# does pethidine take the pain away or just make you high?



## tiasmummy

im looking into all different forms of pain relief just wondering about peoples experiences with pethidine good or bad did it just get you high? or take some of the pain away as well? and did you feel in control?


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## Sommerfugl

I didn't have it, but I remember the midwife telling us at anti natal class that 
"it doesn't make the pain go away, it just makes you not care"

To me it sounded like it makes you spacey and out of it, and I don't like the idea of it at all, but I've heard some people say it was good.


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## jsmummy

Ooh it was awful i felt soo out of it but the pain was still there and i was just drugged up and felt out of control :wacko:. It deffo werent for me but my sister in law had it and said it really worked for her so each to their own. All you can do is try it and see :thumbup:. They have the antidote to it as well so if you are really struggling on it theres always that option


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## cantthinkof1

I had it with my 1st and i didn't like it. I felt completely out of it and i remember sleeping and dreaming that the labour was over and i'd had my baby. I woke up and realised it was just a dream and burst into tears lol I'm not keen on drugs as a whole really, the only drugs i like is gas and air but it took me a while to get a liking for that, i don't like feeling out of myself, i like being in control. I guess it depends on what kind of person you are, if you like feeling out of control then you'll probably love it. My sister had it with all 3 of hers and she loves it.


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## loulou1979

I had diamorphine with my daughter and it dulled the pain, made me not care at all about what was going on and made me very sleepy! I had to be woken up when my contractions started up to push!


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## tiasmummy

thanks girls! looks like i'll be steering clear of pethidine then as i hate not being in control for me that would be just an added discomfort (to add to the contactions already going on) and if i can still feel complete pain bt feel out of it at the same time that just sounds like hell tbh :) looks like it'll be gas and air for me....and if things get really bad then epidural


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## izzlesnizzle

It knocked me out in between contractions and made me feel on another planet and not in a good way. It didnt take the pain away, just made me sleepy then i'd wake up and have a monster contraction and need the gas and air and tens machine to get me through each one then pass out for a while and wake up and do the same all over again. 

I wasnt allowed an epidural though coz my platelets were too low and i had to have syntocinon to force me to dilate coz i was stuck at 2cm with irregular contractions for 3 days so in my experience if i was allowed an epidural i would have had that and not the pethidine but then my contractions werent natural contractions, they were alot lot worse coz of the synto drip so in normal circumstances pethidine might be ok but it wasnt for me. I was out of it and when each time i came round i was screaming the ward down!

Moral of the story, if anyone has to have synto- get an epidural before they hook you up, pethidine will NOT cut it!


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## Lozdi

I read somewhere that pethidine can cause issues with breastfeeding, which explains why I had so much trouble bf'ing my first. I found pethidine to be beyond useless in labour- it made me sick and did absolutely nothing for the pain. I will NOT be having it again!


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## tristansmum

I had t and it knocked me out between contractions but i was still puffing on the gas and air during the contractions. I have no memory of alot of my labour and i think its partly due to the pethadine. I would try not to have it in the future


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## holidaysan

I liked it. I was sooo tired and hadn't had any sleep for well over 24 hours. About 30 mins after i had it i fell asleep for about 6 hours. Really helped me.


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## Ktothema

I was going to say that if you're lucky it'll do both :winkwink:

my only experience of this type of drug is outside of labour, and it did both to me. However I'd had gas and air outside of labour and that was great, but I majorly tripped out on it during labour. A proper train spotting moment,with the baby across the ceiling and everything! I planned to do pethedine if needed rather than epidural, but after a funny 24hrs in labour decided epidural was the route for me.


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## katiefx

I haven't been in labour but I've had pethidine not long ago and I loved it. It didn't take the pain away but completely took the edge off and distanced me from it. I was very high and giggly and felt great :haha: It also allowed me to relax and get some well needed sleep.


