Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Dihydrocodeine - bad reaction?

10 replies

PerpetualStudent · 02/07/2017 11:41

So, I'm 27 weeks pregnant and have been suffering with migraines all through my pregnancy (not something I have an issue with outside of pregnancy, thank goodness!)
After months of Drs fobbing me off, I've finally been prescribed some strong painkillers - dihydrocodeiene - I was over the moon, until I took one and felt awful!!
Shivers, sickness, headaches (different from the pregnancy ones!)
I'm so gutted, these migraines have been the bane of my life and I believed if only I could get some painkillers things would be bareable again. (I'm doing lots of other things: healthy diet, frequent hydration, yoga, osteopathy, good bedtime routines etc to try and manage them BTW, not just been flopping around waiting for the drugs!)

I took one 30mg dose, which I was told to do when I really felt the need, if paracetemol wasn't managing the pain.

I guess the next step is to go back to the Drs and try something else, but I wondered if anyone had had a similar experience taking dihydrocodeine and gone on to be ok with it? Or what did you find finally worked for you?
I had cocodemol after labour with DS1 without issue, but apparantly the Dr didn't want to prescribe me that, as it contains paracetemol and thus would limit the amount of that I could take to manage my pain...

OP posts:
PerpetualStudent · 02/07/2017 11:44

Sorry, meant for this to go in general health! Have asked for it to be moved!

OP posts:
PerpetualStudent · 02/07/2017 19:04

Anyone?

OP posts:
LittleCandle · 02/07/2017 19:09

Dihydracodeine makes me feel really ill and I have never risked taking since. I used to be able to take it ok, but I don't risk it now.

PerpetualStudent · 02/07/2017 20:47

Thanks LittleCandle did you used to take it regularly? I've been told to only take one tablet when I really need to, so thinking occassional use won't help me get used to the side effects...

OP posts:
shouldnthavesaid · 02/07/2017 20:59

I've taken it semi regularly on and off for a few months - second time I got it, the hospital gave me quite a high dose (I think 6 tablets over 6 hours) and I needed assistance to walk from the nurses , hallucinating and shaking/vomiting. It's a strong drug. They say at my work (I'm a nurse auxiliary) it's heavily implicates in delirium/falls and confusion in inpatients, definitely can make you feel weird. I think some people get more tolerant over time though.

PandoNoPants · 02/07/2017 21:05

Maybe ask for a lower dose? My consultant prescribed it during my pregnancy with DS for migraines but lower dose. These days I have to use co codamol for arthritis and it took me ages to tolerate the prescribed dose of 30/500! I just don't seem to get on with that group of drugs (opiates?). I felt sick, shaky, woozy and pretty much out of it. Speak to your Dr x

Haggisfish · 02/07/2017 21:06

I didn't think codeine did much for headaches? You can get liquid codeine-codeine linctus. Poor you.

LittleCandle · 02/07/2017 22:41

I didn't take it regularly but had been given it for pain relief after an operation and some dental work. I don't remember now why I had it that last time, but I was hugely sick, dizzy and generally really ill. I think it took me a couple of days to recover and my GP warned me against using it again.

PerpetualStudent · 04/07/2017 15:26

Thanks all! I tried half a 30mg pill last night, didn't feel sick, but still very high and out of it - didn't really stop the pain, just stopped it mattering for a few hours! Unfortunately can't really be taking regular painkiller 'holidays' with a toddler to look after and a PhD to finsh!

Haggis I'm not sure codeine's usually the first port of call for headaches either, I guess they're limited by what they can prescribe during pregnancy though? I've heard anti-sickness and even blood pressure pills can help, am going back to my GP tomorrow to ask about alternatives...

OP posts:
27Harper · 05/07/2017 03:57

Hope you get on well at the doctors OP, I get regular headaches both during and outside of pregnancy so I know how irritating they can be. I tried several painkillers, one of which being Dihydrocodeine, but there was a dosage issue with me and didn't find them all that more effective than cocodamol (30/500) did nothing for my headaches.

After that I was put on Tramadol, which is supposed to be more effective than either cocodamol or Dihydrocodeine, but I'm not sure about prescribing them while pregnant. I'm also on a slow release morphine pill twice a day. Tramadol is roughly twice as strong as cocodamol so can you mention that to your doctor? Again, not sure how safe it is during pregnancy as I was taken off most of my other medications with DS. Hope you feel better soon hun.

Also there are anti-migraine medications such as pizotifen than can be used in adjunct to painkillers. Let us know how you get on xx

New posts on this thread. Refresh page