Conference moira::parenting

    I never experienced asthma during either of my pregnancies, stuffy
    nose, back aches and ingrown toenails but not asthma. :^)
    
    I did however develop asthma a couple years after my last childs
    birth.  My allergist told me one day that half of all women with
    asthma will get worse, half will get better and half will stay the
    same. I know the math is not right but I think he was making a 
    statement: asthma in pregnancy is a variable thing and it is not
    at all uncommon for it to get worse. 
    
    With that said, it may be of some consolation that one of the most
    commonly used drugs for preterm labor is for asthma; Terbutaline.
    I was on this drug for 12 week during my last pregnancy and the only
    side-effects were while I was taking it. As far as we can tell,
    Michael (age 4.5) suffered no longterm effects.  
    
    The side effects while I was on it were, elevated pulse (averaged 120
    bpm), anxiety attacks, and 'the shakes'.  It is a fairly short acting
    drug so I had to take it every three hours (24 hours a day...sigh).
    It works on the uterus the same way it works on the bronchial passages,
    it smoothes the muscle, slowing down the unwelcome contractions.
    
    But I degress.
    
    I think if you're worried about the meds involved with asthma while 
    pregnant, relax, millions of women have been treated for asthma and
    preterm labor without any obvious long-term effects.
    
    If you're bummed about the wheezing and breathing difficulties, learn 
    to be good to yourself, learn to relax and handle stress in a positive
    way and stay warm.  Many people find that cool and especially evening
    air trigger asthma attacks.  Whatever your trigger is, avoid it. 
    
    And whatever you do, don't go see "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle"! :^)
    
    Jodi-

    
    Although I have a somewhat mild case of asthma (if there is such a
    thing) I did get much worse during *parts* of my pregnancy. I had also
    developed bronchitis (twice) and so had a realtively tough time. There
    were times, the only way I felt comfortable was to sit in a lounge
    chair that we had set up in the living room.
    
    	I really fought asthma medication but then it dawned on me that the
    baby might be hurting *more* if I didn't take it. So I did lots of
    reading and found out that asthma during pregnancy is just not that
    uncommon.
    
    	I took the drugs as needed (rarely got beyond an inhaler except
    when I had the bronchitis) and didn't see any effects on me or the
    baby.
    
    	One thing though is that I know they use asthma drugs to delay
    labor and I've often wondered if my use of asthma drugs is what made me
    go two weeks postterm and need to be induced, we'll never know but just
    keep it in mind if you are one of the lucky ones that has to wait and
    wait and 
    
    		Wendywait and.......

    
    I have asthma, and didn't notice much of a change while I was pregnant,
    except that when I was about 4 mos along, I got bronchitis, and it
    kicked it pretty badly.  My gyn okayed the medication (prednizone I
    think) and it was gone within a week.  He said it was better to treat
    it with the meds, and get it over with. Better for the baby in the long
    run. 
    
    Michael had no side effects (that I know of) from it at 7 mos old...
    
    Chris
    

    I am finding this extrememly interesting!  I never heard of this!  I
    have found that for about the past month - I wheeze, cough and can
    hardly sleep at night because I can't seem to clear my chest.  I guess
    that it is pretty obvious because even our Lamaze instructor asked me
    if I had asthma.  I attributed all this to the fact that lungs get
    pushed up and the fact that I haven't given up smoking entirely!  Guess
    its something I should mention to the dr?  
    
    Does this sound right?

  I would definitly talk to your doctor about it.  I know that my OB looked
me right in the eye and told me not to take asthma lightly.  He said that
lots of people die every year from asthma.  He told me that if I felt I
was getting worse or that the enhalers weren't working to let him know
ASAP.  He let me know that I should take my condition seriously and keep
him informed of how I was doing.  I keep my enhaler by my bed at night and
if I wake up with a coughing fit I use it and it usually helps.  

  The pulmonary specialist I saw told me that a lot of asthmatics don't 
experience shortness of breath.  He said a large number of them just wheeze
and cough.  He said that a asthmatic will cough more when he/she gets a
cold than the normal person, but the cough will usually clear up along with
the cold.

