Many Questions including Hayfever - Any suggestions?

Good morning everyone.

Yesterday i went to dr and it was confirmed I am 5 weeks and 1 day pregnant! OMG!!!

DH and I have been walking around in happy stunned shock for the past few days since I took 2 x home tests as it all happened on our first attempt!

We were away on holidays in Europe so all I can say is we highly recommend a good holiday away ;)

Whilst at the dr I was in such shock about the confirmation of the pg that i forgot to ask a few questions including:

1. what can i take for the dreaded hayfever - we are heading into the season here in Melbourne and I can feel my sinuses clogging and the cloud descending already! I dearly love spending time outside in my garden (although i know handling soil and chemicals now is a no no) and playing golf - I do hope someone can come up with some good ideas.

2. Asthma - I have been really good for the past 6 months no prevenatative and only sporadic use of ventolin but i have noticed in the last few days a slight shortness of breath - is it ok to use ventolin for the next few days until i see dr again?

3. Dr said I really have to get onto booking obs/hospital as i am due on 20 July and alot of practitioners will be close to booking their full allocation of practitioners for the month of July - does this sound right? Should I be close to panicking I have not thought of all of this at all??

4. I have a condition where my body actually makes too much iron called haemochromoatosis and therefore really should not take the usual vitamins with the extra iron = does anyone know of an alternative pregnancy formula?

5. Hospital/Obs - i live in the Waverley area in Victoria which is about 25km from city about 30 mins drive. Apparently there are a few really good local private hospitals. What do people think, close hospital or city hospital? At this stage DH is absolutely panicking about being too far away from the hospital and wants to go local - any thoughts (will post this in the hospital/dr thread too).

6. Gym classes - As part of the pre pregnancy lifestyle change I had been going to gym and doing pump classes. (I had also been riding my bike to work but have said good bye to that activity :( Just as well i did not buy that new bike last weekend ;)) Sorry I digress - Pump - Its low impact but obviously weight bearing. I had enjoyed these classes and have a good instructor who i think i could approach and ask to modify exercises etc to suit my condition. My heart rate does not rise much at all in this class. I think i could keep my temp down. Putting energy issues aside (i too have been suffering that tiredness Zgala!) any thoughts on whether i could continue these for a little while longer? I like feeling more toned and have a back problem which i am afraid might worsen if i drop stregthening exercises.

7. Emotional behavior - I am have found myself crying on demand (and without knowing too eg I went to the kate cebrano concert Thurs night she mentioned her baby next thing i know i have tears streaming down my face!!) Does this abate? Can you do anything to keep this sort of thing to a minimum if not how do you cope?

8. Sore breasts - do they ever stop being sore? It hurts to even shower!!!!!

9. Noise - last night i went to make poverty history and tonight am off to see U2 - have had seats v close to speakers and stage - fabulous but eg last night i could feel base through concert floor - DH thinks baby has music in its blood anyway - i felt fine - should i be worried about it?

Sorry to bombard you girls I am still OVERWHELMED BUT EXCITED!!!!

Its very strange too becuase i work in a job where i have to look after other people and and having a hard time coming to terms that for the next 8 months it will be all about ME and baby (how do people adjust to this???)

I am sure i will come back with more questions - thanks for listening!!!
Cheers
Belinda.

Unfortunately there isn't much you can do to help the Hayfever. I always had to ride it out, unless there is something new on the market you can take.

You can take ventolin during pg, I used it with all three of mine and had no reactions. However if you are a cronic asthmatic, you should get your Gp to review your action plan of treatment for it.

Sometimes it is best to get in early for OBs etc. I don't live in the city, so have not experienced that myself, but from what others have said you really do need to get it sorted early.

As for going to concerts, that would be perfectly fine. In the last few days here there have been a few in their 3rd Trimester going to concerts too.

Breasts and emotional behaviour. THis can vary heaps from woman to woman. But be prepared that it can last for the better part of the pg, but often it will abate during the middle of it and return during the last part of it.

With your Iron condition, that is something you really need to see your Doctor about. I don't think that there are many supplements on the market that don't have iron, so you will need to look into this a bit. Are you taking folate already?

