Every PG, I'm so sick of it!!

With every PG I get a blocked nose. I think its something to do with the increased blood flow. I think it must thicken the wall of my nose or soemthing & block off my sinus's. (I read something about it being the same reason for needing to pee alot, the increased blood flow irritates the bladder. don't hold me too it, I coul dbe completly wrong..) But the problem is I can't sleep with a blocked nose but as far as I know you can't use decongesgents (I have no idea how to spell that!!) while your PG. I can't take much more of this. Last PG it turned into a full blown sinus infection after about 4 months of putting up with a blocked nose. Does anyone know of anything I can take to un block my nose so I can get a decent sleep? Saline solutions don't work for me. I doubt they work for anyone!
The only thing that helps a little bit is putting the stuff you put into vaporrisers on to a face washer & sleeping with it right under my nose. But this seems to give me a headache so I don't like doing it.
I know with my first pg I did use a nasal spray but was warned that you shouldn't really use it while pg but should be ok to use for no more then 3 to 5 days. This is no good as I'm not blocked up due to being sick its just because I'm pg.

Please help me get some sleep!

try spraying some fess nasal spray up your nose. Pretty sure its safe to use in pg, as you can use it on newborn babes. Think that it is mainly saline solution anyway, but it may help.
also try massaging your sinuses everynight (better still get someone to do it for you). It will help break it up and make it easier to expel - plus it feels so good!

good luck

I use Bioglan Maxi-coxinum spray whilst breastfeeding, so I wonder if it can be used whilst preg? It is homeopathic and you need to first super dose and then take it regularly after that to work. It helped a bit.

I sometimes used to wonder of cold and flu tablets were a con, but I realised how much they worked once I was preg and couldn't take them.

Hope you get some sleep soon.

ISKWYM FionaJill. I always go from sniffy to stuffed up with my nose while pg. As Odette suggested, try some Fess. You can use it while PG. Have you tried using the gold old Vicks at night time?

I have some fess here but its the drops not the spray. It doesn't help. I have thought of the sinus massage. I should do it more often. Vicks only works for me if I can actually breath even just a little bit from my nose but at the moment I am blocked up to my ear drums!
Astrid I am about to google this Bioglan Maxi-coxinum that you said. I have never heard of it. I will let you know what I find.

I couldn't find anything about taking it while pg so I emailed Bioglan & asked.
Nothing is going to help tonight so I might go & try a hot tea & a huge blow once my nose starts to run!

I get very nasaly as well during PG, particularly during the night!!!

I totally sympathise!!!

I was reading about this problem in a book earlier today. It said the reason for the blocked nose is an increase in progesterone that causes the nasal lining to swell and partially block the airway.

The book is from the UK and they recommended a safe efficient remedy such as "Breathe Right" - they are little sticky strips like plaster which you place across the bridge of your nose to help open up the nasal passage.

I'm not sure if this product in available here though.

Fionajill, have you tried a warm/hot wheatbag over your face when you go to bed?
I do this when i have headaches and blocked nose/sinus problems and it works a treat.

well before bed last night I had some hot chocolate then layed on my back with by head hanging over the edge of the couch and put the Fess nasal drops in that I have & layed there for awhile upside down. Then blew & blew as hard as I could. In the end I managed a fairly decent sleep. The strange thing is I can be breathing through at least one side fine, roll over or lift my head for a moment & bang its blocked. Anyway I might wander down to the chemist later. Thats for all your suggestions & sympathy it helps to know I'm not the only one who suffers!

Another possible harmless remedy comes from the Yoga technique of Neti (sp?), it is a special pottery pot with a spout that you put warm saline water in, lean way over a bath and tilt your head just so, then you pour the warm salty water in one nostril and it comes out the other (TMI I know). I've used this technique for years when ever I get blocked up and it really helps. Maybe you can google it?

