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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Prescribed 15/500mg co-codemol at 25 weeks pregnant

40 replies

cremedelacreme · 26/02/2011 11:59

I'm suffering badly with SPD. I'm waiting for one NHS physio appoointment (I've waited for six weeks and have another 3 to go) but the pain has got so bad I'm getting no more than a few hours sleep each night.

Doc prescribed me co-codemol and was going to prescribe 30/500mg strength, but when he told me they'd knock me out big time, I asked for lower strength (I have a 2yo DC and need to be a bit on the ball!)

Went to Boots to collect and pharmacist was very concerned but in the end relunctantly said, well, ok, but do try paracetamol first (I did, and it didn't touch the sides).

Internet research suggests that it's ok to take co-codemol, but not after 27 weeks or, ok to take later, as long as you're not taking it all day, every day.

So, a bit confused and any advice welcome!
(Didn't help that, when I questioned doc originally, and said that I'm sure it's ok to take codeine-containing meds while pregnant, he laughed and said, ooh, never trust a doc!)

Thanks in advance.

OP posts:

moregranny · 26/02/2011 12:03

I took paracetamol and codeine all through my pregnancy due to really bad headaches, it didn't seem to do my son any harm, x

Original poster

cremedelacreme · 26/02/2011 12:04

Thanks for that, moregranny. Hope your headaches have eased?

OP posts:

moregranny · 26/02/2011 12:06

That was 28 years ago sweety, hes 6ft 1 now and giving me different sorts of headache now,lol x

weegiemum · 26/02/2011 12:09

I took paracetamol and coedine adn much stronger painkillers all through pregnancy due to kidney stones. I was on morphine/diamorphine some of the time.

I was awfully worried but a really nice pain care specialist explained that pain in the mother causes stress hormones in both her and the baby, which can have an effect especially on growth - stressed/pain ridden mums tend to have earlier/smaller babies. That helped a lot!

Its anti-inflammatories, like ibuprofen, that you mustn't take as it affects the way that the baby's circulation develops.

Hope you feel better soon, though I know it probably won't be till after you give birth.

TerrorFirmer · 26/02/2011 12:17

moregranny

I took them for the same reason for the last two months of pregnancy. I was worried but received the same reassurance as weegiemum. It feels 'wrong' I know, but it's really really fine. You would not have been prescribed them if there were any possibility of harm.

TerrorFirmer · 26/02/2011 12:19

PS I've probably linked to this tons of times but the pelvic partnership site is great

Original poster

cremedelacreme · 26/02/2011 12:23

moregranny!

And also thanks everyone else.

In my experience, pharmacists (particularly Boots ones) get a bit paranoid about meds during pregnancy - it's not the first time they've disagreed with my GP. I've actually had another GP at my practice moan about Boots pharmacists scaring mothers! Because I took co-codemol after my first c-section (plus loads of stronger stuff!) it didn't feel right to take it while actually pregnant. But tonight is the night!

OP posts:

Original poster

cremedelacreme · 26/02/2011 12:29

TerrorFirmer - just noticed your link. Not come across this before and it looks wonderful, thank you thank you!

My midwife last pregnancy just said, you're lucky, some people end up in a wheelchair. So I had one physio session at 35 weeks and was then told, you've left it too late to make much difference really; did no one tell you about accupuncture? (In the end I had lots of the latter and I do think it prevented the pain getting worse). And this time round, the midwife said, I'll book physio but you'll have to wait unfortunately. No mention of other pain relief available, or groups to help.
The more babies I have, the more annoyed I get with the lack of support for pregnant women.

OK, I'll stop now. I could go on for hours otherwise!

OP posts:

Em3978 · 26/02/2011 12:40

I had cocodamol throughout the second half of my pregnancy for SPD reasons too. started at 15/500 and ended up on the stronger ones.
My LO was born very healthily (if a little late - 43 weeks! ) at nearly 9lbs.

The only effect I was aware of was of 'shallow breathing' which affects me if i'm on strong doses of opiates (codeine or tramadol) and that could affect baby when its born. I stayed off the really strong doses for 24 hours before birth and his breathing was perfect for a newborn :o

Original poster

cremedelacreme · 26/02/2011 12:52

That's really reassuring, Em. Sorry to hear you had SPD,too. Last night, the pain was so bad I actually told my DH it was as painful as labour! So, time to use the pain relief!

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stressheaderic · 26/02/2011 12:57

I was offered co-codamol for the pain when I arrived at hospital at 8cm dilated! Took one tablet - not sure of the strength of it - and hardly felt a thing right up until baby was crowning.

JessRabbit · 26/02/2011 12:59

You WILL get constipated though, so take Psyllium Husks or something else to alleviate that.

Original poster

cremedelacreme · 26/02/2011 13:10

Ah yes Jess, the constipation. Have that already so will need to be careful!

OP posts:

prettybird · 26/02/2011 13:13

I once had a Boots pharmacist who refused to let me buy some anti-histamine 'cos I was breastfeeding an 11 month old baby.

Went home, rang my best friend who's a GP, talked to her dh (who's also a GP) who said that it might make ds a bit sleepy and my problem with that was........

