what can you use for pain when pregnant

[Shannonc]

I have 4 discs missing in my spine and in 2 other spots my discs are bulging and hitting my spinal cord .I have been on the fentanyl patches for 2 years and gabapentinfor 3 months . I am now 4 months pregnant and my doctor has taken me off everything!!!!!!! I am in constant pain and need something soon. Does anyone know what is safe for the baby

[becerrax7]

a few years back

[becerrax7]

When I was pregnant a few yours back about 3 months into my pregnancy i was diagnosed with a very large kidney stone. It caused me severe pain. My doctor gave me hydrocodone throughout my entire pregnancy. I had my baby and she is now going to turn 3 yrs. old next month. So ask about hydrocodone or oxycodone. Hope this helps.

[stupid and naive]

I was on Methadone during my pregnancy. I took 65mg every 8 to 12 hours. Your baby can be born addicted to meth. The peds doctor will wean with Morphine. I was blessed because the Pain Clinic hospitalized me and gave me a pump. So the dosage was right with my pain level. Do remember brain cells die if you have too much pain. You can also develope a bleeding disorder from chronic untreated pain. I wish some people would recall your growing child is a part of you. If you suffer so does this baby. I won't go into stress hormones and autism but why is there such a dramatic increase just in the years women return to the work force? Just food for thought.

[Shannonc]

Thankyou so much for all of your posts.I feel so frustrated I have yet to even see the ob I have no idea what the hold up is. I have even called the office and told the nurse that i need to see the doctor soon please and why she said she would talk to the doctor and call me back.That was 7 days ago and counting!!!! see the thing that sucks is I live in a smaller town and im the only person here that has this problem with there back when i first was diagnosed the doctor who is a family doctor was so shocked that my back was so bad.I dont even have a just pain doctor.hanging in there tho :(  Shannon

[lexi468]

Yep.....he does the screeching too.....especially if someone he is familiar with walks into the room!!He will go into full blown screeching mode and raise both arms into the air....lol!!:) As if he ready for a big hug:):)

I forgot to mention to Shannonc that when I mean shorter acting pain meds,that I am talking about a med that is no higher in milligrams than a hydrocodone that is 7.5/500.And when you use them,use them at the exact doseing guidelines.No more....however if you can get by with less....that would be even better.
When it comes to longer lasting ones(with a longer half life)I would really talk to your OB or Pain management doc about that if you have one.Personally,I wouldn't feel comfortable with using anything stronger than that which I mentioned above:)

Heather3418,the only thing that usually happens when you breastfeed a baby when you are on narcotic pain medication is the baby will probably be a little sleepy after you feed.The sleepiness isn't as bad as feeding while taking a vitamin E supplement,believe it or not!! .Vitamin E supplements make babies VERY sleepy...lol!!I found that out by accident...lol!When I was taking my prenatals,I was taking everything that I took while preggers(I forgot to mention the Vit E above)for my son,and I couldn't figure out why he was SO sleepy after eating.I called the pharmacy,and told them everything I was taking and the pharmacist started laughing and said I should cut out the Vit E,and then proceeded to tell me why.

Strange,but true fact...lol.


All the best,guys!!:)

[Heather3418]

I was wondering how breastfeeding and pain medication would work and what affects it would have on the baby.  You answered my questions!

Glad you are enjoying your "babbling" little one.  They go through that stage where they love to hear their own voices.  Both of my kids would do their "screeching" at the most odd times.  Especially in places where it was important they were a little quieter..like church.  Most of the time, the congregation would just laugh, when one of my babies, would go into their "screeching and goo-goo" moments.  Great memories...great!

Heather

[lexi468]

Oh,and babble!!he is a babbling machine!!!

[lexi468]

Hi,guys:)

     Shannon,I wanted to let you know that if you talk to your OB about that type of pain management,and he allows you to do something like that.....I would love to hear back from ya:)Scratch that,either way I would like to know how things go.
     And I also wanted to let you know,that after you have your bundle of joy,it is safe to breastfeed while you are taking that type of pain medication.Just when you take it be sure that it is at least an hour before you feed.(this is if you are taking short acting opiates...longer lasting ones,I'm not too sure on)I hope all goes well!!

