can i take lemsip when pregnant?

[vickiyumyum]

as a midwife i really should know the answer to this question, and i am assuming that as the active ingrediant is paracetomol that it is perfectly safe to take. but just thought i would check with others to see what they thought.

i have a stinking cold and have taken normal paracetomol last night, but tonight i fancy having a hot blackcurrant drink to ease my throat as well, and as we have blackcurrant lemsip (normal strength) i though it would be just as easy to have one of those.

any thoughts or knowledge?

thanks

[brusselsbeansprout]

My understanding is not. I am b/f (same rules apply) and thought I couldn't take it when I had flu recently. Some paracetemol and some honey & lemon? Hope you feel better soon.

[NomDePlumPudding]

Not a medical bod but I would say that Lemsip is fine. It should have a warning on the box or on the little contraindication leaflet inside.

[NomDePlumPudding]

ooh blimey ! Maybe not then

[feastofsteven]

I don't think you are meant to either - is it because of a decongestant in it perhaps? I would just have a hot squash/fruit tea! congrats on the pg by the way!

[hoXMASchick]

i don't think you can as it has got decongestant in it. some hot ribena maybe?

[MerlinsBeard]

i would also say its fine if active ingredient is paracetmol. after all honey, lemon and parscetamol is safe in regnacy isn;t it?

[MerlinsBeard]

oh yes the decongestant, no then

I usually have hot lemon jelly and paracetamol tbh

[ISawFrannyandZooeyKissingSanta]

No, it is the decongestant that's the problem. Hope you feel better soon.

[vickiyumyum]

it just says, consult doctor before taking this medecine, which is what it says on my packet of paracetomol as well!

i'm pretty certain that the normal lemsip is fine it is just the flu and max strngth ones as they have ibuprofen in too. i looked on teh bnf website which says no contraindications and have tried to call nhs direct but the queue is very long.

[NomDePlumPudding]

"Warnings
Contains Paracetamol. Do not take any other paracetamol-containing products.

Immediate medical advice should be sought in the event of an overdose, even if you feel well, because of the risk of delayed, serious liver damage.

Keep out of reach and sight of children. If symptoms persist consult your doctor.
Do not take if: allergic to any ingredient, if you have heart disease or high blood pressure.

Warnings and Interaction:
Consult your doctor before taking if: you have Raynaud's Syndrome, diabetes or sugar intolerance (each dose contains 3.2g of sugar), liver or kidney problems, phenylketonuria, you are pregnant or being prescribed medicine, or are taking MAOI's (antidepressants) or have taken within 2 weeks; you are taking sympathomimetic drugs, such as decongestants or some drugs used to treat asthma or high blood pressure: metoclopramide, domperidone and cholestyramine may affect the absorption of paracetamol. The effect of blood thinning drugs may be increased by paracetamol. Alcohol, barbiturate and antidepressants medicines may affect the way this medicine works.

Side Effects: are rare. Allergic reactions (such as skin rashes) or blood reactions may occasionally occur. Probably only in overdosage, high blood pressure with headache and vomiting and rarely, palpitations. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any side-effects after taking this product.

"

Quote from Lemsip leaflet taken from Pharmacy website.

[fruitcake]

my doc said absolutely not. contains other stuff besides paracetomol, i think.

[NomDePlumPudding]

x posts, sorry vicki. TBH, I'd just have something else to be on the safe side

[vickiyumyum]

think i will just to be on the safe side, i have been looking up the other ingrediants ont eh bnf website and cannot find any that are directly contraindicated when pregnant, but until i can check with my gp i had better not i suppose.

oh well just another paracetomol and a glass of orange juice, as we have no honey or lemon, and have just discovered the kids have drunk the last of the ribena.

[vickiyumyum]

featsofsteven - thanks for the congrats. i am 29 weeks now so not long to go!!!

[mears]

Lemsip is probably psychological pi*h vickiyumyum [smile[. Just take paracetamol and a warm orange juice (realise you are out of blackcurrant) drink. You could also try a nice nip of whisky in hot water (hot toddy) which would be a tonic to a cold as long as it wasn't consumed in large quantities.

[ISawFrannyandZooeyKissingSanta]

I asked a chemist when pregnant and was told absolutely not, it has a decongestant which makes it unsuitable to take.

[saadia]

I was also told not to take it while pg. Hope you feel better soon vickiyumyum.

[colditz]

1/2 shot of whisky
Lemon juice
Big blob of honey
Boiling water

Very very good for colds. For none pregnant people, make that a double whisky IMO!

[hotmulledwinemama]

I'm 35+ weeks pregnant, and asked the pharmacist at Boots this last week. Apparently, can't take Lemsip because it has other stuff in, but you can try Boots own brand as it only has paracetomol and Vitamin c in - so I did - and now feel fine. HTH

[vickiyumyum]

oh thanks for that hmwm, will send dh off to boots today! went to bed with 2 paracetomol and a glass of orange juice last night, which did make me feel better, but as said by mears it is the psychological factor of sitting there clutching a mug of steaming hot blackcurrant that makes me feel better!!!

[LilMissPiggy1]

I know this post is quite old now but in case anyone else stumbles across it like I just did looking for the answer..just found this on the net doctor site:

Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.

Paracetamol is generally considered safe for use during pregnancy. However, phenylephrine has blood vessel constricting effects that could restrict blood supply to the placenta, or cause problems for women with a history of pre-eclampsia. As a result, this medicine is not usually recommended for use by women who are pregnant. Seek further medical advice from your doctor, pharmacist or midwife.
Although paracetamol is considered safe for use during breastfeeding, it is not known if phenylephrine passes into breast milk, or its effect on a nursing infant. When taken by mouth, decongestants such as phenylephrine can also temporarily decrease the production of breast milk with just one or two doses. For this reason, this medicine is best avoided by mothers who are breastfeeding. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for further advice.

[inkiponko]

I’ve been at home with a flu and have been taking lemsip maxx, almost 2 boxes. Just did 2 pregnancy tests, both positive, around 2 weeks pregnant I think, really worried after reading about the harmful side effects... has anyone here taken lemsip maxx while first trimester??