  Lisa

    Also, one other note.  The pulmanary specialist I saw asked me if I
 was around anyone who smoked.  I said no, and he said good because it
 would probably make the situation worse. Also, a really good friend of
 mine smoked while she was pregnant and her daughter was born with chronic
 asthma and bronchitis.  She says that she doesn't know if the smoking is
 what caused it or not, but she says that she can't help but wonder if it
 did have something to do with it.

  Lisa

    Thanks for the input...........I have talked to the dr. about the
    smoking and I have really tried to give it up completely (some days are
    better than others) but she also recommended that the stress of trying
    to give it up completely could be more harmful......but this definitley
    sheds some light on this for me.   I am going to make a much stronger
    effort to quit altogether!   I am also having shortness of breath!  I
    really hate going to doctors and this has been really an effort for me
    to go every two weeks..........and of course I don't want any harm or
    after effects to come to my baby!   I will discuss it with her on my
    next visit!
    
    Thanks.............
    
    Pam

    Asthma while pregnant?.....Oh boy!!
    
    I was hospitalized twice with each pregnancy due to difficulty
    breathing.  When I finally delivered AJ I had such a chest cold, they
    never really did clarify whether I was having a bad asthma attack or
    actually had pneumonia.
    
    Fortunately my OB and interist work quite well together, and were able
    to coordinate treatments which wouldn't affect the baby in the long
    run.
    
    I took a 12 hour time release capsule to help the wheezing.  I
    initially got the shakes, but I was able to live with that, knowing it
    was helping me breath better.  It also gave me a sever case of "the
    trots".
    
    An interesting thing however, last weekend I spent Saturday afternoon
    and evening at UMass Medical Center in Worcester with AJ in a very
    severe asthma attack.  In conversation the doctor mentioned that
    "recent studies" have shown that children's asthma seems to come more
    frequently to mothers who have had pregnancy asthma.  
    
    I mentioned that my husband and his brother had asthma as children, but
    outgrew it for the most part.  They still insisted that AJ's asthma
    most likely came from me.
    
    Lyn

    While pregnant with my youngest (Colin now 1.5 years) my husband and I
    along with the twins went to Philadelphia to visit my best friend and
    my brother-in-law.  While at my brother-in-law's house I could not
    breath during the night.  For 3 days I was scared to death.  As long as
    I was outside the house or even during the day in house I was fine. As
    soon as everyone went to bed I had to sit up all night and keep
    breathing through my mouth to get air.  I even contemplated calling my
    doctor from PA but knew once day time came I'd be better.  It never
    occurred again during the pregnancy.  I mentioned it to my OB and he
    brushed it off.
    
    It wasn't until after Colin was born that I again started having
    problems catching my breath.  It would happen only sometimes after
    exercising, or after just sitting there.  I again mentioned it and was
    sent to a pulmonary specialist.  I was then diagnosed as having asthma.
    I'm very thankful that my asthma is very, very mild and I don't need my
    inhaler.
    
    I have written it off as just another thing I acquired from being
    pregnant.

    
    
    Has anybody out there had Broncitis (SP) while pregnant.  I am 6 months
    along, and was told last week that I have Broncitis.  They quickly put
    me on Antibiodics and told me to use Robitusm DM for the cough.  Well
    that is not working and I have been back for breathing treatments and
    to get an Ventolin inhaler.  I am going back again today at 1:00
    because it has taken another step towards worse.
    
    What my concern is....how is this affecting my baby.  I cough so much
    that my body is sore, cannot image what my baby is feeling everytime I
    have a coughing attach (which is about every 5-10 minutes).  I was just
    wondering if anybody else has gone through this (I'm sure there is) and
    how did you get through it.  Did your baby suffer in anyway from the
    Broncitis or the medications they give you.
    
    I am starting to become very concerned!
    
    
    Robin

    With my first pregnancy I had bronchitis twice, had to be on
    antibiotics and ventolin both times. I drank tons of tea with lemon and
    used cough syrup sparingly. The coughing was so intense that like
    clockwork, once I started coughing it usually ended with me throwing
    up.

    	With this pregnancy I had asthmatic bronchitis that sent me to the
    emergency room for breathing treatments. By the time I got to the ER, I
    couldn't even tell them my name.

