[nurse_wannabe]

Hi. I'm 38 wks. pregnant and miserably sick. It started Monday - I have achy ears, sore throat, a productive cough , a nose that is somehow both runny and congested at the same time, and shortness of breath. Since I don't like to take any medicines, I've just been getting lots of rest, keeping Vicks and a heating pad on my chest, and drinking extra fluids to loosen the secretions, and it's been tolerable until now.

NOW my sinuses are acting up and I'm miserable. I have some Sudafed in the medicine cabinet, but since my OB-GYN never gave me the list of safe meds to take during pregnancy, I don't know if I should take it or not. To top it all off, they are out of the office all week moving to another building and all I got was a recording with an emergency number.

I looked it up in my drug guide and it's category B, not contraindicated but it said to use caution. Please, please some of you OB nurses tell me if it's on the safe list. If not, what OTC can I take? Also, my little boy has a nebulizer, but he has Xopenex for it and I know I can't take that. Is it okay to use some sterilized water in it to break up these icky secretions that I can't seem to get up?

Thank you so much to anyone who replies - I really am so miserable I feel like crying!

[Katnip]

Have you tried steam, or warm compresses on your face? I did that when I was pregnant and it worked really well.

Your OB also needs to have someone on call for them they can't just disappear. I'd try calling them.

[PegRNBSN]

Sudafed is always what is prescribed at our hospital for congestion. Just make sure that if you aren't improving or develop a fever that you see your OB. The fact that you are SOB concerns me, I would probably call my MD and maybe they will want to see you.

[proudmommielpn]

OK, I am 16 weeks and I pulled my packet out that my OB doc gave me and it says Chloratrimeton. It doesn't say anything about Sudafed or Robitussin but it seems like with my last child I was allowed to take one or the other. Hope this helps a little? Good Luck!

[JoniL&DRN]

Sudafed was all my OB would let me take when I was pregnant the last time (the little red ones only). But be warned... for some, Sudafed has the unwanted side effect of making them jittery and unable to sleep (I happen to be one of those) and not being able to sleep is the LAST thing you want right now!

Hope you feel better.. Hugs

[nurse_wannabe]

Thank you guys so much. The little red ones are what I happened to have. I took 2, went back to bed, and I feel soooo much better now. I also put a hot, wet, cloth on my face and that helped too but it didn't stay hot long enough so I'm going to send hubby after some of those hot gel packs when he gets home.

Have a great weekend everyone!

[JaneyW]

Originally Posted by nurse_wannabe

Thank you guys so much. The little red ones are what I happened to have. I took 2, went back to bed, and I feel soooo much better now. I also put a hot, wet, cloth on my face and that helped too but it didn't stay hot long enough so I'm going to send hubby after some of those hot gel packs when he gets home.

Have a great weekend everyone!

My doc let me use a nose spray like afrin. He told me it wasn't truly systemic because it pretty much just acts on your nose. This is only my experience and not my opinion as a nurse. We usually tell people to call their OBs when it's anything other than Tylenol. It's so miserable to be sick when pregnant.

[nurse_wannabe]

Originally Posted by JaneyW

My doc let me use a nose spray like afrin. He told me it wasn't truly systemic because it pretty much just acts on your nose. This is only my experience and not my opinion as a nurse. We usually tell people to call their OBs when it's anything other than Tylenol. It's so miserable to be sick when pregnant.

That's a very good idea. You probably already knew this, but I just looked up Afrin in my drug guide and it is exactly the same drug as Sudafed! I'm definitely going to pick some up if I decide to venture out.

And yes, it is horrible to be sick when pregnant! As if we aren't miserable enough as it is!

[SmilingBluEyes]

I Hope you feel better soon. I remember, I developed severe conjuncitivistis right before my scheduled csection. It was BEYOND Miserable, esp in the last few days of pregnancy. UGH.

[fotografe]

I had terrible bronchitis when pregnant. I ended up being sent to an accupuncturist and let me tell you that worked miracles in clearing my lungs. It may be just as effective for sinuses if drugs don't help. The accupuncturist just wanted a clearance from my doctor saying I had no active bacterial infection. Hope this helps.