Visine Drama (a little long)

samfam1 · January 2013

My DH and I are 6 weeks pregnant and my eyes get irritated from time to time. So I have used Visine (with Tetrahydrozoline HCl 0.05% ) 2 or 3 times since I?ve been pregnant; however, last night after putting the drops in I swallowed and tasted the Visine in the back of my throat. Of course I panicked and jumped online only to find a litany of articles saying how dangerous using this type of Visine is during pregnancy, never mind ingesting it. Completely terrified, I contact poison control and was chastised for even picking up the phone. The minute the guy heard what my issue was he said that eye drops always ?leak? into your nose and throat and that anyone using eye drops should know that (ouch). Then once I was ?reassured? I wasn?t going to get sick after ingesting the small amount, I told him I was pregnant (big mistake). He said that my ob/gyn should have told me about Visine (my first appointment isn?t for another week) and that I needed to get up to speed with what I can and cannot use during pregnancy (double ouch). I hung up the phone and sat there stunned. The minute I found out I was pregnant I ran out and bought half a dozen books, joined this forum and have been doing as much research as I can. I am not even close to being ?well versed? in all things baby, but I didn?t read anywhere that Visine is that harmful and is a major NO NO for pregnant women. I?m sorry to ramble, but I just felt like THE worst mommy-to-be for not doing adequate research on all things entering my body. Looking back I feel quite silly for not questioning Visine?s usability but you know what they say about hindsight. Has anyone experienced any issues with Visine related pregnancy complications, or do you know of any other inconspicuous NO NO?s that aren?t vilified in the typical what to expect when you?re expecting books?

sdjurado84 · February 2013

I didn't have a Visine issue, but did have a similar episode with dog medication. I had to rub medication on my dog's nose for about 3 days then finally decided to look up if I should even be touching this stuff. Well I found out it causes cleft pallet in animals, and let's just say I FREAKED! I called the vet and my OB and found out not to worry. I've looked online and can't find the ultimate don't touch list for pregnant women. But it's good to know not to touch Visine. I think ingesting it by mouth is just as bad as putting it in your eyes. Eyes are one of the most sensitive areas for absorption. But try not to worry too much. I know it's hard, especially with hormones on overdrive.

LSEPTING · February 2013

Wow! That guy was really rude to you! I'm sorry to hear that! You aren't a bad mommy. Next time you are at the store, get Oasis Tears. They only have glycerin in them, so they are safe for pregnancy.

Crinita · February 2013

Well I had no idea either.. none of the books that I have seem to say anything about it, and the doctor didn't mention it either. (?) The only thing that keeps getting to me is how freakishly long the list of things we are supposed to avoid is... I mean, how will I ever keep track of it?

My biggest mess up (that I know of) so far has been limited accidental consumption of lunchmeat and artificial sweetners.

Bigboneded · March 2013

Dosing is a big part of the danger. You should be fine. Three days of recommended dose eye drops equals small dose. Also the fact that they went down your throat doesn't mean you ingested more than through your eye membrane. But aren't you glad that made you look it up so you realized you should stop? You can still run for best mom of the year in spite of poison control guy what an insensitive clod he can be! Hey, did your OB warn you away from Visine at your very first appointment? This is the first time I've heard that so thank you for sharing... Sorry about the panic TP

Jeni1975 · April 2013

That guy was a creep. I'm newly pregnant with my second and I never knew about Visine until I read your post. Thankfully I haven't ever used it, but that's not why I wanted to respond. Be kind to yourself. You will read countless pages, books, blogs, and articles and prepare the best you can... However, there will still be things that you never read or hear about. It happens to us all. Your little nugget is lucky to have you.

Rogaltab · May 2013

Hello!! don't worry, everyone "leaks" a bit when using ear/nose or eye drops and it is not normally harmful to swallow since the amount is too little... of course if it were an atibiotic, or penicillin would need more caution because of the baby...

Visine has not been found to have negative effects on pregnancy (it has not been shown to be harmless either), so you should consult with your OB/GYG about it...

For all of you, if it helps, when in doubt about taking some medicine, or combining meds, you can check out EpocratesOnline www.epocrates.com you can get a free suscription and access tons of drug info. This site is used by many EMT's so the information is valid (I got the tip from a friend who used to be a Georgetown EMT)... although it will NEVER REPLACE a medical consultation...

Take care and don't worry!!

Mjandersen · May 2013

If you are still having irritated eyes, you can use TheraTears which you can get at any drug store OTC. They are safe for anyone because they don't have preservatives so it doesn't cause a reaction to your already irritated eyes. It comes in a packet and you tear off 1 at a time for a single dose. I tend to use the one single dose for 3 days if needed.

Visine Drama (a little long)

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