Chronic Pain Moms_ Pregnancy & Pain Meds, PLEASE HELP!

[ibaibez]

Hello, I am currently going to a pain management clinic while pregnant.  I am trying to find information on how much pain medication and what kind was taken throughout pregnancy and if they baby had withdrawals.  I have heard two moms say 40mg X3day for Oxycontin and no withdrawals, I have also heard a few moms on LOW dose fentanyl and no withdrawals as well.  I would really appreciate if you could share your experience! Especially if someone has taken less and had baby withdrawals.  I am no where near that dose but per my OBGYN she wants them to increase my pain management due to my extreme vitals and lack of quality of life.  At times, I think about ending it all because I cannot tolerate the pain, it never stops, and its just so hard to cope. I know to make it through this pregnancy I need to up it (we have had me on a very low dose) but I would like to know moms experiences with what mg and what happened with their babies. PLEASE

Thank you so much for your information, this is such a stressful time and I really appreciate it!

[trixy71]

Congrats Jess! You're in the home stretch now- 2 more months! Please let us know when your bundle of joy arrives, can't wait to hear the good news! Take care!

[Jess2e]

Thanks ladies!!! Has anyone ever had trigger point injections. They are helping a great deal....they inject lidocaine and depo-medrol about every 3 weeks. Both my high risk and reg OB cleared me to get them. I wish i had learned of these along time ago!!! Just thought i would let some other pain sufferers know as well...although i did hear it doesnt work the same for everyone - but def worth a shot! Thanks for all your advice ladies! :) 32 weeks tmrw!!! :)

[trixy71]

I agree with you completely. Brain and other damage from stress is much more worrisome that taking percocet/oxycodone for pain management, especially if all doctors are aware of the situation, remember they are the specialists.

That is so wonderful about your baby boy! Congratulations!

[ibaibez]

True but oxycodone and oxycontin are the ONLY pain medications that are PREGNANCY B category and the only ones I have heard success stories for moms in severe pain (to the pain where the stress releases too much cortisol and can hinder brain development in the fetus) and have not had babies with withdrawal symptoms, everyones metabolism is different but moms ranging from 80-140 mg of oxy per day (4 total different moms) did not have neonatal withdrawals, honestly I feel like for oxy you have to be ABUSING it to have a baby who will have withdrawals symptoms, a small does like 7.5 X3 a day is very minor, yes everyones metabolism is different BUT really i think for oxy it is moms who abuse it

[Totie]

Congrats....

IMHO, everyone reacts different to all sorts of medication. What happens with one baby does not mean the other will do the same.

[ibaibez]

I had a boy! He is suuuper cute! I was SOOOO nervous in the hospital though! He would sneeze and I would be like "oh my goodness!!!" or he would cry a little and I would start to get all worried and then he would just poop and stop.  He was probably less fussy than any other baby there! He turned out great and is doing well now too, he is not even 3 months and is already turning over, smiles, coos, and has grown big! I think he is going to be very tall.

I am still in a TON of pain, but at least pregnancy is over.

[ibaibez]

really dont beat yourself up over it!!! Having high blood pressure from being in pain  or other effects of the stress of severe pain is MUCH worse, you will be OK! Baby should be fine! you dose is really low compared to others who have gone through this.  Just be careful at the hospital!  <3 If he were to be fussy I highly doubt it would be from medication but from some other issues, many babies have tummy problems, so dont stress yourself out.  Oxy is pregnancy B and if you keep your dose low you will both be fine, they also give you 10 mg oxy every 4 hours after you give birth so that should help after as well too. Good luck!!

[trixy71]

Congratulations! I was hoping you would come back and let us know how you were doing! Boy or girl? 8-)

[ibaibez]

Hey!

I was on 30 mg Oxycontin twice a day.  I was also on 5 mg oxycodone up to 4 times a day.  I took a total of 80mg a day up until birth.

My baby was fine with no withdrawals.  He actually is amazing! Not colicky at all! But the hospital personnel were crazy!! They WANTED to put him on morphine SOOOOO bad but since he did not have withdrawal symptoms except he got a LITTLE fussy before pooping.  Hospital people hate you for using pain medication and I felt like they wanted vengance upon me, I HAD TO BE on pain medicine or I would not have made it, SEVERE pain issues.

