cold remedies

[MrsMar]

Hi there, I've got a stinking cold and I'm on night shifts at the moment, so feel super rough. Does anyone know if I can take Lemsip capsules or Beechams cold and flu tablets? I know both have paracetemol and caffeine, but they also have decongestants (phenylephrine hydrochloride).

I'm keeping hydrated and warm, but it's not too easy for me to get to a chemist when on nights (am walking zombie at the end of my shift, just about manage to stay alive long enough to get to bed!) so I was hoping to take something i've got at home already.

Cheers xx

MrsMar, I had a look on NHS direct for you and couldn't find anything, looking on safefetus.com, the nearest I can find is something called Coldex, which has paracetamol, caffeine and phenylephrine hydrochloride. I'm afraid it doesn't look like it's good news: link here .

I know you can take paracetamol, and you should be able to get that from a 24 hour supermarket. Or is there anyone you could send to get some for you? You poor thing I feel for you it is horrible being ill when you're pg and not knowing what you can take.

I think you're meant to avoid lemsips etc. You can take paracetamol though which should relieve a fever if you have one. Other than that, drinking plenty will help.

Poor you - I hope you get better soon. It's miserable having a cold at the best of times.

{hug}

Hi MrsMar, I have total sympathy for you as I've just gotten over a horrible flu and tonsilitus that lasted for nearly 2 weeks. I went to my GP and actually needed antibiotics for my throat but I asked if there was anything other then paracetamol that I could take and sadly was told no. Unfotunately, you can't take Beechams or the like b/c of the decongestant in it - decongestants are a no-no. Paracetamol is the only thing safe to take in pregnancy. I find that paracetamol doesn't really do anything for me but it's better then nothing I guess. You can use a saline nasal spray to relieve some congestion which doesn't work as well as a decongestant but you may find it gives you some relief. Vicks vapor rub is ok to use as well. Other then that, you just have to drink loads of hot ribena and wait it out I'm afraid! Feel better soon

A humidifier might help too (apparently)

slice fresh ginger into a cup and add a couple of slices of lemon studded with cloves. add water and heat in the microwave for a minute or so. then add a truckload of honey. it's delicious and the ginger clears out your passageways (nasal, of course) just long enought to get to sleep. you can boil it in a pan if you don't have a microwave, and you could presumably put it in a thermos to take to work.

lol at Aitch specifying which passgages will be cleared by the ginger

Gosh, I'm amazed I'm not the only one up so late, or are you all in a different time zone?

Thanks so much for the advice. I can't leave work (even for a minute, bah!) and there aren't really any supermarkets round here, but I'll get some paracetemol on the way home. I'm sure it'll help my banging headache if nothing else.

Good tip about the humidifier mamama, I might try head under a towel over a bowl of boiling water trick to try and loosen it all up.

Aitch, I like the recipe! I'll give it a whirl, I've still got some fresh ginger left from when I was suffering from morning sickness, and I love honey and lemon, so I'll whip myself some up when I get home. Just gotta get through the night!!

I've finally found someone in this building with some paracetemol... does anyone know what sort of dose I can take? The tablets are 500mg tabs, normally I would take 2, but is that ok in pregnancy? I'm 12+5

xx

I would second both the ginger drink ( but I have it without the cloves - just the ginger, lemon juice and honey mmmmmm) and also the humidifier. In my low-tech case that consists of a damp hand towl put over the radiator, but it definately stops me coughing during nights. The steaming yourself over a bowl of hot water with a bit of Tiger Balm or olbas also will clear your head in record time. I hope your cold gets better. I have had my second this month and it's really getting me down, so hope yours gets better.

MrsMar, yes you would just take the normal recommended doses of paracetamol. Hope you are feeling better!

Hello all, well I'm here again on another night shift, and now I've got the most agonising sinus pain. Paracetemol doesn't even touch it. I've tried steaming, but obviously once isn't enough. does anyone have any good tips for sinus pain. I'm really worried about temperature too, I don't have a thermometer, but I'm really hot. I'm 12+6, do you think a temperature will cause problems? I'm taking the paracetemol just in case I do have a temp to help bring it down. Any advice would be gratefully received xx

So sorry you are not doing much better

If you have fever the paracetamol should bring it down so don't worry. It may do nothing for pain but it will still lower a fever. Make sure to take your temp when you get home or next get hold of a thermometer though b/c if you do have fever and it doesn't respond to paracetamol you need to see a dr asap. Fever is not good at any stage of pregnancy but especially not in the first trimester so if you can't bring a high fever down you need to see someone about it. I would not worry though, you probably mostly feel shakey and hot from being ill and stuffy, not fever - especially if you've been on paracetamol.

The sinus pain is the worst when pregnant with a cold but I would try to get hold of that saline nasal spray if you can at some point b/c it will provide temporary relief. Since you are at work and won't be able to get any from a chemist at the mo you can make up your own solution with things you might have at work. Dissolve 1/4 teaspoon of salt in 8 ounces - equivalent to 16 tablespoons - of warm water (or make it with hot water and then leave to cool till it's warm, not hot). Place a few drops in each nostril, wait 5 to 10 minutes and then gently blow your nose. If you can clear your sinuses it will relieve some of the pressure. I hope this works! Loads of hot drinks and soups also obviously. Feel better!

hello GG - thanks for the advice. I rang NHS direct and they said something similar. They said that I could have a temperature for a couple of days without harming the baby, but that I should see a gp if it goes on longer than three days. That did reassure me alot. I don't mind a bit of sinus pain, but I was worried about harming the baby.

Thanks for the advice about saline, I think I'll have a go when I get home. Years ago I used to be a scuba diving instructor and we used to snort saline (actually it was seawater, ewww!) occasionally to clear our sinuses, so there must be something in it.