Pregnant and sick with a cold. Ugh.
Here's the thing with cold medication, the only ones you can take are the ones that have been around for a long time.
Why? Because many pregnant ladies have taken it before you and none have sued the pharmaceutical companies because their kid was born with nine belly buttons.
Drug companies can't test on people (well, at least none that we know of) so they can't really say if it will do harm to a baby. They're usually pretty sure of what it will do to a pregnant rat but that doesn't make you feel much better. I think the thing most people can't grasp is how sick you get when you can't take anything – it's awful. What's more, this is where the "better safe than sorry" shit comes up. Rest assured that all these "better safe than sorry" people are sleeping soundly at 3am while you're coughing up a lung. ALL medication will tell you not to take it while you're pregnant or nursing but some pharmacists will sometimes take pity on you and tell you which ones are okay. Sometimes it helps to let the snot trickle into your mouth when you ask "can I take this?". If nothing else, it will get a quick answer out of everyone to get you out of the store .
search: cold medication pregnancy, safe to take during pregnancy, colds and pregnancy
16 Comments
Reader Comments (16)
Certain things like Advil/Motrin/whatever should be avoided, however, because they definitely restrict blood flow to the placenta, and can harm your baby in terms of growth and getting enough oxygen/nutrients, etc., and pretty surely cause other problems, esp. after 30 weeks. Pretty much every doctor across the board will say that. But you're right, most cold medicines fall under "Category C", meaning they haven't been tested on pregnant anything, or possibly on pregnant rats.
As I am suffering from this very thing at the present moment, I can attest to how frustrating and annoying it is. As I was scouring the internet yesterday looking for drugs that were ok to take, one person offered the advise of using a hankerchef. I mean really. My nose is so congested, the hankerchef would be of no use. I finally broke down and used Zicam's nasal gel. I found a site that stated only 5-10% could possibly reach the baby which would not really matter. At that point I just wanted to breathe again. I'm surprised pregnant women aren't prescribed bubbles as soon as the test comes up positive.
I am actually crying now from laughing. That was me just yesterday at the drug-store!! Snot and all! I was finally able to take something and sleep and breathe after 3 days!
This was me at the Target pharmacy today. I asked what I could take for cough and congestion and the pharmacist didn't even look up from her computer when she said "650mg of Tylenol".
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
NO SHIT this is where the "better safe than sorry" crowd hangs out. Bastards.
Ok I am on my 4th kid and the next person that tells me to take tylenol will "no longer be with us!" Here is what I have found - Saline Spray, Humidifiers/Vaporizers and lots of pillows to prop you up so you don't choke on your snot. I wish there was more ladies - I REALLY do! I was advised to eat spicy food to open up the airways but that just gave me heartburn - BONUS!!!
My nurse midwife told me I could take Tylenol cold. I didn't think to ask which Tylenol cold as there are so many kinds with different ingredients. I took both the day time and the night time Tylenol for sinus congestion thinking it was ok. I chose not to take the ones that treated multiple symptoms because I reasoned it would be too many types of medication. After I had been taking the OTC meds for a couple days my midwife told me NOT to take the night time because of the antihistamine. I was sure I had just mutated my child. I now have a VERY healthy 16 month old son.
I'm just getting over a cold. My doctor gave me a list of medications I could take. Robitussin (any kind without alcohol) was on the list. While it didn't help me sleep at night, it did make daytime more tolerable. And cough drops and Vicks Vapo Rub eased the night some.
I am preggo right now, and just went to my OB and asked what I could take for my cold. She said "regular robitussin" (which means the kind without stimulants or alcohol) and the "orange sudafed." LOL, don't ask me which one that is!
I just had this conversation yesterday with my midwife. She said Tylenol for fever & Sudafed for sinus issues. YAY DRUGS! I do miss my good old green Nyquil though.
Sort of off topic, but she also said Emergen-C was ok to take and it has tons of vitamin c to help my immune system & B6 to (hopefully) help me not barf.
*shakes fists at the pregnancy gods about the barfing*
I have had a cold for about 2 months... ironically since the day I found out I was pregnant. My doctor believes that it is allergies but I believe that I have pissed off the pregnancy gods somehow... anywho- doc says benadryl and claritin are okay, tylenol and sudafed are fine too. Basically, nothing with alcohol or anything that works good. The pollen just arrived so locking myself in my house is becoming a viable option.
Caron - any possibility it's pregnancy rhinitis? The mucous membranes in your nose can swell up just like those membranes lower down. I've never had it happen but there are women out there who just stay stuffed up until they give birth. :(
I heard that the Tylenol symptom is VERY BAD.
"The active ingredients in Tylenol Cold Multi-Symptom are acetaminophen (325 mg), dextromethorphan HBr (10 mg) and phenylephrine HCI (5 mg). Amounts are based upon a single dosage.
Acetaminophen is approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics for use during pregnancy. Dextromethorphan, however, has shown adverse effects and toxicity on fetuses during scientific studies, and there is a lack of adequate and well-controlled studies on pregnant women. Therefore, it should not be taken unless the benefit to the mother outweighs the possible risk to the fetus. Phenyleprhine is a short-acting ingredient that is generally considered safe for pregnant and nursing women."
http://www.ehow.com/about_5475764_effects-tylenol-cold-cough-pregnant.html
so your best bet is to look at the ingredients!! Good luck
I just got over a cold that I was SURE would end up killing me, and my husband's aunt (who is an RN) told my husband to buy me Tylenol Cold Multi-Symptom and pour it down my throat. I'm a little afraid that I've just given my kid two heads, but she swears that I'll be okay. Honestly, I was so desperate for relief that I would have drank laundry soap if I knew it would help me.
Thanks for this post! I am recovering from a truly hideous cough and head cold. I think people who arent sick really forget how awful these are. I am at the end of my rope! Nose so extremely sore and cracked skin from blowing, all day sneezing which kills my poor sore throat, and a croupy nasty cough. Add in fatigue from pregnancy, the ever present queasiness and a ridiculously sensitive gag reflex that makes it impossible to cough deeply to get the junk out of my lungs (i.e. It makes me puke which kills my throat) and you've got one mama who is out of her mind. I would take whatever i could get my hands on at this point. All sanity has left the building. :(
Cold medication is one of the best form to save lives, I have been reading about since I read an article about cold medication in xlpharmacy! so important to medicate people!