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MedHelp Member's Question

OTC and Pain Medication During Pregnancy

by HedHurtz, Sep 13, 2000 12:00AM
Hello Doctor,

I am 28 weeks pregnant and I suffer from terrible migraines. I have been taking way too many Fioricet (about 6-8 a day) throughout my term. My OB is aware that I take the Fioricet, but just not how many. I have recently "tried" to cut down on them and started taking Tylenol PM, which contains Diphenhydramine, on a nightly basis. It helps the pain a little and allows me to sleep a full night through sometimes. I pray every day that I'm not causing damage to my daughter, but the pain is OVERWHELMING. My question is, which is the lesser of the two evils, so to speak? I do admit I am addicted to the Fioricet. I have been taking it for 8 years or so. I didn't even find out that I was pregnant until after my first trimester. Is the damage done? I get ultrasounds every 4 wks, so my OB can check growth because of the Fioricet. She did say I could take Tylenol PM. What's the difference between taking one dose or double? If it's going to affect my unborn, why would they allow me to take them at all?

I'm sorry I'm babbling, I'm just concerned and noone has answered any of my questions yet. This web-site has been the most informative yet. Thanks for being here
Member Comments (41)

by Mariah to Tom, Sep 13, 2000 12:00AM
Hi!  I'm so happy to get a chance to talk to someone in my same situation!!!  Have you read any of my posts?  I'm addicted to lorcet 10/650, which I think is stronger than what you're taking.  The ones you're taking, do they have codeine in them or are they the ones without?  I know there are 2 types, ones with & ones without codeine.  I'm about 4 months pregnant & for the first trimester I was taking 7-8 a day (3-4 at a time).  I'm now down to 2 a day.  It was hard to cut down & I think it will be even harder to quit completely.  But, one good thing about you're situation is that your doctor knows & you don't have to quit.  I haven't been to the doctor yet, I go on the 21st.  The reason I've put it off this long is because I've been terrified of what will happen.  You have no idea (well, you might) how worried I've been.  Especially when I was taking way more than I do now.  It's horrible to know you need to quit & can't.  I too have prayed every night & sometimes all day about the harm I could be causing to my child.  I hope God answers both of our prayers.  I feel so connected to you & I don't even know you.  I think this is the worst thing a woman could ever go through.  I know you're a good person that is just in a bad situation.  I know exactly how you feel.  I would love for you to email me, maybe sharing our stories with eachother will help.  I know all the help & support I've gotten on here has been great.  I know you'll be fine & so will you're baby.  If the doctor knows you're taking them, it couldn't be dangerous.  You should try to take them as prescribed, but I know that's harder than it sounds!  Keep us posted.  I'll be praying for you girl.  Good luck!!!  

Love Ya,

Mariah  :)

***@****

by HedHurtz, Sep 13, 2000 12:00AM
Hi Mariah!

This is gonna be long, I have so much to say!!!!

I have read your whole story on here, which is why I started to post a question of my own. Fioricet is a makeup of acetaminophen,(tylenol), butalbital (barbiturate) and caffeine.

When I read your story, I thought I was reading about myself. I often wean down to 1-2 a day. (I break them in half of course to make myself "think" I'm actually taking 4 pills) but then I go to my Neurologist (a prescheduled once a month appointment, every month) and the cycle continues! I find myself weaning only when I'm ready to run out. Sound familiar? I go through that thinking that, "Well, if the Doc keeps giving them to me, they must be safe". I get 100 every month.

I thought all was fine and then "bam", baby on the way. I was thinking "How the hell am I gonna carry a child with all this stuff in my body." I told my OB right away and she told me to used only as needed. YEAH RIGHT!

I have horrible birth defect thoughts and if my baby is going to be retarded or an other thing that can go wrong! You are so not alone. I cry all the time, I WANTED for my child, but I cannot live in excrutiating pain! I drink sometimes too ( when I'm almost out of meds)just to balance myself. I have like two glasses of wine just to relax. I started taking those Tylenol PM. Now I'm hooked on those!!!!! I would like a doc's advice anonymously, which is why I'm here. Thanks for letting me vent!

