getting off subutex whlie pregnant.

[julez111]

I am 23 years old and 8 months pregnant and been trying to taper off subutex before i have my baby and i got all the way down to 1mg a day and  today is the day i stop all together. Here's the issue i dont get subutex from a doctor i get it off a friend because i didnt have insurance or a job at the time to pay for a doctor. I just now got insurance but im scared a doctor wont see me now for being 8 months pregnant and i dont know if going off the subs like this will cause my baby to come early an i still have subutex in my system and not having a doctor for it wont CPS get involved. Im so scared and dont know what to do is there anyone who has gone threw something like this is anyway?

[NorthEast213]

Julez,

Let me start by saying I have not been through this but it is imperative you tell your doctor.  Your docs really need to know.  You'd be surprised how understanding docs can be when your truthful with them.  For the baby's sake you need to tell a doc asap about this.  Keep posting as someone im sure will be more knowledgeable then I about this. In the meantime DO NOT stop until you verify with your doc !!!! I wish you the best of luck.

[gunn73]

i completely agree it is very necessary u tell ur doc everything. no matter how ur doc reacts at first or forever u telling the truth is essential for ur baby's health.
GOD BLESS U
gunnu

[bmdad]

From what I've heard even jumping off at 1mg can still cause some hefty withdrawal symptoms. There are a select few that can jump off and it's not all that bad. The only issue here is that you're pregnant and withdrawal symptoms can lead to premature labor.

Many states do mandatory drug testing after childbirth. If they find anything in the baby they will then drug test the mom. CPS will normally get involved, but if your doctors are already informed of the situation, they understand that you're putting your child first. Things can possibly turn out different if you try and hide it.

At 8 months pregnant it's too late to stop the subutex and hope it's out of you and your baby's system. It has a very long half life. I think your best bet is to let your ob know what's going on or go to a doctor that prescribes subutex and explain what's going on. I've heard that pregnant woman get moved to the front of the line if there's a waiting list. If you go about it legally there's nothing that CPS can do. Your ob may also be able to recommend a doctor that prescribes subutex.

Get to a doctor, stay on a very low dose and worry about getting clean after you deliver. That's my opinion at least.

Be sure to stick around the forum. There are some wonderful people here who will bend over backwards to help you get and stay clean.

Best of luck.




Brian

[sharlola35]

Julez, please talk to your doctor asap.  I know you are scared, but I think you will find him/her a lot more supportive than what you think.

[vicki595]

Have you been seeing an OB doctor right along?  

You really need to be with an OB and he or she needs to know all about this. Try to be strong and just tell the truth. Most of the time, the doctors are very helpful and supportive!

You need to do this today! Let us know how it goes...

[wysteria17]

Everything Brian said is great advice.  It can be dangerous to withdraw this late in the pregnancy and I bet they would keep you on it, and then help the baby withdraw after birth (which is done normally when a mother is on meds by prescription but they have to know about it in order to treat the baby!).  Then they would get you help as well....but I'm not a doctor and you need a doctor's care with this.

The only choice you have right now is to tell.  Because if you do right now, you and the baby can get help for this.  If you don't they will find the drug in the baby's system and CPS will get called if your doctor doesn't know you have been taking this without a prescription.  As people say that drug has a long half life and might show up even if you stop now, and it is dangerous to withdraw this late in pregnancy.

I'm just telling you this because it happened to me.  I wasn't even addicted but I took my mother's pain meds literally 3 times during my pregnancy and I did tell my doctor.  The dr told me it was okay and wouldn't hurt the baby BUT she didn't say anything about CPS, no warning.  Well since I thought the baby was fine I took it again about 4 days before the baby was born....everything seemed fine and the dr's, nurses acted like it was all normal then on the last day they said I could go home but the baby couldn't until CPS okay'd it.  Even though I had told I had taken it, I hadn't told the dr that I did not have my own prescription so I could not back it up.  I wasn't even addicted at the time!!  It was just stupid of me and could have been avoided.  

CPS had to go to my house and see that I had baby supplies and a decent place for a baby before they released her.  Then me and my family had to be interviewed and the CPS lady had to do an investigation and they take their dear sweet time!  For over a month I was terrified everyday about what would happen to my baby.  I lucked out and the CPS lady was actually very nice and reassuring that they just had to go through procedure to show I wasn't an addict (I wasn't back then yet), and they did.  It turned out fine but not before my whole family knew and it was the worst thing that ever happened to me.  All because I took one stupid pill!!

I tell you this story so that you can see what the best thing to do for you and your baby is right now.  You could go to the ER or a clinic if you don't have a doctor.  Tell them what you told us, and that you want help.  You will be supported.  Believe me the doctors will you see no matter how far along you are.  They are there to help.

It might be scary and hard fessing all this up to a doctor....BUT think of how much harder it would be to have CPS walk into your hospital room and tell you you're under investigation because your baby tested positive and is possibly going through withdrawal themselves.   You don't want to risk anything happening to your little baby.  Right now you still have the option to ask for help...all you have to do is ask and your dr or ER staff can lead you in the right direction.  Please stick around and let us support you....you can do this and the ladies who tell their dr's always say they feel so much relief when they do.  I wish I had known back then what I know now.

[zoea]

Please talk to your doctor Hun. Don't jump down. Not long now for.bubba. Congratulations x

[zoea]

Sorry to go off topic. Can u explain what long and short life of a drug.is. Is it how long it stays in your system. Sorry for change x

[bettermomma]

Zoe,
The half life of a drug is, the amount of time that it takes for half the drug to be out of ur system. The half life of subs, depends on the person. For me, I'm 59 days sober and my dr says that I'm still in withdrawal, from the subs. Hope this helped!  :-)

Momma

[wysteria17]

Congratulations on your baby julez!  I'm sorry I didn't say that in my first post to you...please take the time to be happy right now.  Even though you're scared about those other things, they can be dealt with and it's doable.  This time is precious for you right now.  Enjoy all the blessing you have as well and congrats.

[julez111]

its julez the one that wrote the question. I went to a sub doctor today and got on 2mg of subutex so that way i can atleats back it up and not get in trouble with CPS if they get involed. My sub doctor said i can not get off the subs while pregnant but my baby should do pretty well if he does have any W/D cause im on such a low dose. I also told my mother today so that is such a BIG relief. Now i just gotta tell my OB doctor and my boyfriends family and there the ones im worried about the most cause they think of me so highly. Im just gonna do what everyone says and the doctor and stay on the 2mg cause your rite if i do this with out anyone knowing i can be in deep ****! sorry. I just want my baby to be ok and be able to come home a.s.a.p. after he is born. If CPS does get involed they can come to my home and will see i have everything the baby needs and more. Thank so much for the advice everyone you guys are such a big help and ill up date you after i let my OB know and bf family. Thanks so much again
Julez

[gunn73]

Suboxone is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether Suboxone will be harmful to an unborn baby. Use of this medication during pregnancy may cause withdrawal symptoms in a newborn baby. Do not take Suboxone if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment. Buprenorphine and naloxone pass into breast milk and may be harmful to a nursing baby. Do not take this medication if you are breast-feeding a baby.

[julez111]

I dont take suboxone i use subutex and did alot of research on it and doctors prefer you be on subutex cause theres something in suboxone thats harmful for babys it starts with an N. Everything is harmful but what i saw there hasnt been any issues with women and being on subutex and pregnant. Im sure the baby goes threw W/D if there on a high mg but i only take 2mg so im hopen that will help and the baby will have no issues.

[gunn73]

naloxone