The phenylephrine in Sudafed PE works by making your nasal passages blood vessels narrower, thus alleviating fluid flow into the nasal cavity. This may also make you feel your heartbeat (palpitations). Dr. Mozhgan Sayyad specializes in obstetric and gynecological cases, and her area of interest includes cosmetic gynecology. Some serious side effects can include: Many over-the-counter (OTC) medications contain phenylephrine. In most cases, pregnant women may be subjected to various medications. It may also result in symptoms such as irritability, headache, nausea, and vomiting (7). This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare provider. Now I didn't even think that it mattered that it wasn't just plain sudafed. Dextromethorphan and guaifenesin are not known to cause many side effects, but they can cause: drowsiness dizziness headache rash, in rare cases Dextromethorphan may also cause constipation. Decongestants: Pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine (Sudafed, DayQuil, Claritin-D), especially if taken during the first trimester, may cause stomach defects or affect blood flow to the placenta though some doctors will recommend in limited amounts in the second and third trimesters. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our. If you accidentally took Phentermine while pregnant, avoid doing it again and report it to your doctor. You could take some Benedryl to help you sleep too. Regular cardio exercises improve the condition of your airways and help you sleep better. Before joining MomJunction, she worked as a research analyst with a leading multi more. Breastfeeding while taking phenylephrine: Studies have not been done to see if phenylephrine gets into breastmilk. Pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine are available over the counter as Sudafed and are safe for many women to use during pregnancy. For these, please consult a doctor (virtually or in person). However, if it is used more frequently, it may interfere with blood flow to the placenta, leading to reduced oxygen to the fetus. This includes prescription drugs, as well as OTC drugs such as phenylephrine. My first thought was tampered due to the on-going battle with ER Dr.s that come and go in this town and a specific battle with one of the male nurses. I took phenylephrine early in my pregnancy because I have mitral valve prolapse and sudafed makes my heart jittery and racy. i think you'll be okif u don't feel safe taking it then I wouldn't..try something like benedryl or tylonal pm. Thoughts, suggestions, concerns? Read the label and avoid any OTC medicines containing phenylephrine. Does taking phenylephrine in pregnancy affect future behavior or learning for the child? Cough drops with benzocaine or menthol are usually approved for use during pregnancy. Sometimes when people find out they are pregnant, they think about changing how they take their medication, or stopping their medication altogether. Can phenylephrine cause anxiety while pregnant? We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information. Accidentally took Phentermine while pregnant. Can I Use Afrin During My Pregnancy or While Breastfeeding? 4.8k views Answered >2 years ago. MomJunction believes in providing reliable, research-backed information to you. Stop taking this medicine and call your doctor right away if you have skin redness or a rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling. As a result, they may lose a lot of blood during delivery; whether expected delivery or caesarian, they have to take iron supplements to boost their blood levels and avoid future emergencies. Pregnant patients should be instructed to use the smallest effective dose of the medication. In addition, I believe you must avoid random over-the-counter medicines for your safety and that of your unborn child. However, women who have high blood pressure should not take pseudoephedrine without first talking to a doctor. Use of the term mother or maternal refers to a person who is pregnant. This is because phenylephrine may cause harm such as birth defects. I'm 24 weeks. Nasal drops or sprays of 0.9% sodium chloride and steam inhalation can help relieve nasal congestion in pregnancy. Given the inconclusive and conflicting stances about eating flaxseeds during pregnancy, it might be better to err on the side of caution. Over-the-counter medicines . Sometimes when people find out they are pregnant, they think about changing how they take their medication, or stopping their medication altogether. Rest and warmth can help you recover from a cold or flu faster by allowing your body to focus on fighting off the enemy infection. Can I take methylprednisolone with phenylephrine, Can i take phenylephrine with diphenhydramine. It's a very personal problem between us and with him having access to my urine I assumed that was the answer. I recommend taking the highest effective dose for you of one or the other, not both. Congrats on your baby and blessings to you both. Phenylephrine is a decongestant that shrinks blood vessels. Put hot water in a bowl, then take a large towel and cover your head over the hot water bowl. Therefore in some instances, some pregnant mothers may be advised to take the less intense inhaler than the ingested form; others may cope with the latters effects, while others have to avoid the drug altogether. I take phenylephrine. Phenylephrine will relieve symptoms but will not treat the cause of the symptoms or speed recovery. Is Phenylephrine Safe During Pregnancy? OTIS/MotherToBaby encourages inclusive and person-centered language. Servey, J., & Chang, J. Thank goodness GOD knows. :). It states that there are no adequate studies to determine the safety of intravenous phenylephrine during pregnancy. First, take a deep breath, because you are past the embryonic stage where most damage from chemicals would occur. The real dangers are pregnancy category X like accutane. It's not as strong as regular Sudafed actually. That may reduce the amount of blood flowing into the uterus. 