annoyed after consultant appointment.. gas and air or epi :(

[katieeandbump]

consultants 'advised' me against having pethidine or diamorphine due to my heart being fast... he said he wouldnt like me to have them but its my choice but he pretty much thinks its gas and air or epidural im annoyed as i reallllly didnt want an epidural and he thinks having no pain relief is also a bad idea as my heart will get tired quicker and said i hav high risk of a csect! it just makes me laugh the way they say my heart wont be a problem in labour but then come back with 'oh your heart might get too tired' ... hmmmm feel stuck! he said not to write a birth plan eitha as there wont be much point! just wondering what would u ladies do ? i mean would u take the risk of trying the pethidine or just go straight for the epi?? hes said if my heart went 'too fast' they could correct it ..which is why im wondering why i cant just have the pethidine and then they keep my heart under control! ahh feel stuck and really worried about labour now i said to him that i should be worrying about if the babys going to be ok rather than if the pain reliefs gna kill me pretty much urgh!! sorry little rant over! lol xxx

 

[Zarababy1]

i managed too have charlie with just gas and air loads of people do it, try not too worry about it too much, other than that i have no advice! but...

41 days to go!!!!!!!

 

[chuck]

Do you have the option of using water for pain relief at all? If you can use gas and air and a pool then that may help you avoid an epi.

 

[Nix]

I have this exact prob too. My heart rate has been fast since at least 12 weeks ago. I ended up in a & e last week and it ws 153 bpm at rest. Saw cardiologist yesterday after having ECG, echo scan and bloods and have been told that my heart is all good and healthy but beating too fast and they dont know why. Saw obs consultant today and he has offered me a section which i dont want and advised an epidural in labour as soon as I arrive if going with normal delivery - again something I dont want as I had just gas and air with my other 2 and easy labours. I am stuck with what to do now. He says that not having epidural would meant that the stress and pain would raise my heartrate. I really dont understand how they can say heart is ok etc the say you need these things.

What do you think you will do. I havent got a clue? xx

 

[MummyToAmberx]

Is it something you really have to decide upon before labour?

If, not id just go into open minded, see how things go, finding it bit difficult try out the G&A for long as possible, if need something stronger then take the epi.

 

[suzanne108]

I have a fast heartbeat too but they've never mentioned this to me

Are you on medication to slow it down?? xx

 

[Cattia]

I don't know as I have not been in labour before, but I have heard a lot of bad things about pethadine, so maybe it's no bad thing to avoid? I agree, try gas and air or water for as long as you can and then think about the epi if you need it. That's what I plan to do, I have no health problems but I don't want pethadine so would go straight from gas and air to epi if I need it.

 

[BeccaMichelle]

I'm listing pethidine & diamorphine as not to be used in my birth plan at all since I've heard bad things about them and the effects on the baby. I'm okay with pain relief in general but those morphine based ones can be nasty.

I'm hoping to get by without an epidural.. but if they start cutting and stitching me anywhere I'll be demanding one first!

 

[Blue_bumpkin]

I would be inclined not to risk the pethadine and just kind of go on the doctors advice for the epi.

Its not ideal but at the end of the day you just want bubs out safe and sound and if that will make things easier for you id think it was perhaps best.

That said however, I know people who got through on gas and air alone so its really up to you.

Good luck deciding

 

[amerikiwi]

I have heard nothing but bad things about pethidine (diamorphine not offered here so can't comment on that).

I've put in my birthplan that I def. want gas and air and then the epi only if requested, but def. no pethidine. In addition to the bad stories that I've heard, my Mum is allergic to pethidine and I'd rather not find out whether I am or not during labour.

Personally, I'd stick with your doctor's recommendations.

 

[purpledahlia]

i would start on gas and air then just get the epi

 

[katieeandbump]

thanks girls!! i asked about a water birth but they said that wouldnt be possible as my heart rate will need to be permanently monitored... booo

I have a fast heartbeat too but they've never mentioned this to me

Are you on medication to slow it down?? xx

dont worry i think the reason they are worried about my rate is because it is about 100 resting but when im exercising or just pretty much walking up the stairs it can go up to +200! so im thinking labour might make it alot faster! they wont put me on medication because before i was pregnant my heart was never this fast and they said after being pregnant it wil calm down and because its not permanently fast urghh just feel stuck! i mean i dont want to be pushing for hours getting stressed out and then end up having a csect xxx

 

[bundleofjoy]

You may find you wont need pain releif at all. I had a water birth and was fab, i did have a bit of gas and air and is fine with just that. depends on your pain threashold i guess.

Alot of its in your head, if you think you can manage gas nad air then thats all you will need. This time i have the pool at home and im jjust planning on having paracetamol. Good luck with what you choose tho, you wont know till the day i guess but its all to do with reaxing and breathing and reassurance from your oh.