I think I may have strep. I am breastfeeding. What precautions and OTC medicines!
Question: I think I may have strep!. I am breastfeeding!. What precautions and OTC medicines should I take!?
Answers:
If you have strep, then you have a bacterial infection that would require antibiotics!. A doctor can swab your throat and culture it to tell if you have a bacterial strep infection!. Many antibiotics are Pregnancy Category B, which would be reasonably safe to take while breastfeeding!. Just make sure to tell your doctor you're breastfeeding, and also talk with your pharmacist! Pharmacists know more than doctors about this!
You may just have a sore throat caused by a virus, which would not require antibiotics or any treatment at all!. If this is the case, you can take Tylenol for pain, if needed!. Otherwise, you can use throat lozenges with menthol (look at the "active ingredient" on the labels of OTC lozenges), or gargle saltwater!.
A good way to tell if you have a bacterial infection or not is if you have a fever!. If you do have a fever, you should definitely see a doctor! If no fever, then you *probably* don't have a bacterial infection, but you can't be 100% sure!. If you start to feel better after a few days, it probably is just a virus!. If symptoms get worse over the course of a day or two, you probably have strep!
Hope this helps!Www@Answer-Health@Com
You may just have a sore throat caused by a virus, which would not require antibiotics or any treatment at all!. If this is the case, you can take Tylenol for pain, if needed!. Otherwise, you can use throat lozenges with menthol (look at the "active ingredient" on the labels of OTC lozenges), or gargle saltwater!.
A good way to tell if you have a bacterial infection or not is if you have a fever!. If you do have a fever, you should definitely see a doctor! If no fever, then you *probably* don't have a bacterial infection, but you can't be 100% sure!. If you start to feel better after a few days, it probably is just a virus!. If symptoms get worse over the course of a day or two, you probably have strep!
Hope this helps!Www@Answer-Health@Com
I'm assuming you mean strep throat!?!? If it is strep, see your Dr!. immediately!! You will need Penicillin to get rid of it, and it could be very dangerous and uncomfortable for your baby!. The only OTC thing I know of is salt-water gargle, which will make your throat feel better and reduce swelling, but will do nothing to make you less contagious!. Call your Dr!.!!!Www@Answer-Health@Com
You need to see a doctor so you don't poison your baby!Www@Answer-Health@Com