Taking meds while preg??

mixedqt21 · December 2011

So I posted yesterday about not feeling well, and although I slept a ton, I woke up feeling a lot worse. I had some vomitting when I first woke up and just felt awful. So I came back down to the couch, had my FI bring me some water and juice and food to hold me over until he got home. Then came the chills.....I had 2 blankets on me and was FREEZING. I felt like anything I drank or ate was going to come back up and just tried to sleep. I called my mom for advice and she told me to just keep hydrating and eating.

I fell asleep for an hour or 2 and woke up feeling like death. My FI had gotten home and took my temp which was 101.4, which is really high for me because I'm usually 96-97. Mom said call the doc and they told me the approved meds that I could take and if they didn't work to call back. So here's the point of all the back story....

My mom is against meds while pregnant (which I am also for the most part), and kept trying to tell me what I needed to do, but with the fever I literally could not move, eat or drink. Finally I decided to take the tylenol (which I have not taken any for any other reason) but I knew it wasn't safe for me to have this fever with the baby. My fever has come down enough that I can get some food and liquids down and function. My mom calls me to see how I am and gives me this HUGE guilt trip about taking tylenol. She kept saying how you don't know the side effects of it and just because the doc said to take it doesn't mean it's safe (so WHY did you tell me to call the doc???). I did not take any of the other meds that they tell you is safe but tylenol has been around for a long time and they even give it to kids to break their fever. Long story short....what is everyone else's opinion about tylenol or other meds? I could only imagine if I needed to take antibiotics for something she would probably expect me to just suffer through it.

nickelpickelpink · December 2011

Tylenol is totally fine to take. I've taken it a couple times when I've had really sore hips and back. Hope you feel better!

MigenMigen · December 2011

I think that your doctor is the one who went to school for nearly a decade, so your mom should back off and let you get the medical care you need.

I, too, am trying to refrain from all medications, but I think that I'd trust my doctor on this. Afterall - while tylenol or antibiotics may have negative effects on the baby, whatever your illness is could have dramatically worse effects!

Shawnee11507 · December 2011

I am against taking meds unless I really have to- within reason. I have taken tylenol a couple of times when I felt like I needed to, but not as often as I would have if I wasn't pregnant. I am on antibiotics right now for a severe sinus/ear infection. My primary care physician said it was ok and my OB said it was ok. In some cases, staying sick (or having a fever) could cause more harm to the baby then taking tylenol, amoxicillin, or whatever med needed would.

mixedqt21 · December 2011

Thanks ladies....I think her problem is that you see all of these commercials with new meds that people take and don't know the problems until later, but those are new meds on the market.

buckeyebride22 · December 2011

Tylenol is fine. The damage from having a fever or infection is worse then two tiny pills. Your mom would have a heart attack if she knew how much I take it because of these contractions. Not to mention my Zoloft

melissajo2011 · December 2011

IMHO, having a high fever and not getting enough to eat/drink is much worse for the baby than Tylenol. Tylenol has been around a long time and used by tons of pregnant women. Don't let your mom make you feel guilty.

jmccall79 · December 2011

I'm typically anti-meds in general, but sometimes you just have to!!!! I've takend tylenol a few times while being pregnant because of an excruciating migraine or headache. It's worked wonders and I felt so much better. I think I've taken it 4 times this whole 28 wks, and only took one dose. I do not feel guilty for taking it because I know me feeling at my best is what's best for him! A high fever and being sick is NOT healthy for your baby and you should not feel guilty at all for taking the tylenol! Hope you feel better!

ChristinaL27 · December 2011

I'm normally an anti med gal when not pregnant unless absolutely necessary...But I had a bad cold then bronchitis and upper resp. infection. I was on an antibiotic for 5 days for the bronchitis and during it I had massives headaches due to coughing so much I took 2 tylenol a night for a week. My doctor said no problem with it. I refused to suffer anymore than I already was! Not only that my bodily functions and body aches were horrible too.... Also I take colace - I can't go 4-5 days with out a bowel moment and when I did have them it was like 2 tiny rocks!... So I guess it's safe to say I take meds while pregnant- Oh tums included.

elizxu · December 2011

I've taken tylenol 2 or 3 times and got a flu shot. Thankfully, I have been healthy through the pregnancy and haven't had to take anything. But, if the situation called for something I wouldn't be against taking it. Medicine is a powerful tool...can be used for good or overused.

kyethra · December 2011

I take Tylenol a couple times a week. I also had to start using an inhaler occasionally because of wheezing (pregnancy congestion). I am on a few other meds. A year or two before I got pregnant and was planning on it I started talking to my doctors about medication and options. I have a couple of chronic conditions and needed to know what everyone advised. For me one of the hardest decisions was to continue my antidepressant. I did manage to get down to half of my dose before I got pregnant, and knowing that there are risks with being depressed while pregnant made it so there was no good decision. I saw a psychiatrist about it and went over the research and implications of each decision. I am also on another category B med for a condition i have. Without this medication I am not functional-- I can't work and I am sick all the time. So I did my research and talked to specialists and my one doctor discussed it with a perinatologist. I also take zyrtec for allergies and I had to start something for my blood pressure.

I do worry about the baby, but I don't think it would be healthy for the baby if I couldn't do anything well during the pregnancy, including take care of myself.

MollySm · December 2011

IMO the fever is probably worse for the baby than the tylenol. So it was a good move to take it.

karleegirl · December 2011

In medicine it's called risk vs benefit. It has to be weighed out. Tylenol is very low risk and there is more benefit to you taking and getting your temp down.

swimgirl87 · December 2011

I agree with everyone who says an illness can be worse for the baby than the meds. If the doctor okays it then it is probably okay. They see tons of patients with much worse problems, a little Tylenol is not going to hurt.

I had a pretty bad kidney infection and was prescribed vicodin a couple weeks ago. I asked my doc about it. She said it is okay because I was in pain. That most meds are okay, especially in the later stages of pregnancy. She said its when you use it often that it gets bad. Like people with chronic pain and such. I only took my vicodin once, but I needed it. After I was able to get some sleep and let the antibiotics work I switched to Tylenol.

jju_stb_jju · December 2011

i have never taken anything during this pregnancy other than my prenatals. even though my dr gave me a prescription for the vomiting and things i had, i never took it. but in your case, with the fever, you should def not feel bad for taking the tylenol!! you needed to cut that fever quick and you did just that!! dont feel bad!! you were doing the right thing!!!

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