Stinking cold at 18 weeks - help! What can I take?

[Waitinggame8]

Hi everyone, I think this has been asked before but I can't find it.
I'm currently 18weeks and developed a stinking cold with swollen glands and painful chesty cough over Monday and Tuesday. I'm also asthmatic so it has been affecting my breathing today too.

Currently just taking hot water with lemon and honey and the day off work (I'm just back after the 2 week Christmas break!) but not feeling much better and wondered if anyone knew what other over the counter remedies we can take?

Thanks for all advice in advance.

You poor thing. I have just got over a nasty cold myself, went to the cupboard and cheerfully picked out a lempsip before realising that perhaps I shouldnt take it. I did have one but then felt awfully guilty, rang the surgery where the pharmacist advised me not to take it. She said I could take paracemtomol on it's own though.
In the end I just kept my fluid intake up (fruit non-caffeine teas and juice) and got plenty of rest, it was gone within 2 days luckily :-)

Thanks moomin35, that's kind of what I thought.
Was hoping someone might have found something else but I guess I'll just keep on as I am unless I hear anything else.

I feel exactly the same (am 17w) - have just got out of bed for the first time today, thank heavens for my H who works from home, even if he is feeding the children McDs for dinner...! I digress. Anyway, it's the pits. I've taken two paracetamol today as my head was pounding from all the coughing and being so bunged up. Lots of hot honey and lemon drinks (manuka honey is the best) and just hot drinks in general, really. Even my eyes ache, it's horrid.

I had a nasty chest and throat infection a few weeks ago. All I was allowed to take was paracetamol and I was prescribed a very small doseage of Codeine. I didnt feel any benefit from either though.

Hope you get better soon x

Honey and lemon. Facial steaming. Lovely relaxing bath. Paracetamol.

You can take Co codamol when pregnant up until the third trimester. Lemsips and the like are supposed to he avoided because of the caffeine I think.. but if you take caffeine anyroad it doesn't make much difference. You can take paracetamol up to maximum dose.

They never tell you you can take stuff because thy can't test on pregnant woman so err on the safe side. I always trusted my gps guidance In the matter though... pharmacists are pain in he arses. And would rather you just suffer I think.

Normally a lovely hot bath would be fab, but we can't even have them! Not as hot as I'd like it, anyway.

I had an awful virus at 17 weeks, went to the drs begging her to give me something and she said there was nothing sne could do. she said I could have one ibuprofen if I was desperate (she checked). I just took paracetamol, made lots of honey and lemon and burned some essential oils.

My midwife said the only thing I was allowed to take was paracetamol-which isn't much use for a cold! I had one last week and did lots of steaming with olbas oil. It helped temporarily. I did a lot of complaining!

What asthma inhalers are you using? I too suffer badly with asthma and have just recovered from a 3 week cold from hell! My brown inhaler is the only thing that helped the coughing and chest infection, as well as taking my blue one as usual. I drank hot fruit juices and that helped my throat too! X

steam with a bit of vicks vaporub in the water... or just plain water... vicks vaporub steam does get a bit strong.... i had really bad cold in week 30 but this and a day off work in bed dimmed lights helped...

Ooh I forgot, I found the vicks inhaler amazing, if you haven't got on, do! :-)

there is mixed feedback on olbas oil. my doctor told me to avoid.

I did get prescribed antibiotics though together with maximum dose paracetamol, as cough developed to the chest and stopped me sleeping. they did cure me, but stopped me getting worse. my cough is now settling down ten days later, but I've still lost my voice!

if you continue to feel unwell, definitely ser your gp (I was hesitant but it definitely helped)

*didn't cure

Avoid olbas oil, really? Did he say why?

Google it - I did after doctor (and pharmacist) advised against it. There is a fair bit about it online. Obviously read and come to your own conclusions.

I wasn't too worried as I don't normally use it, but they also advised against menthol crystals which I had assumed would be fine. It's a minefield!

I did and didn't find anything! I must have been looking in the wrong places.

Rubbish time of year to be at this stage of pregnancy it seems.
Thank you for all the advice, I feel everyone's pain who has or currently is going through this, it's such a drain on energy more than anything.

Think it's another day in bed tomorrow, and just as well we have a big bag of lemons in the house! Hope it doesn't hang on too long, doesn't really look good being off sick after 2 weeks school hols, perfectly fine throughout all of those mind you.

31 weeks here and I'd happily take arsenic right now. I've been in bed for 3 days, every time I cough or Sneeze I pee myself a little bit and ive pulled a muscle in my bump. I was so distraught through lack of sleep this morning i cried so much I made myself sick.
I have to have it together enough for work on Friday or we are all going to starve to death.
I am wallowing in the pit of despair. If it wasn't for feeling the baby kicking, I'd probably go find a bus to throw myself under!

Maybe try high-strength manuka honey?

I share all of your pain. I'm 19 weeks and I've had a nasty cold for 11 days today :( I've tried everything from steaming, Vicks vapour rub, vicks inhaler and a saline nose spray but nothing is touching it. Called the doctor and the nurse practitioner called back to say there is nothing they can do and this virus is lasting between 2-3 weeks. She did say to call back if I developed a cough which thankfully at the moment I don't have. Husband went to speak to a pharmacist who also warned against olbas oil and said I'd already tried everything they could suggest. Get well soon all!