Itchy, Scratchy... Just Shoot Me

What a weekend it turned out to be! It all started with the ward Christmas party... at least that's what I suspect.
We had a good time with friends and food at the church, but had to leave a little early to make it to another Christmas party given at the Zone Bowling Alley by one of Brandon's work clients. It was a lot of fun. I even won an ipod Nano 3rd Generation when I played "are you smarter than a fifth grader". (I spelled the name of "he-whose-name-shall-not-be-spoken" from Harry Potter) I didn't eat anything at that party.
Anyway, we got home late and went to bed. I woke up at about 4 am itching like crazy. I've had hives once before about two years ago and it felt the same so I looked in the mirror to find out if it looked the same. I didn't see any of the red welts I thought I would, but I took some Children's Claritin and hoped for the best. The itching went away and I thought I had conquered whatever it was I had. NOPE- FAR from it. I was fine all day Saturday and we got tons of work done around the house. We had Brandon's work party late that afternoon and I started itching again while we were there. As soon as it was over we ran to the drug store and got some Claritin, hoping it wouldn't ruin our evening together. We did a little Christmas shopping, but I wasn't feeling better so we went home. I tried to contact the nurse at my doctor's office to find out if it was OK to take another Claritin, but she took so long to call me back that I'd just had enough and taken it anyway. Unfortunately, two Claritin did nothing and I drove myself to the ER at about 2am to get some relief. They suspected I ate something I was allergic to and pumped me full of Benadryl. I felt much better. But of course it couldn't be that easy. As I was laying there waiting for the Benadryl to work the contractions started. I'm only 33 weeks, so this is considered bad still.
The doctors sent me up to the OB Triage where they monitored the contractions, gave me Trebutaline to stop them, and monitored some more. The contractions didn't stop completely so I got another dose of the Treb. They stopped and I was discharged at about 6am to Brandon's care. He had to come get me because I was VERY loopy. I went back to bed.
Sunday went pretty smoothly. I was given a prescription for Prednisone and I started taking that and supplemented with Benadryl. But, by 9pm I was itching again and this time my face and palms were covered in red splotches. The contractions were back too. So, Brandon's mom came over to sleep at the house with the boys... and we headed back to the ER. This time they sent me directly to the OB floor to get the contractions taken care of first. The doctor in that dept. was postitive that I have something called PUPPP. It's just a rash that pregnant women get and you pretty much just have to live with it until you deliver. This was the last straw for me... and I broke down. Feeling like you want to tear your skin off, or scratch it with a knife is a dangerous feeling to have. I had read up on PUPPP before going back to the ER, and I truly felt that this wasn't what I had. I felt like they were just saying it was PUPPP because I'm pregnant. To make matters worse, all they gave me to make the itching go away was a single, solitary Sudafed pill! I was livid. I asked them to send me back down to the other ER so I could get some Benadryl. They told me I couldn't have Benadryl because I'd had the Sudafed.
It was at this point that I decided I just wanted to go home because I could take my own dose of Benadryl and sit in my own bathtub and Brandon could get some sleep before he had to go to work. The doctor told me that if the itching didn't go away in 40 minutes they'd give me half a dose of Benadryl. SCREW THAT!!! I told them to discharge me, and they did. It was really difficult not to lose my cool with them, but I felt like they weren't listening to me... AND I JUST WANTED THE ITCHING TO STOP!!
We went home and I took a full dose of Benadryl... which everyone has assured me is safe for the baby. We went to bed and in the morning I felt much better. The rash was still there, but I wasn't feeling a huge urge to scratch.
So, yesterday I spent the whole day staying on top of things with drugs, and keeping busy so I wouldn't scratch. I was able to talk to my Aunt Terri who is an amazing diagnostician, but is working on a small island called Tinian right now. She agrees with me that it isn't PUPPP because it wasn't affecting my belly until there was nowhere else to go, and it was on my hands and feet. She told me the Prednizone would help me feel much better after the second dose (it did) and to keep taking the Benadryl. It was so nice to talk to someone who would LISTEN!
I'm still feeling slightly itchy, but the rash has subsided a lot. What I'd really like to know is this- What did I eat that made this happen? I don't ever want to go through this again.
I am so grateful that it isn't PUPPP, and I don't have to live with it for another 7 weeks. I am so grateful for Benadryl. I am so grateful that Brandon was there with me during my breakdown in the ER. I am so grateful for doctors who listen. I am so grateful for a wonderful mother-in-law.
Sorry this was so long, and I don't have pictures. I considered taking some, but getting my picture taken when I'm pregnant is touchy... and having one taken while I'm pregnant and covered head to toe in a rash just wasn't happening.