Ventolin in pregnancy - any experiences?

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I've just been diagnosed with 'pregnancy induced asthma' - no idea such a thing existed before. Sometimes I am really struggling for breath and have huge attacks of uncontrolled coughing. The GP has prescribed a Ventolin inhaler to ease the irritation, which she said has no effects on the baby (I'm over 30 weeks), but I've just looked on the NHS website and a few others and it doesn't sound quite that clear cut, more like they don't know.

I know it's dangerous to Google and I should probably just listen to the GP but I've never taken any drugs in pregnancy - not even a painkiller - and I'm in two minds about it. I don't think I'm likely to keel over from the asthma any time soon, but they symptoms are making me feel pretty miserable and I have a job and a toddler to worry about too.

Anyone else using Ventolin in the third trimester? Or been advised to stop it?

TIA!

The standard line you will hear about all drugs during pregnancy and breastfeeding is not to use as it's not been tested as unsurprisingly not that many women want to be tested when pregnant.

Your Ventolin is fine to take and please don't not take it if you are having attacks. It is much more dangerous to you and your baby if your asthma escalates and you end up having a very bad attack or worse.

Used ventolin on and off throughout three pregnancies including heavy use (nebulisers in hosp over a week) at 24 weeks with my first. Three healthy boys aged 8, 5 and 10 months.

It is an old and very common drug and the upside of old, often used drugs is that the risks are much more likely to be fully known as over the decades many, many pregnant women have used them when necessary (drugs are not trialled on pregnant women).
Does the inhaler provide rapid relief? If not do go back to doctor.

I have used ventolin for years and have had to increase use recently (now 31 weeks), particularly when I exercise. Using it nearly every day, on top of my preventer inhalers. I had an asthma review with my GP at 27 weeks and was not advised to stop using ventolin. However, if you're particularly worried there are other 'reliever' inhalers, though I imagine you were prescribed Ventolin because they thought it would be most effective?

I have asthma, and used ventolin throughout both of my pregnancies, with absolutely no issue. I produced two large health babies. Not using it is probably more dangerous- you will reduce the oxygen levels in your blood, and a long lasting attack can leave you with pulled muscles in your chest, which is no fun at normal times, but is probably unbearable when carrying a large bump.

Absolutely do not stop using it during the third trimester! As showtune says, most medicines carry a warning about use in pregnancy because the cannot carry out studies into safety as it would be unethical to test things on unborn babies who cannot consent, and potentially dangerous to have a control group who do not receive a needed medication. So the medical companies put a general warning to cover their backs.
As far as I am aware, ventolin has never been linked to problems in pregnancy. Asthma is a potentially very dangerous condition, which is generally easy to control with medication.

AltogetherAndrews makes a very good point about the risks of asthma far outweighing the risks of taking ventolin!

What I'm currently really pissed off about is that I am one of the lucky few whose asthma went away during pregnancy and also 18 months post birth.

I caught a cold a couple of weeks ago and it is back with a vengeance.

I suffer with hayfever related asthma and was told by a doctor and my midwife that they are absolutely fine to use during pregnancy. I haven't had to as it hasn't been as bad this year, but I would if I needed it.

I would have thought that almost everybody pregnant with asthma will have used ventolin during their pregnancy. It is a very common medication so don't get hung up on theoretical risk.

I have asthma but my first pregnancy really brought it on badly and I ended up on steroid tablets and having a nebuliser (sp?)

dd1 is healthy and was born 2 days early with very strong neck (always wondered if this was steroid related - probably not)

Oddly, my second pg was twins so I expected the asthma again but it actually improved that time!

My GP said the risk to the baby of the mother not getting enough oxygen far outweighed the issues with the drugs and no bad affects have been found so far with ventolin.

I also had pregnancy related asthma. Take the ventolin: your baby needs the oxygen!

FWIW I had the baby by CS. I was coughing so badly on the operating table that they gave me something to stop it. It went as soon as the baby was out. Not had it since!

Thanks for the replies. I'll persevere then in the hope it helps!

It doesn't seem to give instant relief, although I haven't used it that often. I tried it when I was having a huge coughing fit today and while it probably eased it off for a few minutes, I can't say there was much of a difference between the Ventolin and sipping a cup of hot water I read that it was supposed to give relief for up to six hours and that definitely didn't happen, I could have used it all afternoon but didn't want to take too much.

I've never used an inhaler before and have the AeroChamber thingy, so I'm not really sure I'm doing it right. Any tips?

Do you have a brown preventer inhaler as well?

I have had asthma since I was a child and am on DC3. At no point have I ever been told anything about my inhalers being any kind of problem during pregnancy. Nobody has ever mentioned it. It definitely makes my heart rate higher if I take a lot, though, which can be scary if you're not expecting it considering your heart rate is higher during pregnancy anyway.

It doesn't sound like you're doing it right if it's not really giving you instant relief. I don't know what an AeroChamber thing is, but if you go to your pharmacy they'll be able to show you how to use it properly.

No brown inhaler, just the blue one.

Good idea to ask the pharmacist, it just seems like I'm inhaling aerosol fumes when I do it!