Painkillers in late pregnancy

[PollyP0429]

Hi all was wondering if anyone else had been in the same boat. I'm 32 wks and last week I caught a nasty cold - this was fine except it aggravated my SPD slightly and increased the pain across my upper back to unbearable proportions. The cold itself has appeared to have gone but, the pain is still agonising in my upper back and I still have a chesty mucusy cough.

Thats all the backgoround - I went first to see a nurse at my surgery because the cough was causing me to bring up green gunk, so considering the pain and that I thought perhaps a chest infection. They sent me away saying my chest was clear and no I couldn't take any other painkillers except for paracetamol; also because of my pregnancy they would think very carefully about antibiotics and only use them last resort. I decided after continuously waking up in the night and morning, crying with the pain in my back for the next 2 nights to see a doctor. After describing the pain to my doctor he said to try and get back to my physio and he gave me a painkiller called dihydrocodeine. I have heard of this because my father-in-law takes it as a downgrade from morphine after a hip replacement.

My question to everyone else is whether they've been given or recommended stronger painkillers later in pregnancy? Did they actually help? And what were the reactions of other healthcare professionals when told about it?

When I told my physio she reacted with something akin to horror and I'm not looking forward to telling my midwife or even my consultant about this if this is how they'll react :(

What would you do in my situation? Keep taking the painkiller and possibly risk baby (my doctor told me there may be a chance of respiratory problems if taken during delivery but nothing else) or stop taking them and try to live with the pain?

Your physio is not a doctor so I would ignore her opinion.

You mentioned a consultant in your op, why don't you ask their opinion?

My gp prescribed me codeine phosphate for my spd. I was worried too so she looked it up and showed me the information on it - that it could make baby sleepy and could cause problems with breathing if taken during labour. This was enough reassurance for me but if youre worried, seek a second opinion.

I got prescribed codeine from 28 weeks due to my SPD. GP told me to take half a dose every 2 hours instead of full dose every 4, gives body time to process it quicker and keeps on top of pain. Was a bit :-/ at first about taking it but I needed to just to be able to get out of bed every day. Baby is now nearly 9weeks and perfectly fine. If you have any concerns get a 2nd opinion. Plus the pharmacist could also advise if it's safe too. HTH x

I took loads of codeine (very similar to dihydrocodeine) in the last few weeks of pregnancy, also antibiotics. It is perfectly safe- the risk is in labour, as the baby can be born too sleepy. I was in agony with coughing and rib pain and couldn't have managed without it. DD is absolutely fine. Hope this is reassuring.

I also take codeine two 30 mg tablets (plus oral morphine and fentanyl) due to health conditions. Codeine can be dangerous during Breastfeeding but not pregnancy.

I have had codeine for SPD (now 33 weeks) and the baby is still very active. I was given it by the consultant, who said it can slow the baby's heart rate (which is what it does to adults too) but it was safe to take. It's up to you obviously, I don't take it every day by any means, but I find if the pain is bad and I can't sleep it really does help. I've taken one tablet the last couple of nights, as like you have a really nasty cold and didn't sleep for several nights, which made cold, SPD pain etc 100 times worse! Hope you feel better soon.

Speak to your consultant if you're worried but remember that the nurses in the surgery have less freedom to recommend/prescribe drugs than a full doctor so don't worry about them telling you only paracetamol. Likewise the physio will have been told that normal painkillers (except paracetamol) require a doctor's supervision in pregnancy because they need to make sure people who are perceived as medics don't advise to take things that aren't safe in pregnancy. If a doctor is recommending it who is used to treating pregnant women I'd take it happily.

When I was in hospital with kidney stones I ended up having tramadol, codeine and pethadine as well as paracetamol. I was only 25 weeks the last time I went in but there were women on the ward literally about to pop being given the same/similar drugs. This was a specialist baby hospital so I wouldn't worry too much.

I take dihydrocideine for a bad back have throughtout both pregnancys (currently 24weeks) doctor checks my percription on a monthly basis and says its totally fine. apart from one midwife who told me I was poisoning my dd (what u want to be told at 42weeks pregnant) noone has batted at eyelid ive seen all sorts of people. I also had morphine patches during dds pregnancy until week 20 and she came out fine. they like u to be off opiates (I think they spelt like that) because baby can become addicted. my dd wasnt shes totaly fine and healthy. I also get normal people looking at me in shock horror if I tell them what im on. at the end of the day its your personal choice. I cant be without my pain killers. id kill my dh if I wasnt on them!

I had severe hip pain at 31 weeks and was given paracetamol, codeine and pethidine on the labour ward at hospital. Before I knocked them back/was injected I asked specifically if it was safe for the baby and was assured it was by the doctors. What more can you do than go on the advice of the professionals?

I posted a similar type question to you afterwards and others said their pain killers had had no ill effects on their babies.

I also spoke to my midwife about it (can you tell I was anxious about it?). She said it was perfectly fine and that during pregnancy its no good for the baby if the mother is in agony/stressed by pain.

I took codeine in late pg for SPD also. I did end up on a higher-dependency post natal ward so they could observe DS2 more closely in case of breathing difficulties but he was absolutely fine. I was really torn about taking them knowing that it might affect him but I had a toddler also and couldn't walk across the room without them by 30 weeks.

Taking codeine and/or dihydrocodeine in pregnancy is absolutely fine if prescribed by your doctor. To get any degree of respiratory depression you have to be taking quite substantial amounts.

It is also find to take when you are breastfeeding by the way. Such a small amount of active ingredient gets though the breast milk that the impact on the baby should be negligible.

Thank you everyone, to say that put my mind at ease is an understatement :) I also spoke to the midwife after reading these messages (wasn't so worried about being told off now) and she said the same as everyone here, my consultant was so nonchalant about it, it didn't seem worth mentioning even.

Much happier bunny and sorry it took so long for you to get updated