Heather,Thanx for the compliment!!I was scared at first to go ahead with pain management when I was preggers,but at the same time,I knew it was just as bad for the baby as it was me if I continued to be in tons of pain.

   I had my son this year,the day after his due date @5:00am....lol!Talk about having perfect timing:)

   8lbs2oz~ 21 inches!!  He is 7 months old now:)I think any second he will start crawling.....lol!!(right now he likes to roll,sit&play:))


both you guys...take care!!:)
lexi468

[Shannonc]

Thankyou so much for your replays I appreciate it so much you have given me somethings i can go to the doctor about ..thanks again.

[betmylife]

if you are on fentanyl and are pregnant, you may want to switch to methadone, whereas your baby with spend its first days of life in opiate withdrawl if you take the fentanyl, it wont with methadone....if you must take an opiate, or strong pain reliver, thats what to do...

[Heather3418]

What a great success story.  My thriving, healthy "baby boy" is now 6'5".  I guess I did something right.  He was a healthy 8 pds. 7 ozs. at birth and this was 36 years ago.  Hope you are enjoying your little boy as much as I still enjoy "my little boy."  

Thank goodness there are loving mothers, such as you and Shannon, that endure more pain just to protect their unborn babies from too many pain relievers.  My current pain problem was not like this when I was pregnant, so I feel for both of you.  You endured alot and do...

Heather

[lexi468]

Hi:)

   I don't know if this will help any,but I had chronic pain before I got pregnant,and during.I went the first four months W/O pain management...and then after the 4 month mark,he allowed me 30 norco 5/325's a month.I used them sparingly,only when I felt horrible...It was a godsend that I knew I had something there if I was having a very bad day.

I also took omega 3's and extra folic acid along with my prenatals,and ate very healthy.

I have a healthy,thriving boy.....because I was responsible with my pain management.It wasn't alot,but it did help me through.

Maybe talk to your OB about this kind of management:)

I hope this helped a little:)


Take care
lexi468

[IBKleen]

Good Morning!

I know EXACTLY what you are going thru (with the pain). Listen, there is another forum here called "addiction". You will find it on the home page upper left hand corner. Go in there and go into the "community forum". Post exactly what you posted here. You will find people who can help you with the meds and such.

Hope to see you.

Hugs, IBKleen

[Heather3418]

When I was pregnant, all my doctor would let me have is over the counter Tylenol.  Now that you are in your fourth month and the baby has fulled formed, see if your OB; working with your Primary Care Physician or Pain Specialist, can come up with something stronger to give you some relief.

You already know that anything you take will have an affect on the baby.  It's so hard to live with discomfort, when you are carrying a life inside of you that you want to protect.  As I understand it, some the heavier drugs, other than OTC Tylenol will make the baby sleepy, but try and find out which ones will not harm the baby's maturing liver and kidneys.  I KNOW there is something you can take, now that you have passed the critical stage of pregnancy.

I really feel for you.  You are torn between your tremendous pain and the welfare of your unborn child.  Thank God at least, you one of those women that are concerned about the growing fetus inside of you.  There are some women as you know, that could care less what they put into their bodies while they are pregnant.

And by the way, congratulations on the little one.  I hope you get to feeling better soon.  I know that your back is in for some real strain ahead with the weight of the growing baby.  I really hope the best for you and the wee one.  Please let us know what your doctor's decide to do for you.

Heather

[Jaybay]

I assume it was your OB who took you off of everything.  If you were getting your pain meds from a pain physician, that doc needs to be involved in your case and working together with your OB.  You don't need to suffer this badly while you're pregnant.  Granted, the pain relief will probably not be as much as you were used to or you would like, but to cut it all off completely is, in my opinion, unethical.