Diamorphine

pixie_woo · May 23, 2007 12:23PM

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?

Claire__Ellie_Weston · May 23, 2007 7:19AM

Hi Pixie, I don't know an awful lot about it but I was told by my midwife that Heroin, morphine, diamorphine, codeine etc are all opiates and are a weaker or stronger version of each other. BUT To put your mind at rest a lot of hospitals have been using pethidene and diamorphine during labour as a painkiller and for many many years. It does cross over to the placenta but the worst it can do is make your baby slightly drowsy/grumpy for a few hours after the birth.

If it was dangerous they wouldn't use it! I myself am on codeine for SPD and have been on it for the past 7 months. I have been advised to come off it at 38 weeks to reduce the risk of baby drowsiness .

I hope this has helped a little. x

Claire__Ellie_Weston · May 23, 2007 7:44AM

Wow. that told me didn't it??

Like I said I don't know a lot about this I just know what I have been told by my own midwife.

madsbellsngeorge · May 23, 2007 7:49AM

Most things in life are a risk, even being pregnant itself has its own risks but if it was proven to be that harmful I dont think they would use it even if they have got these 'quotas' they would not want to risk the patients life. I had to be given diamorphine with my first as it was a long hard labour and nothing else worked. I had pethidine with my youngest. Maybe I was lucky but with both my girls are fine and I am fine. I just really cannot see why a hospital would give you something if it were that much of a risk. Didnt want to upset anyone just my opinion xx

pixie_woo · May 23, 2007 9:17AM

I had read that diamorphine is less likely to cause breathing problems than pethadine. I understand that both pethadine and diamorphine are opiate-based and just wondered what the pro's and cons of each drug were and whether one was favourable over the other. I didn't want to start a debate on whether hospitals administer "dangerous" drugs or not.

joshysmum · May 23, 2007 9:20AM

As far as i am aware they give babies of severe heroine addicts diamorphine after birth to help ease withdrawl as it is a weaker form and is an opiate. As for the risks to the baby im unsure about this you would be best getting professional advice. As for using it if it had a risk then yes they would use it but they would have to explain these risks first. My advice - ask a professional.

Samantha24 · May 23, 2007 9:22AM

My hospital doesn't give pethidine, its just diamorphine. I really hope not to have it and have put in my birthplan I don't want anything other than gas and air unless I really can't cope. I wonder whether I will end up having it or not?

madsbellsngeorge · May 23, 2007 9:35AM

The hospital I had my first in was pretty rubbish they did not explain any risks for any of the drugs I had. I was induced due to hind waters breaking and no labouring. I was in labour for 27 hours and it was very slow I had an epidural which didnt work due to positioning of baby as she was trapping a nerve to my left leg causing all pain to go to my leg. Thats when they rushed me to theatre and gave me the diamorphine when I was fully dilated, they gave me it and to be fair it was horrible I was not with it and cant really remember much of the birth via ventouse instead of c-section. I do regret having the epidural though as I have had some back difficulties since where the epidural was placed and feel that hospitals dont always tell you all the risks involved. I certainly would not have the diamorphine again either due to the way it made me feel. I had my second in another hospital and they were brilliant, I had pethidine and had no side effects and my daughter was fine just as people have said very sleepy, which was quite nice to be fair as she slept through and was the best nights sleep I had had for 9 months. I didnt mean to offend anyone before, maybe I am nieve thinking that doctors would not give you things if they were really harmful thats why I thought I would just write my experiances with the different drugs. Out of all 3, I would have pethidine again but not an epidural or diamorphine. Just thought that would help. xx

pixie_woo · May 23, 2007 9:56AM

Look what I found! Its amazing what comes out of Google if you type in the right thing

http://www.aims.org.uk/effectDrugsOnBabies.htm

Its a bit dry (its a medical paper) but it seems to suggest that pethadine is "safer" than diamorphine and babies born to pethadine mothers had a higher Agpar rating than babies born to diamorphine mothers.

madsbellsngeorge · May 23, 2007 10:40AM

Thats really good info pixie. Very informative. My eldest daughters apgar was 8 when whe was born and I had the diamorphine with her and my youngest whom I had pethadine with apgars score was 10 so I could prob agree with the results. xx

MelBee · May 23, 2007 12:23PM

Hi, i had diamorphine with my first and then pethidine with my second. I personally found pethidine to be a better choice, however i had it too early as it only lasts a couple of hours or so. It makes you feel really drowsy.
xx

Diamorphine

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