Fionajill, here's another one that totally symapthises with you. We used to use something called tinct benz in a vapouriser at the hospital where I trained. It is a bit archaic, but I'm pretty sure it's safe and natural. Maybe you could ask your chemist about that. Even putting some in a bowl of hot water and sniffing it with a towle over your head is pretty effective from what I remember....The chemist would know though.

When I was pregnant and suffering badly from the blocked sinuses; the only thing they would give my husband for me were those 'Breathe Right' nasal strips (or whatever they're called). They're like putting a black-head pore strip on your nose and it opens your nasal passages manually for you I guess. It does help a little; anything to make life more bearable.

*hand up in air waving furiously* me too...

I have had bronchitis over the last 6 weeks and for the last month my sinus' have kept me up for at least an hour every night. I've had steam showers & vicks & fess and its painful too! I've been to the GP and the chemist and everyone says you are doing all you can, I actually found doing the Fess spray and putting a heat bag on does help me fall asleep again best....

Tell me if you get any other relief!!!

Ok... this should work: I had it soooo bad that not only was my nose blocked but I had sneezing fits/itching face/itchy eyes/itchy inside the ears... the final straw came when I would "wet" myself every time I sneezed which started to occur in my 2nd trimester. I spoke to my midwife and said that i needed a solution to this... she also said that it was caused by progesterone...I asked her were any antihistamines safe... she consulted this big thick book and gave me 2 brands: Avil and Polaramine. They are both apparently perfectly safe for pregnant women. They do make you drowsy but she said if you take one before bed it might actually help you sleep. I take Polaramine and it's worked... I feel 98% better and i suspect that when my symptoms return it's only because the tablet has worn off 9they only last for 6 hours). Also, the pharmacist saw that I was pregnant and agreed that these 2 medications were safe. Better still they are cheap. Polaramine costs $10 which isn't too bad. You also don't need a prescription but the phamacist might like to hear that you've spoken to your midwife/OB about it. Good Luck!

I feel for you!!! I got the same thing with Yasin and Imran. I remember how insanely annoying it is. I wish I knew something that worked but I found that nothing really helped for more than 10 minutes.

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Another possible harmless remedy comes from the Yoga technique of Neti (sp?), it is a special pottery pot with a spout that you put warm saline water in, lean way over a bath and tilt your head just so, then you pour the warm salty water in one nostril and it comes out the other (TMI I know). I've used this technique for years when ever I get blocked up and it really helps. Maybe you can google it?

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yes I have ssen this technique in a yoga book I have but there is NO WAY I could do it. Salty water makes me what to heave! Even the Fess is only just barable!

I will call the midwife tomorrow about it. Like I said earlier last time it became a full blown infection. The breath right things sound liek an idea too.

My OOB said to use Sinex at night and it really helps for me I just put up with blocked nose during the day...

I am seriously thinking about taking some polarimine tonight so I can sleep. Right now I have tissues shoved up my nostrils but I keep sneezing them out...

Girls, I suffered from this terribly when pg with Charlie......(not with Olivia at all, not sure why not?) to the point where I was desparate.

I asked my Adelaide OB about this, and he told me I could use "Octrivin", even in pregnancy. He advised that it was perfectly safe in pregnancy to use once a day, before bed.

So, I did, problem solved.....I only needed to use it every other night?

Charlie is perfect, so it did him no harm.........

Obviosuly ask your own Dr/Midwife/Ob re this, but thought I would share my experience.........

I actually did a bit of reasearch today & found that DH's Rhynocourt that he uses for reducing the inflamation of nasal polups he has can be used during PG & BFing. I have some here & I used it last night as I was desparate But readin gthat it was actually ok to do so was a relif. I was planing on going into the hospital today as I do breastfeeding visits once a week but DH isn't home from work yet so I may have to leave it today & just ring.
Its amazing how common a problem this is yet you never hear about it as one of the common pg related problems like m/s.

I have a few things for hayfever in the cupboard I'll have to dig them out & find out if any of them are okay...

Rhynocourt is for hayfever