sinus and achy...what to take?

[Mamato3wild ponnie]

I'm not sure if i have a bit of the flu or a cold. But i have no energy and have a headache and sinu pressure, my eyes are burning. What can I take? I have tylenol for the headaches...but what about my sinus?

[lyterae]

I have the same thing, going on day 3... I still haven't taken anything for it though.

[Arianwen]

Regular strength tylenol. What I do is take 1, wait and see if it's enough to make me comfortable. Being ill while pregnant blows, you have my sympathies. I had a headcold awhile back that made my "morning" sickness worse, so I had the cold and I was barfing 2-3 times a day. Fun fun, NOT!

Keep up your fluid intake, have soup broth and REST.

For the sinus probs, I find a nice steamy shower works wonders. Failing that, get a neti pot and rinse with saline (non iodized salt.) my DH gets horribly bad allergies in the spring (tree pollen) and does sinus rinses...

[jcregan]

The saline spray bottles you can get at any type of drug store help a lot... I think there are some decongestants that in certain amounts are approved for pregnancy? Not certain which ones though and I know personally with a minor cold I would just use saline.

[karen1968]

If part of your problem is sleeping because of swollen sinuses, I highly recommend Breathe Right strips! I'd been having middle-of-the-night panic attacks because of waking up feeling like I couldn't breathe; my mw recommended the strips and I was AMAZED at how well they work (I admit - I was skeptical!)

if you think it is allergies, both Zyrtec and Claritin are OK while pregnant. A more natural solution would be nettle tea or ticture. For a cold, garlic lemonade (3-5 cloves of garlic steeped in boiling water for 30 minutes, strain, and add lemon juice to the liquid) can be effective. For either, a neti pot can work great.

And although I know a lot of people on MDC frown on it, I used pseudoephedrine in my first pregnancy. It was the only decongestant that worked, and I'd tried natural solutions for 3 days first. But I kept waking up unable to breathe because of a combo of congestion and a phlem-covered throat. I took the minimal dose and only at night so I could sleep, but it seemed the only thing that would work for me.

[PoppyMama]

Original Sudafed/pseudoephedrine is the only thing that works for sinus issues for me and it is something that docs say is ok.

[EnchantedMamma]

I also found tons of fluids helped a wee bit (eta: specifically hot lemon-honey water). A neti pot if tolerable.

And echinacea tea if your provider ok's it. Helps your immune system in general. I don't think I was ok'd to take extra zinc, but YMMV.

[myk]

my pharmacist says pseudoephedrine is NOT recommended for pregnancy. a saline wash is good, hot showers, vicks vapo-rub, and benadryl (diphenhydramine) if your nose is really runny.

[karen1968]

Originally Posted by myk

my pharmacist says pseudoephedrine is NOT recommended for pregnancy.

Hmm, that's changed in the last couple of years, then. Well, FWIW, I took about 4 doses of sudafed while pregnant with DS, and it didn't affect him. I was 25+ weeks, though. Maybe it's really only not indicated in 1st or 2nd tri? There are other drugs that are OK in 3rd, but not earlier

[altoidmandy]

I've also had great success with the neti-pot for sinus congestion. I have allergies, and I notice a huge difference on the days that I use it.

[myk]

Originally Posted by karen1968

Hmm, that's changed in the last couple of years, then. Well, FWIW, I took about 4 doses of sudafed while pregnant with DS, and it didn't affect him. I was 25+ weeks, though. Maybe it's really only not indicated in 1st or 2nd tri? There are other drugs that are OK in 3rd, but not earlier

beats me.. seems it's hard to get anyone to agree on what's good exactly when! my old drug book says it's pregnancy category B, which should be fine.