I HTH, and I'm sure that others will have answers for the ones I couldn't help you with.

Congratulations Belinda!

I don't think you can take any hayfever tablets, but if you get very stuffy you can use Fess nasal spray. It is a saline spray that does work reasonably well to clear your sinuses. Perfectly safe to use in pg.

Definitely need to book into an Ob NOW! I would choose your Ob first, and they will organise booking you into the hospital. Some hospitals will only accept bookings from the Dr. If I lived in your area, I would be trying to get into Cabrini-supposed to be the best of the best! I am going to Frances Perry House (in the Women's) and I live in Croydon! I rang my Ob on the day I found out I was pg! (He as been my gynae for seven years, love him!) Don't stress too much about driving a bit to the hospital - you're almost guaranteed to have at least a few hours of labour, probably more! Find yourself a highly recommended Ob, and then choose from the hospitals they deliver in.

I'm sure others will help you out with the rest of your questions!

Good luck, and sing out if you need any more help!

Sez xoxo

Belinda - how absolutely postively awesomely EXCITING! Congratulations!

Re the Hayfever: drink lots of water (it will help flush the histamines out of your system) and maybe try using a saline nose spray like Fess (ie it's just salty water, but it helps flush any irritants through). I agree you will need to review your asthma plan with your doctor!

If someone in your area is telling you need to book now, then book now!!!!

The crying and sore bbs come with the territory. People will understand once they know you are pregnant - just try to be kind to yourself when you are feeling emotional!
:-)

For hayfever, use Fess nasal spray - it works a treat. I used to be a chronic sufferer but during pg I had hardly any symptoms. Dunno whether it was Fess or pg but something worked!!

Hi Belinda

Congrats on your fantastic news. i also found out i was preg. this week and it's nice to know that the overload of questions seems like a normal reaction. i am very excited for you!

Regarding the pump classes. i used to do various classes at the gym and before each class the instructors would ask if any women were pregnant. I think it is normal protocol. if they don't ask i suggest you mention it to ensure you are looked after.

Hope to see you in the forums over the next few months. Today i am 5 weeks and 4 days.

All the best

xxx

Koby

Belinda - do you mind if i ask what your job is. i too look after people. i am a primary school teacher. that tiredness sure is fun when you are trying to write reports.

I delight in knowing that in a few weeks i have some time off and when i go back to work i will be far enough along to shout my news from the rooftops - i can't wait.

Koby :)

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your responses especially re the hayfever meds will have to go to the chemist today!

Another question has popped into my head:

1. What do people take/do/eat to quell the Nausea - I have been experiencing it between 3 and 7 in the afternoon already (which worries me as I read and am told by Dr that the "real" morning sickness hits around the 6 week mark!).

2. How do people focus on work? I am struggling still (putting tiredness etc aside) because I am so shocked/overwhelmed about whats going on inside my body!

Congrats to you KoB! Looks like we will be taking this journey together for the next 8 months hehe

I am employed as a solicitor, I too cannot wait for the day shortly after the Christmas break that I tell my boss that I am expecting.In the meantime though feeling somewhat apprehensive of the prospect of court appearances, client meetings etc in light of the nausea which seems to have set in over the last week! :doh:

Hopefully you are well and don't have to worry about such issues in front of the classroom.

Are you finding it hard not to tell anyone - have you told anyone at this stage?

Thanks again for your replies everyone.
Cheerio Belinda.

Hi there Congratulations!!!

I had hayfever, Mothersafe recommended Polaramine as a antihistamine to me but I never took it. They are a great source of information and advise what medication is safe to take in pregnancy or when you have children. Their number is: Tollfree 1800 647 848

I have asthma and was so lucky that the pregnancy actually helped my asthma, I carried my ventolin with me just in case though.

When you find an OB ask them about the best tablet to take as a pregnancy multivitamin. For me I took plain folate and only took it up to 12 weeks of pregnancy as I ended up with Whooping cough and couldnt swallow medicine. I took nothing else after as I was eating a low GI diet my whole pregnancy and my OB said this was enough. My baby is fine and perfectly healthy now.. so no side effects for me not taking multivitamins.

