17 weeks, and have severe health anxiety...

[cgwx]

Hi All

So I have been bad for over a week now, with what has been a horrendous bout of cold / flu effecting my nose and throat. Nose completely bunged up, throat being so sharp and sore, and then coughing horrendously. I went to the GP because I am prone to Tonsillitis which sometimes comes from the back end of a cold. He gave me antibiotics as a caution to take if it got bad. It got worse so I just took them. He gave me Penicillin which is the safest in pregnancy. The whole house ended up being bad, the germ came from my son's school it was doing the round there. My husband ended up with his brewing into a chest infection. I started to feel better after a couple of days on the antibiotics which were for 5 days. However, it's come back with vengeance because now my nose is fully blocked again and it is affecting my ears too but luckily no sore throat. The nasal spray I would normally use I have been told I can't use as it isn't safe in pregnancy and was told to use Olbas Oil or Nasal Spray instead. The sound in ears feels as if they are blocked but not with wax more like swollen from inflammation which would sit correctly because the ears being connected to the nose and throat. I wanted to get some ears drops but I'm put off by how much stuff I have had to take in the last week as it is (antibiotics & paracetamol, and now the Olbas Nasal Spray).

It's giving me severe health anxiety and I keep worrying about all this affecting the baby. And because i'm still early on in my pregnancy you don't tend to see anybody (especially as it isn't my 1st baby either). I guess id just find it extremely reassuring if i could go and see the baby and hear its heartbeat. I had a general catchup with my midwife before I had this second bout of germs and i told her I was concerned but she told me not to be. I do have a private scan booked anyway for in a weeks time so isn't too long to wait, but i'm taking my children and i'm worried of what they might find.

Has anyone been through germs / colds / flus at around this time and been fine? Do you think it's worth phoning triage and seeing them?

Thanks - C x

I’ve just got out of bed for the first time in over a week after having a really similar cold/flu. I also have health anxiety and have found it hard not to worry about the baby’s health but if helpful I had a midwife appointment this week and was in hospital for reduced movements (nothing to do with illness) and everyone both midwives and drs didn’t even blink twice. It’s really nothing to worry about for the baby, especially if no fever that can’t be controlled with paracetamol.

I’ve also taken antibiotics 3 times during my pregnancy (I’m now 32 weeks) and again the advice to me has been that it’s so much more of a risk not taking them than taking them for the baby. All in all everyone I’ve spoken to has reassured throughout that these things are nothing to worry about! Hope that helps provide some reassurance xx

No don’t phone triage. What could they do anyway? You are fine and the baby is well protected and fine. You are probably more ill in pregnancy because baby is taking what it needs from you.

I had (and I quote) ‘the worst case of tonsillitis I have ever seen in my 20 year career as a doctor’ while 5 months pregnant. I was fine. Baby was fine.

You are unnecessarily worrying yourself. You are both fine.

stop worrying, this is normal in pregnancy. Sickness mood swing stress is because of hormonal changes. I suggest relax calm tea. it's organic formula to overcome stress anxiety and keeps you nerves calm