Due to give birth in a week but I am scared of taking pain meds due to HA!!?

[katie23]

So I am due next Wednesday.. and I am absolutely crapping myself like I have been for the past month or two.

Then tonight I figured out why I am so nervous. I hate taking medications. If I get ANYTHING prescribed I read the leaflet like a maniac and look out for the symptoms of getting an allergic reaction or some kind of major medical emergency!

Then tonight I was thinking about pain relief. I do not like to feel out of it, hence why I have never drank or taken drugs in my life. I'm scared of the Gas and air because supposedly that makes you feel drunk! Then im scared of the morphine because that is supposed to do the same....then I had a think about an epidural and just freaked out because my legs will be dead and I won;t be able to feel anything....

I'm scared that i'm going to have a panic attack in labour like start hyperventilating and thinking I can't breathe etc. But then again it's stupid I doubt I'l be that in tuned to my panic with all the pain!!

Does anyone else hate taking meds and has given birth? Or just plain hates taking medications!?

[swanlinnet]

Congratulations Katie:)

I would say let go of all your inhibitions about pain meds' and leave it all to the midwives and docs.

And if you do "feel drunk' on the Entenox or whatever then so what? It isn't that bad of a feeling and you won't be entirely disinhibited just relaxed more .

Congratulations :) Vince :)

[lrforge]

i was kind of the same way with the birth of my beautiful, now 4 year old son. I had an emergency c-section, the morphine sucked and it sucked worse wearing off. Funny thing, the next morning, I told those nurses that I do NOT want pain meds so they were good about keeping me on ibeprofen - sp???...I asked them later on that day for it and said this morning I couldn't believe how good I felt and no pain, they said that was from the vicadin! I didn't even know...
It will all go so fast brining a life into this world and if you are still scared about side effects, etc., you are under watch in a hospital of nurses and doctors and they are there for you at a push of a button... good luckk and congrats!

[amandaj]

hi i have ha aswell and i had my baby 14 months ago, i dont like taking tabs but when i was giving birth that overtakes all over worries belive me ,i was begging for pain relief and all i got was gas and air, id take whatever u are offered is it your first baby? good luck and im sure it will all go fine
amandaxx

[MargaretHale]

You'll be fine! Positive thoughts your way. Don't make any decisions now..just go with the flow.
Gas and Air didn't make me feel 'drunk' and it's a good 'prop' to distract you from panic...you can concentrate on using it, counting your breath etc..

Please let us know how you get on and best of luck! xx

[daisycake]

Don't panic about the epidural - if you decide to go for it, it's a very simple procedure; they just make you either lean forward on the bed, or pop your feet on a stool and lean over. Hair gets a bit messy as they have to hold it up so it's not in the road.

They scoosh your back with antiseptic which is cold, then feel your spine a bit and stick anaesthetic into the small of your back, just above your tail bone bitty, then then area goes numb pretty quickly. After that, they take a longer needle and get it into the correct bit, through the syringe they can pump in the necessary fluids.

Your bottom, in between your legs and your feet feel odd with minutes, they go hot and tingly and then warm and heavy before they're gone altogether. It is a weird feeling and it can be a shock at first - I am so used to tensing my pelvic floor and had clenched the muscles as the anaesthetic took hold, so it was annoying not being able to unclench - but within minutes you will get used to it, you will have staff there to help you.

It is a feeling you never forget though, it's funny as I am reliving it writing this haha!

The negative effects are minimal - might get a wee headache which they promised could be fixed with an injection. Done correctly there will be no problems - I remember sobbing at the beginning as I thought I was going numb all over but the anaesthetist and nurses reassured me and told me I was just panicing. Very serious side effects are incredibly rare and if they happen the staff are very well trained to know what to do next.

You might find they'll want you to have a drip too - again this is not sore, perfectly safe.

Entonox (G&A) can be taken as much as you need it, when you need it - it does not effect you long term and might actually make you feel very relaxed.

One thing is that once you are under the influence of any medication you will not be worrying you'll be so relaxed :)

Haven't given birth by the way but have had vulval surgery (spinal/epidural plus local anaesthetic in bottom, back, thighs and girly parts!)!

It is worth chatting to the nurses/midwives as they sort you out with the meds, they can put your mind at rest, you might find as well that you don't want any strong medication and are happy just to have the G&A or something :)

[AnotherNewYear]

Hi Katie

I also suffer with HA and hate feeling out of it. I didn't take the gas and air or the Morphine and opted for the epidural. You can actually feel your legs and can also get up and walk around with the epidural.

But like others here have said - tbh during the labour you will prob not care what you have ....so dont panic and just go with the flow.

