Conjunctivitis - Advice please?

[CupcakesHay]

Hi

Currently 34.5 weeks pg.

I woke up this morning with gunky eye. Then went for a nap earlier, and eye was REALLY gunky. Anyhow - think i have conjunctivitis.

I have that awful coughing/cold bug and laryingitus too. (ha ha falling apart!)

Any advice for the conjunctivitis? Do i just bathe it with warm water/cotton wool on that eye? Is there any point me battling slush to get to pharmacy/doctors tomorrow?

I know one of you clever MNers will know what's best!

I suspect you would have trouble buying it over the counter when pregnant.

I would bathe with coiled boiled water and see if I could get a telephone consult with GP for them to do a prescription.

I had it when pg, the doctor told me I could have something in 3rd trimester but all it would really do would be to reduce the overall duration of it all.

As he said it would, it went after a few days of bright red-ness, during which I just kept it clean with cotton wool (seperate bit for each eye).

If it gets much worse, prob still worth seeing the gp or practice nurse.

Though this close to xmas, you might want to get up there soon if you're woried.

there was a study in 2006 which put bathing with bolied water in a head to head trial with antibiotic drops cure rates at 3 days were same in both groups. If you've got viral lurgy as well I'd bet on it being viral and just bathe it for 3-4 days

Thanks for advice all of you.

I've started bathing it tonight. Luckily only one eye and i'm being really careful not to get other infected too. I've got appt already with nurse on 29th Dec - so I think I will just wait and see. Being so pg, and now with lurgy - didn't have giant plans for Christmas anyhow!

If the discharge is thick and yellow and the eye lids stick together then it is almost certainly a bacterial infection requiring anti-biotic eye drops, if the discharge is thin and watery then it is likely to be viral. You can use a compress of warm camomile tea in addition to bathing with cooled boiled water. Bacterial conjunctivitis may only affect one eye whereas viral conjunctivitis usually affects both eyes.
If you think you have bacterial conjunctivitis I would see a doctor to avoid it worsening.

Instructions on the antibiotic eye ointment I'm using at the moment say not to be used while pregnant.

I went to pharmacist, and he took me to make appt with nurse as he said they need to check it out - so i'm going this afternoon. And overnight, despite being very careful, i've managed to get it slightly in other eye!

And currently have laryngitus - so not very lucky at mo! Thanks for advice though!