Question
hi,i'm on the maximum dose of lyrica and tramadol for lower back pain due to degenerate discs.the problem is,i've just found out i'm pregnant and my doctor has told me to stop all of my medications immediately due to risks to the feutus.i have tried stopping my medication with no succes,the pain is just too much,not to mention the withdrawl symptoms i'm experiencing.i have four children at present and my partner is in full time employment and cant offer me much help as we cant afford for him to stop work.i find it hard to believe that there are no alternative medications i can take without  sacrificing the safety of my unborn child.i don't feel that i can continue with this pregnancy without any pain relief,but can't seem to find anyone who can advise me.please help!!

Answer
Hello Julie and thanks for writing,

Some people do require treatment for moderate to severe pain during pregnancies so i would advise you to request a referral to a pain clinic to discuss treatment options - remember to ask about epidural treatments which have been used successfully with other pregnant women (of course every treatment option does carry some level of risk to the fetus so it's a matter of you deciding what is an acceptable level of risk for your fetus).

I hope this helps and I wish you all the best,

Margot