Methadone while pregnant
Common Questions and Answers about Methadone while pregnant
methadose
It sounds like your doing the right thing.
Standard Protocol
When a pregnant woman wants to detoxify from opiates or other opioids, the recognized standard of care, according to the National Health Institute, is methadone treatment while under a doctor's supervision. Methadone is not known to cause birth defects nor have any long-term affects on a baby.
I am currently receiving methadone while being pregnant. Doctors say if would be unsafe to come off during pregnancy. That I could lose the baby. Every doctor including my OBGYN says its a safe method. Now I'm wondering if there will be complications durning the pregnancy or with the baby due to me being on this medication.
I became pregnant while on suboxone. It was not a planned pregnancy and I should have been more careful. My daughter has a 50/50 chance of withdrawing after birth. If she shows signs of wd they will have to keep her in the hospital to ween her off the meds. That is no way to start a life. I pray every day that my daughter is born healthy and will be able to come home with me. Tell her to seriously reconsider getting pregnant while on subs.
There are options, but you must look at the situation honestly. On one hand you are using opioids intravenously- but you describe yourself as having a 'stable, loving environment.'
Every time you shoot up, you risk hypoxemia-- low blood oxygen level-- that could kill the fetus. The opioids themselves are not toxic, although as stated above, benzos ARE toxic to the fetus. You must get help-- significant help. If you do the right things, your doc will become your advocate.
I just recently found out I was pregnant. I was already struggling with a 1-3 30mg a day roxy habit. I tried to quit cold turkey but started having cramps on day 2 and after a lot of researching I learned that going cold turkey runs a high risk of miscarriage in the 1st trimester. I wanted to come off safely so I took 10mg of methadone daily for 5 days. I started to feel withdrawals again and got scared so I got 6 more 10mg a few days later and did one a day.
I am pregnant with my 4th child and I'm on Methadone this is my 2nd pregnancy on Methadone my 1st pregnancy was ok on it however when I delivered my daughter didn't have any withdrawals but the doctor insisted I breastfeed after 2 weeks of breastfeeding my baby wouldn't latch good so I went to formula and 3 days later she had withdrawals so bad she was in ICU for 2 weeks being detoxed with opium. If I wouldn't have breast fed she wouldn't have had withdrawals.
Julia,
I actually haven't had health insurance for a while now...so I have been getting the suboxone from a friend. I know it's wrong but I feel it was better than self medicating with pain pills! I am nervous about telling my doctor... I know I should but I just don't want any problems because of my mistakes... I would like to get off suboxone without harming the baby. I know withdrawls are not good for the baby either so I really just don't know what to do...
I was addicted to Oxys when I found out I was pregnant. I got on the methadone program and weaned myself down. I was on 4mls when my son was born. I found that the methadone doctor helped me find the right schedule for me and that methadone was safer for the baby then the pills I was taking. I wanted to quit CT but when I talked to a doctor I was told its very very dangerous for the baby. Please consider talking to your doctor or maybe even a different doctor.
First things first, relax and breath deep. Being stressed out is not good for your babies or you. Your body will protect the babies as best it can-so relax for now. Have you thought about getting a second opinion? Perhaps you can taper down while pregnant to reduce the impact on your babies (if quitting isn't an option)? Definately get more than one opinion on this. I don't know your medical history so I can't comment about your doctors choice of keeping you on the meds.
Hey, I feel for you. I am now 34wks pregnant & have been on methadone for pain, all the while being told by baby doc to stay on it even tho I had reservations. TALK to ur O.B. They will help you! Thank goodness I have had a wonderful support team with my doctors. Up until now, I have done ok. I just wish they would have helped me get off sooner!! Good luck!! But please, be honest with your doctor!
Hi, just wanted to tell u my story about methadone. A few years ago I was taking lortab everyday I got tired of the withdrawals if I didn't have the lortab, so I started taking methadone. Well about 2 months into that I found out I was pregnant so I started taking the methadone only when it got so bad that I couldn't stand it. I didn't tell my Dr. only me and my husband knew.
don't stop opiates of any kind while pregnant...I was taking painkillers and methadone and found out I was pregnant...so thinking it would be the best thing I stopped...and because of it I had a miscarriage...I would definitely talk to your Dr...as far as starting methadone... I would do lots of research first!..
Hi there. Are you under the care of an OBGYN right now? If so, what do they have to say about taking subs while pregnant? I don't know a lot about it, but I have heard that Methadone seems to be the preferred maintenance drug during pregnancy. That doesn't necessarily mean it's right for you though.
I was on 60 mg of methadone a day while I was pregnant. The dr followed me closely & felt guilty but I couldn't be off the methadone because of my situation. They knew every thing I did. I had a normal pregancy and my son was born 2 yrs ago healthy. Yes he was born with methadone in his system but the dr's knew this and gave him a taper dose.
It is perfectly safe and ok to take methadone while pregnant. It is not recommended to get off methadone once pregnant. Here are the pros and cons and in my opinion the pros outweigh the cons.
The downside is that your baby will most likely experience some withdrawal once born and will have to receive special treatment in the hospital to ween off of it. Methadone has been widely studied and used sense the 60s for pregnant women with opiate addiction.
m not aware of the others but I know for a fact methadone is NOT safe for pregnancy. I have a friend of a friend that was on methadone while pregnant because she was addicted to Vicodin and other drugs. They gave her methadone to ween her off. I can tell you while she was taking this, she was pregnant and her baby was born with A LOT of issues. He was born with a hole in the rough of his mouth, he is 3 and still cannot walk or talk.
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