Well - thank you both for your insight.... I am trying to take it once I feel the pain is increasing so it does not get too bad - like Saturday and last night. I am going to not take regular tylenol as I am afraid of taking too much... as long as I take it and lay down propped up with pillows I seem to be okay - but I did paint yesterday (I know.. bad me .. I am on bedrest) but my carpets are coming Saturday and I have to get it done... now I am considering re painting the girls room because the color is not what I expected... it is sooo pink - it looks like piglet exploded in there. But my mom picked me up some baby stuff - which to my shock and made me completely ashamed for my thoughts towards her - and the blankets and all match the paint (that pink and brown theme) - I have noticed a significant increase with my reflux pain - and my mom mentioned a hiatal hernia or something like that - so I will mention it to my drs this week..
THANKS GIRLS!!!
I'm sorry I meant that tylenol#3 is milder than most vicodin strengths, not darvocet....darvocet is probably the weakest narcotic that I'm familiar with, but I really only know about the most common ones so I'm not familiar with that many of them, lol.
I wanted to add that Darvon/darvocet is a medication that can cause toxicity easily. It builds up in the liver and takes longer than other meds to be processed.
The meds I've taken during pregnancy include Vicoden, Darvocet, and Oxycodone. I was under strict dr's supervision and it was for pain management for severe back pain. both my boys were born UN dependant of the medications.
Ashelen is right, it's considered weak as far as narcotics. multiple studies have shown that there's not much difference between it and standard tylenol. tylenol3 would be stronger due to the codiene
LOL that's okay after I read your post I was considering revising what I put...but then I figured I would just stick to what I had experience with and leave it at that. I hate the unknown factor that always comes with meds during pregnancy...seems like by now they would have more definitive answers, doesn't it??
I did want to add that GA is right it may be wise to ask for one of the more commonly prescribed meds because there's more research regarding these during pregnancy...so it's something to consider. Darvocet IS milder, but it's kind of like the difference between tylenol # 3 and vicodin...tylenol#3 (codeine) is milder in some ways, but a lot more people react poorly to it than to vicodin..and from what I gather, darvocet has the same sort of problems...but if you're taking it without a bad reaction it's up to you, it is considered fairly weak as narcotics go.
AFter reading Ashelens post I wanted to throw something in. I had a feeling that Darvon was the same as Darvocet but I was not sure. As I said before I personally have not had any experience with this drug, but she has and had no problems. BUT I know that my Grandfather took thsi medication and apparently was allergic to it or something becuase he had HORRIBLE hallucinations (like the japanese coming through the walls to kill him and steal his mcdonalds food). My mom also was prescribed Darvocet after her car accident and she had similiar only not as severe side effects from it. She too ended up having to stop taking it and request something else.
NOT EVERYONE will have these problems, but it's something to think about.
Ashelen thanks for clearing up what I didnt know about this med :) It's always better to hear from someone who HAS had personal experience with a med while pregnant.
I'm not reading much about this drug that makes me feel ok with it. If I were in your shoes I would call your OB and let him know what is going on, ask him to give you a prescription for something that is more commonly used during pregnancy such as tylenol 3, vicodin or lortab.
As for taking this medication along with tylenol you have to be very careful. If the medication says to take every 6 hours as needed you would need to wait 6 hours before taking any tylenol and then another 6 hours after you take the tylnol before taking the prescription med again.
From what I read this medication is very easy to overdose on. It is an opiod derivative. any narcotic pain medication can potentially cause a fetus to become addicted and suffer withdrawals after birth. It's best to do as you are and not take it unless you absolutely have to.
I recently had some very severe pain in my back which was never given a specific diagnoses....I was told my symptoms were due to carpal tunnel and a muscle in my neck by an er doc then my ob said it was due to a compressed nerve in my spine. One prescribed vicodin the other prescribed lortab which are essentially the same meds. I have not taken any becuase I haven't needed to.
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/DrugSafety/UCM187068.pdf
that link is the FDA information on Darvon (propoxyphene apap)
While All the medication I mentioned (darvon, tylenol 3, lortab, vicodin) are classified as Pregnancy Catagory C. The latter 3, in my experience, are more commonly used during pregnancy. I've never know anyone prescribed Darvon during pregnancy. It's up to you but were I in your shoes I would discuss with your OB and maybe High Risk doctor if there are any better pain relief options. Unfortunately General Practice Physicians are not as educated and knowledgeable in which meds are safer during pregnancy than others. Ob's have extensive experience in prescribing certain medications and what the outcomes were. Good luck!
I just looked it up and it's the same one that they prescribed me with Kahlan under a different name and yes..it's fairly safe. It's just one of the milder narcotics...like Vicodin only MUCH weaker. Birth defects are almost a non-factor when it comes to narcotics unless you're talking about very high doses during the formative stages...the only main concerns are withdrawals after birth and possible respiratory depression after birth. however...with propoxyphene, the chances are small that you'll have any sort of a problem. it is NOT a very strong narcotic. I don't have any experience with injuries around delivery time, but I did want to chip in my 2 cents about the meds and try to reassure you. I'm fairly sure you can take the darvocet (propoxyphene) when the pain gets bad and just take tylenol when you're not hurting too much...however...be cautioned that narcotics are NOT very effective once pain gets to a certain level. you should take them at the first sign of increasing pain so that they can stop the pain from getting worse...because they are not completely effective at lessening pain once it's already begun...especially something as mild as darvocet. I learned this to my heartache when I had kidney stones during my pregnancy with Kahlan. they sent me home with dilauded and I wasn't comfortable taking it every 4hrs like they prescribed so I was only taking it when the pain got bad...and it wasn't working effectively. so I asked them to admit me and administer the medication themselves because I felt like I couldn't do that to myself.
IDK it's up to you of course you should be more than able to take it only when the pain is bad and try to use things like epsom salts and tylenol and heat pads when the pain is mild...but like I said..be forewarned that the drug won't be doing its best work if you wait too long.
just something to think about, and ask your doc when you see them this week :).