How do I bring this bl**dy temp down? (mine, thank goodness, not dc's)

[berolina]

Been mildly feverish, worse at nights, since Thurs night. ds1 had a cold with intermittent mildish fever and I appear to have caught it but be harder hit. (I have rather dramatic phlegm but am blocking that fact out) It's getting worse now, though, despite paracetamol. . Have been wiped out all day and am sitting here sweating and shivering by turns - temp only 38.4 (under arm) though. I need to get rid of this as ds2 (4mo) needs constant bf (apart from snuffles he is fine - thank goodness for those bm antibodies) and poor dh is looking after both children as I have fairly crumpled away. Any ideas?

have you tried a warm bath - warm enough so you dont feel cold but not so hot as to make you more feverish. That ususally helps for a while. also keep taking the paracetamol regularly - I know it only lasts so long but it does seem to take the edge of worse of temperature.

Loads of water/warm drinks too... that seems to help.

You can 'double up' paracetamol and ibruprofen -- alternate every two/three hours. Works v well at tackling fevers.

Sounds like me breo its horrid isn't it? I'm not bf but am 34 weeks pg. Last night i found a damp flannel helped at least to make me feel cooler if nothing else. Paracetamol every 4 hours on the dot and have been having soluable vit c as well today.

Hope you shift it soon. DS2 had the milder version and he is still coughing away 4 days later

Thanks. I was thinking tepid flannels round my legs? Don't think I can bear getting undressed for a bath right now. dh has been saying I shouldn't take paracetamol as it suppresses the fever and it needs to be allowed to rage

oooh x posts lots of times.

if you can take ibuprofen then do - i can't as am asthmatic (and pg)

am a bit reluctant to take too much stuff because of the bf... and not sure we have any ibu in the house... think I will try those flannels.

Yes but a fever of 39ish (which is what your core temp will be after adjusting for an underarm temp) needs bringing down.

39+ is dangerous in its own right.

You are right to treat it, DP is wrong to leave it in this instance.

tepid flannels around wrists would be better than legs I think as you have a lot of blood flow close to surface.

Ibuprofen is better than paracetamol for reducing temp. Paracetamol stabilises apparently.

What MB said, bero - double up paracetamol & ibuprofen, it makes a huge diff.

Paracetamol has to be 4-hrly and ibuprofen 6-hrly so you can take 2 doses together once, then p after 4 hrs, then i after another 2, then p after another 2, then both together again (write it down!)

Or instead of plain paracetamol you could take Lemsip max strength, either as the drink or as capsules.

Also vit C, it's OK to take megadoses when you're ill so I always have 2x500mg along with the paracetamol dose. It's water-soluble so you wee away any excess.

(I'm not ill v often so when I am I like to hammer it )

Oh, you're breastfeeding! Bugger. Not sure about the ibuprofen then. (Or the vit C...)

I thougtht ibuprofen was recommended for mastitis so shiould be OK. Please double check though.

Lemsip has an decongestant in - which won't help temperature and should bv check whether it is suitable for bf.

re the Vit C....i just have 1 soluable tablet thingy a day. Proabably a no no in pregnancy (and maybe breastfeeding) but i haven't any oranges in.

Must say i don't know what my temp is but am feeling well enough now to be out of my pit and on MN (altho still not dressed etc)

American websites seem to think ibuprofen is OK while bf but UK ones don't. Also the extra ingredients in the cold remedies like Lemsip are mostly not advised. Can't find anything about large doses of vit C.

Not much help there then. Sorry Hope you feel better soon anyway.

oh, I have asthma, that'll mean ibu's out, won't it?

Thanks everyone. I actually feel a little better in myself despite the worsening fever.

Will try that round wrists SMS.

not all asthmatics are sensitive to NSAIDs but if you are not sure obv. not worth risking

I have asthma and never had a problem with ibruprofen.

It's fine while BF AFAIK -- after all, you can get Nurofen for babies. I have certainly taken it while BF. But I'm not an expert, you could check with your GP or NHS Direct if you are unsure.

Thanks. Am really sweating now, it's horrid, but oddly feel halfway human again. Might this be the fever peaking on its way out?

Net Doctor suggests it's fine while BF. The problem with asthma is if you have ever had an allergic reaction to NSAIDs, if you have taken it before then I'm sure it's fine.

Cheers Meg. I really don't know whether I've taken it before, I'm so rarely ill.

now ds2 has it

Oh dear

The doubling up of Calpol and Baby Nurofen can also be done on babies...

How are you feeling today?

Thank you for asking. Feel betterish, but...

I have bl**dy bronchitis.

Took the boys to their doctor (paed) today and she sent me to the doctor, saying I looked dreadful. That doctor pronouned cheerily that it was alright, it wasn't pneumonia, just bronchitis . And suggested I get some rest .

ds1 is on the mend, ds2 needs watching closely as he's so little and I have to go back in 2 days with him, but he's doing OK really.

I don't know which krankenkasse you have but when I was ill with bronchitis when dd was a new born and dh had a full time course to attend at university I got a home help 8 hours a day. Without it I would never have recovered as I had ds under 2 years old too. The doctor has to prescribe it though, ask him.

Thanks admylin. Luckily dh is flexible enough to take a bit of time out (he is currently out with a very well-wrapped-up ds1).