People commonly use over the counter (OTC) medicines
to treat fever, cough and
cold, allergies, skin rashes
or hives, diarrhea, constipation or heartburn
If fever, body temperature >37.6^C, pregnant women can take Paracetamol
or Panadol 1000mg every 6 to 8 hours. Consider shower to help bring the body temperature down. Remember to drink more water for adequate hydration.
If dry cough, a cough suppressant such as
pholcodine or
dextromethorphan 10mls 3 times a day is safe short term relief. The herbal liquid preparation available eg. Prospan or Pei Pa Ko is safe. Sipping warm water sometimes can soothe the irritable throat.
If cold, running nose or skin rashes, take
sedative anti histamine
like Chlorphenamine 4mg 3 times a day or Ceftirizine 10mg
at
night. Non sedative anti histamine is Loratidine 10mg
on morning.
If sore throat, Strepsil lozenges
every 2 hour, honey lemon tea or gargle frequently with salt water.
If skin itchiness with redness, can use Ezzera non
steroidal anti itch cream. If the itchiness still not resolved, can try apply sparingly mild steroid cream with anti fungal eg Candacort, Xaricort or Econazine ointment.
If
diarrhoea, try to take Ultracarbon=charcoal tablets
or Smecta sachet with each looses stool. To
drink more water with ORS=Oral Rehydration Salt, or drink 100 Plus to prevent excessive loss of potassium salt.
If
constipation, try Total Fiber sachet, Forlax sachet or syrup Duphalac=Lactulose
10mls 3 times a day
If
vomiting can take Metoclopramide 10mg 3x a day.
If you have heartburn or gastric reflux, Gaviscon 10mls with each meal can be safely use for a week with effort to reduce the amount of the meal and stay sit up at least an hour after meal.
If
giddiness means likely not drinking enough water
or too rapid change of position. Please drink
more water and lie down
sideways and rest over it in dimmed room.
If body ache or back pain, try apply ice pack, warm pack. Can try to apply Counter-pain(salicylic acid) gel or Salon Pas patch or YokoYoko rub or Polar Frost or Tiger Balm ointment on tender area.
Acetaminophen (Paracetamol) is safe to treat pain, but regular use for more than a day justify a visit to your obstetrician.
All
medication above are safe if no allergy. NSAIDs (Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs) are a group of pain killer medicines that includes mefenamic acid, ibuprofen and naproxen. Taking NSAIDs in the last 3 months of pregnancy could harm your baby or cause problems during labour.
Important
to let your obsterician know about these symptoms as these could be symptoms of a
serious problem in pregnancy.
Covid infection is not know to cause harm to baby's development except that high fever can trigger preterm birth. Its imperative that if your Covid symptoms are mild, to rest at home and drink more clean water.