How is your baby now after using co-codamol throughout pregnancy?

[MargotChateau]

I’ve been on the full dose of co-codamol (paracetamol and codeine) throughout my pregnancy, and I’m now in my 23rd week.

I feel terrible about it, but have a slipped disk and the pain is extremely bad, even with tablets, I can’t bathe or even cook for myself etc.

I’m so scared that the full dose of 8 tablets a day (even though the doctor prescribed it) will affect my baby’s development. Has anyone been in a similar situation and how is their baby/child now?

With my second pregnancy I took co-codamol the whole way through so that I could function. The pains I had were so intense that I had no way of coping otherwise. After taking them for months, one of the midwives mentioned that they'd have to observe the baby for withdrawals. I wasn't ever made aware of when I was first given them.

Following the birth, they made no observations regarding withdrawal (which may have been an error on their point). Fast forward to now, and I have a healthy and perfectly "normal" 3-year-old.

I think it's vital that we look after ourselves if mum's happy and comfortable then it usually means the baby is too!

@SpaceBerry thank you so much for taking the time to tell me about your experience and how your lovely three year old is doing now. Paracetamol is supposedly safe but then a study came out recently saying it’s not safe, but the ‘bumps’ website is saying that the study isn’t conclusive enough to advise not taking it, and codeine has the risk of the baby having withdrawal, so it’s so hard to know what to do/take.

I’m having some serious mum guilt. But like you the pain I’m experiencing is so excruciating I’m not able to function without it, and even then my partner has to wash/dress cook for me etc.

@MargotChateau The world of science literature! I don't know what that one study is, so I can't comment on it. Testing medication on pregnant people is frowned upon for obvious reasons. When medicating a pregnant person, the rule seems to be which has the least risk associated with it.

The number of pregnant people that have had paracetamol during their pregnancies is in the millions, and there haven't been any crazy revelations in that time. As for codeine, we know it's addictive. So then the risk is you or your baby is addiction vs you being unable to cope with the pain and having other problems. If anyone did get addicted, they would wean you gradually off it.

When I was pregnant with number 2, I could only see two options, take the medication or do something foolish to stop the pain. Your emotions and feelings affect the whole pregnancy too, so I decided I'd take the medication. I'm possibly pregnant with number 3 (unexpectedly), and I've been on a few meds for mental health for a couple of years. When I realised, I quickly checked on BUMPS to see the risks, and it was safer for me to remain on them than come off them.

Mum guilt is so annoying because there's always something in the back of our minds! You have to remember that you did what you thought was best at the time, and that's all you can do.

P.S. Science literature is a minefield. You have to look at who wrote it, who they were being financed by, the people associated with them etc. Plus, look at where it was published because some journals are more reputable than others.

I'm in much the same situation, now 27 weeks pregnant. I had a slipped disc and emergency spinal surgery over 10 years ago, but I have never been completely free of the pain.

I discussed with my GP the risks before I became pregnant and the long-term risks were incredibly small. The short term risks are depressed breathing after birth and withdrawal, both easily monitored and managed. They are less of an issue for prescription level doses.

If you are thinking of breastfeeding, you should discuss this with your midwife and GP. It is not recommended on codeine, but tramadol is considered a reasonable risk by the NHS. My understanding it is to do with how codeine is processed in the body which can lead to spikes.

With paracetamol, most of the articles you see focus on the class action lawsuits in the US.

This is the most commonly referenced article:
www.nature.com/articles/s41574-021-00553-7
The conclusion is it should be studied further and "Pregnant women should forego [paracetamol] use unless medically indicated."

As with everything in life, you just have to do the best you can with the situation you are in.

I took dihydrocodeine through the second two trimesters and all has been absolutely fine. They checked my little one’s breathing shortly after birth but other than that we were discharged as normal. She’s now a very happy healthy toddler. Please try not to feel guilty, sounds like you are making the best choice for your baby and your body

Are you taking codeine every day? Have you tried other pain killers? Codeine isn’t great for long term (chronic) pain (yet some GPs keep prescribing it), there’s very little evidence that opioids work for anything other than acute pain or pain that comes and goes and isn’t constantly there, as you build up a tolerance to them fairly quickly. I’m speaking from personal experience (I have endometriosis) and my wife is HCP who works in chronic pain clinics.

@KailynA Thank you so much for sharing. Our situations sound similar, I had a slipped disk before I started ivf which the NHS being what it is meant I’m only about to get treatment almost a year later now I’m 23 weeks pregnant, my mobility and disk have deteriorated and I have no quality of life….

I’ve heard of those studies too, which make me extremely nervous as I guess if they have managed to file there must be substantial evidence to get that far.

I’m really hoping the spinal nerve block I’m getting next week will alleviate the pain as I’m not coping now, and I’m scared I will lose my job and would love to come off or cut down the dose I’m on presently. Sending you a hug, pregnancy and spinal issues aren’t for the faint hearted.

@Shesellsseashellsh thank you so much for telling me that, it’s really helpful to hear and to erase some of the awful guilt I’ve been living with. I’d love to just not take it, but I need to work to provide a roof over the head of the baby when it arrives, so unfortunately I can’t just stay home and rest.

@Elsiebear90 I’m taking the maximum allowed dose of co-codamol and 5mg of amitriptyline on the advice of my obstetrician and pain clinic specialist.

I also have endo too, and was on potent mix for that before I had surgery about 15 years ago.

I step down the dose and swallow the pain on my days off, but on the days I’m working, I’m sobbing in the loo with pain about 30 mins before the dose wears off and I can take the next one.

Hello was all ok with your baby after birth?
I'm currently taking cocodomol and a low dose of amitriptyline for chronic pain during preganancy x

@Shesellsseashellsh Hi! I know you may not see this as its an older thread, but I have been taking dihydrocodeine also, i have got spinal arthiritis and not able to take any anti inflammitories, I'm 38+5 now and starting to have a panic! They did say I may have to be kept in for monitoring after birth, but I can't remember if they meant for the dihydrocodeine or back before they swapped me from cocodomal to dihydrocodiene at 16 weeks.

We're you kept in hospital or did they just do a check then you could leave soon after?

So glad your little one is thriving! Thank you in advance if you see this :) xxx

Hey! No, they didn’t keep me in any extra time at all. They really weren’t very fussed about it. Happily my daughter is still thriving 😊. All the best for your birth! How exciting. Xxx

@Shesellsseashellsh Thank you so much for your reply! Have really put my mind at ease 🥹 everything I've read has said babys been fine after having to take it but I just dread the thought of staying in for 72 hrs! :(

Do you mind me asking did you take it up to when you went in to labour and was it the max dose if you can remember? 🙈 I've been managing on 4 a day when the max dose says 8!

And amazing your little girl is thriving 💗 I can't wait to meet my daughter, thank you! Xxxx

I used a tens machine for pregnancy back pain & had acupuncter for that & my restless legs. Ask your midwife for a referral to a specialist pregnancy physio, mine did the needles.

Hi @SpaceBerry spaceberry what dosage did you take and was it everyday?

I was on prescribed cocodamol for most of both my pregnancies for severe SPD. I stopped taking them at 37w so I could get it out of my system before they were born. They had no issues at birth from it and although one has health problems now several years on, they are very clearly unrelated.

@MargotChateau
HI Margot, how is your baby now after taking the medication during pregnancy, I too have taken cocodomol and worried about the effects.