Lemsips while pregnant?

[floatyflo]

I know midwives and NHS direct have already said they are 'not advised', but will one do that much harm?

It's the decongestant. It can reduce blood flow to the placenta. No idea how bad one would be, but a paracetamol with hot honey and lemon will have much the same effect if it's not a sinus thing.

God, is there anything at all we can take.
You'd wonder if our mothers were this anal!
My mother admitted that she smoked through her pregnancy with me.
And i've never been sick a day in my life, was a good birth weight and am 5'7. Not that i'm condoning smoking while pregnant of course!

I had one yesterday, I didn't even think about it until I'd had over half I'm so full of cold it's ridiculous!

Ahh but penguins we can't have honey wither according to NHS direct

either*

Don't know where you've got that from Flo - here is what NHS advises avoiding, honey is fine!

Chica its about balancing risk - your mum smoked through her pregnancy and you're fine, but statistically there was more chance of problems for you than if she didn't smoke. Ditto avoiding decongestants - you could drink them every day and be one of the lucky ones who doesn't get any issues, but you have to decide if you want to risk it. Same as any medical advice!!!

Aren't there any that are just paracetamol? I'm sure there used to be.

Alternatively try one of these localfoods.about.com/od/drinks/r/honeylemongingertea.htm

'Tis what the NHS man on the phone said Rock honestly! I was like but I dont like honey anyway.

So who would have one? And who would avoid?

I would avoid, and just have paracetamol. I do however use Vicks on the soles of my feet which helps and there's no definite answer about if its safe during pregnancy but I feel that ingesting something is worse than putting it on your feet!

Have paracetamol and make a lemon and ginger hot drink minus the honey.

There's a Boots version of Lemsip that only has paracetamol - you could try that maybe? It's the phenylephrine (sp?) that pregnant women aren't supposed to take.

I am going to boots now Cariad! Ooh I hope your right :)

I'd probably have half of one, watered down- and top it up with lemon juice and a vitamin C or something.

I had a Piriton the other nite, i was itchy all over and couldnt sleep. The jury's out as to whether you can have them or not, but i figured one wouldnt hurt too much.

On a similar note- after the first trimester will some of you have an odd glasss of wine? I probably will, with a meal, if i'm out. I'm staying off it now though in first 13 weeks. KILLING ME too i might add :)

I had a terrible flu/cold while pregnant and could only take paracetamol. I would have some warm orange/lemon juice with honey. Although it doesn't help with the blocked nose I'm afraid. I think it's the decongestant that is the problem. Vicks vapo rub??

Cariad that is good to know- thanks!

The man on the phone was mixing up babies under one (who shouldn't have honey) and pregnant women (for whom there is no such recommendation).

Any version of a cold and flu drink that only has paracetamol is fine.

It was 2008 last time I was allowed decongestant. I miss decongestant.

I recommend soluble paracetamol dissolved in squash made with hot water.

Lemsip etc has caffeine in it too doesn't it? Isn't that what gives you a bit of a boost after drinking it?

The thing with all this stuff is that it's low risk against very high stakes, that's what I always think before I make a judgement. I couldn't live with myself if I hadn't been whiter than white!

Pharmacist gave me a cats bum face when I tried to purchase a 'first defence' anti-cold squirter and a pack of blackcurrant lemsip, and sent me away with ribena & paracetamol

Chica - Re: wine, I have had half a glass about 3 occasions and every time it's given me terrible heartburn for zero benefit.
I have turned to those little cans of non-alcoholic cocktails in a wine glass for a pretend weekend treat

I'm suffering too but just having paracetamol. I wouldn't risk it.

Lemsips also contain aspartame. I haven't had one since pregnancy because of that. Horrible stuff for so many reasons, and makes them taste bitter as it's not heat-stable. The old ones used to contain just plain old sugar.

If you want a hot lemon drink try plj, you find it in the squash aisle. It is great made up with hot water. You could add a fizzy paracetamol and a spoon of honey to make it more realistic. Vicks vapo rub ought to be ok to clear your passages a bit!

Yup boots do indeed have paracetamol only ones. Praise the lord!!

How frustrating! I went to Boots on Saturday and the pharmacist said I couldn't have lemsip... She didn't say "but you CAN have this paracetemol only flu drink". Bah! Hope honey is ok. I've been taking loads!

As for wine. I was thinking I might start having my 67.5ml a week soon - what a cheap date, but now evil evil heartburn that NO ONE warned me about has hit. Why did none of my Mummy friends ever tell me about heartburn.? It's a conspiracy! Now they are all saying "yeah I had that badly"! Huh? Not that it would've stopped me wanting a baby!!

You can have Lockets!