Last weekend I started feeling it... the itchy, scratchiness in my throat that signaled oncoming sickness. Normally, I'd take an Airborne and feel 100% better before it got worse... but in pregnancy, taking Airborne is not allowed because of the high volume of Vitamin A that the baby could possibly overdose on. So, I drank lots of tea, hot water and lemon with honey, and soup broth. Didn't matter. By the next day, I was 100% WORSE! I had congestion, my throat full on hurt, and I started coughing. By the next day, it was even worse, unbelievably, and my eyes were flooding fluid. Around that time, I began wondering... was this a cold, or allergies?
I have never had allergies in my life. New York doesn't get a very high pollen count, and even when I moved here to Georgia, I did notice the pollen but it didn't seem to have any affect on me in the four years I have lived here. While others complained about the pollen and it's nasty effects, I just silently thanked God that I didn't have to experience that.
Turns out, pregnant women can develop allergies even if they've never had them before. According to BabyZone, "many women find that pregnancy can worsen their allergies and for some, even trigger allergy-like symptoms they've never experienced before."
Here is the article from BabyZone:
Not only that, but right now in Georgia, the pollen count is at a record all time high. Here is an article from the Augusta Times:
A warm winter is sending pollen counts soaring to record levels in Georgia.
Officials say a record high pollen count of 9,369 particles of pollen per cubic meter was measured today in metro Atlanta. That shattered Monday’s level of 8,164.
This week’s pollen counts are well above the old record of 6,013, which dates to April 12, 1999.
The pollen counts were measured by the Atlanta Allergy & Asthma Clinic.
Dr. Stanley Fineman, an allergist with the clinic, tells The Marietta Daily Journal that doctors have never seen the level this high, and patients are having a lot more difficulties this year. He said health issues facing patients seen at the clinic include nasal congestion, sneezing and itching of the nose and eyes.
So I went down to Columbus to visit my sister at Fort Benning, which we had long planned in advance. I was feeling miserable, but really didn't want to back out on her. It was St. Patty's Day weekend, and we'd signed up for a 5K race (which I agreed to walk, hah!) and we had plans to make green pretzels! I couldn't NOT go. But I was miserable. The way there, I was a zombie driving. When I got there on Friday all I wanted to do was sleep. Luckily, we spent lots of time inside watching Sex and the City re-runs and eating japanese food.
On Saturday, we did the St. Patty's 5K. I was proud of myself for actually doing it, but it was one of the hardest hours of my life because I simply could NOT breathe! When the race began, everyone took off running. We took off... jogging. HAH! I felt like I couldn't just walk while everyone else was sprinting off. So we jogged a little, and then when my lungs and throat were literally so tight that I couldn't get air through, we stopped and walked it. I felt the need to explain that I was 6 months pregnant to all the volunteers directing the race, but I didn't feel ashamed... I felt pretty proud of myself for doing a 5K while preggers. I mean, a 5K is seriously only 3 miles and for me, simple to accomplish. But while preggers AND sick, I felt that was somewhat impressive. We finished the race and got some virgin margaritas at a local pub, and then when we got back to Julia's barracks, I felt worse than I ever have in my life. I was trying to stay cheerful, but I just wanted to sleep.
The next day Julia had a work gig to play at the Columbus Air Show. I actually enjoyed that a lot. Julia is amazingly talented and I am soooo proud of her. I was feeling congested and my eyes were watering, but we weren't outside too long.
During the weekend, I had put a facebook status up about being sick. I literally said, "Coughing, sneezing, congestion, watery/ itchy eyes, pain in the ears... Pretty sure I have hay fever. Misery ensues. How can I cope while preggers?"
I got a lot of responses from people with suggestions, and lots of them said what medications they took during pregnancy. But then my Bradley teacher commented and said, "Just remember... no medication is proven to be 100% safe for your baby." I felt so torn. I wanted to take something to feel better, but I didn't want to birth a baby with three heads! I felt guilty for wanting to take medicine, so I didn't. The next day, I was in bed all day with a horrendous fever. I was out of work and trying to rest, but I couldn't sleep because I wasn't getting oxygen. Literally. I couldn't get air. So I finally called the doctor. They said to take Benadryl for Allergies. I did, and within a few hours I felt 80% better. I also took some nasal spray, which helped open my nasal passages so I could breathe better. I noticed my eyes weren't watering anymore. I still had a lot of phlegm stuck in my throat and chest, though, which I now feel would not have happened had I taken some medication to begin with.
My conclusion to all of this is... if you're sick and pregnant, you might actually NEED to take medication to alleviate some of the stress your body is going through. I would rather take a little Benadryl than be sick with a fever and chills. That can't be good for the baby, either.
It's a week after I got sick and my body is still fighting the symptoms, but I feel like I can function better, at least. Yesterday I was at work and had a horrendous headache and felt nauseous... I threw up EVERYTHING that I ate. I felt somewhat better after throwing up, but man... this pregnancy thing is tough! I feel like my body has gone through so much. But I am strong, and I will get through this. Some women have it a LOT worse.
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