Desperate - what can I do for nasal congestion whilst pregnant

[gagababy]

Hello, sorry just posting here for traffic.

I have the worst cold ever. I just can't breathe. Spent the whole night awake just miserable. Unable to breathe through my nose, eyes watering because of it. Headache. My legs also hurt.

I'm broken.

I've been suffering from HG in this pregnancy and had it controlled with medication. But I also feel so sick now and have been wretching. Maybe because I have swallowed so much mucus, sorry gross.

What can I do to feel better ? Seeing as I'm pregnant, I can't really take decongestants, can I ? I've tried inhaling vicks and olbas- doesn't do anything. I've got salt water spray for my nose, does nothing.

Anything else ? I don't really want to call the GP and waste time, it's a cold.

I used a steam inhaler, with a single drop of olbas oil in the well, and sat under it for about an hour. Finally cleared a very blocked nose. Horrible feeling!

Steam steam steam. Maybe with some oils in it?

Have you done a lft/pcr? Heavy head cold has been my only symptom of Covid.

@DeepaBeesKit

Have you done a lft/pcr? Heavy head cold has been my only symptom of Covid.

I have done LFTs so far only. Negatives so far. My DD has had a heavy cold, so I think I've picked that up.

Yes Sudafed SPRAY!!

Which trimester are you OP? While there is limited data (as with most meds for pregnant women), short term use of a nasal spray, like Vicks for example, especially if just restricted to nighttime, is considered to be low risk. Especially if past the first trimester. Personally, i have always felt comfortable using these for limited periods during pregnancy.

@Somethingsnappy

Which trimester are you OP? While there is limited data (as with most meds for pregnant women), short term use of a nasal spray, like Vicks for example, especially if just restricted to nighttime, is considered to be low risk. Especially if past the first trimester. Personally, i have always felt comfortable using these for limited periods during pregnancy.

I'm 20 weeks and I just gave in and had a squirt of Sudafed. I feel so much better, it's crazy.

I'll check with the GP tomorrow if I can use it again.

@gagababy

There’s nothing like a naughty squirt of Sudafed when you’re pregnant and congested. That’s the good stuff. Makes you really appreciate lame over the counter drugs. I haven’t had lemsip in 4 years due to pregnancy snd breastfeeding snd I see it as the stuff of dreams.

Pharmacist gave me menthol crystals when I was pregnant. Dissolve in boiling water …. Be careful as steam stings your eyes!

You need the nelmed sinus rinse. Just an empty bottle and sachets. So much better than the sprays.

Also, menthol crystals. Amazing combination when nothing else helps!

[quote Justheretoaskaquestion91]@gagababy

There’s nothing like a naughty squirt of Sudafed when you’re pregnant and congested. That’s the good stuff. Makes you really appreciate lame over the counter drugs. I haven’t had lemsip in 4 years due to pregnancy snd breastfeeding snd I see it as the stuff of dreams.[/quote]
It's unbelievable. I'm completely fine now ! I didn't sleep at all last night.

Warm wet flannel over the bits that are sore/congested.

Vicks in hot water and a towel over your head, helps drain it all out

The best thing I've ever used for a completely blocked nose is Sudafed nasal spray. It's a miracle worker!

how long is this going to last?? I've tried some suggestions on here, but nothing helps.

Im still not better at all.

I used sudofed only a couple of times, but not comfortable using it too much.

It's just not shifting and it's so miserable.

TMI, but my snot is still clear. So I don't think I need antibiotics. I've also just finished a course due to some bacteria in my urine. TMI again, sorry.

I've got a painful cough now as well. Not too often or extreme, but just painful when I do need to cough. Kind of like painful occasional coughing fits.

I'm taken LFTs. All negative, PCR booked in. But it doesn't change much even if I do have covid, as I am not leaving the house anyway.

It sounds like you've got the same as my colleague and she has done negative PCRs.

To be honest I'd use the Sudafed spray, the chances of it affecting the baby are so unlikely. It's only untested because it would be unethical to do so.

I have a Weleda nose spray - recommended on here for babies who can't blow their noses - so very gentle but it might be too gentle to really do any good for you.

I second other's suggestions re: nasal irrigation/neti pot.

You need to do it a few times a day to start with, then reduce to as and when.

Head under a towel over a bowl of boiling water also good. Rub an electric toothbrush.

I had the most awful sinusitis every year for years of my life until I discovered nasal irrigation and a steroid nasal spray. They honestly changed my life.

Sorry, that should say rub an electric toothbrush along your sinus passages to jiggle things along.

@Twitterwhooooo

I second other's suggestions re: nasal irrigation/neti pot.

You need to do it a few times a day to start with, then reduce to as and when.

Head under a towel over a bowl of boiling water also good. Rub an electric toothbrush.

I had the most awful sinusitis every year for years of my life until I discovered nasal irrigation and a steroid nasal spray. They honestly changed my life.

I'm just sitting with a bowl of hot water and vicks. How is this supposed to help if I can't breathe through my nose ? I'm just inhaling it through my mouth. Or am I not doing it long enough ?

I will try the toothbrush thing ! Thank you !

@Twitterwhooooo sorry I meant, I'm sitting here with a hot bowl of vicks and a towel over my head..

I would ask about antibiotics even if your snot is clear. I had the same thing back in the summer for three horrible weeks. It took two rounds of antibiotics to finally clear it up. My mucus turned green (tmi) by week 3 but suspect the antibiotics would have worked sooner than that if I had asked for some! My massive sympathies.

IMVHE, and in the veign of TMI that pregnancy lends it self to, you need to get all of the accumulated gunk out of your nasal passages and sinuses via nasal irrigation for the steam thing to really work.

Again, TMI but I couldn't believe the gunk that came out when I first started doing it. Must have been years worth. Google nasal irrigation or neti pots - it's just a saline flush through your nasal passages so completely safe during pregnancy.

Since my first excavations, I've been able to keep on top of it with a steroid nasal spray and irrigation/steam when needed, when they've worked very quickly.

@sparklytriceratops

I would ask about antibiotics even if your snot is clear. I had the same thing back in the summer for three horrible weeks. It took two rounds of antibiotics to finally clear it up. My mucus turned green (tmi) by week 3 but suspect the antibiotics would have worked sooner than that if I had asked for some! My massive sympathies.

It has been the weirdest cold ever. It started last week Monday with a sore throat and that was just minor for a couple of days. Then it seemed to go away completely and I thought I was over it.

But Sunday night it came on with this extreme nasal congestion and it just doesn't want to shift.

I can't smell or taste anything now since today. My upper teeth have been hurting, but that seems to have calmed down.

I caught it from my DD, she's been very poorly.