pregnancy and sinus pressure/congestion?

[pb&j]

So my first pg, I felt great all the time. This one has been totally different. It seems every week I have a fun new and obscure pregnancy symptom. This week, it's sinus pressure and congestion. Ouch! I wake up very stuffy in the mornings with a headache, and it never really goes away during the day. My mom had this when she was pregnant with my sister, and ended up getting addicted to Afrin. Does anyone have any good, drug-free sinus congestion remedies? And no, I can't sit in my office all day bent over a bowl of steaming water. ;)



-Paige,
mom to Emma, s/b 11/04/04
and Max, edd 01/15/06 - it's a BOY!

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[momma_boo]

I'm sorry. I had it for a few weeks w/ #1, but I think I had it for a few months w/ #2. I would take an occasional sudafed, but I don't think it helped all that much. Sad to say, but I had it for so long that after a while I just got used to being congested all the time.

I hope you find some relief!

[kellyotn]

Breathe Right Strips. They are the most brilliant thing.

I had the worst congenstion with my first. I'd wake up completely unable to breathe through my nose. My throat was drier than sandpaper and HURT. Breathe Right Strips helped immensely. I would have been miserable without them.

They actually did help for daytime too. I guess they helped drain the sinuses so I just in general wasn't as congested?? I don't know, but they helped. :-)

[lilycat88]

Congestion was my very first pregnancy symptom and it didn't go away until Susanna was born. Then, it was gone in about 2 days. It sucked!
Sudafed was like candy and did nothing so I didn't use that. The only thnig that helped sometimes was a facial massage focusing on the sinus area. I would go get massages and my therapist would spend 20 minutes just working on face/neck area. I got some relief when my DH would make an attempt at massaging the sinus area as well.

Jamelin
Mom to Susanna born 6/29/2004

[amp]

I hate that! Sometimes my sinuses feel so dry I just stick water up there (when desperate!) and other times I use saline spray. I don't really use any medicine for it, since I know it's not really a cold or sinus infection. And just keeping myself hydrated helps some with the headaches. When that fails, I do take tylenol (reg or xtra strength, but not sinus).

[kath68]

I second the saline rinses. Hated doing them, but they work, sort of. I feel for you -- had sinus congenstion the whole time I was pregnant, and it quickly spiraled to ear infections (which I had never had before in my life). I had four of them. Awful awful.

Take care of yourself, and get lots of rest.

[simplyamama]

I had awful sinus problems when we lived in AZ, and finally resorted to using a Neti Pot. Using the pot to do warm saline rinses every morning and evening was a lifesaver, and drinking *lots* of fluids to avoid congestion in the first place. We also got an air purifier for next to the bed, as dust allergies were a big problem for me.

[linsei]

Yep, Breathe Right strips. I liked the kind that were infused with Vicks.

Linda



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