Re the gym - you need to get a letter from your GP to advise what kind of excercise you can do and present it to your gym then they will allow you to do excerise there, well thats what they say for my friends who go to Fitness first in Sydney... They are only allowed to do low impact and swimming/aqua aerobics.


Congratulations!!

Bel
xxx

You can try some ginger for the morning sickness, I found that ginger beer helped me, but it is individual so everyone will have something that works better for them. Or even Dexsal - the supermarket and chemists will have it. Dissolve some of that in a glass of water and drink it while it is fizzing works well for nausea and for any heartburn/indigestion.

As for the work situation, it is hard for those first few weeks. I was really tired with my first pg and it was hard to concentrate sometimes. Try to get as much sleep as you can when you aren't working and avoid late nights if you can, because getting overtired really doesn't help. Luckily most of time the tiredness only last a few weeks in most cases.

Hey BB77 - I am a solicitor in Melbourne too!! (in fact I am one of your representatives on the LIV Council!) send me a PM if you like!

Yep, Polaramine is great... worked wonders for my shocking hayfever-type symptoms.

Acupuncture is great for hayfever too if you don't want to take any pills.

I was concerned about whether I should go to one of the city hospitals due to my relative 'old age' but my gynae and GP said, not don't worry about it. I'm going to Mitcham Private (any day now!!) from Blackburn but Knox and Waverley private also have good reps. I must admit that I feel comforted that the hospital is only 5 mins away and having visited my SIL at the new Mercy a couple of weeks ago, I like the idea of a smaller, more personal environment.

Get onto booking an OB - I was 5wks 3 days when I tried to book and as I'm due at the end of the month most of them were already booked out.

Re your iron issue - I agree that you should talk to your dr about this. I take a multi from my naturopath that doesn't contain any iron - Tresos-B.

Congratulations, welcome and good luck with your exciting journey!

Re: the morning sickness.

On Tues I woke to shoking dizzy state and feeling of nausia. After positive test my doctor got me to start on Elevit nutrient / vitamin tablets for pregnancy and breast feeding. The pamphlet said they may assist in squashing feelings of nausia and ever since i've had no fellings of nausia. However, they do contain an iron supplement. The tiredness is still with me and my god are the breasts growing or what. mum told me the other day she was in new bras by 6th / 7th week. i guess i need to go shopping.

Take care - hope this helps

Hi,
Congrats on the pregnancy, The sore BBs is a pain! I still have them and im 27 weeks! I cant wait to they go back to normal! With the soreness it may help if you sleep with a maternity bra on or a crop top or even a tight top so they dont move around as much. I found this helps. Mine get that sore that a tshirt hurts them.
Hope this helps.
Jenni

Good evening,

I am sure you've probably found a whole range of stuff you can take if you went to the chemist. I had a whole safe section pointed out to me when i went in and asked.

As for pump you can keep doing it (obviosly unless your doc say otherwise). My pump instructor is approx 4 months preg and has just stopped doing situps which i read that you shouldn't do past 3 months. We have also had another lady who looks 7-8 months coming to the classes, when we do sit ups she does some stretching.

As for the ob sooner is better than later. Where i live there are a total of 3, one only works part time and another is also head of public ob. So it's first in best dressed and not really much choice.

Congrats on your pg. From my experience, the FESS nose spray and a horseradish/garlic/vit c vitamin combination from the supermarket meant that i had very little symptoms - and I am continuing with them during bf'ing too. As far as the asthma, I am a chronic sufferer and would recommend that you discuss your plan with your doctor...
Best of luck :)

Good morning everyone
Thanks for your replies, am coping ok with hayfever with the Fess and some garlic and horseradish. Also am doing better after finding and drinking ginger and lemongrass tea (if anyone else is looking i suggest T2 for the tea theres one in chadstone, city, fitzroy).
Seeing Dr tonight for blood test results and to discuss iron, exercise and asthma plans! Have a list of questions this time ;)
Thanks for all of your feedback!
Cheers
Belinda.