Lemsip....safe? - Update - I've had a few already!!! How much damage have I done?

[KamKol]

The title pretty much says it all...I've got a bad cold - I'm stuffy and my nose has turned into a running tap. Is it safe?

I've already had a few...I would say about 4 over a few days or so....

 

[MrsGlitz]

Nope. It's the decongestants.

I have a sinus infection and got told I can only take the antibiotics prescribed and paracetomal.

I am hoping the antibiotics kick in soon. Paracetomal takes the edge off the pain but it's the stuffiness that's bugging me!

 

[EternalRose]

No your not allowed lemsip, step away from the lemsip lol.

I have flu at the moment, all your allowed to have is paracetamol. I have also been making homemade lemsip, which consists of hot water, honey, lemon and cayenne pepper, and maple syrup if you like.

EternalRose x x

 

[Minstermind]

I had this same question myself the night before last as I got a killer cold and was in absolute misery. Read about it a bit online from a few different sites and they all pretty much said the same thing - big fat no due to the decongestants. Read that paracetomol was fine but really, that wasn't going to do much for the symptoms I had anyway, so I passed.

I ended up sucking on manuka honey cough drops to keep my throat moist. I also downed a few cups of honey and lemon in hot water. That and some orange juice, drinking water, and keeping bundled up, and I do feel quite a bit better today, though still crap.

Hope you feel better real soon too. It sucks major ass having a cold whilst pregnant.

 

[RainbowDrop_x]

Afraid not hun..

I had a stonking cold a few weeks before Christmas and the only thing I could take was paracetamol.. Rest.. Up my fluids and hot honey and lemon

xxx

 

[chele]

My pharmacist is my best friend and she says no. It's such a pain in the ar5e when there is stuff out there we know will help, but we can't take it

 

[discoclare]

Camomile tea with a bit of honey in it and some fresh lemon. Yum.
Get well soon.

 

[littleblonde]

Only paracetimols im sad to say; I have aa bad cough and im yearning for cough medicine. But cant. As for the damage it could of done. Probably nothing but take no more and call your doctor so they can tell you for sure. most medicines no one really no;s the damage which is why we cant have them

 

[KamKol]

What effects could the lemsips have on the baby???

I'm not going to take anymore now.

 

[Ria_Rose]

Sorry hun but no medicines except paracetamol are considered safe - some medicinal throat sweet are even off limits.

Best bet is to stop taking them, and menttion it next MW visit. If you are really concerned or feel an adverse effects ring NHS direct just to be sure

The best lemsip replacement I can suggest for now is to take 2 paracetamol and then make a hot tea with honey and lemon. Not quite the same but a safe alternative.

 

[Kalypso]

Don't worry about the ones you've already had, as it's extremely unlikely they've had any ill affect on baby at all (but do mention it to your MW to put your mind at rest). This link should put your mind at rest regarding having already taken some:
https://www.babyworld.co.uk/faq/ind...on=Medication&query=&opt=&page=&question=1840

As everyone says, just avoid it from now on. Paracetomol with a honey and lemon drink is the best option (it helped me through a horrible cold, and was almost as good as Lemsip). My husband gave me some Olbas Oil to put on my pillow and I then found out even that wasn't advisable when pregnant! Annoyingly it seems everything is off limits!

 

[Lara310809]

I don't think having 4 would do anything to the baby. YOu get women on crack throughout their entire pregnancy, and they can still give birth to healthy babies. You should contact a doctor if you're worried though, but I would think everything is fine. I have a sore throat (my fourth cold of the pregnancy), and I'm just drinking hot water with honey and lemon, and making sure I take my prenatals (which are good all through pregnancy). I don't know if it does anything, but you never know.

 

[Windmills]

Oops. I took like 10 or something the week before xmas.. I was talking about it on here aswell and noone said they weren't safe

 

[Windmills]

Oh it's okay.. thanks for that link Kalypso, it says the thing to worry about is raised blood pressure. And mine's low

 

[Sam9kids]

Im sure all will be fine, dont panic.

 

[KamKol]

I think the main risk is blood pressure, and I've had a recent check up with the MW and my blood pressure is fine. I've had some lemsip back in december and I've just had a few in the last few days so I don't think I've done any major harm to the baby.

Thankyou everyone for the reassurance...I got really freaked out when I heard that Lemsip is a no no. I guess it's just paracetamol from now on.

 

[dmn1156]

i put karvol on a tissue next to my bed at night i had a couple of lemsip pharmacist said they were ok but only to take 1 a day

 

[janehalsall]

hey, i'm 18 weeks pregnant, got a stinking cold and taken a beechams and lemsip today. I assumed as it said just paracetamal on the packet it would be ok, but after seeing some of the responses i feel a bit scared....do u remember what the midwife said about taking 4? or anyone else know the damage? congrats on the little one - he's beautiful x

 

[tommyg]

Chances are it's not going to do any harm. The biggest problem of most medicines is that they haven't been tested to prove that they are safe in pregnancy.

Nobody in their right mind would want to be a guinnie-pig while they are pregnant to find out if something is safe and no manufacture would want to take the risk either so the easiest thing for them to do is say its "not safe".

 

[mumtobeplus1]

Ive been taking it, on the pack it just says talk your doc or pharmacist, doesnt
say 'do not take if...'
If it says talk to your doc ect its usually safe as long as you have no other
complications and are not taking any other medication that may affect it.