Sudafed blocked nose spray

[Longislandicedme]

I have rhinitis so my nose constantly gets blocked. Anything will trigger it, dust, alcohol, air con, heat, smoke literally anything. I’ve learnt to cope with it during the day but I can’t sleep at all without taking a blocked nose spray. This has been going on for years I’ve had cameras up my nose numerous times and tried all kinds of steroids but nothing helps.

I’m 5 weeks pregnant and after taking the spray I’ve just read that you should avoid in your first trimester and when breast feeding.

I’m now really paranoid that I’ve done some damage. I think I’m just looking for reassurance that it won’t have done any damage up to now. I only use it of a night anyway.
Also does anyone know if there’s any safe ones to use during pregnancy? I’m going to try and contact my doctors tomorrow.

Has anyone else ever suffered from rhinitis and found anything other than blocked nose sprays to help?

It’s not recommended for use in pregnancy and I checked this with docs at the time. I am sure you’ll not have done any damage tho so don’t worry, just don’t use it again unless you’re really desperate.

I don’t have any recommendations of alternatives and as you said you’re hoping to see the doctor soon anyway but just wanted to try and reassure you! Good luck! X

Do you take antihistamines? My sister used sudafed during pregnancy but it's not for long term use as it leads to rebound congestion. My dh takes a daily nasal spray (nasonex). Don't know about safety in pregnancy but it is ok to be used long term unlike sudafed

Basically all sorts of things are 'not recommended' in early stages of pregnancy but honestly, it's just covering the makers' arses. Women take all kinds of things not knowing they're pregnant at early stages and nothing bad happens.

I also can't survive a blocked nose without spray (Otravine in my case), so when I couldn't use it I used the Indian neti pot approach of cleaning out sinuses with salt water. It feels a bit weird and you do need to follow instructions (such as don't do it too near sleeping/lying down) but it can clear bad blockages at least somewhat - sometimes completely. You don't have to have an actual neti pot, I used a medicine syringe and worked OK.

Seawater nasal sprays like Sterimar are safe to use. Nowhere near as effective but better than nothing at all when you're desparate!

Have you tried the ‘Breathe Right’ nasal strips? I get quite bad nasal congestion/ rhinitis and these things REALLY make a difference at night time.

I had rhinitis for a few years before turning to blocked nose sprays but I know they’re not helping long term as the congestion will come back.

I’ll try the sea salt spray/salt water and see how I get on. I’ve not tried the nose strips but I’ll give them a go too. I just need something to sort it during the night!

Apparently you can use corticosteroid sprays which is what nasonex is that my dh uses (he has perennial rhinitis). He takes a daily antihistamine and the nasal spray.

Taking sudafed for too long leads to rebound congestion where the nose feels blocked and turns into a vicious circle and leads to relying on the spray

Recently told by pharmacist that seawater sprays and a Vicks first defence spray is safe xx

Just to say I did exactly the same as you at 6 weeks - took the blocked nose spray 3 times before it occurred to me to check whether it was safe in pregnancy! I freaked out when I realised, but did some research which seemed to suggest that because it’s administered locally, very little gets into the bloodstream. Everything was fine at 12 week scan. Now approaching 20 week scan. I’ve subsequently been using the saline sprays and sleeping on my back as I find that helps (don’t know how I’m going to cope when I’m now longer allowed to sleep on my back!)

I asked my doctor the same thing as I suffer with Rhinitis and use Sudafed at night. She suggested it wasn't safe in pregnancy and neither were antihistamines. She said steroid nose sprays are ok which I use for hayfever, plus Vicks and saline sprays.

I've been using sudafed all last week at night and she seemed to think I won't have done any damage at 5 weeks but should switch to an alternative now.

Loratidine and cerazette are considered ok in pregnancy

Cetirizine I mean (cerazette is the mini pill!!)

www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/pregnancy/can-i-take-hay-fever-medicine-during-pregnancy/

I’m on cetirizine and have been told that’s all they recommend in pregnancy.
I’m allergic to dust, plants, animals, sometimes I think life.
They decided there was too much of a risk if I came off.
I would talk to your doctor about one of the antihistamine

Thank you for the suggestions I ended up going to the hospital today as I had a little bleed which they thjnk is absolutely nothing to worry about and in the panic of it all completely forgot to ask about the sprays! Now I’ve calmed down over that I’ll look into the other things. I’ve ordered some from amazon as I’m in work til 9pm and don’t have the time to look in the shops so hopefully something else works! I’m going for a scan within the next week and to see the doctor again so I’ll hopefully remember to ask. He even said to me is there anything you’ve been googling that’s made you worry and my mind just went blank!