Has anyone been on painkillers for chronic long term pain whie breastfeeding or had to give up despite wanting to continue because of the painkillers needed?

[Piffle]

I'm going to have to call the docs tomorrow for something stronger, only short term prob not everyday
DS2 is 10 mths, has slept through but only once, feeds 5-6 x day
I'm a committed extended feeder and am unsure abuot drugs, diazepam has been mentioned as being great for my condition (misaligned pelvis severe SPD and back pain - on crutches and immobile a lot)
I could look and google but I cannot sit here long enough
Anyone?

Piffle could you ring the BfN's drugline? 0844 412 4665 information about drugline

I'm afraid a quick google search does suggest diazepam is not compatible with bf .

I know it's cold comfort, but at least with your ds's age you would be able to wean him onto cow milk shortly rather than formula, thus saving a lot of money.

Are you able to get a bf-friendly doc who might be able to recommend something compatible with bf?

Piffle, I've left a message for you on Fb. I was on dihydrocodeine btw and some other stuff that made me off my face . Anyway, get yourself to a Bowen therapist sharpish

Kitty this is a Bowen Physio
I'm not ready for Bowen yt apparently as pelvis is too unstable, she is trying to stabliise pelvis first and it's just popping up and down.
I am taped up to keep it rigid. but the nerve pressure means my knee and thigh and ankle are killing me as well as severe groin pain.
Thank you two lovelies
Cannot be off my face have to pick dd up in car... my guess is I'm shafted
Will try bfn tomorrow
Finn already has cows milk as the odd nip as he loathes formula and I am far too lazy and incapacitated to express

Piff, I kept on driving

pain ok today so have buried head in sand and not rung...

a self pitying bump

Bumping for you Piff.... does anyone have any info please????

I spoke to the drugline people a couple of times when I needed specialist help about specialist drugs.

I was given cocodamol with 30mg codeine (I can't remember how many) and 200mg a day of tramadol while breastfeeding. My baseline drug was (and still is bit not for very much longer) the full dose of paracetamol as it made the tramadol more effective.

I had no choice about giving up breastfeeding as the treatment I needed was highly toxic (although I did get both an LLL person and my specialist nurse to take it all the way - the local hospital clearly thought I was bonkers ) but at least my DS2 was 16 mo.

After I stopped feeding I was offered morphine which was very effective but I don't expect for one moment is compatible.

My local hospice (specialised in treating extraordinary pain - I am almost certainly not going to die of this) lent me a tens machine and gave me some acupuncture sessions (done by a specialist physio). She set up the tens machine two different ways to help with the pain and suggested different places to apply the electrodes to try to block the pain. This was quite good but you wouldn't be able to work it out yourself.

I have Tens and it is ok ish sometimes
The pain varies from nerve pain in groin to knee to ankle to hip, muscle pain and just deep aches.
So very hard to get them all with the tens.
I now have paracetamol with codeine and use with long acting ibuprofen. TBH im still in considerable pain.
I need something at night as the pain goes mental at night it feels like liquid fire in my knees and I cry with pain and nothing touches it bar DP pulling my leg y the ankle for 30 seconds respite.
Am wondering if I give up nightfeeding they could offer something just for nights, as pain not quite as bad during day and more manageable I guess.
Thanks for bumping Mossy

I was also given diclofenac (stronger NSAID than ibuprofen). I can't tolerate it stomach-wise so I was also given omeprazole to protect my stomach.

Is there a pain clinic you can be referred to? Or are the waits hideous? Does your GP really know how compromised your life is? Is if affecting your ability to look after your children? Lay it on thick and keep asking. I didn't until too late in the process.

Sympathies. The pain I had from my tumour was unimaginable. I have cried with pain. It is terrible, isn't it?

I had virtually given up night feeds due to pain before I had to wean which made it slightly easier.

The hospice also gave me reflexology to help with the sleep. Temporary, obviously, but gave some relief some days.

Maybe you could do do a pro/con chart about pain and carrying on feeding? I didn't have a choice so in a way was easier.

Thing, we use morphine all the time with bf c/s women. Of course it's only short term, but at that point it's OK. Had a quick look in my BNF and it's not contra-indicated with BF. Some babies actually have oral morphine.
I would definitely get in touch with someone, BNF/pharmacist about which forms of strong pain relief are compatible with BF, there must be some and GP's aren't always the best at knowing what drugs are OK while BF. I'm sure there must be good painkillers about about. The main problem is that most of them aren't licensed, because no one has tested them on BF mums because of the obvious ethical implications of this.
What painrelief are you on at the moment?

Had another look in my own BNF (Sept 2006) and Diazepam said avoid if possible while BF, so not avoid it all together.
Diamorphine: unlikely to affect infants.

only on long acting ibuprofen . Doc said reluctant to use anti inflamms. Codeine does sweet FA tbh. Ds2 sleeps through 4/7 nights so night weaning not huge mountain in all honesty. The pain does come and go. Am seeing physio twice weekly at my expense and she helps for 48 hrs. She is teaching DP some techniques to help. No pain clinic within 35 miles and cannot drive that far ATM am researching some other therapies to find some help too. Long rehab involved as well which will need some resolve...

