Cough medicine in pregnancy

Hello all,

I am 29 weeks pregnant and have a dry-ish cough with a little bit of very thick flem and chest tightness (sorry for TMI!) I normally get this cough during winter for a week or two (Dr has checked it out in past years - it's nothing serious). Its really annoying - coughing makes me exhausted and it's hard to work (as work involves talking!). I went to the chemist and the "pharmacy assistant" said that I was not allowed any cough syrups at all.

I was a bit sceptical of this. Has anyone else had cough medicines in pregnancy? Should I visit a different chemist to try my luck? What else can I do?

Ta!

Ruth

Nope you can't take any and no cold and flu tablets either - maybe try a steamer to break it up?

I had one... It was a cat b so I didnt take it for long... I cant remember the name, but will look tonight... it was a decongestant. I asked the pharmacist, and they looked it up for me...

Can't take anything and it sucks :(

There is one you *may* be able to take... called Irish Moss (available at the supermarket) but check with your Dr or chemist first.

I have a spoonful of manuka honey to coat my throat when the coughing gets bad..

I have been quite ill and have had 2 hospital visits in the past 3 weeks. My obgyn just gave me "Benadryl" - said it is perfectly safe in pregnancy.

You can also take Strepsils which are safe to take during pregnancy.

Hope you feel better soon.

Durotuss Expectorant will be good for you. Cat A so safe in pregnancy. It is a combination of a cough suppresant ( to stop that tickle) and a mucolytic to break that phlegm. It's in a green bottle. Also advised by my ob. HTH.

I took Irish moss while pg with Jack it is fine

I also have some cough mixture I was given for jack a couple of months back that I have been using again it is fine have checked with chemist and dr :)

its pharmist brand dry and tickly worked a treat for me even with my moist cough

I was told to drink Aloe Vera juice. "It makes for a healthy baby and a healthier you". Sorry that's what it said on the bottle. It was gross but it worked.

i was told not to take any (same when bfeeding). i guess maybe in diff places diff things are available so it is worth asking but i personally would prefer to put up with it (if it is not 'serious') and try more natural methodslike honey and lemon or whatever...
best of luck though, you must feel awful!

I just bought the latest edition of one of the Australian pregnancy/parenting mags today, and their specialist says Bisolvon is OK in pregnancy.

Hope you get some relief soon...:D

Have you considered a homeopathic remedy for your cough? Homeopathic medicine is much gentler than pharmaceutical medication and is safe to take during pregnancy.

Your local health food store may stock some, otherwise a registered natural therapist qualified in homeopathy can make up a remedy specifically for your individual constitution.

X

Me & my 3 children have been diagnosed with whooping cough and the Dr wrote out a prescription for something that she said was ok for me to take too even though I am pregnant.
I will ask the pharmasist tomorrow if it definitely is ok though and I will then let you know what it is called... I am guessing it is prescription only though. It turns out that I can't have it anyway because it contains codeine and I am allergic, but oh well.

Thanks for all your advice everyone! Last night I tried a few homemade remedies - lemon and honey in hot water, inhalation, ground ginger with honey and apple cider vinegar. After a horrible night where I was up a lot coughing, I went to the Dr first thing this morning.

He said that cough medicines often aren't effective anyway and that it's a virus. He told me to take ventolin (even though I'm not asmastic) as it's very safe in pregnancy and will help open up the airways. You can get it over the counter at the chemist. I'm feeling a bit better but still coughing a fair bit.

Jellybean - do you think a homeopathic remedy would work quickly?