What Would You Do?

[LovinLiviLou]

Here's the situation - my due date was yesterday. I've had a cold since Wednesday before last (the 10th) which then turned into a sinus infection last Thursday (the 18th). I keep thinking its getting better, but then at midday it seems just as bad as the day before. I'm doing all the natural things to ward it off as well as taking a decongestant (but no antibiotics). This is my second one this pregnancy (the last one was 2 months ago), and the last one lasted 2 1/2 weeks before I broke down and took antibiotics. So, my dilemma is - I know my body probably won't have this baby til I'm well (and selfishly I'm really ready to have this baby!) but I'm also worried about taking antibiotics and the baby being affected (my big fear - thrush!). My first daughter was born completely naturally, which was wonderful, and I want the same thing here. So - would you wait it out or take the antibiotics? TIA!

[KatSG]

I'm so sorry you're suffering! I feel guilty for the little pity party I'm having right now, esp. since I'm not even overdue!

If it were me, I wouldn't take the abx. IMO, your body will go into labor whether you have a sinus infection or not. My dh used to get sinus infections constantly and they always did clear up on their own though it would sometimes take weeks (he quit getting them altogether when he quit dairy).

I know how uncomfortable you must be, but the added stress of thrush and all the side effects of abx wouldn't be worth it, for me at least.

So, that's WIWD (what I would do). I really hope you feel better!

[luckylady]

I hope you feel better soon! I agree - no abx unless you start feeling even worse!

[robin4kids]

Take the antibiotic!

Sorry I just really feel you need to get well NOW! I had a ninus infection which started around 30 weeks and went on for over a month. I could not talk. I was sooo sick! I went to the midwife and was fine with waiting it out. She offered a persciption. I really can't remember what I took, but it was something that I took only for 4-5 days, it was a pill and it is also good for OB type problems. I was so shocked she could perscribe me something. it may not have been an antibiotic.

Here is the thing, I am a carrier of Thrush. I get it every child. Thrush does not start till baby is around 3 months. You need to get the infection cleared up ASAP. I would rather clear it up before baby comes. Ask your OB or midwife if she knows what I took, which can be also good for clearing up OB type problems. My midwife told me it was VERY safe for baby.

As a side note. I don't take ANYTHING while pregnant. NO meds., so for me to have taken this, I had to be very sick and very trusting of my MW.

Get well for you new baby!

[NYCVeg]

I do think you should talk to your care provider. Personally, I would probably hold off on the abx. Your body *will* go into labor when it's ready, even if you're sick (I know people who were FAR sicker than you are who went into labor! In some cases, in fact, an illness seems to be a triggering factor.) I also might post in the vax board, where people could give you some good advice on alternatives to abx. If you do end up taking them, I would definitely add a high-grade (refrigerated) probiotic supplement (start now!).

I guess you need to weigh your reasons: if you want to take them b/c you really feel awful and believe the abx are the only way to clear up what you have, then maybe do it. If it's mostly b/c you think you won't go into labor if you're sick and you're ready to have baby, then I'd say probably not.

I'm a bit biased, though: I react incredibly badly to antibiotics and I spent a long time (9 months, half of which was during this pregnancy) struggling with yeast after I went off the pill. I looked very seriously into alternatives to abx in the event I was GBS+; thankfully, I was negative, but I'm not sure that I would have taken them (certainly not any -cillin drugs) even if I was positive.

[provocativa]

I got a cold the week before my due date, and kept it down from horrifying with homeopathics (pulsatilla, aconite, and kali muriaticum) and Emergen-C. I'm five days overdue now, and illness is wound down, except for a lingering cold sore. Sometimes baby will wait until mama is optimum. I suffer with thrush and find it horrifyingly painful. We are all 'carriers' of it, most of us, since candida albicans is ubiquitous. Only if we take antibiotics and disturb our flora (I did when given abx for mastitis) can the candida take hold. I would not take another antibiotic while breastfeeding - especially beginning breastfeeding - unless my life were in direct danger.

[guestmama9906]

As a fellow sufferer of chronic sinus infections (pounding headaches, feels like you went a few rounds with Mike Tyson in the face, very painful) I would say wait a few days longer, but if you tend to have the 2-4 weeks sinus colds, for your sake and comfort it might not be a bad idea to take the ABX. Also, try steaming your face twice a day, this helps me a lot, since we live in a very dry climate. You have my sympathy, as everytime I get those colds I'm in pain for weeks!

[brown eyed girls]

Have you done sinus irrigation or taken garlic cloves? What about vit C? When I got a sinus inf. I increased to 5000mg Vit C, swallowed 2-3 cloves of garlic a day and did sea salt sinus irrigation several times a day. The inf. immediately felt better-- pain/pressure gone-- and I was asymptomatic after about 24 hours. I continued treatment for probably 4-5 days though to make sure it was gone.

[provocativa]

Yes, I used to get sinus infections all all the time- try the irrigation. It's difficult the first time but it works wonders.

[LovinLiviLou]

Update - Thanks to all of you. I have been doing the irrigation, vit c, garlic,etc. I broke down Monday and called the dr. and begged for antiobiotics. They couldn't see me until Tuesday at 1, and wouldn't you know it, I had a breakthrough monday night. I was standing in the kitchen and could just feel my head open up. I'll spare you the gory details of what followed, but needless to say, I cancelled the appointment, and am on my way to recovery drug free! Call it divine intervention. Still no baby, but at least I feel like I can actually make it another day! Thanks again.

[KatSG]

I'm so glad you feel better! Now let's hope you and I get our babies REALLY SOON!!