Whooping Cough while 35 wks pregnant how much vit C?

[colleentara]

Well-- I'm pretty sure it's WC and I'm miserable. I had them culture me b/c I'm afraid to pass it on to the newborn . They told me that the culture sometimes comes back as a false negative.

I got the Zpack (antibiotics) to help prevent me from transmitting it to DH and DS (neither is vaccinated). but this doesn't help my symptoms.

At night the fits are so bad that I don't sleep .

I've been trying to read through posts to find out how much sodium absorbate (Vit C) to take --- would extremely high doses be safe during pregnancy? Does it help the symptoms?

They gave me cough syrup with codeine, but it scares me to take it. I tried a normal dose of it last night and it didn't stop the coughing at all.

Suggestions?

Thanks mamas.

[nova22]

How far along are you? I saw a couple of claims (online) that mega-doses of Vitamin C can cause preterm labor but if you're full term, that obviously wouldn't be a concern for you. One site said 2,000mg is the maximum dose you should take while pregnant, but my midwife told me to take AT LEAST 2,000mg per day while I am sick. 

I finally broke down and took Delsym last night for a cough. I don't have whooping cough, but it actually helped a lot. I should warn you though that I didn't sleep at all. I can't imagine what Delsym might have in it that would keep me awake so it's probably unrelated, but I thought I should throw that out there. 

[WifeofAnt]

I've heard with real whooping cough that cough suppressants actually make it worse.  If you got the antibiotics in time it could help keep you from being contagious but I'm not an expert on the subject.  *Hopefully* it will pass before the baby comes but it can last quite a while.

I would try the vitamin C though.  It can't really do much besides give you diarrhea if you take too much.  Some sources say to stay under 2000 mg though (and don't take high doses in the first 8 weeks of pregnancy but that doesn't apply here).  Since it is water soluble and the body will flush any excess out its better to take *many* small doses than a few larger ones to keep your levels up.

[colleentara]

Thanks for the replies. I went to buy the sodium absorbate form of Vitamin C and it was really hard to find --even at Whole Foods. I only could find a super sweet chewable. Does it have to be sodium absorbate for Whooping Cough? The other types were absorbic acid and calcium absorbate.

I'm 34/35 weeks, so still not at term--- do no want pre-term labor! I wonder if it's true that more than 2000 mg could cause preterm labor? I'm not sure what Delsym is, but I'll look it up.

I feel like these insane coughing fits could put me into pre-term labor !

[~Adorkable~]

I would also recommend that you take a c complex rather than straight c. It can really help with absorption and in reference to early pregnancy at least, straight c was listed as a bad thing while the full complex was listed as a helpful thing.

The complex is also referee to as having the biflavinoids included, they are the really healthy things that make the white parts of orange skin so bitter.

I think in the lessor if two evil category, I would personally get pretty aggressive to calm the cough, I would be more worried that it was going to break your water or do something.

Another thing to look up and ask your doctor about is a drug called Benzonatate , brand name is often Tessalon. They look like tiny little oil capsules and are a numbing thing, very amazing, saved me from getting completely ripped up from the worse cough I ever had. I have no idea what safety level they are, but I do know they are one of the straight forward amazing on the spot suppressants, which may be way better than something that needs to go thru your body a lot more to get to working.

[DanielleT]

Go to www.vitamincfoundation.org and there is ALOT of useful info about how much to take when your sick....there is also a few articles about docs who gave vitamin c to their pregnant patients who weren't sick; you'd be suprised how much they took everyday...

I take about 2000mg of Vit C and 5000mg of Vitamin D everyday and then up that amount if i think im getting sick...I haven't been sick though in quite some time and i run a small dayhome with at least one snotty kid all the time...

You could also try drinking some honey and lemon tea, should help alittle with the cough and it's yummy
 

Originally Posted by colleentara 

Well-- I'm pretty sure it's WC and I'm miserable. I had them culture me b/c I'm afraid to pass it on to the newborn . They told me that the culture sometimes comes back as a false negative.

I got the Zpack (antibiotics) to help prevent me from transmitting it to DH and DS (neither is vaccinated). but this doesn't help my symptoms.

At night the fits are so bad that I don't sleep .

I've been trying to read through posts to find out how much sodium absorbate (Vit C) to take --- would extremely high doses be safe during pregnancy? Does it help the symptoms?

They gave me cough syrup with codeine, but it scares me to take it. I tried a normal dose of it last night and it didn't stop the coughing at all.

Suggestions?

Thanks mamas.

[L&K'smommie]

I've taken about 5,000mg of Vit C(not one particular kind of C but a combo) a day in my last 2 pregnancies and have all ready been taking 3-4000mg a day with this one.  I used a lot of EmergenC in my first two and this time I'm taking a combo of a pill and EmergenC.  I started taking it to help my varicose veins(and it does help).  I also take 10-15,000 IUs of Vit D a day(working on getting my levels about 90) and both help me stay well and get well.  I've never had pre term labor or an early baby...both my boys came right at 40 weeks.  So hopefully that helps as someone who has taken that much.

[colleentara]

Thanks-- this is good stuff. I agree that it seems like the cough seems more likely to induce labor than the SA! And this is a good reminder to up my Vit. D as well.

[Bokonon]

I don't have any advice about WC while pregnant, but just wanted to share that I order my sodium ascorbate through Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Source-Naturals-Ascorbate-Buffered-Crystals/dp/B000GFPCO8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289703412&sr=8-1

Best wishes, and I hope you are feeling better soon!

[colleentara]

The cough keeps getting worse! I finish the antibiotics today and I've been taking 4000 mg of the SA. ugh. Wish I didn't have to grade papers today and get myself to work tomorrow. :(