Zofran

cgoldie7 · January 2016

so after days of nonstop puking I've broken down and started taking some zofran. I took it occasionally with my last pregnancy but this time the ms has been even worse and I just can't take it anymore! But now I'm feeling bad about taking it with seeing stories about it causing birth defects. Are any of you other moms taking this.... Please help me feel me better about because I'm starting to feel super sad about all this. And yes, I've tried everything- b6, milk thistle, unisom, ginger, UGH!

ThePax89 · January 2016

I took it through my entire last pregnancy. My daughter is fine. Purely anecdotal, but you have to do what you have to do.

cgoldie7 · January 2016

That does help me feel better! Being sick and puking was seriously starting to depress me. I was crying and puking all day long. At least today I feel somewhat normal.

lblu43 · January 2016

It the was first thing my obnurse prescribed. I took 2 doses, but had the same "guilt" effect. I keep it on hand, but have managed since without. Lots of ginger though....ginger beer, ginger ale, ginger n lemon tea, and hot water w lemon or lime.

Knottie66793972 · January 2016

I have taken it occasionally. We give it to our pregnant patients all the time in the hospital.

imakeeff0rts · January 2016

I took it for most of my first pregnancy. My son is fine, too.

Here's the thing - people sue for anything and everything. Oh, your kid has a learning disability? Must be because of xyz medication that you took when you were pregnant. Not only that, you don't know what else they were taking during their pregnancies. Were they using supplements? Were they smoking? Drinking? Using drugs? Did they lie about any of those things (it's possible). Were they abusing the zofran?

Personally, I didn't feel guilty. If you need it, you need it.

mumblefrog86 · January 2016

sometimes the benefits out weigh the risks. If you can't keep anything down you are at risk of serious complications. I wouldn't feel bad about taking it, you are obviously in need of it. If you had mild MS I wouldn't take it I would try a less strong drug.

kwilliams3402 · January 2016

Now being 9 weeks + 3 days and having tried every non-scary-prescription remedy out there, and currently trying acupuncture/chiropractic treatments to quell the all-day nausea, I think if you've really tried everything and can't function or keep food down, it's probably time to try the Zofran/Phenagren/similar prescription. I'm giving the acupuncture 3 or so treatments, and if it doesn't work, I'll call the doctor and beg for a prescription. I know there's a risk, but particularly if you can't keep food down, you have to find something that works for you.

kwilliams3402 · January 2016

imakeeff0rts said:

I took it for most of my first pregnancy. My son is fine, too.

Here's the thing - people sue for anything and everything. Oh, your kid has a learning disability? Must be because of xyz medication that you took when you were pregnant. Not only that, you don't know what else they were taking during their pregnancies. Were they using supplements? Were they smoking? Drinking? Using drugs? Did they lie about any of those things (it's possible). Were they abusing the zofran?

Personally, I didn't feel guilty. If you need it, you need it.

Totally agree. If I were to add Zofran, and my child had a birth defect, I could equally wonder, was it the 1000 mg of ginger a day? The diclegis? The nutty PSI bands? Not being able to stomach a prenatal vitamin? The Tylenol for awful headaches? The acupuncture/chiropractic treatments? How pissy feeling awful for weeks makes me feel? Only God would know!

TheTamedShrew · January 2016

I took it starting around 12 weeks with my daughter (so not during 1st trimester). It made me extremely constipated, and I actually think it prolonged my morning sickness ( It didn't end until around 20 weeks). I only say that because I took it once for a stomach virus. My DH and DD only had the virus for 24 hours, and I had it for 4 days. This time around I'm going to try not to take anything unless it's so severe that I can't keep down food.

ETA: just to clarify, my DD turned out perfectly healthy.

kecoff01 · January 2016

I agree that this is a decision that only you and your physician can make and that you certainly have to weigh the costs and benefits.

Personally, working in a personal injury firm that has researched the Zofran litigation, I would not take the drug. When a drug company is sued for this it's because they misrepresented the risks of taking the drug which in turn led to physicians and patients not adequately being informed of the risks associated with using the drug. In this case, Zofran was never approved by the FDA for morning sickness (and still isn't) and was promoted by the drug company illegally as a drug to help with morning sickness. It's not as simple as "I took Zofran and now my baby has xyz." There are specific birth defects linked to the drug. It is still on the market and prescribed to expectant mothers (obviously). It appears to be most harmful during the first trimester. What are the chances? I have no idea, but it's not a chance I would want to take on my baby.

I know you wanted reassurance, but I think it's important to know what the risks are too and to research this kind of thing on your own, especially since you already have misgivings about it.

mermaidbina · January 2016

mumblefrog86 said:

sometimes the benefits out weigh the risks. If you can't keep anything down you are at risk of serious complications. I wouldn't feel bad about taking it, you are obviously in need of it. If you had mild MS I wouldn't take it I would try a less strong drug.

Yes, totally agree!