So the medication amount seems fine, but hope he is not fussy for any other reason or they will try to put him in the NICU.  

Also it depends on your metabolism!!

I have heard from 3 moms on up to 140 mg a day of oxy and no baby withdrawals, mine was a total of 80 and no withdrawals.  But really just be careful of your hospital because they treat you BAD for being on pain medication even if it is the safest thing because not being on it would cause severe distress, my doctor prescribes pain medicine during pregnancy because in studies mom under SEVERE stress show the babies brain does not develop as well as if you were not in severe stress. So if your pain is bad enough to cause you severe stress DO NOT WORRY about the pain medicine so much, take care of yourself and your baby!!  Good luck!! I know your position, try not to worry, your dose is not that high as mine or others, Take care!!  

[trixy71]

Jesse, I didn't go through it personally, a friend of mine did. But really 7.5 mg 3x a day, ISN'T going to hurt the baby. You're doctors are right. That is a very low dose that your on, and again, the additional stress that the pain would cause will do more harm to the baby than your current meds.

Seriously, relax hon, no more stressing over it! In about 8-10 more weeks, you will deliver a happy healthy brand new baby. 8-) Good luck and congratulations on the new addition!

[Jess2e]

Hey, I just wanted to reach out to you as i am in a similar situation. I have 5 cervical herniations and spinal stenosis. i am 30 weeks pregnant and i so badly want to taper down to nothing for the sake of my baby but the pain is just too hard to bare and I dont know what to do. I currently take 7.5 percoset 3x/day  which still leaves me in pain but i can manage through it and i receive trigger injections every 3 weeks. From what u have learned, do u think this amount will effect my baby when he is born? My doctors seem to think all will be alright but i am trying to find real life people who are going through this or who have been through this and want to share their experience in hopes to give me some piece of mind. Tx! Jessica

[ibaibez]

Ok, for any other moms in a horrible situation as I have been, Oxyxontin and Oxycodone are pregnancy category B and seem to be the safest for the baby.

Two moms have verified they were taking 120 mg/day

Another mom at my pain clinic said she took closer to 200 mg/day and before giving birth weened closer to 100mg (oxycontin and oxycodone) and her son had no withdrawals, and she had a C section so was not immediately breastfeeding either, her son was sooo cute and happy and healthy as well.

So for anyone else looking that is what I have found through MASS researching and talking to a mom at my pain mgt place

[trixy71]

Oh you poor dear. I didn't go through what you are going through but i really feel for you. Yes babies can go through withdrawal, but its a balance, if your blood pressure so high from the pain, how does that affect the baby, i personally would think that that would be worse. You need to be able to function while giving your baby the best chance. I wish you the best of luck and really try not to worry too much, added stress isn't good for you or the baby. As long as your properly monitored, you should be fine.

[ibaibez]

Thanks, I have heard oxycontin may be safer than ms contin, it is such a horrible position to be in, the pain so bad I just dont want to live through it anymore.  I have beautiful family and wish so much I could enjoy my time with them, its ;ole my stress level is off the roof, I tried to take less and cope but my blood pressures were 150/90, they thought I had pregnancy induced hypertension but come to find out it was just pain.  I try not to cry in front of my family and children, but sometimes I its so hard to be so strong all the time.  I wish there was other options in all this great technology besides opoids, its not like its fun to be a slave to pain medication or looked at with suspicion from doctors who just dont understand.  I am sorry to hear about your baby.  It did not say how many mg of ms contin you were taking, how much was it?  Thanks for the info

[passed_off_in_MA]

What state do you live in? I was told that I could take  mgs of MS IContin plus 5mgs 2x;s a day for breakthrough. OBGYN said It should be fine. Was surprised when it was NOT he had to go to the NICU to get off for 3 weeks. And had other moms up there with worse stories for less my friend took 10mgs of OC's 2x's daily and was fine. The whole thing was awful but I hope for you it will be better... let me know how it works out