Didn’t realise decongestant tablet was unsafe

[mae18]

I have an awful cold that won’t shift and took a dose of two decongestant tablets. I later that day found out that phenylephrine shouldn’t be taken during pregnancy 😫 I haven’t used it since, but I’m so stressed out as I’m only 11 weeks. Has anyone else taken phenylephrine in pregnancy and been fine?!

I got through a whole box of lemsip sachets in one pregnancy before realising, baby was fine. Most people make a few minor mistakes like this. If you're really worried about it speak to your midwife, but you won't be the first or last to make this mistake

I took Sudafed the whole way through my first pregnancy not realising it was a risk. Everything was absolutely fine!

IIRC the greatest risk is in the first trimester and you’re nearly through that. Talk to your midwife or GP but a quick google is showing that in small doses it’s ok for pregnant women.

often the advise errs on the side of caution because they don’t test drugs on pregnant women

Yep, got a nasty cold in my first trimester and just took lemsip and sudafed without realising.

Once I realised I actually looked it up and it's not recommended based on theory, the actual studies that have been done show no adverse effects, so I wasn't worried.

Haven't taken them since despite my sinus infection, but I wouldn't worry about it if you've already taken some. Everything was fine at my 20 week scan.

Phenylephrine doesn’t cross the placenta well. The main issue with it is that it can transiently raise your blood pressure (we use it intravenously on labour ward precisely for that if someone’s BP drops due to a spinal/epidural block). We would also use it if someone needed BP support in earlier pregnancy if they were having surgery for any other reason. Like most drugs it’s best avoided in pregnancy, but a one off dose is vanishingly unlikely to cause a problem and sometimes the benefits outweigh the risks. (It can cause more serious problems if a woman has pre-eclampsia/pregnancy induced hypertension)