Hayfever in Pregnancy - help!

[VeronicaFranklin]

I'm 31 weeks pregnant and have awful Hayfever, itchy eyes, blocked runny nose, puffy face.

Read on nhs and it says it's safe to take Loratadine. However, I've been to aldi and bought some and on the back it says clearly do not use if pregnant or breastfeeding.

Spoke to my Midwife and she said based on nhs website as long as its loratadine it should be fine.

Why would it say absolutely do not take on back of pack if its OK to use under medical advice.

Just don't want to take any risks based on contradicting advice, anyone else taken this in pregnancy for Hayfever?

Pretty much every medication says to avoid in pregnancy or childbirth.

Use the Bumps website:
www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/

It goes through all the evidence regarding use in pregnancy.

Use the Breastfeeding Network website for medications and breastfeeding.

Thank you. Taken a look at the website and it doesn't give a definitive answer either 🤷🏼‍♀️

I'll just see how I get on today and if I need to take some based on the NHS website / midwives advice.

It's just so frustrating in pregnancy that there's so much conflicting advice 😩

I just got a prescription for some have fever meds from my GP (on the advice of the pharmacist as I am breastfeeding) so try speaking to your doctor about what you can and can’t take. While pregnant I got a prescription for thrush medication - exactly the same stuff you get over the counter but packaging says not to use in pregnancy and pharmacist said they wouldn’t sell it to me (but I that could get it on prescription).

It’s considered unethical to trial medications on pregnant women so it always says not to use - not always because it’s actually unsafe just because it’s not been proven in testing to be safe (if you see what I mean). Some havfever meds are unsafe though (steroid sprays for example) so do check!

There's just very limited data because it's not ethical to test medications on pregnant women. I also imagine it's expensive to do research on medications women took in pregnancy, and the drug companies just don't have an incentive to do it!

I took cetirizine and fexofenadine in my first pregnancy, I know piriton is also prescribed later on in pregnancy (often for itching). Hayfever is absolutely miserable, mine seems to be very mild currently but think pollen levels have been low so far where I am.

loratadine, ceterizine are both fine in pregnancy.
if they don't cut it for you the gp can precribe (or recommend you buy) steroid nasal spray or other antihistamines.

good luck!

GP/ pharmacists wouldn't give me anything for hayfever during pg or while bf - was a few years ago so I hope you get a better reponse than I did.

I ended up with thin layer vasaline on outside and just inside nostrial as soon a got up - it's on NHS site as an option and to my surprise did work quite well.

What about Beconase nasal spray and antihistamine eye drops, a winning combo for me when my HF is bad?

I took antihistamines when I was pregnant.

Just a thought OP, but Boots do a non-medicated nasal powder spray, it's a barrier rather than medicated, so if you're suffering while debating whether or not to go with the medicated stuff, might be worth a shout? I used to double it up with my regular hayfever tablets when things got really bad and it did make a huge difference.

www.boots.com/boots-allergy-barrier-nasal-spray-800mg

Thanks everyone, lots of helpful suggestions.

I'm not normally this bad with hay fever but past few days have been awful, I've been so miserable all Easter with it, it's wiping me out. Guess I usually would just pop a piriton and think nothing of it!

Will deffo give the nasal sprays a try and ask my GP if it continues.

Also take a look at the Lloyds pharmacy hayfever device. Goes up your nose and uses light therapy. I used it in my last pregnancy when I was really suffering from hayfever and it sorted it within a couple of weeks - and I live surrounded by rape seed fields which are terrible for my hayfever! Think it was about £20

This is it lloydspharmacy.com/products/lloydspharmacy-allergy-reliever

I used saline nose spray to help with decongestion and then did also end up taking some medication anyway, as I had it so badly. GP reasoned that any risk was extremely negligible at best and that my sanity and rest were more important to preserve.

My GP said loratadine is fine. There's no evidence it does any harm, but because it hasn't been clinically tested the companies like to cover their backs and put it on the leaflets not to use in pregnancy. Basically, if something hasn't been specifically tested, and that's a LOT of things because it's unethical to test in the first place, then they advice not to use them. Not because they think they do any harm.

@VeronicaFranklin

Thanks everyone, lots of helpful suggestions.

I'm not normally this bad with hay fever but past few days have been awful, I've been so miserable all Easter with it, it's wiping me out. Guess I usually would just pop a piriton and think nothing of it!

Will deffo give the nasal sprays a try and ask my GP if it continues.

You can take Piriton in pregnancy, a quick Google will tell you that.

but piriton makes most people very tired.

other options available that don't have that side effect and that are deemed to be ok during pregnancy.

I really hate that so many hpc (and general public) are so dismissive of allergies.
allergies that can be life threatening if left untreated.

@purplesequins

but piriton makes most people very tired.

other options available that don't have that side effect and that are deemed to be ok during pregnancy.

I really hate that so many hpc (and general public) are so dismissive of allergies.
allergies that can be life threatening if left untreated.

But presumably the OP can tolerate it as she usually takes them?