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Pain control during pregnancy

3 replies

kirstyboo79 · 24/04/2017 15:09

Hi all I'm looking for some info re. using pain meds during pregnancy. I've suffered with chronic pain for the past 8yrs due to an annular tear in my spinal disc (L4/L5) and some facet joint damage. For the past 4.5yrs or so I've been taking a daily dose of 75mg amitriptyline, 3600mg gabapentin, 60mg morphine sulphate SR, and 20-60ml 10mg/5ml oral morphine solution prn. Because my partner and I would like to try for a baby, I am lowering what meds I can in order to have as safe a pregnancy as possible. (I'm diabetic and have PCOS so this is the beginning of potentially a long journey, and I am 37yrs old already.) Over the past 6mths I have managed to get down to 20mg morphine sulphate SR and 40mls oral morphine solution max. and am still on 75mg amitriptyline and 3600mg gabapentin. I have been to my local Pain Clinic 3x times for help with this, and unfortunately they have been really unhelpful. Their only advice is that I come off everything completely, they have very little regard for my pain and how I will cope, and are unwilling to do any reading or research into what pain relief medications I can safely be on during pregnancy - so I am doing this alone. There isn't a huge amount of information available as not enough studies have been done in this area, and there is conflicting information out there, which is why I'm interested now in getting anecdotal input. Have any of you been in a similar situation? What has been your experience with these pain medications? I am confident that if I had to stay on this dose of morphine I wouldn't be harming my child beyond them experiencing some mild withdrawal initially (which I would prefer to avoid, but it is of some comfort to know I wouldn't be damaging them long-term), and I'm almost certain I need to come off the amitriptyline completely which I can do; but the information I've read on gabapentin is confusing and unfortunately this is the medication that best controls my pain. I would be really grateful for advice from anyone who has been on this. Thanks in advance.

OP posts:
Aquamarine1029 · 25/04/2017 12:48

Honestly, these are questions for your doctor. Have you tried acupuncture?

kirstyboo79 · 26/04/2017 12:42

I know they are, and as per my post I have been trying to get this advice from them for quite some time now. Yes, I've tried acupuncture, hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, pilates, yoga, body scanning, mindfulness, meditation, and I use a TENS when appropriate.

OP posts:
kirstyboo79 · 26/04/2017 12:42

I know they are, and as per my post I have been trying to get this advice from them for quite some time now. Yes, I've tried acupuncture, hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, pilates, yoga, body scanning, mindfulness, meditation, and I use a TENS when appropriate.

OP posts:
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