I have the same allergy related symptoms every April/May. It starts out as a tiny sore throat (one side only) then turns into what feels like the worst case of strep throat. I have it EVERY year and try to start taking allergy medication BEFORE I get it. The past few years I have gone to the doctor and been tested for strep (negative) only to have them tell me the sore throat is a cause of post nasal drip (even though I do not feel like I have a runny/stuffy nose) and that it only hurts on one side because I have scar tissue on the other side.
That being said, I know that Zyrtec has worked in the past. Can I take this while breastfeeding? I know I can look this up but wanted opinions from you mamas!
What else have you found that works for no stuffy/runny nose. No cough. All I get is this feeling of my throat is sort of constricted and I get a horribly sore throat. Tylenol has not worked. I do not want anything that will make me tired! Have also done the cool mist humidifier.
Any ideas/suggestions?
Thanks for the insight! I talked to my OB yesterday and was told that I could take Zyrtec, Benyadryl, Claritin and Tylenol Sinus. I have taken a generic Claritin and hope that helps! I am also using throat spray and will get some nasal spray at the grocery store today. I know it's only three days long each year but I'm not good with pain so I'm looking for the fastest relief possible!
After all the hype about neti pots, I decided to look them up. I have been doing a similar version of this myself without the use of a pot....what I do is mix warm water with salt in a shallow dish and basically snort it....it does the same thing the neti pot does and does work sometimes. I will have to try that again! For some reason I thought the neti pot used heat/steam/etc to evaporate the stuff in your nose! LOL
I haven't read the rest of the answers, but I would recommend a neti pot. It helps flush out the allergens, and you'll feel better almost immediately.
Good luck!
I used Claratin while breastfeeding at the direction of my naturopath. It worked really well. I did not get very sleepy, and I am VERY sensitive to that.
Good Luck!
That's a conversation I'd recommend having with your physician or pharmacist.
Most medications are not tested on pregnant women, so there may or may not be a lot of options of those that are FDA approved while lactating. The burden a company would have to bear for harming a nursing child is often not worth the risk of seeking FDA approval and doing clinical studies.
Each product will work differently from one person to the next. Stuffy noses will need a decongestant. Most products contain pseudoephedrine (Claritin-D, Zyrtec-D, etc. D=decongestant). You should really ask a pharmacist about using a decongestant vs. a nasal steroid while breast feeding.
Diphenhydramine is the active ingredient in Benadryl and is definitely safe during pregnancy, but it may not be safe while nursing.
Please contact your doctor or pharmacist to see what they recommend and what options are available.
I just called my OB/GYN for this reason today! My problem is mainly itchy/dry eyes and drippy nose. They told me Zyrtec was the best and totally safe :)
When I am breastfeeding I only use a neti pot. I have found that many allergy meds are not approved/tested for breastfeeding moms. Therefore, the only meds I use are a nasal mist for the post nasal drip. (I too get the sore throat without stuffiness.) It seems to more directly treat the problem instead of a pill that systemically dehydrates you, drying up your milk in the process. Plus when I am on pills all my skin gets dry, raw and even my eyes have problems drying out causing problems with my contact lenses.
We have used Nasonex and Rhinocort nasal sprays which both have worked well in our family. Both are prescriptions.
hey I understand. My allergies were horrible while prego but my ob said zyrtec was not safe. I think he had me on claritan. If you can call your ob to ask. Good luck
Ahh yes those lovely allergies! Benadryl, Claratin, and Singulair are all safe to take during pregnancy. Not sure about Zyrtec, but other mamas seem to be saying yes. Good luck...I am ready for the pollen to stop!
During both of my pregnancies (and subsequent breastfeeding), I had problems with allergies and was being treated by an allergist. This was eight and four years ago. At the time I chose to only use over-the-counter chlor-trimeton (I used the generic which is very inexpensive) because it has been on the market the longest and had the most research to support the fact that it posed no threat to a fetus, nor to a breastfed child. However, my allergist did encourage me during both pregnancies and breastfeeding to use Zyrtec. I just personally felt more comfortable using the drug that had been around the longest with the best record. The other medication my allergist recommended for nasal allergies is Nasalcrom (an over-the counter nasal spray sold most everywhere). He told me it can be used in combination with antihistamines because it does not enter your bloodstream at all. It WAS effective when I used it, but I gave it up because I have a hard time with nasal sprays. The Neti Pot also helps and doesn't dehydrate at all.
I hope you have better results this year with your allergies!
I was given Zyrtec while breastfeeding. My son was on it too, so it seemed natural. You can always call a lactation consultant and get their advice. They have the same book that the pharmacist and doctor do, but sometimes more direct knowledge of what is best to take.
