Hayfever and pregnancy

If both professionals are advising you don’t take it then I wouldn’t as they are the professionals. It sucks that we can’t take much during pregnancy. I’m suffering with such a bad cold and paracetamol just won’t cut it 🫠

I was prescribed fexofedanine hydrochloride pretty much my whole life but when I wa pregnant I couldn’t take it, the midwives said I could take piriton but NOT piritese and piriton has had testing done so it’s deemed safe. But chemists won’t sell you it with you being pregnant so you’ll have to see if the midwife can request a prescription or get a family member to buy it for you Xx

But check with your midwife first! My pregnancy had no complications so I was given the OK x

I really suffered throughout my first pregnancy and didn’t take anything, basically stayed inside the whole summer. The nhs website says Loratadine is safe so I’ve been taking that this time and it’s not as strong as what I’d usually take but it takes the edge off a bit. I’ve also got a nasal spray and eye drops for when I’m desperate, now having a toddler staying inside all the time isn’t really a viable option!

I was told not really by the doctors and she still prescribed it which left me really nervous so I checked with the pharmacist when picking it up and he strongly advised against it. I’ve been using hay max & vix nasal inhalers to try and combat the congestion but sweet lord I can’t wait until I can’t pop a hayfever tablet again 😭

I was told to take Loratadine when pregnant and breastfeeding. It’s the least effective for me but better than nothing x

Hi you definitely can some you just need a doctors prescription surprised they said that to you. I get bad hayfever as well so feel your pain. I am actually due to go and pick up my prescription this week so will let you know what its called. But worth getting another opinion from your doctor as you will need prescription either way

I had the same conversation with a GP in my first pregnancy. I was advised to see how I managed not taking them and I was prescribed a nasal spray which the GP was happier for me to take. The GP said that if it is really unpleasant for me to not take them it would probably be ok, but advised to try without. I decided on balance it was better for me to not feel unwell with my allergies, as I have been so unwell with allergies in the past that it prevented me doing a lot of things like work, exercise and socialising, so I have taken them throughout one pregnancy and breastfeeding. I decided that the benefits of taking them outweighed the small risk in my particular situation.

I take cetrizine and have been doing so with all 3 pregnancies and was told its fine

(cetirizine is what I took during the last pregnancy too, and taking it now for my second)

I took fexofenadine up until about 12 weeks (when hayfever season had ended), even picked up a new prescription of it with my Maternity exception certificate and mentioned it to the midwife and noone said anything! It wasn't until I was close to the end of pregnancy that it was mentioned as I'd said I hope I can take it while breastfeeding (you can) and a health care professional checked. She said its very likely that there's not enough data to know if it's safe or not and it's unethical to test drugs in pregnancy so thats why it's likely not approved. None of the otc ones work on me or they make me pass out asleep for a few hours after taking them.

Im on cetirizine and montelukast for allergies and was told they are both pregnancy safe

I have allergy rhinitis and I have to take a daily antihistamine. With my first pregnancy I stopped taking them immediately and within a week I wasn’t even able to go to work. My eyes were swollen, my eyes wouldn’t stop streaming, I was covered in hives and my chest was in agony with allergy induced asthma. It ended up that my doctor told me it was better for me to start taking the antihistamines again for a healthy pregnancy than to suffer as I was. I take cetirizine. I was told by my doctor in London and then by my new doctor in N.Ireland when I’d moved that they generally recommend not taking antihistamines in pregnancy because there has been no specific research into them with pregnant women but nor is there evidence that they can cause any harm. They just err on the side of caution. I took cetirizine throughout both my pregnancies with no problems.

Have you tried using a face mask? Like the ones for covid, should block the bigger pollen particles + sunglasses and also vaseline around the nose can help!

I'd ask them what you can take. Saline solution will help clear your airways and that's fine because it's basically salty water.

I was told loratadine is safe. Fexofenadine may be safe but there's not enough evidence to say so. You can use this website to check on any medications during pregnancy https://www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/

I took Loratadine but had to be prescribed via my GP

I’m in the same boat, I was on 180mg of Fexofenidine but can’t take it anymore, got given 10mg of loratadine but it does nothing! The best thing I’ve found is local honey, it takes a couple of weeks to start working but it causes your body to become used to the pollen in your area and calms the hayfever right down

My midwife told me to have a teaspoon of local honey everyday as im not allowed to take antihistamines. It is so effective and natural!

Fexofenadine is the main one to avoid because it has actually been shown to affect growth and development. Acrivastine (Benedryl works in 15 mins) one hasn't been tested at all so another one to avoid. I bought Piriton when I was pregnant because I looked it up and researched it and there's a full table of the class of use during pregnancy and just used it sparingly. I always look for the ones that you take every 4-6hrs because their ingredients act quickly on symptoms. One a day ones I've always found to do nothing for me at all. Pharmacist still had a bee in her bonnet even though I was showing her the research and the NHS website saying it was ok.

Thanks everyone for all the help🥰