Diamorphine

[pixie_woo]

Hi All. I have been trying to find out if my hospital uses diamorphine as a pain relief option for labour, I have read that it carries fewer risks than pethidine. Well, I couldn't find any info on whether hosp uses it so I just typed in "Diamorphine" to see what results it brought up. 90% of the results seem to suggest that diamorphine IS heroin!
I'm so confused. Can anyone put me straight?

I'm also going to post this in B&S section

[spanner7853]

The three painkilling drugs available at the Jessop Hospital are Diamorphine, Pethidine and Meptazinol. They are used on your request to relieve pain during labour. They are administered with an injection into the muscle of the thigh or buttock. The drugs can sometimes be given into the bloodstream directly for a faster effect.

There are some devices which can be programmed to allow you to administer the drug yourself (Patient Controlled Analgesia-PCA). These are commonly used for postoperative pain, but are occasionally suitable for pain relief in labour. Pressing a button releases a controlled amount of drug into the blood. Doses can be added until you are comfortable.

These drugs are available to all expectant mothers on request, but individual circumstances are taken into account. The dose given broadly depends upon body weight. You may have more than one dose during labour. Monitoring of the baby's heart rate is done at the midwives discretion (if there are no other reasons to monitor it). Side effects of these drugs are drowsiness, nausea and vomiting. They can slow your breathing down if you have too much. If given close to the birth of your baby, they can slow down the baby's breathing and make him or her sleepy.

These drugs can be of great benefit to you when used within the safe guidelines. In terms of timing:

Diamorphine: in early labour because it has a longer length of action.
Pethidine: in both early labour and a little later on, as it's action is shorter and less likely to affect the baby.
Meptazinol: up to late in the first stage of labour because of it's minimal effects on the baby.

Powerful painkilling drugs give good relief of pain. The effect of each injection is around two to three hours. If given often, in big doses, or too close to the delivery of the baby, they can make you and your baby sleepy and may delay successful breastfeeding.

[pixie_woo]

After going to antenatal class night I have decided to opt for Meptid. It doesn't have the negative side-effects that pethadine/diamorphine have even though its in the same family.

[spanner7853]

the trouble with meptid is that even with the anti sickness they put in it , it will still make you sick. I tried this and it made me feel awful and doesn't take the pain away just makes you drowsy. Of course it will be different with each individual but I found it didn't really work on me and just made me sick, gas and air didn't work either.

[redcrx]

although it is of great help to you, your birthing partner and the midwife please do not fix everything on your birth plan. You may find that you change your mind about a lot of things once you are in labour. Read up on everything so that you can make informed decisions at the time too.

[amonty1144]

I had pethidine as I'm allergic to morphine based drugs, it worked fine for me , although some midwives don't like using it as it can make the baby reluctant to breath, my boy had no such difficulties.
This combined with a tens machine, warm baths, gas and air and trying to kill my husband got me through.
Good luck

[yummymum]

oh have a section and be done with it! Only kidding if i was you i would research everything but then make my mind up when the time came. Good luck

[helliebobs]

Congratulations on your pregnancy!
I totally agree with redcrx (who always posts great pregnancy advice I may add) - When I was pregnant, I wanted a water birth but added on my birth plan that I was prepared to see how things went on the day! When I went into labour, all my contractions were in my back and to cut a long sotry short, I had a long slow labour and ended up having everything and didn't even go near the birthing pool! I had gas and air, pethidine, hormone drip then an epidural and ended up having an emergency c-section as my little boy was too big to fit through my pelvis. I was in so much pain - hadn't even got to the pushing stage yet - that I was prepared to have anything going and was so relieved to finally meet my son! I don't want to scare youwith horror stories - mine was actually a great experience - but like redcrx said, be prepared for things to go not exactly how you want, that way, whatever happens, you'll enjoy the experience.