Diamorphine

[10purplepansies]

Looking for experiences of diamorphine in labour and how people have found it... are you still able to be mobile and can you have it if planning to use pool?

I had it in both my labours. It wasn't great tbh but it was the only thing on offer so I took it. It doesn't stop the pain just makes you out of it. I had a pretty unpleasant reaction to it the second time for some reason, it made me feel dizzy and sick after I delivered (quick birth).

Same as PP, done nothing for the pain and made me out of it and really sick. Cant get in the pool till it had worn off.

I had it as pain relief for an emergency caesarian, on top of epidural. So it seems to me an odd choice for a water birth. But it was fine, pure pain relief, no side effects.

Same as other posters, I felt totally drunk, room spinning, was still in pain but couldn't communicate it properly. To be honest I didn't like it but it did let me sleep in between contractions for a minute or so. I don't want it again but I had a long labour first time so it was the only thing on offer at that point and got me through a long night. It might be useful in certain circumstances.

At our antenatal class we were told that if we use the pool, its gas & air only, anything stronger and they wont allow water birth. That's the greater Glasgow NHS but I imagine it'll be similar elsewhere.

You're usually not allowed any opiates in the water. Gas and air is better than diamorphine IMHO though

3 day labour and was given it at night...I found it just relaxed me. I wasnt ill or sicky it seemed to calm me down

I had it. Was using gas and air and suddenly wasn't helping. Turns out baby had turned and was malpositoned but we didn't know at the time. They gave me diamorph with an anti sickness. Made me feel calmer, pain easier and more able to cope. Was apparently a bit spaced out but I thought it was great. I was able to change positions etc but I didn't use the pool. I was reluctant to use it as was worried Re nausea and vomiting but I'm so glad I had it.

I had it, ask for anti sickness with it. Helped with the pain for a bit but ended up with epidural as well. Induced, baby was back to back.

I had it in early labour with my first it helped me sleep but you are literally off your face. I remember thinking "oh so this is why people do heroin" lol. They gave me it cause I was being induced, was vomiting with the pain but nowhere near ready for baby to come. They wouldnt give me it again the further my labour progressed as it can make baby sleepy and I was having decels

Ditto with @shaken I was induced labour with back to back baby also

You can go in the pool 2 hours after the injection but not if you’re sleepy. Diamorphine being an opiate helps to relax you and helps you to deal with the pain but can make you sleepy too, and it can cause nausea but you’ll be given an anti sickness medicine with it. It wont totally get rid of the pain the only thing that can do that is an epidural although sometimes even they don’t totally get rid of the pain.

Tbh if there’s a pool free when you’re in established labour you’re better off trying that and seeing how you get on, you can also use gas and air whilst in the pool too if needed. (you can also use gas and air with diamorphine)

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg190/ifp/chapter/Pain-relief#opioid

Diamorphine is Heroin. Nothing wrong with it when used appropriately but not for a water birth.

(I had mine with no drugs or gas & air or anything and I was fine! I don't want a medal, just making the point that Mumsnet is a real eye opener.)

Thanks everyone. I didn't really know much about it. Having had a traumatic first birth, I'm pretty anxious about my second coming up in the next month but thinking pool with gas and air to be the best options and if that's no good then epidural and no opiates. Last time I had pethadine which I think is similar and was horrible!

Did nothing for me, hardly even took the edges off. I asked for the epidural an hour after it

i cant have any opiates without feeling sick and faint so I wouldnt choose this at all, nor pethidine, but some people find them great. They can also make baby so drowsy they cant feed properly

Yes pethidine is similar however diamorphine is a more effective pain relief in comparison. What was it about pethidine you didn’t like?

I laboured in the pool, it was honestly the best pain relief for me (I had everything going in the end and nothing was as good in comparison), and from the woman I’ve cared for who labour in the pool they’ve not needed any other pain relief other than gas and air whilst in the water.

I would not try diamorphine if you didn't like pethidine... I decided against pethidine in my first labour and had an epidural once gas and air wasn't cutting it anymore. I was in the bath for my second labour and it was amazing pain relief, so I imagine the pool would have been even better (there was no time to fill it). I think you're definitely better off aiming for pool plus G&A if necessary!