I called in sick today! 11 weeks pregnant :(

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Sooooo for the last several weeks or even couple of months I've had on and off blocked nose. I can't live without using a decongestant which hasn't helped because it blocked back up a few hours later. I've had to call in sick yesterday and today as I have the worst headache, blocked nose and generally feel awful. All my sinuses are blocked and I cannot even lift my head up without the pressure becoming too strong. Is this a pregnancy thing? Or have I just caught a cold. I feel like the whole blocked nose thing started when I moved into my new flat in September but now I'm thinking maybe it was pregnancy related as I conceived around the start of October. I feel bad for calling into work because they don't know I'm pregnant yet but I've had a few absences in the last year due to having a miscarriage in the summer. What can I do to help my sinus problem? I know decongestant aren't recommended and neither is ibuprofen so at the moment I'm just at home feeling sorry for myself wondering when this'll ever end. :( x

Steam usually really helps me, and lying with a warm cloth over the top half of my face seems to really help with sinus pain for me. Have you tried the natural nasal sprays (e.g. Sterimar)?

I didn't get blocked sinuses with my pregnancy but I've definitely heard of it happening, it's not uncommon! Try a hot steamy shower, always helps me when I'm struggling with a cold. Hope you feel better soon x

I'm currently 40+3 days pregnant and have had a constant blocked nose from about 15 weeks. It's really horrible, it gets worse at night too. The only thing that helps me is the sinus strips for snoring, they really pull open your sinuses so at least you can get some sleep at night.

I had a stuffy nose in the forst trimester. I read somewhere that it can be a thing

It’s a pregnancy thing! Ive had it in both pregnancies! My doctor called it pregnancy rhinitis.

www.bounty.com/pregnancy-and-birth/pregnancy/pregnancy-other-conditions/pregnancy-rhinitis

My doctor prescribed me a steroid nasal spray (as you might use for heyfever) & that’s a godsend. It’s such a low low dose of steroid that it’s not a concern. She also recommended a product called Sterimar nasal spray. It’s a salt water spray & pretty affective. The only downside for me is I suffer from daily nose bleeds as part of all the stuffy nose/sinuses and the salt spray STINGS. My final bit of advice is a cool mist humidifier for night time. Bit pricey but worth every penny. It keeps my nose clear-ish over night when laying down! We already had one for our daughters endless colds, so its something you can keep & use even after pregnancy! And for all the colds you’ll inevitably catch from your child 😄

I think it's called pregnancy rhinitis. I always have a blocked nose with every pregnancy and it lasts right up until I give birth. Very irritating, you have my sympathy.

If you have been reliant on a decongestant for a while then you probably also have some rebound congestion, for which the only cure is to wean yourself off the decongestant. Maybe look into trying a sinus rinse?

Not sure whether or not a pregnancy thing, I just found because you cant take anything for relief it does make the little illnesses you have along the way loads worse

Try eucalyptus oil on n a hanky or in hot water. I agree with pp that long term use of decongestant can give you rebound congestion so hopefully it’ll start clearing as you stop using it. Hope you feel better soon

I could've wrote this myself, except I'm 17 weeks pregnant. In both my pregnancies I've suffered with a constant blocked nose but this time it's been teamed up with a constant headache. About a week again my headache got so bad I literally went to bed wearing sunglasses! I couldn't moved my head or my eyes.. it was awful! Anyway I went to the doctors a couple of times out of desperation and o was sent for a MRI scan. They found I have a blocked sinus, the reason for the servers discomfort oa because wits the main sinus from nose into brain. Nothing life threatening but I do have to be referred to a specialist!
Go to your doctors, and go again if you are still suffering! I feel 103639922736 times better knowing it doesn't appear to be baby related!

Yeah i had this. For a while it was ok, just annoying and then it became unmanageable and i did call in sick cos i hadn't slept with it and was tired anyway due to being pregnant. I was blowing my nose and filling up every large tissue with about for 3 hrs straight once. It was like i was drowning.

Anyway i got onto the doc and said i can't function like this and having tried everything else that didn't work at all. (Steam, sterimar spray, nothing nothing nothing) He prescribed me beconase which worked a charm.

Only when i went back to get another prescription they bloody refused saying they weren't prescribing it any more due to cuts. But i could get it otc. Only the otc isn't as good! By its good enough to keep the what away and plus i think with cooler weather is easier.

So do call your gp if it's too much and you know if not a cold.