all stuffed up

[College_Girl_14305]

My nose is all stuffed up and running like crazy.... Could this be a pregnancy issue? Any advice would be highly appreciated... Also, anyone know if there is anything I can do to help this?

[KC's wifey]

Yes, it could definitely be pregnancy related. It could be rhinitis of pregnancy. One more of the lovely pregnancy symptoms that no one tells you about. Its a stuffy/runny nose that happens because of hormone changes.
As far as relief, I'm not really sure of anything that keeps it away. I just kind of dealt with it. I hope some others can chime in with some ideas for you!

[Mamarazzi]

I had the same thing pretty badly in the first trimester, it actually just went away a few weeks ago. My midwife said that there isn't much she would recommend, other than steamy showers, vicks vapor rub, and a humidifier.

[JJorn]

You can also do a nasal rinse (neti pot or a squeeze bottle). There are class B drugs that you can take but I would talk with your doctor first. I have a chronic sinus condition so what I sometimes take so as to avoid oral steroids and weeks of antibiotics might not be worth it for you. As it is, I only take something if things are awful and quickly progressing toward a sinus infection.

As long as you have no other symptoms, I'd just wait it out. Lots of times this goes away during the first trimester and is just a minor annoyance in the meantime.

[froggie83]

i have been all stuffed up on and off for the eniter pregnancy...... for me it is worse at night... hope it clears up for you!

[Rae_1478]

It was worst for me first tri and finally mostly cleared up a few weeks ago. My dr. would not recommend any drugs (even class B) because it can last so long and she (as well as myself) was not comfortable taking unneccessary medication for such an extended period of time.

She did recommend using a neti pot twice a day (always use filtered water - there have been 2 random deaths associated to neti pot users not using filtered water and a rare amoeba actually caused a brain infection!), breathe right strips at night, and a humidifyer. Even just using a humidifyer was enough for me to get a little relief.

[Suzanne10502]

It can definitely be pregnancy related. I had an awful cold (actually 2 back to back) a few weeks ago but I still sound a little bit stuffed. I tried a neti pot but just couldn't get it right.. I did use the breathe right strips (they were ok) and just good old saline spray. I hope it passes for you..I did read it can be in the 3rd trimester as well!

[daynasrose]

I had that in both pregnancies. I was given Flonase and it worked wonderfully. Early on in my pregnancy I was told to use saline sprays and/or a netti pot - which didn't work btw. In my desperation to breathe I asked my dr for something and she gave me Flonase and also gave me permission to use the OTC nasal sprays. I used both in combination until the Flonase kicked in (about two days) and from then on it was free breathing! I still use the Flonase some but not like I did when I was pregnant. I believe i was in the 2nd trimester when I was first prescribed Flonase but used the OTC nasal sprays from the minute I started having symptoms. Just use caution if you use the ones you get OTC and only use them once a day for a max of three days. I only used the OTC ones at night because that was when the stuffy nose really bothered me.

[macksmom]

I am so stuffed right now I want to die :laugh:

I have had stuffiness with ALL my pregnancies. For mild stuffiness try using a neti pot and saline spray. For anything major those things wont do much. I did break down and use a Sudafed nasal spray yesterday just once because I was just plain miserable. But those things cause a rebound so you have to keep using them and sometimes you are worse off in the end.

I would ask your OB. Some will be totally cool and tell you some things you can take. Others will tell you to just suffer which I think is awful. I have gotten enough mixed advice to try to avoid any drugs because I don't know what to believe anymore. I took some benedryl to help with the sneezing last night but it did nothing. I take Tylenol for the massive headache this is causing me. I just keep trying to blow my nose....

Also try eating raw garlic and taking Vit C if you think it's cold/virus-related.

[Rae_1478]

I would ask your OB. Some will be totally cool and tell you some things you can take. Others will tell you to just suffer which I think is awful. I have gotten enough mixed advice to try to avoid any drugs because I don't know what to believe anymore.

This is so true! I'm sure a part of it though is doctors have to be careful not to overmedicate. In my personal opinion, if you can handle it, try to go drug free. If you cannot function, absolutely be asking what is safe. Like all else in pregnancy, some women have more severe symptoms than others. My nose only caused me to lose 2 nights sleep in the 3 months it lasted and I felt I could deal with it tolerably (though my poor nose probably differed - lotion kleenex and vaseline were the only things keeping my poor nose pain free). I only have my experience though, I thought mine was bad, but maybe it wasn't as bad as others'.

[Suzanne10502]

I am so stuffed right now I want to die :laugh:

I have had stuffiness with ALL my pregnancies. For mild stuffiness try using a neti pot and saline spray. For anything major those things wont do much. I did break down and use a Sudafed nasal spray yesterday just once because I was just plain miserable. But those things cause a rebound so you have to keep using them and sometimes you are worse off in the end.

I would ask your OB. Some will be totally cool and tell you some things you can take. Others will tell you to just suffer which I think is awful. I have gotten enough mixed advice to try to avoid any drugs because I don't know what to believe anymore. I took some benedryl to help with the sneezing last night but it did nothing. I take Tylenol for the massive headache this is causing me. I just keep trying to blow my nose....

Also try eating raw garlic and taking Vit C if you think it's cold/virus-related.

I couldn't agree more with this as well! I was MISERABLE due to a really bad cold and I finally caved and called my OB. They did tell me I could take claritin. I didn't only b/c the regular claritin doesn't have a decongestant, but if you are runny as well something like that or benadryl may help dry it out a bit.

I second the raw garlic and Vit C!

Also, I found this recipe and I swear it helped some of the congestion after I drank it!

It sounds gross if you don't like tomato juice (I really don't) but it's actually not too bad. I didn't do celery salt b/c I didn't have any.

Tomato Tea

Recipe:

Add 1 cup tomato juice,
1 tsp chopped fresh garlic,
1/2 tsp of hot sauce,
1 tsp lemon juice,
and a pinch or two of celery salt for flavor
Heat ingredients and drink hot.

[karenros]

yeah it is pregnancy related... i would feel like i am going to get a cold or something like that at night