While there are drugs that you may consume during
pregnancy with the advice of your doctor, nondrugs remedies are
always suggested over medication because you should not expose your
growing baby to any drugs. But these methods might not spell relief
for every woman, and she may turn to a few nausea medicines as prescribed
to her.
Medicines Over-the-Counter
Over-the-counter drugs might include what's not officially listed
for pregnancy. Emetrol is a non prescription nausea medication that's
considered safe during pregnancy period. Then there are medications
such as Zantac or Pepcid, which sometimes work for women whose nausea
and vomiting is triggered by various symptoms of gastrointestinal
distress like a stomach upset and heartburn.
There is the drug Bendectin, which combines an antihistamine
called doxylamine with vitamin B6. Once widely used in the United
States to treat morning sickness, Bendectin's use got it into controversy
over its safety during pregnancy --and forced the manufacturer to
pull it off the market. These days available in Canada under the
name Dicletin, its ingredients have been classified by the FDA as
safe and effective for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
The sleeping pill Doxylamine, available under the
brand name Unisom Nighttime Sleep-Aid, can treat morning sickness,
an early pregnancy symptom. It can make you sleepy, so you shouldn't
drive when taking doxylamine, neither should you venture inside
your kitchen. Just do not take it without a prescription from your
doctor. If you still do not suffer relief, your doctor might have
to prescribe something for you. When it comes to prescription drugs,
your doctor may suggest nausea medications such as Compazine or
Tigan or the antihistamine Phenergan.
The drug Zofran, originally designed to control
nausea in chemotherapy patients, may be effective to control nausea
in pregnant women as well, but it is a very expensive drug and will
not be covered by many insurers.
Treatment for Hyperemesis Gravidarum
If your nausea and vomiting are so severe that you can't keep anything
down, including water, juice, food, prenatal vitamins, or medications,
you are probably afflicted with Hyperemesis Gravidarum, which is
a severe kind of morning sickness. If your inability to swallow
anything without vomiting it out is for real and you begin to suffer
from weight loss and dehydration, you ought to consult with your
doctor. Your doctor might want to check you into the hospital and
treat you with intravenous (IV) fluids and medications, until you
are able to eat without throwing up. An effective and powerful drug
is Droperidol in combination with fluids, vitamins, and the antihistamine
Diphenhydramine, to control your bouts of nausea and vomiting. Droperidol
has the properties to bring your nausea and vomiting under control
rapidly so that you can start eating and drinking again within a
day or two.