Cold? Pregnancy Rhinitis? what can I take for it?

[Miffster]

I am almost 14 weeks. Last night I started having a really stuffed up, snuffly sneezy nose. My tongue is also sore and swollen. I am assuming this is a summer cold, only I almost never get summer colds. There is however, another possible culprit: yesterday I spent 5 hours cleaning the flat because we had viewings and estate agent photographer that afternoon. I got several lungfuls of dust and numerous facefuls of household chemicals. I am also run down, stressed, weepy and exhausted.

Now I have heard that being up the duff can make you extra-sensitive to chemicals and dust, and also make your nasal passages swell which could explain the sneezing and snuffling.

I need to get better fast, whatever it is, because my brother is having heavy chemo prior to a bone marrow graft this week, and cannot have any visitors with germs as he has no immune system right now because of the treatment. My sister and I are his main visitors and he needs us.

So what can I take, if anything, to get better faster and how can I tell if it is allergens or a virus making me sneeze and sniffle? Any ideas ladies?

Cheers.

Ooh! Ooh! I know this one! You need those breathe right strips that stick over the top of your nose at night - they worked a treat for me and have zero effects on baby x

Ooh will try them. Thanks.

If it does turn out to be a cold, I can't take paracetamol or anything else like that, can I?

You could try inhaling the vapours from menthol crystals in hot water - it clears your nose in a couple of minutes. Dunno if it'll help if the membranes are swollen, but it's cheap and quick, so worth a try....

Paracetamol is safe in pregnancy too xx

You are fine with paracetamol, it's the other pain killers you have to avoid (ibuprofen and aspirin). You can also get nasal spray from the chemists, which is basically saline solution - it helps loosen up any gunk in your nose. Try also to get more rest; easier said than done, but I always get ill when I'm run down. Sleep will help you recover. Finally I still had a hot toddy when ill and pregnant, figured it was better to feel better and sleep well than to worry over having a nip of whisky... Oh, and keep taking the pregnancy vitamins!

If you've got a cold, it's paracetamol, Vicks, saline spray and honey & lemon that you can use. Not much fun though.

You need to try and avoid the cleaning chemicals whatever though. I know a friend of mine started using a decorating dust mask.

Thanks very much. I'll definitely use a dust mask next time.
Possibly my nose is more sensitive anyway - I know my sense of smell is! but I shouldn't still be sneezing and streaming on Monday if the big clean was Fri and Sat, should I? So I think it is a cold, brought on by getting tired and run down and the household cleaning chemicals have not helped.

Several people in the office have colds. [mad] at colleagues for making me ill.

This is strange - I could have written your original post (apart from the bit about your brother, of course - really sorry to hear about that, and all the very best for his op). I still don't know if I've got a cold or it's some dust allergy that has been latent (didn't even consider the cleaning chemicals, but could possibly be that too). Is pregnancy rhinitis a well-known phenomenon? My DH has perennial rhinitis and I do seem to have joined him... Anyway, thanks for posting and everyone else for the tips - it's all going to help me a lot!

I think, and I could be wrong, that the increased blood you carry in pregnancy affects delicate/sensitive areas like the nose just because of the increased volume. For example, I have nose-bleeds in pregnancy and I can't remember the last time I had one when not pregnant... however my nose troubles seem to settle down as pregnancy progresses. Certainly this time I had some really blocked sinuses early on, which were helped by the saline solution, and I've been fine lately. Although just now I've got a cold coming on, so touch wood it goes quickly!

numptymum glad I'm not the only one having the odd sleep-inducing hot toddy....

I have perennial rhinitis (all year round) and had to stop my daily tablet when i got pregnant. Boy, did i suffer for the first 4 months. It was horrendous. My nose was permanently red and sore and i spent the majority of the time with tissue stuck up my nostrils (indoors....obviously) to try to stop the flow. (it just runs like a tap) I decided there had to be something i could do and spent a while researching on the internet. All the medical websites say there is no cure and it's basically caused by the linings in your nose being damaged. But i then came across a blog about squirting a water and salt solution up your nose with a syringe. Tried it- weeks ago- and i have not suffered once or had to repeat. From someone who has had this probably from her childhood (now 35) i am in absolute shock. Try it and see if it works.