pregnant w/ cold

[timework]

Hi..I'm 28 weeks along finally but woke up yesterday and today with a sore throat and stuffy nose.  Usually when I get a cold I take echineachea tablets from the health food store and that seems to kick the symptoms.  Does anyone know if they are safe to take during pregnancy? I'd hate for this to turn into the flu. Thanks for your comments
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[DismalEuphoria]

No one really knows what is safe to take during pregnancy, as no studies have shown to prove or disprove harmful effects from OTC medications. If you feel ill, I have been advised by my doctor during pregnancy that it is okay to take robitussin or tylenol cold & flu. If in serious doubt, call your physician, but this is what I have learned.

[msklar]

No it isnt safe. I have read that you shouldnt take it because I have wanted to take it also. The only things Ive been able to take are the ricola herb drops Cherry-honey...they help to ease your throat and head for a little while and sudafed for stuffyness. But sudafed can raise your blood pressure and heartrate. I was also told I could take Benadryl but I couldnt ever figure out which one....Since you are so far along, ask your ob/gyn if echinacea is ok......maybe since you are in your last trimester it wont hurt the baby....let me know too...I have another cold comming on. Ill research online if I can find anything..

[shelbert6]

You might want to try lemon and honey in a cup of decaf tea for the sore throat.  Celestial Seasonings is reasonably priced and come in a variety of nice flavors.  Tylenol is good for aches and pains and safe during pregnancy.  Also, for the stuffy nose I rely on Vicks Vapor Rub or Mentholatum Rub.  Works well at night for getting some sleep, just like with kids.  These are some tricks of the pregnancy trade I have used during all of my pregnancies.  Benedryl is safe, too, but can leave you very sleepy, again, good for nighttime.  I have chronic hypertension, so I can't take Sudafed, but that is generally ok, too, and works well for drying up the runny nose.  But I think that this can also make a sore throat worse, because it dries everything out.  So drink lots of water.

Shelly

[bellyfrost]

I checked with my nurse-midwife about 'Tylenol Cold Day Non-Drowsy' (not the 'Nighttime,' which has an antihystamine) to see if it was ok.  She listened to the three active ingredients (Acetaminophen--Tylenol, Pseudoepherine HCl and Dextromethorphan HBr--Robitussin), and told me that it was ok.  She said that it was  important to get rid of the cough and headache, and to prevent a sinus infection, and that this would not hurt the baby.

I looked these up and the web, as well, to see what I'd find.  One website said it was fine, the next disagreed, and so forth.  I decided to go with my midwife's advice, as she has my charts, and finally was able to sleep through the night for the first time in three days--no more hacking cough waking me up every half hour!

[Indepent]

i think im pregnant and i havent missed my lat period yet. but i have symptoms like sleeping lot and my eatin habbit dizznes headches feeling like i want throw up and my thorat is hurting do those signs mean i might be pregnant ? please help