and ask for steak and potatoes...hahaha. I know it will definitely make me gain a lit of weight that I have tried so hard to maintain. Keep checking in for updates!! 
Here are the pictures of my PUPPS...they are a little graphic. The first ones are my legs and the lovely blue stitches ( Go Colts...haha)! And then are my arms and back and one more of my legs. 
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