Can a pregnant woman be detoxed from methadone?

[Wendylee]

I am thirty years old and have been trying desperately to change my life over the past few years. I have been using on and off for seventeen years, and have been through eight inpatient treatments and many other outpatient and detox facilitys. I've always wanted to stop but it's been a difficult road. My addiction progressed to herion and I ended up on the methadone maintenence program about four years ago. The first two years were rough but thanks to the grace of God and my family I have been clean now for over a year and a half. My husband and my son have been my anchor to reality and responsibility. My husband does not smoke, drink or use drugs and never has(how we ended up together is a mystery). Also through a stroke of luck I got pregnant with my first son during a time in my life that I was clean, so there where no problems with him at birth. The only problems we have with him is the horrible separation anxiety he suffers from because of my past behavior. I have been to many detoxes during his life and he did not understand why mommy had to be gone and also while I was using I wasn't home much, so that didn't help. Anyway I have been coming down on my methadone dose since last July and I am down to 40mgs. I recently found out I was pregnant. I really wanted to be off the methadone before this happened, but that is not how things have worked out. My husband and I are happy about the baby, we are just worried. I don't want my baby to go through withdrawls because of my problems. I have a big problem with that! The bad part is everone including the clinic I go to says I could miscarry if I detox, but I have read otherwise from mothers that were in the same boat as me. I am so confused. I acually went down at least 10mgs possibly 15mgs before I found out I was pregnant, so I really want to detox if I can. Any information I could get regarding this matter I would be very grateful for. Thank you in advance.   Wendylee

[MotherOf3andAhalf]

I am a mother of 3 and never used to touch pills PERIOD until i found out i have a back problem and I had 3 different surgeries on my wrists following my last child, who is now 18 months. I was put on pain pills and sure enough, THEY DON'T DISCRIMINATE!!! I became addicted, when i tried to stop on my own the pain was unbearable and I would get sicker than any human should ever have to be! I have VERY strong will power, this isn't about will power. This is a medical problem I am fighting. So i discussed with my family and friends about the options and I started the MMT about 4 months ago. It has been very rewarding for me to not wake up in the mornings and cram my mouth full of pills. I just found out I'm pregnant 4 days ago!!! Definitely NOT planned! However, I don't want to kill my baby OR EVEN RISK IT!!!! With that being said, I will STAY on the methadone, I am at 140mgs and I'm sure I will have to go up, as i am small and I metabolize it quickly. I have felt detox, I've even felt precipitated withdrawals!!! And that my friends is THE WORST!!! You don't die, but you want to!!! So I DO NOT want my baby to suffer these things, however, with the treatment the baby will get when it's born I am at peace with it. My husband thinks it ***** too but we are ok with it because we know our child will be ok! They will slowly get my child off of the methadone. So it will not feel most of the withdrawals, and although people obviously have a terrible outlook on pregnant women and MMT,I AM GLAD MY BABY WILL LIVE!!!!! Someone said to me at the clinic one day that detoxing from my dose would be the cheapest abortion ever... SCREW THAT. NO I DIDN'T PLAN THIS BUT I WILL NOT KILL MY CHILD! I also didn't plan on getting addicted to the narcotics I was on. But it happened and I am dealing with it. ONE DAY AT A TIME!!! Best of luck to everyone out there struggling with people like the guy above that thinks his EX is such a dog for being A HUMAN!!!! ugh that makes me sick!!

Cayla :)

[Jbell322]

I am about 4 weeks and on 18mg, however ever since I found out I was pregnant my dose is not enough, I have been taking methadone pills on top of my dose and my dr wants to uo my dose.  I would like to get off but cannot handle the wd... any advise?

[cixaxu]

what ended up happening? i would've taken her with me to discuss it if you felt you had to do what she wanted... some times passed since then so how'd everything pan out?

[skinnieminnie]

I'm currently 9 weeks pregnant and I've been on methadone for 5 months. I've been on birth control for 13 YEARS. I never planned on getting pregnant while in treatment, you can't hold everyone to a standard like that. Accidents do happen. I'm a perfect example. I took my birth control every day on time like clockwork and still wound up pregnant. Some things are just meant to be. I'm hoping to detox in my 2nd trimester because that's the safest time to do so. However, the attitude you have about it is exactly why people hide it in the first place. It adds to the stigma that we're some kind of junkie or something, and NO newly pregnant mom wants to be thought of like that. So by all means, be upset that she wasn't honest with you, be upset that she was hiding it from you, but please, please, please don't be upset about the methadone itself. It's the first step towards a cleaner, healthier lifestyle and it's way safer than using any drugs off the street. For both of your sakes, please give her the support she needs and don't make her feel like a junkie because that's the last thing she needs and the clinic does a fine job of that on their own anyway. Please don't be mad at the methadone and why she's using it, it's because it's the only safe treatment. She can stop cold turkey if you want, but you run a very high risk of losing that precious baby. Put yourself in her shoes and just try to be the best support you can be, if not for her then for that baby and yourself.

[Rene8905]

I am 36 weeks pregnant & have been on methadone for 8 years. I have weaned down to 5 mgs a day now. I hope to be completely off in the next 2 days. My due date to deliver the baby is in 4 weeks. Will my baby have withdrawls? My main question is- how long must the mother be free & clean of methadone for the baby to not have withdrawls at birth? Thank you for any answers & support. R.D.

[sb1981]

People like you should be ashamed..  You've obviously never been through anything in life that was actually "real", otherwise you wouldn't be so quick to judge..  I pray you never find yourself in a situation that others could judge you so quickly.. But let me guess - You would never do that, right??