Rhinitis - desperate for help

[mrshadders]

I'm really hoping someone has got some tips for me as I'm struggling. I have been suffering with pregnancy rhinitis and I'm almost 34 weeks. I had it in my first trimester but not severe and then it went away. It's been back with a vengeance for the last 4 weeks and every night I struggle to sleep. My nose is constantly blocked, blowing it does not help - there is usually nothing there to come out. I've tried steaming my face before bed, the breathe right strips, sleeping with a diffuser, saline nasal spray and the doctor gave me a steroid nasal spray (1 spray per day which is doing nothing).
I'm fed up and exhausted. I'm usually awake 1-5am unable to sleep/breathe. I'm still at work and really struggling. Has anyone been in the same boat?

I couldn’t sleep in my second pregnancy, in the end I bought a proper nose unblocker as I was so fed up. I felt guilty but I needed to be able to sleep.

Thanks Cookie what kind of nose unblocker did you get? I'm so desperate I will try anything.

This drove me bonkers my entire pregnancy! It disappeared a couple of weeks after the baby was born - such joy!
I found the saline nasal rinse helped (better than just the spray) it’s called neilsmed , you can get it from the pharmacy/online. Mix a sachet in warm water (not to hot as you squirt it up your nose) in the special squirt bottle that comes with it. You then slowly squirt half a bottle up each nostril - do it over the skin head slightly forward (leave mouth open) the saline washes up through nostril and sinus and comes out of other nostril /mouth. Sounds a bit gross but it’s not too bad and it did help. I used to do it a couple of times a day .

Thanks JustTheOneMrsWembly just ordered some from amazon! Fingers crossed!

Which nose spray are you using? If beconase you can do two sprays per nostril twice a day. I was also prescribed budenoside and the GP said to use 3 sprays per nostril twice a day for the first week. Once spray a day isn't enough.

CodenameVillanelle it's called Amarys? I tried Sterimar as well to no avail. I asked the pharmacist before I went to the GP and she said the only thing I could have was Sterimar due to being pregnant

Oh that's crap :(
At least you only have a few weeks left. It will get better when that baby is out!

Thanks Villanelle here's hoping! Then the sleepless newborn nights start!

This happened to me in my first pregnancy. Things that helped were sleeping as propped up as possible and anthihistamine tablets from the doctor. Also by the end of the pregnancy I did resort to otrivine drops as I was desperate!

How about the blue light device that people use for allergies and hay Fever? I was reading the reviews on amazon yesterday (dh has hayfever) and it works for congestion apparently, it’s called Lloyds pharmacy allergy reliever I think, worth looking at.

@mrsshadders agree about Neilmed (I use it for colds and hayfever) but make sure you boil the water you use first as there's a risk of contamination from tap water (same problem as with getting contact lenses wet). I usually keep a jug of boiled water ready and then reheat to the right temperature in the microwave when I want to use it 👍

Oh my gosh - this could have been written by me 5 years ago!

I had the exact symptoms with my first pregnancy. I couldn't sleep and sound like I tried everything you did. I ended up being prescribed diazepam to calm me down and help me sleep - which surprisingly didn't work as I just wanted to breathe easily. Always saw male drs that made out it wasn't that bad and I ended up being referred to the mental health team as I was so sleep deprived.

When I spoke to the midwives at the hospital after having dc1, they said that I should have taken piriton. It is prescribed for a lot of conditions in pregnancy. The only recommendation is that you don't take it in week 38-39-40 (I think). I found one dose of this before bed in my second pregnancy did the job when I felt . It is one of the antihistamines that makes you drowsy too so really helped me sleep.

It even says on the nhs website now that piriton is considered safe in pregnancy. I recommend the liquid.

I hope it gives you some relief. Congratulations on your little one and try to avoid wanting to punch people that say 'get used to having no sleep' - I slept better with a newborn than I did when I had rhinitis at the end of that pregnancy!

Ps I think I tried everything else PPs have mentioned.
Piriton was the only thing that worked - pharmacists won't sell it to you though so you might have to find someone else to go for you!

Ahh thank you all so much! Treenu that sounds like hell and I totally sympathise. I'm going to try all of this. I think people think I'm being dramatic or overreacting but when there is no reason for me to be awake (ie feeding a baby) it's so frustrating!

God I remember this, it only got worse towards the end too sorry to say.

Just a little tip, when you get the nasal rinse use it before your nasal spray. Helps to clear the mucous so that the sprays can work better. Once you've used them and you've unblocked a little, try breath in and out through your nose as much as possible whilst going about your day. This releases Nitric Oxide from your sinuses which helps to dilate (open) your airways.

All these horrible pregnancy symptoms are there so that once the baby is out you feel so relieved that you forget to feel knackered

Well I can't thank you all enough. I realised I'd only ordered the Neilmed sachets from amazon so went to a pharmacy last night and got the starter kit. What a revelation, I slept through pretty much all night (woke once or twice but not for the rhinitis) and I feel like a new woman! Can't remember the last time I had such a good sleep, I could cry.
Thank you all so much for your kind words and advice!!