Methadone While Pregnant?

[hopefulmom749]

Anyone still here? I'm 16 weeks pregnant at I take 16 mgs, down from 35. My docs are okay with this, and I will do my best to lower dose without causing bad withdrawls, but I still have fears and it seems all people who are on methadone are saying i'm stupid for wanting to get off while pregnant. I just want my baby to be born without narcotics, and so far everything is fine... Is there a chance, since my dose is so low, that my baby will not be addicted? I feel so guilty i almost wish i had aborted. i would hate my mother if I had been born on methadone. a bad doctor gave it to me for back pain-he was put out of business later on, getting on this drug was the biggest mistake of my life. Is there any chance my baby won't have to suffer for my weakness?

[Becca911]

I don't know what to tell you. I don't know anything about methadone, but hang in there maybe someone can give you some advice. Good luck and I'll pray for you and your baby. try not to worry.

[Zurich42]

You can check out Methadone and Pregnancy to help find your answers:  http://www.methadoneandpregnancy.com/mandp.htm.  

[Savas]

No, I don't think so. You'd best do your best to get off...although you're already four months into a 9 month pregnancy. If you can't get totally off in the next month or two I don't think it will matter anymore.

At the same time, having a baby develop while going through withdrawal stresses isn't an ideal situation to.

Is this your first pregnancy? I've heard from a few who've gone through this that they didn't suffer any serious withdrawals when detoxing in during their first pregnancy. It's not a well understood or documented phenomena, though.

[Penelope14]

                 Im on methadone, and Im currently in the taper phase, but I have to tell ya that In my metadone groups I,ve spoke with one pregnant girl, who had the same concerns as you, she got thru it ok and had a baby that was just fine, of course they had to leave the baby in the hospital for a few extra days, just to make sure he wasnt having any bad effects, and he was just fine, she lowered her dose and made it off methadone one month before giving birth, and Im sure you to will be fine, I also see that you are at a low dose so that should make the situation even easier, Good Luck to you and baby!

[mestiza]

i GAVE BIRTH TO MY SON WHILE ON METHADONE. I'M SURPRISED THAT THEY ARE LETTING YOU TAPER OFF.  i WAS TOLD THAT I COULD MISCARRY MY BABY IF I WENT INTO W/DS, SO I STAYED ON UNTIL AFTER HE WAS BORN.   i ALSO STAYED AT THE LOWEST DOSE I COULD STAY ON AND STILL FEEL COMFORTABLE.  I MET PREGNANT WOMEN THERE, SOME WHO STAYED AT HIGH DOSES, AND THEIR BABIES DIDNT HAVE  TOO MUCH TROUBLE AT BIRTH. oNE IN PARTICULAR, HER BABY WAS FINE.  sO I THOUGHT WELL, I WAS AT A MUCH LOWER DOSE MAYBE MY BABY WILL BE FINE TOO, BUT HE WASNT.  HE WENT INTO IMEDIATE WITHDRAWALS ONCE HE CAME OUT.  iT WAS THE SADDEST TIME OF MY LIFE.  hE STAYED AT THE HOSPITAL FOR TWO WEEKS AFTER BEING BORN.  tHEY DETOXED HIM WITH PHENOBARBITAL.  THANK GOD, THAT HE IS NOW 10 YRS, OLD AND SO BRIGHT. i WAS WORRIED THAT HE MIGHT HAVE MENTAL PROBLEMS OR ADHD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT BUT HE DOESNT. THANKS TO MY GOD!  

[lashamummyof2]

Hi There,
I can help you. I was on pain meds all through my second pregnancy and my baby - five months - is just great. If you would like, send me a private message and i can give you as much information as I can. I was not on methadone, just codeine and perocets (oxycodone). I did taper and my baby was totally fine, no withdrawals.
you can send me a message.
liz

[Joanne19792001]

I am also pregnant 20wks on methadone 65mls. I was on 120mls when i had my son who is 2 in jan. He is very healthy but did have to be given morphine for w/d. I have 2 frdiends who have had babies whilst on 40mls & 35mls and neither had to have any medication. One of the children i mentioned is 5yrs old and is fine. I have seen your post on methadone and pregnancy and seen replies on there, they know what they are talking about, as you will of read one member had a baby die from forced w/d although that was totally different circumstances she was forced to w/d from methadone whilst in prison and lost her baby because of it. She had to withdraw in much more extreme circumstances and was left with no medical help from what i read. There is lots of research to say that maternal doses of methadone do not have any effect on whether or not the baby will suffer. I was trying to reduce my dose as i had quite a hard time in hospital from nurses with bad attitudes with my first baby and also they did not have a clue about pain relief after c section for someone on methadone maintenance and thought my methadone would be adequate, i can tell you it wasn't. If you are still on methadone at birth i would make sure you are armed with info about this and that there is a plan in place for pain relief if required and esprecially if yo need c section for any reason. I know it may have seemed like they jumped on you a bit with replies on other forum but they are just concerned and have been through it them selves. Good luck whatever you decide i hope that your baby is very healthy and you find the best solution for you.