My sympathies - you sound like you're really struggling. I suffer from chronic pain after a car crash and have found few things that really help. That said, acupuncture is a marvel - it has helped with nerve damage in particular and may help the pain you describe in your leg. I was offered it through the pain clinic but you could maybe try it privately and if it works get your DH to train in it if that is possible. I also have the SPD problem and have found that the position I sleep in makes a huge difference. Fingers crossed that things get better for you.

how do you sleep? I'm at a loss! On my back is ok ish but I prefer to sleep on my side or tum but have tried various pillows and stuff and still wake every half an hour with ripping pain. That said last night I took painkillers bang on bedtime nc pain was better on the leg BUT they gave me really bad indigestion which woke me a lot too and took ages to go! Need to sort that out and maybe that's a solution if I can fix the acid thing. The problem itself is healing the pelvis is staying in place longer and movement is better! Thanks for the help everyone

disclaimer - I have no medical qualifications but I have learned a lot as a patient over the last year.

Is it the ibuprofen that is hurting your stomach? Ask your GP for omeprazole for this. Also try taking after food.

Also, you said earlier Doc was reluctant to use anti inflamms. Does s/he know you are taking ibuprofen? It is also a NSAID. But as I said, I have no medical quals so I have no idea which painkillers are best for different sorts of pain. I've had things explained in bits as I went along but most of the time I was so sore I just sat that with my eyes glazing over thinking "just give me the bleedin' painkillers NOW".

Is the codeine hurting your tummy or just (haha) making you constipated? For a while I couldn't take cocodamol on an empty stomach but I seem to be able to tolerate it better now.

I really feel for you - I hated that stage of never being able to find a comfy position in bed and it's so demoralising to keep waking up.

As for bedtime have you tried the usual sleep helpers: warm baths, lavender essential oil in bath or on burner, cammomile tea, hot wheat pack (if appropriate), walk before bedtime (if not in too much pain), smaller meals eaten earlier etc. I also tried hypercal drops in my bath (from neals' yard). I don't know if they "work". I suspect evidence is sorely lacking but they seemed to me to take some of the pain away. As far as I'm concerned if I can trick my brain into believing something works that's good enough .

Hi Piffle, for you. It's a shame you're so far from a pain clinic; that's the only thing that's really helped me. I have Ehlers-Danlos III (aka joint hypermobility syndrome) and SPD and my symptoms sound depressingly similar to yours... I had to have diazepam while pregnant but was told to stop while bf. However, my SPD has been significantly eased since giving birth to ds, which doesn't sound like the case with you. Are you seeing a consultant as well as the physio? Oh, and as for the sleeping, I sleep on top of a folded duvet as it cushions the pelvis - if you haven't already tried that one . Good luck, and I hope you have someone looking after you; pain is exhausting and depressing, and I've found there's a tendency for those with long-term pain to downplay it to others so they often don't realise how tough things are.

no one looking after me. Dp works long hours. Ds1 helps after school he is 14. Cope ok ish. No time right now but am grateful for all input and will answer more fully later

Bumping for you again Piffle - I really have no answers I'm afraid.

I'm thinking a bit "outside the box" here so I could be talking absolute horseshit, but is there a way you could manage his feeds around the drug?

Because surely this is like any drug in milk in that it only stays in your milk just as long as it stays in your bloodstream?

So, say if you could bf your ds2 in the morning, then take your medication, give him alternatives (cow milk / solids / water / juice) until the medication is out of your bloodstream, then bf him again, then take medication again and so on?

Obviously depending on how long the medication stays in the bloodstream for you may have to cut down the number of feeds he has, but at least he will still be getting some bm and he is old enough for his system to deal with a bit of cow milk ...

I am just thinking out loud really feel free to ignore me.

Piffle do you have any neighbours, perhaps with older children / teenagers themselves who would run errands for you?

bless you mossy, I do often give ds2 2oz od cows milk in the afternoon, he feeds at 7am then at 10am before sleep and then not again til 7pm 11pm
if he wakes in the night I will feed him although he rarely wakes now.

Have been taking paracetamol and codeine last thing at night now which has helped enormously.
Not constipated

Have had mum here for a few days and she has been ace and also kids are on half term this week so sod all driving to do.

I am feeling better, the pain in the day is only nerve pain nw and that responds well to ibuprofen and ice packs

I am hoping this means my pelvis has not slipped right back this week, which would be a mega good sign of healing.

Mossy you're a star Have ds1 doing the hoovering (badly) and he helps get dd's dinner served while I sort ds1 at 5-6pm, we've abandoned bathing saving it for the weekends only when daddy does it!

Sounds good Piffle. Hope you really are recoverig.