Well to begin, I'm currently 9wks 3days pregnant with my first child. Becoming pregnant was actually a shock to my husband and I both because of my medical problems and I was on the depo shot for 5 years and had only been off the shot for 7 months however we both had been talking about getting pregnant. I've been on prescription pain medication (Percocet 10/650) four times a day and muscle relaxer (Soma 350) three times a day for almost 3 years for multiple back problems (Severe Scoliosis T-Spine & L-Spine, Bulging Disc L4-L5, Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction, Fibromyalgia, and Moderate Nerve damage). The Scoliosis was detected after my body had stopped growing so the doctors said there wasn't much they could do about it. Over the years the curvatures are only becoming worse. Last year I also started having problems with multiple kidney stones. After my first emergency surgery for stones in my left kidney everything went down-hill. I have urethral stenosis, stricture disease and large amounts of scar tissue in my left ureter. The doctor placed a stent that my body rejected and they had to removed it within 4 days. My stones are made up of uric acid however uric acid levels in my blood are normal but in my urine they are sky high. My doctor placed me on medications to decrease the acid and a strict diet however I continued to produce multiple stones in both kidneys. Three months later I had to have another emergency surgery for my right kidney because I had a stone that was obstructing my kidney. I'm only 23 years old and where I'm so young my doctor was worried about the significant damage to my kidneys he seen when doing the emergency surgeries and the fact that he cleaned out my kidney and within a week I would have 3-5 stones developing again,so he decided to send me to Duke University Hospital in NC and I live in KY. It's a long haul back and forth monthly but I have no choice but to go however my last test results showed a lesion on my left kidney and extreme high Oxalate levels in my urine which the doctors are saying is because the decreased function of my left kidney. BUT now that I'm pregnant I've had to STOP all my kidney stone preventive medications which means I've been dealing with a lot of stone movement which can be extremely painful at times. I also have Interstitial Cystitis on top of everything else and chronic high blood pressure.
When I advised my Neurologist I was pregnant he told me to stop all medication. Well once you've been on medications for so long you do get dependent upon them and that's not easily done so I gradually tapered myself off the medications down to 1/2-1 Percocet 10 at bedtime but I'm going to be running out of medications before long and I'm scared to even bring it up to my doctors but I've tried to go without them completely and the pain is unbearable. I had a scare at 7 weeks with vaginal bleeding, went to the ER and they did all the tests and my baby was healthy with a heartbeat of 156. Followed up with my OB two days later where he did more testing and another ultrasound and he confirmed the same thing, my baby is healthy and it's heartbeat was in the 150s that day also. I have a follow up appointment on Dec 19th. I know I'm still pregnant because of morning sickness, mood swings, cravings, etc... My BP is under control right now as long as I'm not in pain.
Of course I'm like all you other ladies, hearing one thing from one person, another thing from another person and researching different things also. My family and friends of course don't support taking pain medications while pregnant but if you're not in pain then you can't understand what it's like to live with severe pain on a daily basis. I'm just looking for some advice, recommendations, support stories and pain medications that are safe to take during pregnancy. I know the they say your first trimester is the most important for a fetus so I'm avoiding medications as much as possible! Any help will greatly be appreciated.