Hayfever

[Tiki3]

Hi there,

My doctor has told me I can't take the normally very strong hayfever tablets that I have to take in order to be able to function whilst pregnant.

I'm going to get a second opinion as I literally can't leave me house at the moment because its so bad and I need to go to work!

Just wondering if anyone else has taken some of the stronger meds without difficulties?

Cheers!

Not sure what you mean by stronger meds, but I was told by the pharmacist at my GP surgery this week that I can carry on taking cetirizine, they just wouldn't recommend it every day.

I feel bad for you - hayfever is the worst!

Watching this. I was just about to post asking what's safe to take! If nothing, I'll be removing my nose!

I was told no to anything apart from Prevalin nasal spray (drug free) by both GP and pharmacist. Prevalin is amazing though I’ve been fine since having it.

Hayfever making me very miserable at the moment.

Called GP this afternoon and told noone available to soak to me so to call pharmacist. Phoned local pharmacy but no answer. All i want is advice on what I can use/take - lactose free loratadine/cetirizine and fluticasone nasal spray.

Hope you feel better soon! Have you tried your local pharmacy?

I had to take steroids in second trimester. Couldn't stand it any more. Constantly awake, getting thread veins in nose. It was awful. They carried a slight risk of cleft pallet but I looked it up and the odds were practically non existent, so I took them (sparingly) when I couldn't stand it any more.

@somersetsoul I feel like reducing my nose too but also my throat and ears as they're so itchy.

removing not reducing

My gp initially refused anything except steroid nasal spray and inhaler, even though I'd researched everything I wanted to take.
Went back for a second opinion with a different GP and a pile of printouts from BUMPS
www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Medicine--pregnancy/Hay-fever/
She didn't even want to read them, just agreed I'd considered the risks and felt they were outweighed by benefits.
She was happy to prescribe cromiglate eyedrops, daily fexofenadine, and chlorphenamine for nights.

So glad I went back and asked again. Pregnancy seems to have made hay-fever so much worse than usual. As it is, I'm still a bit itchy and sneezy, but functional.

I usually get the steroid injection and then also take Fexofenadine 3 times a day, plus inhaler, eye drops and nasal spray haha. I'm on the waiting list for the immunotherapy treatment but know that won't happen this year because we are already well into the season!

Pharmacist was very anti any kind of drug - I guess it comes down to what you can personally tolerate at the end of the day.

I'm actually seeing my mw tomorrow. I'll ask her and will let you know 🙂

I found pharmacists to be extremely reluctant to give anything in pregnancy. I needed prescriptions for the most basic things that normally would be OTC.

I'm taking Chlorphenamine or Cetirizine. According to the NHS website they're both safe during pregnancy...obviously not as strong as your usual medication but might take the edge off?

My sister refused to take anything during her pregnancy and was absolutely miserable for months with hayfever. I've personally decided to take the medication. I was on another antihistamine (Promethazine) from week 6-16 for bad sickness anyway and all scans have been fine and pregnancy is going well so far (I'm 25+1) so I'm not worried about taking them

I was on Cetirizine from 2nd trimester onwards, due to hayfever & allergies, also because it causes drowsiness- I had insomnia which started about 1 week after I conceived.

I know it's not much - pitiful really compared to what you usually take - but Haymax nasal balm isn't totally useless. I also used to sleep on my back (from very young childhood) with a damp, cool flannel over my eyes, & a saucer by the bed to put it on if I wanted to. At least it used to reduce the inflammation overnight so I could sleep a bit, I suspect this is why/how I am conditioned to sleep all night almost completely without moving. My mother is just the same, so was her mother.

How's the hayfever today ladies? I feel absolutely dreadful. Got through an entire packet of tissues this morning. Look and feel like death on the tube. Called NHS direct lastnighthl hoping for advice on whether I can take/ use my usual tablets and nasal spray but no help at all. Going to have to try and find some time this afternoon to go to a pharmacist for advice. Tempted to just take my normal stuff but won't forgive myself if I harm bubba. Pregnancy is far from glamourous.

@InDreamland

Bleeding miserable. Managed to bust my inhaler last night so spent the night propped up in bed wheezing, then down the doctor first thing for a new one. Think I'm going to have to cave and go back on oral steroids again. As soon as this baby is out I'm asking for a referral for immunotherapy.

The link I posted above is from Public Health England. It has all the current medical advice on pregnancy and hayfever medications. Professionals tend to err on the side of caution as for ethical reasons no one tests anything on pregnant women, but generally you can take steroid nasal sprays (not the decongestant ones) and loratadine/cetirizine which are all available off the shelf.

NHS advice also available here
www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/935.aspx?CategoryID=73&SubCategoryID=107

Thank you. I did see that but advice generally is still to see GP or pharmacist and GP and NHS direct both sending me to pharmacist so I want to check it out with them first. I'm terrified of losing this baby, It's taken 5 years of heartache to get a BFP. I feel so lousy today though I am desperate for something to take the edge off without doing bubba any harm.

OMG, went into see pharmacist, they won't help .......some licensing thing. Told me to see GP. Told them they won't entertain me and I just burst into tears, so embarrassing! Now up at my GP without an appt and after explaining they're gonna try squeeze me in somewhere. I hate crying in public!

You have to get antihistamines prescribed by a GP during pregnancy but there's quite a lot of options including loratadine and piriton. They won't have been tested on pregnant women - because funnily enough they don't test drugs on pregnant woman - but my GP told me (when I was reluctant) that women have been taking antihistamines in pregnancy for 40+ years.

Thanks for the advice. Hopefully I can be told what i can use/take this afternoon and I can feel back to my old self again.

I was told yesterday by pharmacist that I needed to see my gp and he wouldn't recommend anything unless I had drs advice! So annoyed I'm waking up sneezing in my sleep!! Crazy.

@biscuitaddict it's so annoying isn't it. Hope you get seen by gp soon! I finally got seen by doctor and prescribed nasal spray.

I have immunotherapy appointment tomorrow now (there was a cancellation thank god). Fingers crossed!

Fingers crossed for you @Tiki3