30wks and have whooping cough!!

Has anyone else had whooping cough while pregnant? I was exposed a few weeks ago ( work colleague who refused to go to the dr for 4 weeks!Grrrr!)and have had a shocking cough for the last 10 days. have not slept for the last 4 nights (at all). Doctor reckons I can't take anything for it. The cough is so bad that i stop breathing and then vomit after :( To top it up, I have lost all bladder control and have to wear incontinence pants.

Sorry girls, but I needed to vent. Any advise at all? Not sure what to do. Antibiotics (erythromycin) is meant to reduce symptoms, but I don't know if it's completely safe and the doc won't prescribe me any. :( DH has no immunity either so I am concerned about him catching it next. What do I do???

Ring up the Royal Womens or Monash, both have drug safety type centres and will be able to tell you definitively whther the medications are safe for you to have.

Royal Women's Hospital
Obstetric Drug Information Centre
Phone: 03 9344 2277


Monash Medical Centre
Obstetric Drug Information

Phone: 03 9594 2361

:hug: Hope you get better soon.

Yes I had whooping cough when I was 12 weeks pregnant with Julia. I was given antibiotics not the one you mention though and it was approved and safe by Mothersafe in NSW. I think it was keflex. Im not 100% sure. Have you had a blood test to confirm you have whooping cough? recommend to do that and also your DH. So sorry to hear this, its horrible I understand how you feel.xxx

Thanks Rayray. I will give them a call asap.

:hug: bjrose

ohhh you poor thing! i'm sorry i wish i had some advice for you, but just wanted to wish you well...hope you get better soon!!!
i guess the only advice is to get plenty of bed rest, keep your fluid intake up, and continue taking your multivitamins... also dont go near any babies or other people, i guess you dont want to be spreading it too!
hope you can find someone to help give some proper advice!:pray:

Yes Belle, I have had the blood test done but they won't get a "definite" answer till 5 wks :( It will be too late to start antibiotics then. How long did your symptoms last? Was it really bad? I am panicking about premature labour, as my whole body shakes and puts so much pressure on the abdomen! Did you use anything else?

:hug: nikkers. I have stopped work just in case I infect other people (am in a retail environment). Am staying at home and not going out at all. Doc reckons I am not in the infectious stage any longer though.

the DNA test for whooping cough (Bordatella Pertussis) is done twice a week at the Royal Womens Hospital. A nose and throat swab is generally sufficient for testing- it takes just a few days from collection. Not sure if it is bulkbilled though, but it wouldnt be expensive if not. You have probably had serology testing done....

no wasnt allowed to have anything else at all, I had the symptoms for at least a month. It was really bad the first two weeks I was so tired and coughing all the time like you said . I worked at home for a month. Same thing as you a work colleague passed it through the office went through to 3 floors of our building. .

I will call my Dr tomorrow and ask them what I took they have all the records of my visits on my computer. Mothersafe in NSW is at the Royal Randwick hospital for Women whom I got my advice from, if you want to give them a call.

Not sure what else you can do hon, its late in your pregnancy so I understand your concern, what did the doc say about prem labour? are you seeing an OB?

My previous post didn't come up:doh:

Anyway,I am seeing an ob and he is not worried about the baby. I am still quite concerned though. I know I'm being a real sook but this cough is taking everything out of me. I don't have an appetite and have skipped a few meals. I know that can't be good for the baby. This lack of sleep has made my brain stop functioning!

My DH and 70yr old mum are both not immunised and living in the same house. I should probably get them on antibiotics too I reckon. Don't want them to catch it and re-infect bub, IYKWIM. Sorry girls, But I am so sick with worrying!

Thanks Belle for looking up your med records. That's a huge help. :hug:

Dear Belle75,
I don't know if you will see this as if was months ago when you had whooping cough but I'm 31 weeks pregnant and have whooping cough. It's so interesting to hear of someone in exactly the same boat. I was sent into the maternity unit for assessment as I've been ill for so long and they monitored the baby while I was there. When I had huge coughing fits the baby's heart rate really dropped, then came back up again. They were concerned and want me to go back. But its really difficult for me to get there and they don't give you an appointment so you can be sitting waiting for hours. I just think what are they going to do?? They are hardly going to give me a C section at 31 weeks because the baby's heart rate drops when I cough. I can't find any evidence of harm to the baby when you have whooping cough.
How long did it take you to get better in the end?
Lucy

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Has anyone else had whooping cough while pregnant? I was exposed a few weeks ago ( work colleague who refused to go to the dr for 4 weeks!Grrrr!)and have had a shocking cough for the last 10 days. have not slept for the last 4 nights (at all). Doctor reckons I can't take anything for it. The cough is so bad that i stop breathing and then vomit after :( To top it up, I have lost all bladder control and have to wear incontinence pants.

Sorry girls, but I needed to vent. Any advise at all? Not sure what to do. Antibiotics (erythromycin) is meant to reduce symptoms, but I don't know if it's completely safe and the doc won't prescribe me any. :( DH has no immunity either so I am concerned about him catching it next. What do I do???

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Hi Lucysarah,
Firstly, big hugs. I know how difficult it is getting WP in pregnancy. No one else seems to really understand what you are going through. It took me 14 weeks to get over the whole thing. Symptoms started getting less severe after 10 weeks. It would be full on for a week, subside in wk2 then come back again in wk3. Hang in there, it does go. I know at times I felt like I would suffer forever.
Bub was born healthy and happy and has just turned 6months! He/she will be safe, don't worry too much. try and get as much rest as you can (and I know this is difficult) but keep drinking water and eat healthy. Rest, rest, rest is all that helped in the end.
Hope you get better soon hun. :hug:

Really hope you get better soon.

Regards,
Dianne

It sounds horrible! :( My big brother had this when he was little. I thought there was a vaccine for it though?

There is a vaccine Linzy, however it does not give lifetime coverage. you need to get a booster every 10 years. Most Aust adults are now not immune and that's why the disease is making a comeback. every 2-3 years there's an epidemic. was major last year. get the boostrix inj from your GP. Highly recommend it. it isn't worth getting that ill. Most councils have it as well. some run free programs. Give them a ring.

LucySarah, you can't have it in preg, besides you already have the condition so will make antibodies. DH and yourself should get a booster shot once bub is born. My DH got it while I was still preg. It is recommended for all new parents. It is a pity that most GPs are unaware about this/ haven't been educated on the topic enough. Try to breastfeed if possible. it will give bub all your antibodies and will protect in the early weeks.

Ahhhhhhhh okies, good to know :)