METHADONE DETOX WHILE PREGNANT

[angryanderson]

I am about 10 weeks and 5 days along in this pregnancy. I am currently taking 70 mgs of methadone each day, and that is after my Dr ALLOWED me to go down 5 mgs when I expressed a need to start an immediate detox upon discovering that I was pregnant. Of course this doctor believes that I am some sort of ignorant redneck who just needs to be educated about why methadone is the best choice for my tiny, unborn baby. Of course as an opiate addict I coudn't possibly be an intelligent, concerned Mother trying to give my baby the best start in life, especially since I cannot imagine the best possible start in life being a lonely and miserable existance in NICU withdrawing from a very powerful drug. As far as I know, if I detox from methadone right now, I will be risking 2 things: POSSIBLE pre-term labor or POSSIBLE miscarriage. No one has mentioned any other risks. I am willing to accept these risks. If something goes wrong I will have no one to blame but myself. But if I am forced to stay on methadone and my child suffers for weeks on end from withdrawal, and/or ends up with learning disabilities, behavioral problems, or eventually a serious opiate addiction - I may feel that my only recourse is some kind of revenge against the people who took away my choice for my child. Now it is true that I am the one taking methadone, and I am the one who did not use birth control which resulted in this pregnancy, but I am not the one who is keeping this baby on drugs. I have a solution for this problem ( the baby is not the problem, the methadone in our system is) and I am being kept from solving the problem in the best way possible. Does anyone else have a problem with this?

[morganave]

Perhaps calling a detox hospital or clinic would help you get things answered sooner.
Keep looking for a dr that will help you.  Open the yellow pages and call and ask questions, you do not have to leave your name.  Call a detox dr.  call the makers of the meds, they all have an 800 number.  1800-555-1212 that is the 800 operator.
Many mothers who are pregnant are using because they do not have the same amount of concern you do.  Just thought of something, there must be a methadone clinic in your area where methadone addicts go to get there methadone everyday. Call there, they can for sure tell you where to go and get hellp.  Write Dr Phil, but do not give up looking, because you are a very caring mom it will all work out.

[kim715]

I'm a little confused when you say you are being kept from solving the problem in the best way possible...Can you explain? I too was on methadone.I'm 9 months clean now.I'm thinking the doctor may want for you to do a slow taper,rather then a rapid taper because of your pregnancy.a rapid taper is going to be rough as far as w/ds go,and I'm not a doctor,but I would think that would be pretty risky considering the circumstances.

[TrayCee]

theres no reason to start a new thread on the same topic.  Just continue with the same one youve got going...