AshleyDoll · January 2016

This is my 6th baby and I'm taking it and have with all of my kids. They have all been fine. Unfortunately, not even Zofran is helping out this time.

Fremdschamen · January 2016

It is absolutely your decision to make, in consultation with your doctor. I am very lucky to only suffer nausea, but not vomiting during the first trimester, so I have never had to be in your shoes. That said, my law firm is currently suing the makers of Zofran for its failure to warn about the harmful effects of Zofran during pregnancy, and I don't think I would take it while pregnant.

Macilah · January 2016

I have hyperemisis gravidirum and I had it with all my pregnancies this is my 4th. Zofran has been a life saver for me. Im 8 weeks into this pregnancy and in 1 week I lost 15 lbs, its depressing to constantly have nausea and vomiting I couldnt handle it any longer so know im on daily I.V fluids and zofran through the I.V for a month. Today was my 2nd day and I actually ate something with out throwing up. I took zofran my 2nd and 3rd pregnancy and my kiddos are perfectly healthy. I suffered during my 1st pregnancy nothing worked and I didn't know about zofran I wish I would have.

imakeeff0rts · January 2016

@Macilah

I'm so sorry you're experiencing this.

kwilliams3402 · January 2016

10+2 and woke up puking this morning. Been on diclegis for about three weeks, taking ginger supplements, tried accupuncture, changed timing of prenatals, and doing all the other things like crackers, etc. etc. Oh, and 2/3 the mornings for the past six weeks, I have diarrhea. Joy. Called the doctor this morning and they're sending in a prescription for Phenergran. Fingers crossed!

abern8 · January 2016

I took it throughout my last pregnancy - the nausea & vomiting was a nightmare - and my dd is absolutely fine. Healthy and happy. The Zofran saved my life. I don't know how I would have gotten through the pregnancy otherwise.

kwilliams3402 · February 2016

Reviving an old thread, because I'm 13 weeks and the MS is getting worse... so I called the doctor asking for Zofran this morning. The nurse wasn't sure if the doctor would prescribe it, so I'm waiting to hear back.

lblu43 · February 2016

I also had to talk to my midwife nurse yesterday, thanks to an increase in stomach acid vomiting and now constipation.

She asked if I was taking the Zofran and I admitted no because of all the info I read. Her response, yes there is a slim chance documented but that a certain point it becomes dangerous NoT To do anything about it. Case and point: my ms got so bad then it turning to vomiting stomach acid which made me dehydrated....then constipated for a wk. She recommended using Zofran as a last resort. Ginger, B6 (no more than 100mg daily), fiber, seabands, and unisom or emetril if you need it. Lots of fluid and now I'm on milk of magnesia, which unfortunately still hasn't worked. One new tip, she mentioned with HD it helps to separate drinking from eating for 30minutes. She wasn't sure why but said it's a method they use in homecare. I hope you feel better soon. I know on my end it's not fun and it def makes me anxious about the baby.

kwilliams3402 · February 2016

Doctor prescribed Zofran, and at this point, after trying everything else from Diclegis to acupuncture, and being past the first trimester, I think it's just time to give it a try. Thanks for the good thoughts.

kwilliams3402 · February 2016

So I picked up the generic Zofran and was super stoked that the price was $1.80... Until I realized there were only two pills. Pharmacy said doctor only called in two 4 mg pills.... Brilliant.

texasmama2014 · February 2016

@kwilliams3402 I think mine were only like $5 for the generic, but I got quite a few... Did she want to see you before letting it be a more long term solution?!

Whitmore1027 · February 2016

I've taken Diclegis for weeks and it works well for me. My friend too Zofran with both her pregnancies and babies are healthy! I think a lot of the bad stuff that happens are multiple causes not just the Zofran. Who knows if the mothers who took Zofran and had a baby with deformities drank alcohol often? Or did Drugs, or smoked cigarettes. I don't think Ob's would prescribe it if they Zofran was something truly scary.

kwilliams3402 · February 2016

I took one 4 mg pill before dinner last night and was able to actually eat dinner and drink an entire 8 oz glass of water before bed, and that hadn't happened in days! And, lo and behold, woke up this morning and didn't puke. I think there's risk with anything in the first trimester, but being 13 weeks, having tried everything else from Diclegis to ginger to acupuncture, and actually puking more this week, I figured it was time to try it. I'm hoping that 4 mg before dinner on the really bad days will do the trick, as I have a definite pattern of being too nauseated to eat and drink past 6 pm and puking the next morning that's been here for 9 weeks now.

I called the OBGYN group this morning and talked to a different nurse, and she said she had no clue why they only called in 2 pills. Weird!!

HeyStVincent · February 2016

Your doctor gives you Zofran based on risk vs benefit. This is how any good doctor (or midwife) makes their decisions. If they thought the risk of taking Zofran was higher than the risk of NOT taking Zofran, they wouldn't give it to you. Don't feel bad. Definitely use it as needed.

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