cold medicines allowed?

[ladyparking]

22 weeks pregnant and suffering with chronic bunged up sinuses- does anyone know if it is in the slightest bit allowed to have the occasional sniff of otravine or a night nurse capsule? I just read that olbas oil (my saviour to date) is contra-indicated in pregnancy. When it doesn't say "not for use in pregnancy" im never sure if that means it is safe, or simply unproven. Am willing to slightly risk the latter in return for some sleep!

I went to the doctor on Thursday with a horrible cold and he just told me to take paracetamol. Also you can gargle soluble paracetamol if you have a really sore throat.
I was also told by the doctor the week before that olbas oil wouldn't hurt if used in small doses, I haven't done so yet though.
It's a bugger isn't it? I just want to get rid of my bloody cold.
Get well soon! drink honey and lemon!

thanks! Im pretty sure I used Olbas freely through my first pregnancy, and he came out fine. I had one go of otravine last night and oh! the relief, btu now feel terribly guilty and a bit anxious. Hoping one go in a blue moon won't harm :o
Good luck with yours x

Paracetamol. Honey (manuka is expensive, but good) and lemon and hot tea. Steam bowl & towel, and if needs be saline nasal sprays (look for the sprays recommended for infants). Prop yourself up at night too. I scoffed back a Manuka honeysuckers for sore throats.
Olbas is not proven to be safe, rather than proven to be unsafe IYSWIM. Same with the Sudafed Inhalant Oil, though I did use this on my pillow a few times during a bad cold (Olbas makes me want to vomit).
Avoid anything that causes vaso-constriction (so psudeophedrine, phenylepherine, oxymetaxoline and xylometazoline) if at all possible as the vaso-constriction will be happening 'allover' not just in your head as they are absorbed into the blood stream regardles of how you administer them.
If you're getting sinus headaches, something like "4head" or "migrastick" or even the cooling patches (boots and superdrug so their own versions - but you do have to walk about with a big-ass thing stuck to your head, not ideal for work) you can get might help.

Eugh, I hate sinusitis with a passion... I get it a lot!

Steam, steam and more steam. Head over a bowl and stay there for as long as you can tolerate it. Not as effective as a good old dose of Otrivine, but completely agree with Oeisha about vaso-constriction. The sprays tend to have a more localised effect, but there is no way of being sure the effects aren't wider spread. The other thing to avoid is anything that causes the mucus to dry up - this is also a no-no in pregnancy.

If you aren't getting any better or have a raised temp then I would go back to the GP. Most times sinusitis is just inflammation but it can get infected which may need a course of antibiotics.

Good luck and hope you feel better soon!

Suzy x

This is a good'un for sinusitis in pregnancy - if your sinuses are really full and painful, tap over them quickly and fairly firmly for a couple of minutes with your middle finger.

Rather like you're typing on your face (yes I know that sounds crackers) This encourages them to drain.

thank you ladies for all that advice. I will steam, tap, and only lightly inhale some sort of oil if absolutely desperate!
Lord he didn't think of this one when he designed the system did he......

I had a bad sinus infection before Xmas and the doc said I could take Beconase for a few days. She said steam for 10 mins then Beconase 2x a day...hope she was right! It seems I now have yet another cold! Full sympathies!

My doctor and pharmacist recommended steam with menthol crystals added. Oh the relief to my poor nose!

I just had acupuncture, oh the release! I literally feel like a different person, I recommend it to all you fellow sufferers out there x