What do you take for colds?

[Anonymous]

I feel like I have the most consevative OB ever when it comes to meds in pregnancy. I'm not jumping to take narcotics, but she won't even all Afrin nasal spray! I can just take my one crappy tylenol (500mg) and a plain sudafed here or there, which doesn't help.

I have a small fever (100.4) and it's my third cold in as many weeks (I have a toddler who's been passing them to me), and I'm so miserable and crabby and tired of feeling sick. What do you all take?

Btw, I'm about 9.5 weeks along...

Thanks so much.

[Anonymous]

All I took was tylenol. I didn't even take sudafed.

[Anonymous]

I just took tylenol...I'm in the same boat with you for colds though. I am 12 weeks today, but from mid-January until the first week of March I was sick every other week thanks to my toddler.

Now that I'm 12 weeks I think I can add Sudafed to my regime, if necessary.

[Anonymous]

I had a horrible cold at 7 weeks and just took Tylenol and the occasional salt water gargle. I feel for you OP--hang in there!

[Anonymous]

I had a cold I just couldn't kick for over three weeks this winter and my OB gave me antibiotics and said I could take robitussin and sudafed for the symptoms in the short term. But both the robitussin and sudafed had to be the 'plain' versions, no PE, DM, etc. To be honest, I found the robitussin but couldn't find plain sudafed. Luckily the robitussin and antibiotics worked quickly.

If congestion is a problem, I also found that heating water with a little bit of vaposteam to a boil and then covering ymself and the hot liquid with a towel and breathing it in for 15 minutes really cleared my sinuses enough to let me almost sleep through the night.

Feel better!

[Anonymous]

30 weeks here and sick with flu for the past two weeks (toddler has the same thing). initially ob suggested sudafed and robitusson, but then eventually prescribed antibiotics and robitusson *with* codeine - which i have to say, was just a dream. i slept soundly for the first time in weeks!!!!

[Anonymous]

Garlic has very strong antiviral and antibiotic properties. I mince it and mix it with softened butter, then put it on toast. (It's awesome on Whole Foods whole wheat sourdough bread toasted.) Fresher garlic tastes less bitter than garlic that's been sitting in the pantry for awhile. You will reek, but your body will fight off your cold much faster and you'll feel better sooner. I can tolerate a few cloves a day, but more than that and I get gas cramps. If you can't tolerate the raw garlic, put the garlic-buttered toast back into a toaster oven or under the broiler to toast the garlic. Or saute the garlic in olive oil and dip bread in that or toss it over pasta.

[Meconbear]

It sounds and looks kind of weird, but using a Neti pot for nasal irrigation really helped the congestion. I do it every day in the spring since I don't want to use allergy medication. Isn't uncomfortable and works like a champ. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

The Neti pot has always freaked me out but I finally gave in because I too have a cold I have been unable to kick. I went to the Dr and he gave me Flonase to help get my sinuses back under control.

My Dr said to come back if I developed a fever because that might be a sign that I had a sinus infection and he would prescribe antibiotics at that point. If you are running a fever, you may want to circle back to the Dr. You may also want to check with your GP and not just your OB.

Good luck -- being sick is a hige drag.