    	If it is any consolation, my first child is as healthy as an ox and
    my second appears to be well on it's way to being just as healthy.

    	Before I had to take the medication (Okay not while in the
    emergency room, I didn't have the air to ask questions) I made sure
    that the medication was safe for the baby.

    	there are basically two answers to that question:

    	Yes, the medication *by all standards* appears to be safe for the
    baby

    	Lack of oxygen on the mother's part is far more harmful to the baby
    than taking the medications

    	Try to relax (it will probably help with the coughing). It's tough
    not to worry, but lots of women have gone through this exact thing (it
    seems that you tend to catch everything when you are pregnant,
    especially lung conditions as your lung capacity is being reduced by
    the growing baby).

    	As an aside, while pregnant, if I didn't take garlic and
    acidophillous supplements while on the antibiotics, I invariably got a
    yeast infection, something that I hadn't had in many years.

    			Wendy

    I had bronchitis in the 6th month and was on antibiotics. My
    biggest problem was that all that coughing threw the baby onto
    my bladder and I had a major case of incontinence during that time.
    I went through a very thorough checkup afterwards and everything was 
    fine. 
    Talk to your doctor if you have any fears.
    Just be good to yourself.
    
    Monica

    I had asthma with both of my pregnancies and I developed bronchitis
  with my second.  I coughed for 6 weeks.  I was about to decide that
  I was destined to cough forever until my doctor tried Ceclor.  That
  was what finally worked to clear it up.  Apparantly there are some
  drugs that do not cross thru the placenta and, therefore, can't get
  to the baby.  I'm fairly sure Ceclor is one of those drugs.  My
  brother-and-law is a pharmacist so everytime my doctor would prescribe
  something I would call him to double check on its safety.

    Also, it seems that a drugs safety also depends on which trimester
  you are in.  Some drugs that are safe after the 1st trimester might
  not be safe during the 1st trimester.  This is one of those things
  where you really have to trust your doctor.  You  need to get yourself
  well.  I know that I was so fatigued from coughing all night long and
  trying to sleep sitting up in a recliner that that couldn't have been
  good for the baby.

    My son is now almost 3 months old and is a very healthy, happy baby.
  Good luck and with your doctors help this should pass.

-Lisa

    
    	I too had Bronchitis while pregnant in my second trimester. I also
    have asthma, so this initiated a full-blown attack. I was treated with 
    antibiotics, and my regular asthma med (Theodore) with no ill affects.
    I was told the same thing someone else said: "lack of oxygen to the
    baby is more dangerous than medication to treat the condition.". 
    
    	My son came out healthy..
    
    	Chris
    

    Robin,
    
    I'm the same boat as you too.  I'm also very relieved to read  all this
    and know that I'm not alone and not the only one taking drugs while
    pregnant!  I'm 4 mos. now and have had asthmatic bronchitis since the
    end of January so it started in my 1st trimester which really scared
    me.  For about 2 weeks, I coughed so hard, I pulled several muscles in
    my stomache and my ribs and upper back hurt constantly.  I also would
    cough so hard I'd end up throwing up (was throwing up from the
    pregnancy anyway so that was nothing new.)
    
    I was put on Ventolin inhaler - still use it every 4 to 6 hrs.
    and antibiotics.  After that didn't make much improvement, my pulmonary
    doctor put me on Prednizone (re: .3)  I'm now much better but still
    coughing occasionally and still short of breath once in awhile.  
    
    Everyone I know that has ashtma and took medication during pregnancy
    had perfectly healthy children.  But I know how hard it is not to worry
    anyway!  I lost a son Nov. 30, 1991, he was stillborn when I wa 20
    weeks pregnant (didn't have asthma or bronchitis then) and so I'm
    totally paranoid anyway.  Hearing all of you say things are ok makes me
    feel much better!
    
    this is the first time in my life that I've had asthma or bronchitis so
    that makes it even scarier.  I had allergies for 7 years now though
    (I'm 30).
    
    It is possible that the coughing will last throughout the pregnancy to
    some degree - but shouldn't be as severe as yours sounds (and mine
    was) if you take medication for it.
    
    Are you close to your due date? 
    
    Loreen