Can I take anything for a cold?

[StillPukin]

I've got a horrible drippy nose and a raw, painful throat. At 25 wks, is there anything I can take or any natural 'remedies'?

That saline spray really works. I was amazed that it did.

This is an unorthodox remedy that works best for cold. I also give it to my baby 9 month old who just got her first cold and it improved within couple of days. Chop one onion and put it in a small bowl, add either 4-5 large spoons of sugar, or generous amount of honey (note honey only suitable if child older than 1 year). Leave it to stand for 30 minutes, after that take 1 or 2 spoons of the syrup that is made out of the dissolved sugar at the bottom of the bowl. It doesn't taste as bad as it sounds:) and it works.

My GP said I'd 'probably be OK with olbas oil'. So much conflicting information - how are you supposed to know?

Trebor extra strong mints are amazing for a blocked/stuffy nose!

my understanding is that olbas oil contains essential oils that are not safe for use in pregnancy. But you can still use steam, and I think menthol.

Drink loads and loads of water and cups of (decaf!) tea to try not to cough too much.

When I was 35 weeks I got a really bad cold and could not shift the cough for weeks - then I got a terrible pain in my side and the GP said I'd torn the muscles down one side from coughing so much. Easily sorted with anti-inflammatories, which you can't take when pregnant. I was given some painkillers which did nothing.

I was in absolute agony - it was almost as bad as when I actually gave birth a few weeks later! I ended up in A&E as it was so painful I could hardly breathe, but there was nothing much they could give me.

So please drink loads if you are coughing and I hope it doesn't last too long!

I looked up on a website that publishes peer reviewed scientific papers (Medline, via Pubmed) what the best remedy for coughs were. Turns out that study after study say that honey is better than anything else you can buy.

They don't publicise that quite enough so I thought I'd help :)

Also, if you can bear it, raw garlic is a fantastic anti-viral. I once went to a lecture on it and now cut it up into pill sized chunks and swallow them. Works well but for some reason people edge away now when I talk to them

Salt water with honey makes gargling slightly less gaggy.

Difflam saved my throat with my cold.

www.netdoctor.co.uk/aches-and-pains/medicines/difflam-spray.html

I kept milk next to me to drink at night as it made the throat less sore than just water. Hot milk and honey before bed too.

Keep hydrated to lessen the effect of a sore throat.

Sleep well!

what worked for me for the throat is dispersible paracetamol gargled and swallowed. a steamy bath and sounds daft but putting a radiator on low and putting a damp towel on it to humidiy you room will help sleep

Not pregnant, but I'm drinking hot water with mint and honey :)

I've heard of people putting half an onion in a bowl near their bed overnight. This apparently absorbs a lot of the bugs. If its worked then it will be brown in the morning.
Have never tried this before though!!!!

im in the same boat but im 35 weeks with thsi nasty cold bug and really sore throat
and running/blocked nose

and i have gestational diabetes so cant really evenhave honey and lemon!

I don't know what the reasoning is for olbas oil not being recommended, but Vicks works just the same and it's supposed to be safe, so why not just use that instead. I had a vicks inhaler when I was pregnant, you just stick it in your nose and sniff!

Oh Lordy I took one beechams capsule today without even thinking :(

You'll be FINE, colley, and so will your baby. And heartisaspade too. Try to relax, have lots of hot non-caffeiney drinks, hibernate.

It just didn't occur to me - I even checked it didn't have ibruprofen in as I can't take that normally!

I'm off to hibernate :)

Spoonfuls of manuka honey have a good antibacterial property. Rinsing the nose with a low pressure, high volume sinus washout kit (such as neilmed bottles, found in pharmacies) are good for relieving blocked noses and sinus pain. Steam and Vicks can help chesty coughs. Sleeping propped up will help tickly coughs from postnatal drip. Garlic tablets will do the same as eating raw garlic. Lots of vitamins, specially vit C and zinc. You need at least 1000mg of vit C, and it's water soluble so very unlikely to overdose as you just pee out what your body doesn't use. Hope some of that helps!

Studies show vitamin c makes recovery much faster. During pregnancy you can safety take 1000mg with a cold. Although vitamin c can be found in diet I don't think an apple a day will quite cut it for the dosage needed.

I just suggest hot ribena and ice cream - so soothing

Some health food shops do a honey and ginger syrup that you dilute - it's very hot but very good.

Even though our youngest is in juniors, I'm still really grateful every time I am ill I can have medicine, after 10 years of not being allowed it - being pregnant and being ill is horrible. (I wasn't pregnant for 10 years! but breastfeeding and pregnancy etc combined).

Add grated fresh ginger to your honey and lemon in hot water, use manuka honey if you have it.

This is brilliant to soothe and open up your throat, and clear your head, also smells nicer than onion or garlic remedies! I had it all the time when pregnant, it also is great for any nausea, so double whammy.

Get better, colds are yuk!