When is your period due? Are you late for your period? Have you tested for pregnancy yet?

the first day of my last period was Aug 17th so i doubt im pregnant, or if i am, only just. Im not quite so worried anymore though because i spoke to my back doctor and i am taking one pill in morning and one at night. I also read that the featus's brain doesnt develop until 20 days after fertilisation so i should be ok. Im trying to outweigh the risks if i stay on some pain medication as i have a lot of back pain...????

That's really good news ... at least that you got the information you need and that it seems to be in line with your current pain management treatment. How did you originally hurt your back?

Its a long story. Ten years ago, i went drinking out in Thailand and the next thing i remember is waking up in hospital in Britain. Apparently i fell in the night in the beach hut we were staying in and i mustve slipped whilst going to the toilet and fractured my skull. The guy i was with decided to play doctor and put me on my return flight following week. I have no memory of any of it but as soon as my Dad, who picked me up, took one look at me took me straight to hospital. I was paralised on my left side and couldnt walk properly for a few months and have had back trouble ever since. As i was travelling for a few years i never had proper treatment.

Oh my god! Amnesia for an entire week! You poor thing.

I think you're doing the right thing. If you think your medication may have a negative affect on your fertility or may harm a fetus, don't simply stop taking it. You will need to balance the possible fertility and conception problems against the benefits of the drugs you are taking for your condition. However, it's important to note that prenatal exposure to heroine and to morphine interfere mainly with the cerebral development... and you'll want alternatives. Please update!

I appreciate your correspondance. Yeah the head thing took me me literally a few years to get over but im now very happilly married with an amazing caring supportive husband and an amazing 4 year old girl. I really am the luckiest gal ever apart from this pain med crap. I dont know if i can stop completely, i so hope so. Its not just the addiction stuff, i really am in a lot of pain. Saying that though, pain an all i have managed to cut down by half already. Baby is more important than addiction but it hurts a lot. A doc on this forum told me that opiate based meds will not cause any birth defects as long as its managed professionally and taken responisbly as instructed. If i was to continue though, my baby would be born addicted and i certainly dont want that. Anyways im off to see my back doc tomorrow and shes great, very understanding and she is also trying to get pregnant so she will definately put me on the right path. I just wish there was something i could do to stop this pain naturally. I know cutting my meds is making it worse temporarily. I've got this excersise styro phome tube thing to lie on from my Physio and it helps but its not getting rid of it. Thanks for the chat, whats your story? Just curious, do appreciate your time.

Thanks. I like learning about you, too. I'm married and also trying to conceive. I have an interest in pain management b/c I practice and teach yoga and think that martial arts have really helped me emotionally and physically. I have chronic pain in my knees from a high school sports injury...and yoga really helps. For years, I was self-medicating for depression with cannabis...until I stopped about 5 years ago. And stopped drinking. I'm driven to always challenge myself and I like helping people and learning about their experiences. I actually live abroad at the moment.

It sounds like your back doc is a great resource. If you're going to physio --- what exercises are you doing and how often? Also, what are your PT goals? Maybe it would help to focus on what you want (good health) instead of what you don't (pain). I've noticed that what we focus on increases. It's a subtle shift ... but it works for me in some moments.

I used to do TKD but havent done it for nearly a year. I did yoga towards the end of my pregnancy, really good. I forget her name, a Sheik lady.
I do a lot of stretching, mainly in the evening for 30-40mins. My daughter and i walk a lot and i take her to pre-school and play-groups 3-4 days a week where i help out. Also will start going swimming regularly again 2 times a week in around 2 weeks when my little ones classes will start. Im pretty fit and a good weight for my height. long term goal...good question. To find something that will be keep me from pain. I want to try an Accupuncturist but i live middle of nowhere so not much choice. My back doctor today said she will refer me. She also said not to get too stressed out about the meds. She will gradually wean me off but she said i could take em through most of my pregnancy if need be but take me off gradually 3 or so weeks before i delivery. She also assured me that the quantity im on is not going to cause any problems. I will however stop way before then. Smoking has helped me in the past but pain-management does not allow it. The only time, up until fairly recently i ever quit drinking was when i was pregnant. These days i hardly drink at all, couple of glasses of wine and thats it and that only every 3 days or so. Just dont fancy it, its like sub-consciously my body is saying no.
Funnily enough my new motto is to concentrate on my wants instead of dont wants. Im hoping if my physio does not improve, finding a good accupuncturist will do the trick. Do you live abroad? I have for 5 years, not always easy.

It sounds like your back doc is a gem. I'm so glad to hear that physicians are considering holistic approaches to medicine...and that you're on a course that seems healthy and rounded. It's good to hear about the pain meds and that the does you're on isn't too worrying --- that must be a relief.

Acupuncture helped me for some neck pain I had a few years back. I re-injure the same part of my neck whilst sleeping or sometimes just turning my neck quickly snaps the ligaments/muscles/tendons. Once, during an extremely painful bout of reinjury, I saw a Chinese acupuncturist in Dar es Salaam, in Tanzania (I live in Eastern Europe now). She stimulated a needle between my 3rd and 5th knuckle joints of my left hand. It hurt like crazy, but combined with some really hot topical lotion, it really helped and within 2 days I went from crazy pain to mild dull ache.

Send me the name of your city/town and I can search online for some alternatives for you if you like.

I live in Alaska and have just found out about two that are within an hour drive. I think i'll keep on with the physio right now, had a session today which felt good. When im done with that i'll try the Accupuncture. Never been Eastern Europe, lived in Germany till i was 12. Travelled mainly round SE Asia and some S.America, Carribean.
How long have you tried to get preggars for and have you got any kids?