Hey Mamas...
My OB prescribed Flexeril for my back/hip pain (casued by scoliosis) last week. I'm only taking it at night so I can sleep, then tylenol during the day to take the edge off the pain. I've noticed that my little man hasn't been kicking as hard or as often since I've been taking the Flexeril. Is this something I should be worried about? Everything I read tells me Flexeril is safe, and my OB wouldn't give me something I couldn't take, so I'm trying not to be worried, but I can't help it. I know this pain is only going to get worse as my pegnancy progresses (I'll be 27wks on Tuesday). I'm assuming that by the end of my pregnancy I might be taking it all day, just to walk and function. I don't want to do anything that is going to potentially hurt my baby, and the idea of taking pain killers and muscle relaxers is not sitting well with me, but the pain gets to the point where I can't get comfortable in any position, and my tendons feel like they are ripping apart when I move. It's driving me crazy. Is there a point where a mother-to-be's sanity and well-being out weigh any possible risks/side-effects to her unborn child?
Thank you for all your advice! I went and talked to my pharmacist and she advised me not to take the Flexeril anymore, especially since I was feeling less fetal movement. Since I stopped taking it, my little man is rolling, kicking and punching like a champ!
Thanks again Mamas! :)
Contact the International Chiropractic Pediatric Assn and get a referral for non drug handling for the back pain you have.
Specializing in comfortable pregnancies.
Best, k
I herniated a disk in my back during my 4th month of pregnancy and had back spasms and pain for weeks. Then again herniated another one when my son was 2 months old. I was given vicodin for pain while pregnant and that was fine and they gave me flexeril when he was 2 months old and my doc said I should not take it and breastfeed. He said vicodin was safer than flexeril.
Speaking from someone with back pain (I just had surgery 6/29 after 6 months of sciatica) , be as careful as you can and get by. Perhaps pain medicine (vicodin) will be safer and more effective since it has been used more in pg? They are very cautious with meds and pregnancy/nursing, odds are the baby will be fine either way. You on the other hand could make yourself crazy second-guessing like I do ;-)
I can only take 1/2 of a 5mg flexeril and it wipes me out and leaves me hung over the next day - and slooooow moving. It doesn't usually alleviate my pain either. Imagine the effect it might be having on a tiny little baby. To me, ...personally it wouldn't be worth the risk. There are people today who have cancer from things that their mother's took while pregnant in the 60s. Just my opinion though.
I have had some crazy hip and lower back pain. I have had prescriptions and taken extra strength tylenol to no avail. I finally just quit the pills because I didn't like the idea of taking them every day,and was just suffering through the pain every day and night. The pain would wake me up in the middle of the night it was so bad. My best friend was having similar problems and had tried the prescription route as well with no help. Her Dr. had even given her celebrex which eventually was exposed as causing other problems. She is a rep for Amway, and one weekend while visiting and taking her vitamins - she gave me 2 Glucosamine to take, and then left me with enough to get through the week. When she got home, she sent me a "care package" of vitamins and glucosamine, and a supplement to mix in water (for joint health), and I'm not kidding - after a couple of weeks on that - one day I just noticed that hey - I didn't hurt any more! No joke - when I slack off and don't take the glucosamine, I start to ache a little again and I start taking it again and head it off at the pass before it gets too bad again. I suffered for well over 6 months with what I would call severe pain - and this route is what worked for me. Also - try a memory foam topper, and don't forget to sleep with a pillow between your knees! Good luck! Also - the Amway products are great - but if you don't have access to them - I'm sure a health food store can direct you to some good ones, and take them with food or your body will just get rid of it in your pee!
I wouldn't take anything like that because it all has toxins in it and changes the baby's brainwaves and chemistry. A toxic mom is a toxic baby leading to all sorts of developmental issues as your child gets older. Study up on Glucosomine and Chondroitin with MSM. Not sure if it's safe for pregnancy but I take it everyday with a huge difference. Check it out.
It's always better to not take meds during pregnancy if you can avoid it. That being said, it's not good for your baby if you're not getting rest and/or are stressed, it truly is a risk/ benefit relationship. You should have a talk with your OB and ask them their opinion on your options. Have you considered acupuncture? It may be another alternative for you. At some point, though, you have to trust that your doctor has your & your baby's best interest at heart. If you aren't sure, then you need to consider changing doctors. Good luck.
hi J.,
i'm afraid i don't have advice on flexeril but i do have a few words on the back pain. i'm sorry you are experiencing it! my sister has scoliosis and she has been helped tremendously by doing water therapy. of course, i don't know your history with this or anything but the water takes the pressure off and makes it easier to move and the stretching and strengthening did so much to alleviate any discomfort and to straighten her spine (she started at a very young age). also, i am a huge fan of chiropractic. not sure if you have tried it but my sister also sees a chiropractor and i've seen one for years. it also helped me tremendously during my two pregnancies to have regular adjustments.
i hope this helps, congratulations on your pregnancy and good luck.
Could I suggest that you go in and talk with your pharmacist about this? They have so much detailed knowledge about drugs and the way they react in our bodies. I work for a pharmacy and I know that they are willing to answer any question that someone asks. Pick a time that it isn't busy, so that the pharmacist is not feeling rushed or pressured by work that is backing up. Ask them for some print outs on Flexeril that you can read at your leisure...but let them share their opinions with you on it.
That being said...it makes sense to me that as a baby grows and has less tumbling room in there that their movements are going to change. You go from the rolling and acrobatics of the 2nd trimester to the turns and stetches of the 3rd trimester!!!
Good luck to you and congratulations!!
i'd be very cautious about using flexeril while pregnant. it's presumed safe because it hasn't had any bad effects in lab animals but lab animals often don't react like humans. flexeril's safety rating is based on fairly tenuous data (we haven't seen it do anything awful up to this point) and it's stressed fairly strongly that even when NOT pregnant you shouldn't take it for long, and that its effects on breastfeeding are unknown. planning to take it throughout your pregnancy is taking quite a risk. only you can decide if the pain outweighs the potential risks, though.