by Mariah to Tom, Sep 14, 2000 12:00AM
Pam,

     Hey!  That doctor is not a bit understanding!!!  You think if he's not going to answer any of our questions, he could at least give us hope!  He did the same thing to me, he didn't answer any of my questions & told me to go to a doctor!  He just made me more scared!  I'm glad he isn't the only person who responds!  Everyone else on here is great & so very helpful & understanding!  I took tylenol pm when I was pregnant with my little girl & my OB said it was fine.  I took 2 every night for about 3 months.  I needed it late in my pregnancy for back pain & I couldn't sleep through the night!  I was huge!  But, after I had her, it wasn't hard to drop them.  I wish this was that easy!!!  I know you'll be fine & so will your baby!  I think if your doctor knows your taking that medication, she'll be looking for addiction in the baby whether she knows you're taking more than you should or not!  If she sees any signs of addiction in the baby, she'll know why & treat it.  Don't worry.  I know it's hard, but try to relax...  I'll be praying for you.

Love Ya,

Mariah

by steve, Sep 14, 2000 12:00AM
Mariah: The doctor did answer both of your questions! Just not what you wanted to hear.

by steve, Sep 14, 2000 12:00AM
Mariah: The doctor did answer both of your questions! Just not what you wanted to hear.

by Mariah to Tom, Sep 14, 2000 12:00AM
Steve, I'm sorry if I offended you by voicing my opinion about the doctor...  I don't expect anyone else to feel the same way that I do.  It is my opinion.  That doctor didn't say anything that I didn't want to hear, he just didn't answer my questions!  Clearly, the only thing he did say were things I already knew, they were obvious.  Like, go to the doctor.  I asked, What are the dangers to my baby?,  Will my baby need detox if I quit right now?  Will getting off the pills affect my blood pressure?...nothing.  He didn't answer my questions, which I don't care.  I got more out of what other caring people said.  I read the response he gave Pamela & it made me feel bad for her, because I know how I felt when I got no help from him either.  His response did scare me, not because of what he said, but it was the uncaring way he said it.  You don't have to be a kind person to be a doctor, but I think it helps.  I just think this doctor should realize that this is where people come when they don't want to ask their doctor & then all he says is, go to a doctor.  Have you asked him a question?  I hope he answered your questions.  Because it does make you feel hopeless.  Well, to end I'd like to say, the doctor didn't answer "both" of my questions, but I never really expected him to.  I was looking for something else & I found it.  I want everyone to know that I like having this forum to come to & I do love everyone on here who's helped me.  Thank you so much!

Mariah

by steve, Sep 14, 2000 12:00AM
Hi Mariah; No you didn't offend me, sorry if it seemed like that. The doctor in here always gives short and to the point answers.  Yes I have asked him questions and didn't like the answers either. He just wants you both ,(actually I don't know what the hell he wants, haha) Just be honest with the doctors you are seeing, thats what I'm saying. Pam said she wasn't honest with how much of the drug she was taking. I'm sure the doctor prescribe it thinking it's safe, but she's lying about the dosage. That's the danger.

   My heart goes out to you both. I know the PAIN of addiction to well. I wish noone had to go through it. I really feel for you two, because of carrying a baby. God I can't imagine how that must hurt. I never want to say anything to upset you more. I know you don't need that. So I'm here if I can help.  I'll say a pray for you both.                          

by HedHurtz, Sep 14, 2000 12:00AM
Actually I didn't expect to hear anything different. Doctors that are on-line have a script to go by to cover their asses, PLEASE don't expect them to condone what we do or give you encouragement! They can't give any information that might make you turn around and hold them responsible.(hence the disclaimer.

It's kind of like "The Psychic Hotline",for entertainment only.....get my drift?

Actually the whole reason I even submitted a question was because I had noticed other people on here that had a similar situation. I wanted some "group therapy" so to speak. Everyone on here seems to support each other and I just need a little support, that's all.

Thanks

by Mariah to Tom, Sep 14, 2000 12:00AM
Exactly!  I never expected him to answer any of the questions!  That's what I was trying to say...  I said, if he's not going to answer our questions, (obviously) he could at least give us hope.  I don't know, maybe I'm wrong...  That doctor's answers just get under my skin for some reason.  Like he's trying to put you down without actually saying it!  I wonder if that doctor has ever been addicted to anything?  I know Tom or Brian would be way better at it, because they care & have personally been there.  Just my opinion.  When I came here I knew I would get more out of regular people in the same situation than I could get from any doctor anywhere.  But anyway, enough of that...