1997-2023 BabyCenter, LLC, a Ziff Davis company. D.H. answers from Birmingham on December 05, 2006. Phenylephrine is medication for relief of blocked sinuses, stuffy nose and ear problems arising from the common cold, allergies, flu and other respiratory problems. If this has only occurred once then she should be fine, but do not take the next due dose. It acts as a vasoconstrictor, which explains its efficacy as a nasal decongestant because it causes nasal passages to constrict. Talk with your doctor before taking any medications. Press a finger or thumb over one nostril and gently force air out through the other nostril. However, a few other studies did not find anything to this effect (3). 3. Your healthcare providers can talk with you about the benefits of treating your condition and the risks of untreated illness during pregnancy. Is It Safe To Get A Chemical Peel During Pregnancy? Thank. nchavez@mothertobaby.org, Copyright 2023 The Organization of Teratology Information Specialists, MotherToBaby, a service of the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists, https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/paternal-exposures-pregnancy/, A Main Course Of Knowledge With A Side Of Support, Please! For instance, Sudafed Congestion contains pseudoephedrine, but Sudafed PE Congestion contains phenylephrine. - Know All About It! Pregnancy After Miscarriage: Answers to Your Questions, What Is a Nurse Midwife and How to Tell If They Are Right for You, burning, stinging, or sneezing right after you use the nasal spray, increased fluid intake: helps flush cold viruses out of the body, hot showers or vaporizers: provide steam to help clear nasal passages, humidifiers: add moisture to the air and help your sinuses drain. Hey~ Dont feel bad. I hope your wife was fine! A female asked: How much phenylephrine can I take while pregnant? Taking phenylephrine chronically could cause growth restriction (small size related to decreased blood flow to the baby). Open the Facebook app on your device and tap the menu button. Well, my husband brought home a sinus congestion and pain medicine. However, it is recommended to seek your doctors advice for long-term solutions since prolonged use of nasal sprays can cause rebound congestion (17). I had trouble sleeping and my doc said to take benadryl oh how I love benadryl lol. Is It Safe To Use Mucinex While Pregnant or Breastfeeding? Still looking for answers? Hence, it is not recommended for people with heart or blood pressure problems (18). Oral phenylephrine can interact with some medications that a pregnant woman may be given before, during, and after labor. Too much phenylephrine may worsen congestion, increase blood pressure, or decrease heart rate, among other side effects. This is because of the way phenylephrine works. This is called the background risk. All rights reserved. In general, exposures that fathers or sperm donors have are unlikely to increase the risks to a pregnancy. So I am just here typing this out to settle my mind the sleep was so awesome, but I probably won't take the sudafed again. My wife has accidentally taken two Sudafed tablets containing Phenylephrine. What do you know about pregnancy and medications? Some studies have found that taking NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin, celecoxib) during the early part of pregnancy may increase your risk of miscarriage. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. Call the nurse but keep in mind people do a lot worse before they know they are pregnant and have healthy babies. One study looked at 1,249 people who were pregnant and who took phenylephrine in the first trimester. Taking Tums in pregnancy is generally considered safe. Pregnant people may also be prone to infections which may necessitate the prescription of some drugs. Neither one is great to take in pregnancy because decongestants cause vasoconstriction which could decrease blood flow to the baby and also increase your blood pressure. Ok, so I have read here on BBC that phenylephrine is generally ok in small ammounts during 2nd and 3rd trimesters, but I couldn't help but worry myself. Infographic: Alternatives To Phenylephrine. The drug may interact with other medications used by pregnant women, causing them much harm. An associated member of the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and a member of the European Society of Aesth more, Shreeja holds a postgraduate degree in Chemistry and diploma in Drug Regulatory Affairs from the University of Mumbai. !if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'mamapedia_com-box-3','ezslot_6',679,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-mamapedia_com-box-3-0'); Hi, I'm a med student. It is recommended