I went to a different chemist and didn't bother telling them that I was still breastfeeding

Original poster

cremedelacreme · 26/02/2011 13:16

Prettybird, I know!

I was once told I shouldn't have a strepsil, so they offered me some blackcurrant sweeties. First bag, fine. Second bag they sold me was out of date, yeuch! I went back and asked for a refund, just out of principle!

Ha, I'm sounding like a right old pedant!

OP posts:

LisMcA · 26/02/2011 13:17

I've been given Dihydrocodine by my consultant for my SPD. GP refused to give me anything other than paracetamol even though I could barely get myself to the loo.

Consultant said my inactivity put me at higher risk of developing a blood clot.

I still take my paracetamol and the dihyrdocodine only when it's really bad or I know I need to be able to move (hospital appointments, visiting etc). It's been a life saver for me. I was signed off work at 30 weeks and wasn't getting out of the house until I got the dihyrdocodine. 10 weeks of being housebound would have driven me mad!

Original poster

cremedelacreme · 26/02/2011 13:23

LisMcA - so sorry to hear about your pain. Thank goodness your consultant has helped you.

OP posts:

buttonmoon78 · 26/02/2011 16:28

I took stronger codeine than that up until ds was induced at 38wks. I also took dihydrocodeine at night. My consultant said that I needed to stop taking them 2-3 days before I was induced. There were no side effects for ds. Now for me, on the other hand, I was constantly terribly constipated

Honestly, take them. It will be ok. And you need to be fit and healthy to look after your dc. I had two others and being a little spaced out was better than crying constantly in pain. Dd1 thought I was going to die as it was - was doing Oliver in school - so me being a constant wet weekend did not help at all!

doodledee · 26/02/2011 18:01

If you're concerned you can get 8/500 co-codamol or take one of the stronger ones with a normal paracetamol

Original poster

cremedelacreme · 26/02/2011 19:56

Thanks Buttonmoon. Doodledee, I don't think you can take co-codemol with paracetamol because they already contain the latter. Unless I've misunderstood what you've meant?

But I'm now reassured that a 15/500mg tablet just before bed most nights shouldn't be a problem at all.
Thanks everyone!

OP posts:

BoffinMum · 26/02/2011 20:17

GPs are rubbish at prescribing pain relief in pg, mws are no better, and pharmacists know nothing.

I ended up hospitalised and seeing a pain team as a tertiary referral as a result of horrendous SPD. They knew a lot more about what they were doing and I took loads of opiates under their care - if I recall correctly, 30mg codeine phosphate four times a day, oromorph 3 x day for breakthrough pain and 2 x 500g paracetemol four times a day as well. They said to me, and I quote, "You are now on the same dose of opiates as a recovering drug addict" I probed a little and they said "Really, we do this all the time for SPD and it doesn't affect the babies apart from very rare cases when they hypermetabolise the drug, and if that happens we just give them an injection. It's fine. You won't get addicted either." They were completely right, and apart from one day when DS3 was a bit whingey and needed more cuddles than usual, it was all fine.

I wrote the article on Wikipedia at the time about SPD, with all the up to date information. I haven't checked it recently but you can look on there to find dosages and then I would suggest you get a consultant's appointment asap, take the article (which is fully referenced) and discuss possibilities with him/her, as they are a lot more au fait with what can be prescribed in pg.

The only thing you must avoid are anti-inlammatories such as ibuprofen because they can affect the baby's heart, by the way.

You don't have to suffer this much. Better medical advice is available.

BoffinMum · 26/02/2011 20:22

Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction

Olessaty · 26/02/2011 20:28

I took co-codamol 30/500 regularly throughout my pregnancy from about 15 weeks, right through to having her. I also had some dihydracodeine and pethidine quite regularly. I found the higher the pain levels, the less the codeine knocked me out, so I was functioning pretty well on it by the end. I liked the knocking out though, it helped with sleeping at night, which was a big issue.

pantaloons · 26/02/2011 20:36

I had this issue with SPD 3 years ago, the consultant prescribed a starting dose of 15/500, but the hospital pharmacist refused to give them to me and ended up ringing the consultant. I have to admit it made me rather reluctant to take them until I came on here and everyone said what they have said to you. To be honest I needed more pain relief, but they refused and that was that until I was eventually induced at 37 weeks.

Now I know the main problem wasn't SPD, but a couple of breaks at the base of my spine that hadn't healed correctly. So these days I live for drugs!

Could you try and get a private physio apt or is it out of the question? I also found a 3 strapped support belt made a big difference to me when coupled with my crutches - all supplied by the physio.

Good luck.

BoffinMum · 26/02/2011 20:40

You do get used to the doses, and also adapt your life to rest a bit more when you are feeling knocked out, which will only really be at the peak of the dose's half life two hours in. The rest in itself is good for you.

Do consider TENS - the hospitals sometimes have special machines they lend you that have more sophisticated settings than the ones you buy in Boots, or you can buy the machines direct from the manufacturer for £30ish. But you must use it all day every day for it to build up enough of an effect.

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