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## katieeandbump

Ive heard alot more good things about diamorphone than pethidine :) I think il be going for that this time! As gas an air deff doesnt numb anything haha! xxxx


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## kmumtobe

I had two lots 4 hours apart and still had time to get in the pool after (needs to be worn off before ur allowed) For me it was invaluable as I was progressing so slowly it doesn't numb pain IMO it just takes away your awareness, I was so out of it I was dozing inbetween contractions standing up but leaning over face down on the bed lol. It meant I could recharge as I was so tired and giving up already. At one point I was so unaware I looked up and jumped when I saw oh and the midwife sat there as I had no idea they were there, complete own world. Didn't make me feel sick at all and I was on gas and air for contractions too.. The hospital must of had a serious drug restock by the time I left haha but I was proud it kept me from the epi. All said tho wudnt wanna give birth on it as I'd want to be completely with it for the bubba but if it's going slow and u want something to ease and relax you then do it.


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## LoraLoo

I didnt like it, didnt seen to take edge off pain but made me sicky and very sleepy after baby was born (only had it with 2nd) baby was sleepy too x


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## leelee

I had diamorphine. I found it to be wonderful (have heard it is way better than pethadine). It took the edge off the contractions and I felt in complete control at all times. It had worn off by the time my DS was born and I discharged myself 4 hours after I had her. I can't rate it highly enough :flower:


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## LoraLoo

leelee said:


> I had diamorphine. I found it to be wonderful (have heard it is way better than pethadine). It took the edge off the contractions and I felt in complete control at all times. It had worn off by the time my DS was born and I discharged myself 4 hours after I had her. I can't rate it highly enough :flower:

Ive never been offered that, in fact only heard about it on here- do they inject it like pethadine? Does it take effect quickly? And any bad side effects?! xx


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## leelee

LoraLoo said:


> leelee said:
> 
> 
> I had diamorphine. I found it to be wonderful (have heard it is way better than pethadine). It took the edge off the contractions and I felt in complete control at all times. It had worn off by the time my DS was born and I discharged myself 4 hours after I had her. I can't rate it highly enough :flower:
> 
> Ive never been offered that, in fact only heard about it on here- do they inject it like pethadine? Does it take effect quickly? And any bad side effects?! xxClick to expand...

Yes - it is injected like pethadine and I was injected with an anti-sickness jab as well. It took effect in about 10 minutes and I had absolutely no side effects from it, although it would be worth your while researching potential side effects. It wasn't something that I had considered before I went into labour but the midwife wanted me to try it before I considered the epidural and then I didn't need the epidural at all.


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## Pixles

I Had a pre-labour shot of it with my DS. was given it to calm down because I was in pain, and they told me it was going to get worse, before checking me ( I would of been about 8cm gone) so I started to pannic. It tock the tops off the contractions. so they dident peak as they did before. Because it was a low dose, im not sure if it worked or not. or weather the idea that id had something made me mentaly take the peaks off, nether the less, with this one, i will be haveing it in the house, incase i NEED it. but will be tryin to do without. as it did cause problems with breastfeeding for us!


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## caggimedicine

I had pethadine - although I got it 15 mins before Harry was born, and I was told it takes half hour to kick in, so I didn't get the benefit when I was actually in labour.
To be honest, I didn't really feel anything at all.
I just used gas and air.
I didn't get any issues re breastfeeding (someone else mentioned that they had problems and think it was linked to pethadine).


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## Betheney

Pethadine was useless for me, for all I know they injected water.


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## CT125

I had pethadine for kidney stones when I was younger and it definitely helped with those, I'd be happy to try it for labour. I think I'll be happy to try just about anything for labour >.<


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## kristel_

I had Pethidine, it didn't do anything for the pain. All i remember after having it was telling my mum and boyfriend that i feel 'pisssed' and being sick, won't be having it this time lol Although i had it a bit too late in labour and i remember being totally spaced out while i was being stitched up which was probably the best way!!


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## Lulu1982

I had it at midnight when my contraction were about 6 minutes apart. Went to sleep shortly after when my waters broke at 7am. I'd definitely have it again to help me sleep. The only reason it would make baby sleepy is if they let you have it too close to delivery.x


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