Hayfever medication in pregnancy

[MsElisaDay]

So! I'm currently 20 weeks pregnant and I suffer from terrible hayfever, which wakes me up at night- not what I need when I'm knackered and also constantly getting up to go to the loo as well.

After checking it out on the NHS website, I started taking a Loratadine antihistamine tablet before going to bed, perhaps two or three times a week when the hayfever was at its worst.
According to the NHS website, Loratadine is the 'preferred' antihistamine for use in pregnancy. So I thought it was fine.

However, I go into Boots today to buy some more and, upon discovering I'm pregnant, the pharmacist reacts as if i've just admitted I do crack each night. He forbade me from buying it, saying it could be dangerous, and sold me a nasal spray instead.

So now i'm lying awake not knowing whether to be worried i've put my unborn child at risk, or to be pissed off with the over-zealous pharmacist. Help!

over zealous pharmacist, i was told similar about baby asprin by one, which is prescribed to many pregnant women.

i used haymax when pregnant with my dd, its like a wax you apply around your nostril which prevents pollen getting it, it did help.

I have been prescribed Loaratadine by hospital ... allergy specialist after trip to Casualty when allergies were so bad and triggered associsated Asthma. Allergy specialist will avoid prescribing if poss but said Loratadine safest thing, I checked it on two sites safefetus.com (B rating same as paracetamol) and french site whihc is great for drugs in pregnancy and breastfeeding lecrat.fr (need to speak french though!). Hope this reassures. She also said that in some women allergies disappear in preg and for others they get significantly worse whcih was my case. Feel better soon severe allergies are a misery.

Hi
I have allergies and they get particularly bad this time of the year. Normally I have to take fexofenadine every day of the year but came off them when trying to Concieve. Sure enough now Mu symptoms are bad and TE worst thing is it effects my skin and I get eczema on my face, eyes and neck as a result. I was told I could take piriton ( only 1 at night) by one dr but it didn't do any thing so went back and another dr prescribed me a lower dose fexofendine but to only take every 3 days. It says every where that it's not to be take. In pregnancy ( I'm almost 14 weeks) so so far I've been too scared to take it and I stead am suffering with the symptoms.
I go on holiday next month and am also dreading it as the heat makes my itchy skin and allergies far worse.
As I am told piriton are quick action anti histamine and fight symptoms quickly but doesn't last long where as fexofendine are long lasting and treat the problem...
Anyone else heard about this antihistamine?
( sorry for typos I'm running late but had to post)

get yourself to the gp, they can prescribe things like low dose steroid spray (fluticasone for example) which is absolutely fine in pregnancy.

I hate this attitude from pharmacists and/or gp's. don't let them fob you off, there are things you could take that would make your life much better!

is the nasal spray you have a steroid spray (active ingredient ends in -asone)? or just saline spray?

Pharmacist a little cuckoo it sounds! And YY If the nasal spray is steroid, that's not good.

Loratadine actually isn't the preferred medication during pregnancy (according to my GP and the obstetric consultant I had when in hospital) - anything with chlorphenamine as the active ingredient is safest by virtue of the fact that it's been around the longest (since the 1950's), and has therefore had the longest period of exposure to pregnant women with safe outcomes.

steroid sprays are actually very good, very low dose, good effect on hayfever, asthma, eczema. but ideally they should be prescribed and explained by the gp.

Yeah I asked a pharmasist when I was having a bad day and she said I would have to go to my gp for prescription as there was nothing I could take from over the counter! Didn't go as mines not that bad thanks to all the rain I think so feel I am better off suffering. Prob best to go to gp anyway as precriptions are free saves paying for over the counter medication!

I'm 17 weeks and also suffering badly from hayfever. I phoned NHS Direct and was told I could take loratidine and a steroid nasal spray in a low dose. I'm only taking them when absolutely necessary, instead of every day as I normally would be at this time of year. I think it's fine if you don't take too much; the caution comes from the fact that it's not really possible to do trials on pregnant women, for obvious reasons.

Thanks so much for all this, it's really helpful!
I still can't quite believe the attitude of the pharmacist - he couldn't have been more disapproving if I'd stumbled in blind drunk, clutching a half-smoked Silk Cut.

The nasal spray he sold me isn't a steroid, and as a result it appears to do f*ck all. Hence another sleepless night last night, and bright red runny eyes today, combined with a blotchy red face. Nice.
I'm going to go to the doctors, had forgotten about the free prescription perks as I'm so used to paying for them.

Yes use em while you have em! Stock up on hayfever meds!