Steve, Thank you for your kind words.  Sorry if I got a little fired up, you know pregnant women.  Our hormones are going crazy anyway & then add an addiction on top of that.  Sorry if I came off like a nut.  I cry over commercials, so it was just me being emotional!  hehe  Thank you for your thoughts & if you have any advise or just something you want to share I would be happy to hear it!  Thanks!  :)

Pamela, Have you been trying to cut down?  How many more are you taking than you're supposed to be taking?  Do you have migraines all the time, like everyday?  I mean, is that what you take them for everytime you take some?  Or does it give you a high?  Because if you're taking them for migraines everytime & they aren't helping the pain, you probably should tell your doctor that the pills aren't helping & that you have to take more to kick it.  She'd probably change your medicine or give you something that will help it.  You think?



So, you're 28 weeks?  I'm not that far behind you!  When are you due?  That's a coinsidence!  I wonder how many more women there are just like us that are afraid to tell someone?  I know I was scared to even write about it on here, much less tell someone face to face!  I'm glad I came here though & told, I've gotten more help here than I ever thought possible!  Tom has really helped me with the schedule deal & withdrawal solutions.  I never thought of that myself.  The hot baths really help when my body starts feeling sore.  Also all the support & encouraging words from everyone has helped alot too!  It also helps me to stay on my 2 a day schedule because I know I have to get on here & tell everyone about it.  I wouldn't want to let everyone down.  You know because I can't tell my Mom & if I did I could think about letting her down, so this has kinda taken the support I would get from her if I told her about it.  The reason I can't is because it would be the biggest let down just telling her about it!  I would be so ashamed.  I think she might already know, she's just not saying anything, because she knows my b/f does all that.  But anyway, I'm just glad I found this forum & all the kind people that go with it.  Thank you so much!

Love Ya,

Mariah  :)

by HedHurtz, Sep 15, 2000 12:00AM
In answer to your questions regarding my meds, I have had migraines since I started getting my period! I have seen about 15 doctors, went through countless trial and error meds and finally I was diagnosed with depression! I started taking Prozac about 8 years ago, but I still had headaches. I found a great Neurologist that put me on a regimen of medications that actually seemed to alleviate the pain. This included Fioricet and at times a sub-cutaneous injection of Imitrex (made me very groggy). Since it is a hormone type headache, he told me I probably won't see the light of day until menopause!! At leat he was honest. This was about 5 years ago. I am prescribed to take Fioricet 1 every 4 hours. Before I got pregnant I was also getting some Fioricet from an outside source, in addition to my script. Now I just take the ones from my doc. I still take 6 to 8 a day, until I start to run out, then I wean. Because if I go about 24 hours without ANY in my body, I get very sick. Good news is that I consulted with my OB and my Neuro and at the end of this month I am going to start weaning (with their help) so my baby does'nt have withdrawals. I went to them and said "Don't you think it would be better if I went off a few weeks before delivery, so my baby won't have to detox?" They said to me " If you can do it, that would be best" Can you beleive that? They are fully prepared to go through this with me. I'M STILL SCARED SHITLESS!!!! Anyway, there is hope. I still pray (and cry at every commericial with a baby) Talk to you soon!

by Angie to Ken, Sep 15, 2000 12:00AM
Hey guys just read your posts and I thought I would share my story. I was taking darvocet and discovered I was pregnant. I missed my period one day and knew instantly. I was taking about 5 or 6 a day. My tolerance was not very high at that time. I became very scared and stopped immediately. I prayed that I would never touch the stuff again if everything came out alright. When I was 5 months pregnant I had a routine ultrasound and the dr. wasn't saying anything. Shr told me there was something wrong but she didn't know what it was. It was the day before thanksgivivg and she sent me to a specialist (neonatal) about 50 miles away so I didn't have to wait 4 days to find out what was wrong due to the 4 day weekend. My husband and I went (I was numb and in shock) to the specialist where we found out the baby had cystic adenoid malformation (CAM). This is where a growth develops on the lung. Very rare and no the darvocet didn't cause it. I had to see the specialist every 2 weeks for an ultrasound to make sure the growth was in proportion to the baby and not getting larger. I was 5 months pregnant at the time and was told she would need an operation at the time of delivery. Although those months of waiting were hell I never went back to using. I toured the neonatal intensive care unit at the hospital and saw all kinds of sick infants. The one that sticks in my mind was a baby who was going through withdrawl. This poor infant was shaking and crying