Good luck

[LilysMummy]

Hello, im the same.. wont take meds because i read the side affects, i said i didnt want any drugs atall while in labour, but trust me when it happens i wont care, i had paracetimol and codiene tablets to start, and then gas and air.. if you want to try with nothing you should try a water birth, i had one and it was amazing! Also i thort i wauld have a panic attack while in labour, but my mind was more on the pain and getting my baby out :)

[cathycrumble]

Katie I had gas and air with all my 3 and I was fine and it doesnt make you feel drunk one bit please bielive me it was brill and just think what you get at the end of it :yesyes:

Are you still taking the fluoxitine I have had to stop yesterday was too sick and shaky on it so I am starting cit next week.

Cathy xx

[miss polly]

Congratulations! I've had 3 babies and trust me you'll be so focused on getting that baby out there will be no room for panic! Just take it as it comes and if you're in a lot of pain the last thing you'll be thinking about is the side side effects of the painkillers.

[Em.ma]

Congrats ! :)
You are in the best possible hands when you have your baby remember that and at the end of it all you will be able to hold your son or daughter.
:D

[star2001]

hi..... i had a litttle boy and was very much like you (worried silly) im scared of anything medical so wanted to keep everything as natural as possible....anyway ended up wth the lot....gas and air, epidural and a c-section. admittedly i was frightened throughout but time just flies and if you should have any pain relief you wont be aware of feeling out of it.... i certainly wasnt. i have some friends who had babies pain relief free i think it just depends how it goes. Anyway what im trying to say is i was so so so scared but when your in that situation you just have to go with it and so much is going on its almost a distraction from all the worry. confide in the staff and tell them how you feel, i did and found them very supportive and friendly. focus on the baby too...... its such an exciting time and when your baby id delivered i cant imagine there will be an anxious thought in your head. good luck, keep us posted :)

[tnt808]

I empathize with you. I am due in weeks, and have been contemplating what to do? I have had an epidural twice before- however, the last time I hated the way it made me feel, and had them turn it down (apparently they had never gotten that request before). I am soo terrified of everything right now...pain, being one of them. I think I have thrown that part of my birth plan out and decided I will make the decision about pain relief if and when it comes.

I am hoping that being in the thick of it all won't give me time to panic, as I panic daily as it is! I wish you loads of luck and let us know how it went xx

[sickandtired]

I had epidural with my last baby,and even though she turned and all my waters had gone and i needed an emergency section,I would still have had epidural,had i had the decision all over again.....i had no pain whatsoever and was able to be awake when my beautiful daughter was born....they just topped my epidural up....
every birth is different though,and you,ll be surprised how much pain you can tolerate......go with the flow
one thing you are able to concentrate on is your breathing,listen to the midwives,they will really help you with your breathing ......you wont even think about panicking,you,ll just be so excited to see your baby
best wishes xxx

[katie23]

Thanks every one for your replies :flowers:. I think I just go in to complete panic about everything when it comes to my health.

It's not the pain I'm bothered about really it's more the what could go wrong, what is what I guess everyone with HA panics about.

I know rationally I will probably have a nice easy labour and be home the next day. And I will feel stupid for panicking so much about things.

Each pain I get my heart drops thinking this is it!. I can't wait to see her for the first time and get her out.. but the labour is a major worry point for me.

I guess every one worries about it when they are due to give birth but for me it's because I'm petriefed I am going to die or something in labour :doh:

My Oh made it worse last night not thinking he said to me ' aren't you worried incase anything goes wrong' then went oops I shouldn't have really said that.. and as you all probs know when some one says that we go in to complete over drive x

[sherylee xx]

the affects of gas and air really dont last longer then afew seconds well it didnt for me hun also i had an epidural with m first and my legs didnt go numb i was up and waalkin about about an hour after havin it :) if you dont want pain relief hun i suggest a water birth as its so calmin, when i was in labour with my first i was so panicked and stressed had pethidin epidural and gas and air but with my second i had a water birth and onl needed gas and air and inbetween contractions i was so relaxed it helped so much it was cause bein in the water kept me calm and i was more able to cope with the contractions without pain relief (besides gas and air) also youl be so focused on givin birth hun i doubt anxiety will kick in xx

[tnt808]

I agree Katie, its not so much the pain (although, it is a bit) but everything else. I mean everything! I have been having contractions everyday, some quite strong and I get so scared. I told my husband if it were one specific thing maybe I could better deal with it, but because its all of the what IFS- its impossible to get under control right now.

I'M terrified, and its my 3rd time. I try and concentrate on my baby being the end result from all of this, but I can't picture her. I'm not sure if its because I'm scared if I do that something will happen to me, and I won't get to meet her. Crazy I know!

Please keep us updated. I wish you an anxiety free birth x. Good luck hun x