Is it really horrendously bad if I....

[Nemo1977]

take a cold and flu tablet??? I am 24wks but suffering horrible cold yet again and know I wont get much sleep due to it but if can take a cold n flu tab it would help.

Probably not. You're 24 weeks, baby is fully formed so one cold n flu tablet probably won't do any harm at all. However, if you're likely to worry, why don't you take paracetemol instead as it's okay in pregnancy.

Have you tried sitting in a steamed up bathroom for a while, and a hot mug of milk to help you sleep?

Is olbas oil safe in pregnancy?...........I think it is.

bogwobbit have been taking paracetamol but its the drying up the snottiness bit I need..lol Have also been in the bathroom which helped for about 15mins then back again.

Probably best to stick with paracetamol and lots of fluids. Go to your local pharmacy and check things out with the pharmacist if you're worried. they really helpful and flattered to be asked!! get well soon

Boots do their own version of Lemsip which you can take - it only has the paracetamol in it and no decongestant...I know you probably want the decon but the very act of taking the hot drink seemed to really help me, it must be slightly psychological! I'm always desperate for Lemsip when I've got a cold...

to help with the snottiness try to prop yourself up with pillows when in bed so your head is higher up than usual. It's a nightmare, isn't it?

One other thing you might want to try - echinacea tablets. I live in Germany and they say they are ok to take in pregnancy (but not for longer than 8 weeks for anyone, pregnant or not!!). I noticed UK packets of it warn against taking it in pregnenay but do a Google search and you'll see that there are no known problems associated - I took it for 2 days recently (I was about 16 weeks) and it cleared up my head cold straight away. Amazing.

i had a bad cold at 30wks all i wanted was some lemsip, went to chemist and was told i couldnt have anything apart from paracetemol, wasnt even allowed a vicks inhalor!!! my mum bought vicks rub and just put a spoonful in bowl of boiling water and put it in room with me, also drank hot ribena (lemsip substatute lol) it helped decongest alot at night when you need it most.
get better soon.
xxx

Pharmasist has told me the same about decongestants etc... but went to gp with awful cold and couldn't breathe at all
She told me it was fine to use octravine nasal spray every so often to help. Its a godsend and I have found a childrens one which is milder but still works

Over The Counter Medicines Foetal Risks

Seems that Pseudoephedrine, which I believe is found in Sudafed (but check the label) is ok.

However Phenylephrine in Lemsip is in FDA (US) pregancy category C, which means "Animal reproduction studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus and there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in humans, but potential benefits may warrant use of the drug in pregnant women despite potential risks." See here

Pharmacists and doctors will almost always play it safe. However, if you look up the product name on google and then "active ingredient" to find what's in it. Then you can do a search for the ingredient with "use in pregnancy" or "fda pregnancy category" and you'll get a very good idea of whether you think it's safe.

Please do double check your fact though. (I'm not a doctor or anything, however my husband's work involves him reading a lot of pharma research so I know how to find out about the effects of drugs.) Hope you feel better soon.

I'm in my second horrid cold of this pregnancy. This one has now lasted 5 weeks and I am 30 weeks pregnant, pharmacist won't even let me have strepsils!!!! The only thing they would let me have is paracetamol and honey and lemon linctus which has no helpful active ingredients in it. Possibly best to go and see the nurse practitioner at your docs and see if they can prescribe anything that way you stop the pharmacist looking you up and down and saying "oh no you can't possibly have that".