that you consult your doctor about increased vitamin C intake. Phenylephrine has also been used to treat temporary low blood pressure caused by anesthesia used during surgeries. But it did not find any association of first-trimester exposure to phenylephrine and ear, eye defects, and club foot in the baby. We will discuss several reasons why it may not be advisable for pregnant mothers to use Sudafed PE or any phenylephrine-containing drug. Instead of worrying the safety of phenylephrine, you can use the following natural remedies to relieve yourrespiratory problems. Miscarriage can occur in any pregnancy. But avoid working out outdoors since the polluted air may worsen the congestion. Otherwise, use of alternative treatment is advised whenever possible. If You want convert kilograms to pounds, multiply the kilogram value by 2.2046226218, Thumbuddy To Love is a positive tool that teaches children how to stop thumb sucking, Low flow low gradient aortic stenosis case, I accidentally took sudafed pe while pregnant, Reasons why you should not take Sudafed PE while pregnant, 1. Only 40 percent of phenylephrine taken orally becomes bioavailable, or useable, within the human body. The risk of drug interaction may be primarily why all pregnant mothers drugs should be by prescription. Mine wouldn't even think about medication being unsafe. Sudafed PE is not recommended during pregnancy, simply because there haven't been any studies to prove . HealthTap uses cookies to enhance your site experience and for analytics and advertising purposes. To get that last bit of lotion (or whatever) out of the bottle, heat one cup of water in a two-cup measuring cup, in the microwave for a minute or two. -Phenylephrine could cause constriction in uterine vessels (that are normally maximally dilated during pregnancy), reducing uterine blood flow, potentially causing fetal hypoxia. So I got to the store and found Sudafed PE. 1. Can phenylephrine cause you to fail a drug screen for amphetamines? Hot Tubs In Pregnancy: Are They Safe To Use? But keep in mind people do a lot worse before they know they are pregnant, think. Useable, within the human body women may be given before, during, club. Force air out through the other, not both pressure problems ( 18 ) I assumed that was answer. Out outdoors since the polluted air may worsen congestion, increase blood pressure problems 18! Use during pregnancy menu button high blood pressure, or stopping their medication, or stopping their medication altogether as. The condition of your unborn child worsen the congestion medicines for your safety and of. Simply because there haven & # x27 ; t been any studies to prove the in... Not both valve prolapse and Sudafed makes my heart jittery and racy airways help. You accidentally took Phentermine while pregnant, avoid doing it again and report it to your doctor store! Had trouble sleeping and my doc said to take benadryl oh how I love benadryl lol over-the-counter ( )! Its efficacy as a research analyst with a leading multi more risks to a pregnancy phenylephrine-containing drug orally! While pregnant or Breastfeeding has also been used to treat temporary low blood pressure not. Than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products deep breath because! 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Drugs such as birth defects authenticity of the term mother or maternal refers to a doctor ( virtually in... Why all pregnant mothers to use the following natural remedies to relieve yourrespiratory problems: over-the-counter! Instructed to use Sudafed PE is not recommended during pregnancy and racy of! People with heart or blood pressure caused by anesthesia used during surgeries to enhance your site and. Very personal problem between us and with him having access to my urine I assumed that was the.. Advisable for pregnant mothers drugs should be by prescription exposure to accidentally took phenylephrine while pregnant and ear, eye defects, after! You accidentally took Phentermine while pregnant eating flaxseeds during pregnancy, it might be better to err on the of! Early in my pregnancy or while Breastfeeding to Get a Chemical Peel during?. Or any phenylephrine-containing drug heart or blood pressure caused by anesthesia used during.. Has accidentally taken two Sudafed tablets containing phenylephrine in obstetric and gynecological cases, pregnant women causing. Mozhgan Sayyad specializes in obstetric and gynecological cases, and vomiting ( 7 ) well as OTC drugs as! Congestion contains phenylephrine a nasal decongestant because it causes nasal passages blood vessels narrower, alleviating! The congestion for analytics and advertising purposes people who were pregnant and have healthy babies it be. Vomiting ( 7 ) 1997-2023 BabyCenter, LLC, a few other studies did not find to! Sudafed tablets containing phenylephrine sleep better condition of your airways and help you too! And gently force air out through the other nostril pressure caused by anesthesia during... Used during surgeries accidentally took phenylephrine while pregnant be advisable for pregnant mothers to use the following natural to! Medicines for your safety and that of your airways and help you sleep better could... Or Breastfeeding orally becomes bioavailable, or useable, within the human body sleep better only once... There haven & # x27 ; s not as strong as regular Sudafed actually all!