Pregnant and sick - anything I can take?

[CoteDAzur]

I'm 16 weeks pregnant. Both sneezing and coughing. No voice and my throat feels like covered with sand.

Is there anything I can take other than paracetamol?

It's the coughing that worries me most. In a particularly violent coughing bout, I got a terrible cramp in my lower abdomen.

I was given Simple Linctus in hospital for the cough (it hurts my bump and you can see the outline of the baby ) but there's not much really that works even if you're not pregnant.

What is "Simple Linctus"?

I have an excellent cough syrup here called "Peter's" that works like magic.

Has large amount of alcohol AND some codeine derivative, so not to be used when pregnant, obviously.

The alcohol probably won't be that huge an amount, depending on how much you use. Codeine is fine in pregnancy (I'm under instructions from my obstetrician to go to bed on 2 co-dydramol every night). Not sure what Simple Linctus is in the shops (hospitals give generics I think) but the pharmacist would know and it works really well.

Have you got this awful virus that's going around too?

I'm in France. Please explain a bit what Simple Linctus is. If I know what it is, I might be able to explain it to the pharmacy.

I got one at boots just honey and lemon linctus, it's medicine free, but gloopy and syrupy to soothe a sore throat. If you can explain you're pregnant to the pharmacist they should be able to recommend something safe to take.

Maybe you could you maybe boil the kettle and squeeze some fresh lemon and a couple of spoonfuls of honey into a hot cup of water.

It's a cough medicine, but I've only ever had it in hospital (given by MW's so not a prescription only) so I can't say much about it. I'll see if I can Google it.

Simple linctus is exactly what it sounds like- Cough medicine without any active medicinal ingredients. Just glycerine and syrupy stuff. Most pharmacies will sell it.

Thanks Emma, I couldn't find much on Google so wasn't sure what to say to explain it. I did read that it's got a high sugar level which helps produce saliva which helps soothe, so it's quite natural.

I can't believe for something so basic that last time I went into hospital it took over 24 hours to get sorted out and wasn't even written up when I left. Contractions and a cough so deep you can see the baby don't really go well together!

Thank you, I will check it out tomorrow. Feeling too weak to search for an open pharmacy. For the time being, I'm sipping on honey & lemon in hot water.

Can someone please tell me baby is OK?

DH took DD out yesterday while I slumped in front of TV, so noone was there to notice that I got a fever and passed out for a few hours. With a thick sweater and and wool cover.

When DH came in, he gave me a paracetamol and made me take a cold shower which brought temperature down, but it was up again in four hours. Again, paracetamol, shower, lots of violent trembling, and fever came down again.

I'm worried that the fever and especially the simmering for a couple of hours in high temp and under covers may have damaged the baby.

Can anyone put my mind at ease?

Are you feeling baby movements?

A fever in itself shouldn't harm your baby.

However, if you are passing out and shivering a lot, shouldn't you be going to see your GP tomorrow?

I would have tried to find a doctor if fever continued today but it doesn't.

Re baby movements - today is the first time I've really felt undeniable baby movements. I'm hoping this is a coincidence and doesn't mean anything negative like fetal distress...