If it is Bronchitis Can it harm the baby?

[Mommy3Girls]

Hi there ladies. My next doctors appointment is Wednesday morning. I developed what I thought was a chest cold last Wednesday. It has gradually gotten worse and I have the deep croupy cough that causes gagging. It feels like Bronchitis, but my medicaid (that I finally got my approval for) only covers pregnancy related visits, so unless this could effect the pregnancy directly then it would be billed separately and my docs office would want payment up front of $150 or more. Should I wait until Wednesday and just deal with the cough until then, or should I spend the money to be seen tomorrow (tuesday)?  The cough I can handle, but I am more worried about what it could do to the baby if I do have it. My stomach is sore from the coughing and of course my head is throbbing, but otherwise I feel fine. But its all the same symptoms I had when I used to get Bronchitis all the time. I was going to go to the doc today, but they told me they couldnt see me unless it was pregnancy related or I would have to pay the full bull up front. UGh!!! Who has $150 or more to hand out to see if its a cold or not?

[Mommy3Girls]

Skylynns- thank you. I have been drinking more water over the past few months than I ever do. I am usually one of those people that just dont drink water hardly at all. I am honestly surprised that I have not been in the hospital for dehydration with as little water as I usually drink. NOw that I am preggers I am drinking 40 plus ounces a day during the week and just a little less on the weekends. But for me that is a ton of water.

nursekim- i threw it away just before I came down with my symptoms this time. My docs appt is tomorrow, if it is bronchitis, I am sure my nurse practitioner will give me a new prescription.

Lois-I tried to get in yesterday morning because I was miserable, had a pounding headache for the 4th day from coughing, and they told me I would have had to pay for the visit unless the doc could prove it was directly effecting the pregnancy. I am sure I could have gotten my doc to do it, but just in case I didnt want to take any chances and get charged  $150 for an office visit on my way out the door.

[loismwallace]

I had pregnancy medicaid with my last son and it coverd regular office visits w/ my pcp. Has it changed in the last 2 1/2 yrs? I know A LOT of things are changing with that program

[nursekim]

If you still have the prescription for the antibiotics just get them filled and take them.  

[Skylynns_mom]

i have had broncitous many times and I feel like i have it again.  Drink lots and lots of water thats really the best thing you can do.  I am 28 weeks prego but not sure if it will affect the baby or not.  i have an appointment on thursday so i can ask then, hopefully its just something we have to suffer thru and our babies will be fine..

[Mommy3Girls]

Thank  you!!! My fiance is making me drink green tea since it has antioxidants in it. So I am drinking that, thank you for reminding me, I need to get a cup. I have a docs appt in the morning, so I am really hoping my nurse practitioner will look at me without charging me. She did it a couple months ago. She was doing a basic check because my sinuses were clogged like normal with pregnancy, and she thought I had strept throat, but I had no symptoms, so she gave me a prescription for antiboitics just in case I started feeling sick. I never had to get them, but it was really cool that she did that for me. I am sure I have Bronchitis now though. My cough is not getting better, and its really deep and croupy. Ill keep up on the tea and talk to the doc tomorrow.

[msgorgeous]

i had that awhile back but im not pregnant so im not sure if it could harm the baby but i didnt have the money to go to the doctor so i drank lots of fluids water juice and hot tea, if you have tea with no caffine id drink some every so often