Sinusitis, Congestion & Pregnancy

[Earlgre]

Hi
this is my 2nd pregnancy. For my 1st pregnancy, I suffered a lot from a congested nose but the VapoRub stick helped a great deal and I was able to do things normally, including swimming. For this 2nd pregnancy, I got the congestion again after my 1st trimester, and then ended up with a sinusitis. But this time is awful: cannot breath at all to start with, struggled to eat as swallowing put pressure on my sinus and gagged, stopped running and swimming which helped me a lot with my varicose vein's problems (developed that too this time around, arg!), stopped meeting friends as I can't talk for long before I had an attack of no breathing, struggle to look after my 2y.o. as I can't sing, read her stories eat. I tried everything: steam, vapour sticks, Olbas drops, heat at night, paracetamol nothing worked. The doctor gave me antibiotics for 5 days but I am on the 3/4 day and I still have congestion and periods of completely blocked nose and still struggle to eat properly and talk. So I suspect there is something else, perhaps some allergies (as I have had allergies a few years back for which I took Avamys spray) or my normal nasal congestion making it worse. I wonder if any of you have had a similar problem. I am going back to the GP to discuss this. But I am tempted to ask for a decongestant, I know these are not recommended in pregnancy but I cannot see how I can get through my next 19 weeks like this. Do any of you have taken decongestant in pregnancy? Did you have any problems? Did it affect your baby?

I am so desperate, being like this is awful. I would like to go back to being able to walk freely and go back to my running (I probably need to quit swimming for now as I am not sure how swimming is good for the sinus), being active really helped with my veins from getting uncomfortable, besides I really want to read my daughter stories/ sing, talk to people and EAT!

Thank you for reading this.

That sounds so tough! I suffer from pregnancy congestion but nowhere near that bad and I find it really horrendous already! Mine is worse at night, as I have to breathe through my mouth I keep waking up with a really dry throat and mouth. Also struggle to read a book to my son without getting breathless!

My nose is so dry it hurts yet it is also blocked at the same time, not sure how thats possible!

I do find the days after swimming that little bit worse but have persevered anyway.

As you mention decongestants, have you tried the saline water sprays? They helped me loads in my first pregnancy amd are perfectly safe (but don't think it would do much for me this time sadly as it feels like the inside of my nose is swollen rather than congested).

Not much advice but you have my full sympathy and definitely keep bugging your doctor especially as you had sinusitis on top of it all.

Could be pregnancy rhinitis on top of your usual problems.

I had this early in my pregnancy but it cleared up by the 3rd trimester. Mine was annoying but I could still exercise and sleep so not too bad.

Thanks Worriedmummy152, I have bought the Sterimar spray for Congestion and yesterday i couldnt even get the solution to get through my nostrils, today yes. It doesnt really open them up yet but I will continue. I also bought the Allergy one but havent used it yet. I have done 30 minutes on the nebulizer with a saline solution and only then my nostrils opened up so i know now they can!
Chelyanne, i think you have a good point there. I was diagnosed with rhinitis before my pregnancy so that could well be. I cant remember what it is anymore but I remember I had to use a steroid spray for a while.

When I finish the AB tomorrow, i will go back to running. May stay away from swimming for a while just in case it can help. Chlorine can make me sneeze a lot so probably no advisable now. I will try to get a gp to look at my nose and discuss how to manage this.

Gosh, pregnancy can be so hard! Men have no idea what we have to put with.....