If you've had a terrible cold while pregnant: come in, please!

andyyougoonie

I need help!  DD has been sick for weeks now, she gave it to H when she first got sick and they are both still sick 3 weeks later.  I just started having symptoms on Friday and it's just gotten worse and worse. I have a stuffy, runny nose, chest congestion, terrible cough, watery eyes.  My cough is so bad, it's actually made me throw up because I just can't control it and then I gag myself, I guess.

I've been taking Tylenol Cold during the day and Benedryl at night but that's not touching it (both on the list of approved meds from my OB's office).  I barely slept at all last night because I couldn't breathe.  My OB's office is closed for the holiday.

Any ideas what I can take that will help?  Or what I should do?  This mommy doesn't have time to be sick, especially when everybody else is still sick too!  TIA!

wino2006

Vicks vaporub, saline nasal spray and cough drops with lots of fluids and rest. That always seemed to help me the most. I have never found cold medicine to be helpful aside from helping me sleep at night. Try a humidifier with vicks vaporub to help clear things up. Hope you feel better!

KJmashup

My OB has the following list of approved medications:

ETA: I am so sorry, and I hope you feel better soon! 

COUGH/COLDS/SINUS:
Claritin
Sudafed
Robitussin
Actifed
Dimetapp
Tylenol Sinus Products 
Throat Lozenges 
Cough Drops
Benadryl 

Saline Nasal Spray 

14kgirl

+1 to the neti pot.  Plus maybe a shower before bed (without exhaust fan) and a humidifier in the bedroom. 

Sorry, it sucks so hard to be sick when you're pregnant.

kcisthebombdotcom

I ditto the sinus rinse and it is safe while pregnant. The lovely ladies here informed me of how helpful it was and I'm a believer. I had a cold that turned into a nasty sinus infection that was lingering and I was better in 2 days. I have an autoimmune disease so I catch sickness fairly easily. My DD was sick last week and I did a sinus rinse 2 or 3 times and never got sick. It's freaking awesome.

andyyougoonie

By nasal rinse, y'all are talking about a neti pot?  I've never tried that.  I read an article once about someone getting bacterial meningitis or something from one that hadn't been thoroughly cleaned I think.  It scared me away from them.

I need to breathe though.  I have a humidifier in DD's room, but we don't have one in our own.  I think I'll stop at WalMart on the way home and pick up every single thing y'all have recommended.  lol.  I have got to get rid of this and get some sleep!

Thanks so much for your help!

KJmashup

andyyougoonie:

By nasal rinse, y'all are talking about a neti pot?  I've never tried that.  I read an article once about someone getting bacterial meningitis or something from one that hadn't been thoroughly cleaned I think.  It scared me away from them.

I need to breathe though.  I have a humidifier in DD's room, but we don't have one in our own.  I think I'll stop at WalMart on the way home and pick up every single thing y'all have recommended.  lol.  I have got to get rid of this and get some sleep!

Thanks so much for your help!

Yes, the neti pot. You can use bottled/distilled water; that might make you feel safer about it. I think tap water was to blame in those few instances. 

andyyougoonie

KJmashup:

andyyougoonie:

By nasal rinse, y'all are talking about a neti pot?  I've never tried that.  I read an article once about someone getting bacterial meningitis or something from one that hadn't been thoroughly cleaned I think.  It scared me away from them.

Yes, the neti pot. You can use bottled/distilled water; that might make you feel safer about it. I think tap water was to blame in those few instances. 

Great idea!  Thanks!

Lotsofloveandkids

I used Vicks a lot and also tried to rest.

Wufroggy79

Another vote for a Netti pot treatment.  

acesup

I have basically been sick my entire pregnancy. I would suggest sinus rinses and mucinex dm. mucinex will help with the cough and bring everything up and get it out.