Happily pregnant!! However, I have Fibromyalgia (&am on medications)...

[daybreak]

My question is about Fibro medications and wanting to hear from others' experiences during pregnancy w/fibromyalgia (or chronic pain issues). I also NEED encouragement how to taper off of valium (I am down to from 20 mg to 10 mg a day for anxiety & muscle pain, but feel stuck here) I am probably about 3weeks along and happy about it!! however I am concerned because withdrawals could put baby at risk and so could the medications (the pain meds I am on are;60mg mscontin 2x's a day & 5mg oxycodone as needed...I was taking up to 8 a day and am down to 1 or 2 a day). I also take phenogren for nausea...
PLEASE pray for me and if you know about things that naturally help please let me know that too. thank you!! I know I will still be in pain but this baby will be so worth it all...thanks for praying, listening and sharing your stories!!

[TheLightSeeker]

Hey daybreak!
You deserve a...break.
Consider Hypnotherapy for ALL your issues.
Totally drug-free therapy with VERY promising results!
My suggestion is to book a "bundle" of sessions, as most people only
book a single session, where results normally cannot be achieved.
A good Hypnotherapist would not work this way.
And stay connected with your Higher Power, the ultimate source for Well being, Health and Love!
Blessings,
Niko

[daybreak]

Thanks SO much for your encouragement!! I do have really low energy & fatigue, just can not sleep?! anyway how you do with being pregnant & having fibromyalgia?.... did you have bad flare ups or did you go into remission? what about after giving birth? did you have to go off of your medication slow as well? are all of your babies healthy? 3!?! WOW, I am hoping this will not be my only baby either:) I am going to see the NP soon for a "prenatal" visit...how sson are they able to do an ultrasound? SORRY for all of the questions, this is all SO new to me!!

[cashian]

It is wonderful that you are trying so hard to do what you feel is right by your unborn baby, that alone you should congratulate yourself on. I have fibromyalgia and have 3 kids so I have been there and I won't lie, it was not easy, I stopped taking all my meds for fibromyalgia and wanted greatly many times to take something to ease the pain. It is hard but be strong, and remind yourself how fast 9 months goes by, you can do it. I am the opposite as you with my fibromyalgia I have a hard time staying awake. Remember warm baths, daily routine exersizes, and try to make it easier on yourself ahead of time b4 that belly really pops out, read up on the best positions to lay while pregnant ex.pillow btwn your legs and under belly because it will help that middle of the night or morning pain. I wish you the best and take care.

[daybreak]

Hi everyone, Thank you so much for your input. I am still struggling with anxiety but am going to see the NP tomorrow and hopefully they will have good advice. I do not have an OB but my NP is also a certified mid-wife. The main medicine I am concerned about is valium (even though I was on 20 mg a day I am now down to 10 mg a day) I am SO concerned that this will affect the baby. I had tried so many things to help anxiety/muscle pain and this really does help. I was taking soma but only as needed so that one was easy to stop. I am in lots of pain & I have not been sleeping (that is another symptom with fibro/sleeplessness). It is awful & worse than before I began tapering. I hate hate feeling anxious and being in pain...Yes all of my dr's know all of the meds I am on. My DH and I were actually about to have a home study because it is also in our hearts to adopt (& we were also still TTC.. against all odds, because the "specialists" told us we only had a 1% chance of conceiving after my DH had a s.a. done. Crazy & miraculous?! ! We are now praying this baby will be healthy & that I will be one of the women who are blessed to go into remission:)
Even though I do not have an addiction (I never take the full amounts of my prescriptions & am always trying natural remedies, massage, acupuncture, etc in hopes to not have to take meds), I do still have physical dependence because I have had these disabilities for 7 years & been on the medicine most of that time. So now that we have a miracle baby on the way, & I REALLY need God's help, grace, & strength to be at peace and help me take care of this little one (& of course help to get off of the medications). Thanks to all for your care & prayers, it is much appreciated!!

[runsincircles]

It's so good to see people thinking of their baby ahead of their pain!!  I know it's not easy to do.  I know that pain meds can cause birth defects and I knew someone who took vicodin through pregnancy.  Her baby would just stop breathing and her eyes would roll back in her head and she would start shaking but it wasn't a seizure.  Scary stuff!!  Last I talked to her the baby was still doing it at 6 months.  When it gets hard and you wanna reach for a pain pill just remember this is such a short period of time to be in pain compared to the years of pain it could cause your child.

[IwillDoThis]

My thoughts are with you.  Does your ob know what meds you are on?  Your pain doc can start a tapering schedule for you to safely get you off these drugs.  Now is the time to start healthy habits with a little one on the way.  I just detoxed off all my pain meds recently and I can tell you it is no fun, so better to do it now while there is probably little chance at this stage it would harm your baby then deal with the physical dependence monster later BELIEVE ME.

I've learned my pain isn't near what I thought it would be off the pills and I am learning to manage my fibro and pain in a better more healthy way than swallowing a bunch of pills.

It can be done and in your case most definitely should be done.  Feel free to come over to the addiction/substance abuse to post for support in tapering and withdrawals of the meds you are on.  It's a really active forum and you will be supported.  Whether you have a physical dependence only to your drugs or you feel you have an addiction - it doesn't matter.  Just having people who understand where you are coming from has been a huge help to me.

:)