34 weeks with a streaming cold and bloody well had enough!

[Sarahjct]

Hi all

Sorry for whinge, I don't expect responses, it just makes me feel better writing it out. I have had a sore throat, cough, really really soggy cold and all that gunk since Friday and I'm fed up. Been off work since yesterday morning and I've only got two days left before maternity leave. Great timing eh?

If I try to sleep lying down I fill up with gunk and end up almost choking and I can't sleep sitting up because LO has her bum in my ribs.

I'm bored out of my skull which doesn't bode well for the next six weeks and I'd sell my granny for a couple of Nurofen Cold and Flu.

Right, whinge over. Thanks.

You have my sympathies. I found that eating hot curries really helped my cold. So have a chicken jalfrezi and vegetable madras on me

Horrible isn't it? I had a bad cold at about the same stage of pregnancy as you and spent hours staring wistfully at a box of sinutab. I was up all night and in bed but not sleeping all day and then developed a cough which hurt my bump every time it happened. I think because you can take lots of symptom busting stuff these days we forget how miserable a cold can be. Especially when even a hot toddy is out of bounds.

No advice really just lots and lots of sympathy.

You poor thing-hope you feel better soon.

Thanks for the sympathy

For such a small virus it's pretty grotty, isn't it? My poor, sore eyes streaming is a new symptom...

I'm trying to work out, if I dosed myself up with everything available, how much harm would it really do LO? I am, of course, joking but it's a nice fantasy... One of those moments that really tests your commitment to your child (I'm a first timer) and yes, it's happened, I've become selfless in the face of my offspring. Tut!

chicken soup (stock style with rice in it) .. great for bringing it out and getting you feeling better

hot water, honey, juice of half a lemon and cloves

paracetomal when really horrible

bath with olbas oil (check for pregnancy .. can't remember)

Oh I can so relate!! I'm 16 weeks and have the worst cold for at least the last 10 years. It's been going since Saturday and today is the first time I have actually coped with the day.
I have been taking paracetemol, I had a bit of a fever too so wanted to get rid of that. I've been taking throat pastilles I got from pharmacy, after checking which ones I could take, they really do ease my throat. I put olbas oil on a tissue but to be honest today is the first time I have actually smelt it! But, also put it in a bowl of hot water with towel over my head, does clear things a bit. Hot orange juice, not cold, the hot orange juice does something, can't remember what, think it is shrinks your nasal passages??! Taken high dose of vitamin C, didn't think to check with pharmacy, assume that's OK. Phew, as you can see, I was desperate!!
I can honestly say this is the worst I have felt in years so you have my complete sympathy. I hope things improve pdq!

Gah! I'm 26 weeks, I've had a stinking cold since monday last week and would sell my soul for a bottle of Otrivine.

Hot drinkies help, but I'm getting horrible indigestion from lemon and honey (honey's very acidic too!) and thinking wistfully of lovely, anaesthetic whisky...actually, a tiny drop in a lemon and honey drink really wouldn't hurt, and the taste might make you feel you were having some good done...

And I'm with the person who said curries are good - if you can cope with the dripping tap your nose will become, they're great for clearing the tubes. Is it me, or are colds that much bit stronger, and happen more often, when you're pregnant?

Hello

Full sympathy re all symptoms and the boredom - I came down with a cold at the start of Nov and am only just emerging...

I have a couple of suggestions.

Try a glass of hot milk with half a tea-spoon of plain turmeric (yes, that's the yellow powdery stuff that goes in curries - you can find it in the spice section of any supermarket or any Asian/Chinese grocery store), and a spoon full of sugar (at least twice a day, if you can bear it). After a murderous 4 weeks with similar symptoms I've recently started taking this - its a traditional Indian remedy - doesn't taste that great, but turmeric has natural antiseptic qualities that really work. I feel a lot better now. (possibly why the curry remedy works. If you google turmeric and hot milk and you'll see, its an age old remedy).

If the thought of a whole mug of it is too daunting maybe you could start with a less than a quarter tsp of turmeric in half a mug of warm milk + sugar - just swig it down in one gulp - it really does work. (Heaven help me, I've even started enjoying the taste, though didn't like it at all to start off with!)

The chicken soup thing is another a tried and tested solution - deffo go with that.

I've been doing steam inhalation too - especially at bed-time, which helps keep the airways clear.

Take care, hope you feel better soon.

lightwind