Any advice on pain relief for muscle pain?

[Pontouf]

I am 24+6 and have had a horrendous cold type virus for five weeks. I'm asthmatic and the virus has really affected my asthma. I'm overweight but when not pregnant am relatively fit and healthy, I walk lots, swim lots, have a pretty physical job.

In the last five weeks I have got to the point where I can't climb a flight of stairs without a rest. The coughing has been the worst thing. I have coughed and coughed to the point of vomitting (and wetting myself ) most days.

Ended up in A&E yesterday because I started to get a sharp pain along the bottom of my ribs on my right side and back when I coughed. It got progressively worse as the day went on until the pain of coughing was enough to make me cry. So I went to A&E and they have said it is a chest infection and given me antibiotics (my 2nd lot in 4 weeks, 1st lot did nothing) and steroids. They said the pain is likely to be muscle pain from all the couging.

The drugs seem to be working ad my breathing/cough is loads better today but the pain in my side is worse. It now hurts constantly and paracetamol is not touching it at all. I have been using a hot water bottle this evening which has eased it a bit but just wondered if anyone had any advice for dealing with the pain?

I had horrendous wisdom tooth pain earlier in my pregnancy and was told I could take co-codamol. I'm not great with codeine (sends me absolutely bonkers!) so didn't take it but was good to know it was there as an option. Maybe you could try that? Hope you feel better soon.

Thanks Guineapigs, good to know. Do you know if it is ok to take I the second trimester? I think some drugs are ok at different times

in the second trimester, obviously.

It was the midwife who suggested it to me and she said its safe all through pregnancy. I know I was offered it in labour with DC1 but it might be worth calling tomorrow to check. Thinking about it I called in my second trimester with a persistent headache and another midwife suggested it then too.

I had very similar, pulled my muscles in between my ribs with violent coughing! Gp was a lovely chap who gave me antibiotics for the cough and some ibuprofen gel to rub on my side where the pain was between my ribs.