Antihistamines

[CryingGivesMeAHeadache]

Can I take them while im pregnant. I have heard differing opinions from everybody.

I've got really bad hay fever today and have come out in a rash on my chest which itches like mad.

Please tell me there is something I can take to make me feel better?

I think it depends on how far pregnant you are. Im in my first trimester and Im not allowed to take anything at all.
Although I can't say for if you are any further pregnant.

Yes, you can. Loratadine is the preferred non-sedating oral antihistamine for use in pregnancy. I'm afraid that I don't know which brand(s) this would be as I'm not in the UK. You could easily find out though. see nhs guidance here

There are very different opinions on this to be honest. I've been told not to take ANYTHING from the midwife and GP and I'm a really bad allergy sufferer. There is a nose spray called Prevalin which you can safely take when pregnant and I would try have a shower and changing your clothers (helps to remove any pollen) and moisturising the itchy area with something like E45 to see if that provides you with some relief.

This article summarises recent drug trials for antihistamine use during pregnancy (not all of them are covered). For many of them there is simply no data (human trials) hence the advice not to use them.

You'll get really variable advice on this, even from GPs within the UK. I get horrible allergies, so I've read a lot about it and the most common advice people report from their doctor is "can you live with no drugs" (ie saline nasal sprays, barrier treatments ie vaseline up the nose etc), followed by topical treatments (antihistamine or anti-inflammatory nasal sprays), followed if really necessary by loratadine or chlorphenamine although some are now also suggesting cetirizine as well.

Personally I'm sticking to (a) sneezing a lot - which interestingly seems to go away on its own after a while, and (b) saline nasal rinsing (neilmed). I'm surviving but it's not pleasant!

Erato - Glad to hear I'm not the only one. I've been struggling through too and it is quite surprising how much it seems to calm down on it's own. Saline rinsing does help a lot for me too - and I've also get an infrared allergy reliever from Lloyds - www.lloydspharmacy.com/en/allergy-reliever-15677 - which really does seem to help if you can use it regularly (2-3 times a day)

My view was that I wasn't going to take anything unless I was really really desperate (as a last resort) - and despite being a bad sufferer I'm surviving! Glad you are too! :)

That's interesting about the infrared thing - I will have to try that as well. The reviews are glowing (pun intended ) so it sounds promising. I hope you feel better soon!

there are things you can take, loratadine and ceterizine are usually fine and for most low dose steroid nasal spray is fine as well.

Everything is 'not recommended' but I have been prescribed strong antihistamines to treat hyperemesis so I guess my doctors must think they're fairly safe.

I was really struggling and asked my midwife last week at my 24 wk apt.

She said the reason why they are stated as not suitable for pregnant woman its because they haven't been tested on pregnant women.

She said that on the ward they give women who are suffered with hayfever piriton so I have got myself some of that, but rather than take it daily, I am just taking it on days I am suffering badly.