I need some advice my back is so sooooo bad the hospital gave me tablets the dr won’t ….. yet! I’m in agony!!!

[BlueBunny23]

I’m 38 weeks pregnant woooop but since the weekend my lower back has been agony I ended up in the maternity assessment unit on the weekend as pain relief I had wasn’t helping so I called the hospital they said come in we will check you. They hooked me up to monitors made sure baby was happy and checked my cervix to make sure I wasn’t in labour as they said it can often start out as back pain. I wasn’t in labour and they gave me some 30mg codeine said to take 2, 4x per day. So 8 in one day. They helped! They sent me off with one box which would last 3 days. They said sadly this pain may not go away until after I deliver and if I need to stay on codeine that’s absolutely fine just to let the midwife know who delivers my baby. So on Tuesday I was running low on the codeine and my back was worse! The tablets still helping. I rang the hospital and asked how I get more they said to ring my doctors surgery. So I did. I got a call back later on and he said it’s fine but he needs to check it out first….. so he rang the hospital who didn’t help him so he’s left an email with them. So iv ran out of tablets and I’m sat here in agony haven’t slept been up and down all night can hardly move….. while he waits for an email!!!
should I call back the doctors this morning when they open at 8:30am irs only 6am here, or should I ring the hospital and go back there? The pain is awful 😢

That sounds dreadful.
I would try the gp again.
Meanwhile, and I know this is frowned upon, ask any family if they have spare codeine. Obviously chk the dose is the same.
It's surprising how many older people have codeine.
Meanwhile can you put a warm wheat bag or hot water bottle on your back.

Sorry you're in pain.

You can buy codeine otc while you wait for the GP to get back to you.

It's addictive, so is usually recommended to only use for 3 days at a time.

The codeine over the counter is 8mg. They told me to take 60mg. I did have cocodomol which was paracetamol and 8mg codeine before going into hospital and it hadn’t touched the pain which is why they put me on a high dose.

thank you I will ask around it’s such an awful place to have pain I can’t even bend to sit on the toilet

Can you contact an osteopath and see if they can work on you even if you're pregnant? They can work wonders.

sorry you are in pain.
codeine is contraindicated in late pregnancy and when breastfeeding and therefore only the gyn can prescribe it if a pregnant woman needs it.
I hate it when hospital doesn't take those things into account when starting treatment off-label (treatment for illnesses not indicated in the package leaflet). happens all too often.

can you get in thd bath? hot water bottle or electric blanket?
or the opposite-cool bath, ice pack. depending what reliefs you pain more.

Osteopath. Towards the end of pregnancy an osteopath can be really useful.

OP, I have very severe lumbar pain and would second trying a hot water bottle for some temporary relief.

The pain is horrible, I know. I’m on all sorts of medication, but they’re no good for pregnant women. However I can do gentle physio like pelvic tilts which help release some of the painful ‘clenching’.

Absolute commiserations

I am lying in bed with my hot water bottle on my lower back but I have to get up soon for take my children to school I honestly don’t know how I’m going to get into the car. I will have a Google for osteopath in my area but iv never heard of them before. The dr in the hospital was a gyno dr, and then the dr at my drs surgery was just a locam so he took it to a senior dr who said it’s fine as long as a midwife agrees but I don’t actually think it’s down to a random midwife who answers the phone at the maternity assessment unit as it’s a different midwife each time you ring up. It would need to be a gyno dr who says yes it’s fine or no it’s not, but she did tell me it was fine to stay on them.

Could you try a tens machine instead? I get lower back pain and it is so good.

You poor thing. I would honestly just ring the hospital. It sounds like you're in a lot of pain and this needs to be resolved quickly. Assuming you have a direct number for the assessment unit, so I'd try that.

I hope you get some help soon. Can you get a taxi to the school and back? Or ask a neighbour or friend to help? Where's baby's dad if you don't mind me asking?

@CuriousMama he started work early today he can’t take any days off as we need them for when baby is born.

i have found a local osteopath and emailed them they open in 3 hours it’s only 7am.
i have explained I’m heavily pregnant but I hope they can do something, is it generally pricey?

@Namechange285 yes that’s going to have to be the case If the dr won’t help me I’m in so much pain I could try and my hormones don’t help

Can you phone the hosptial and ask for urgent womens health physio - they should have one that is attached to the hospital that is specialises in seeing pregnant people they should be able to provide manipulation treatment and maybe even a support belt and crutches etc.
if you are really bad they might be able to prioritise it as urgent- or admit you so they can see you ?
Other option is phone the physio dept attached to the maternity unit directly and ask them how to get referred urgently saying you cannot walk/ extreme pain- it s likely they will need a referral to see you though.

You should check if the codine can be passed to the baby or have any effects on the baby.

I hope you can get in quick with the osteopath. It's not too expensive here but I'm north east England. Depends where you live. They should tell you before you go.

We pay around £30 a visit. Well worth it

Just be aware of chronic constipation caused by codeine

Alternate ice and heat not just heat, definitely osteopath or a good massage if you can't get the osteopath. And a pelvic support belt or if you don't want to buy one so late even tying leggings or something around your pelvis can help.

What worked for me: a difficult position to get into but once you are there it takes the pressure off your back and pelvis: lie on your back with your bottom close to the wall, lift up your legs against the wall and then bend them, letting your knees fall open over your bump. You'll end up as if you were sitting upright with the soles your feet towards each other, but with no pressure or strain on your lower back at all. Stay like this for as long as you can ( that should be easy as it should not hurt at all).

I hope this helps you too.

oh jeez this, the pain from that was worse than the post-surgical pain they were prescribed to treat!!
Will they not consider you for induction if it's so bad?