OxyContin while pregnant

I was wondering what can happen to a fetus if the mother was abusing OxyContin by taking large doses as well as snorting it?  Can anything happen to the mother in delivery?    

An ovary was removed 3 years ago of a friend of mine and she has been to several doctors and all of them say that they cannot find any reason for the pain and a few even went on to tell her it was all in her head.  She claims her doctor is still prescribing her this horrible drug along with Oxycodone and one other prescription....Zanex possibly?  Would a doctor continue to prescribe OxyContin to a patient for 3 years for pain that no one can identify?  She then just found out a few days ago that she was going to have a baby at the end of December!!  I'm sure she has been drinking with the drugs she is taking and she smokes a whole lot!  I'm just really worried that she is so out of it that she doesn't think that it is a big deal and that she will have a healthy baby (her doctor told her that the drugs she is taking willnot hurt the baby, but if he did say that he probably doesn't realize that she is snorting them).  Please help me understand what can happen to her and this baby in delivery or before.

[Nohydro]

Your friend is 6 months pregnant and no one knew?

[IBKleen]

Hi Hun!

I have never had children, so I do not have personal experience. I can tell you that I have had girlfriends during my addiction who have followed a similar path as your friend. One had the baby and the baby was born addicted. It is horrific to watch a baby go thru w/d's. That baby was taken from her and became a ward of the state.

Your friend may well have the baby taken from her. If she is using that much, the baby is more likely than not, addicted. The catch at this stage is if she stops suddenly, she could also harm the baby. Imagine a fetus, still undeveloped, going thru w/d's? She needs to find a new doctor. A REAL doctor! She needs to get honest with the doctor and tell them exactly what she is taking. They can provide avenues for her to cut back or stop. But, she most definately needs to tell her OBGYN so they can be prepared at the birth. Any surprises could harm the baby.

I wish I could help more. Please keep posting and let us know her progress.

I will pray for them.

[ajanssen]

Actually, we just found out that she is due on December 2nd.  So she found out at about 28 weeks along!!  

[ajanssen]

Thank you for your words of wisdom and advice!  I know for a fact that she hasn't quit taking OxyContin or any other prescription drug that she is on.  I also don't have any children, so I'm wondering if the nurses or doctors always take the babies blood after it's born and that's how they find out if there is drugs in it's system?  I can't imagine the baby is going to be very healthy because she is barely showing (and she is tall and skinny) and she is 30 weeks along.  

Thanks again for the advice!  I just wish I could tell her doctors for her and get it all out there.  I know she won't tell her doctors that she has been snorting her prescriptions or taking up to 15 a day.  Patient/doctor privacy is a great thing...but in some cases it REALLY SUCKS!!  I guess now it's just a waiting game to see how the baby comes out!

Thank you for your prayers, they are needed and welcome!

[caregiver222]

This is a very sad story. If I were younger I might rant about the physicians having their medical licences revoked and spending a few years breaking rocks, but I am older and tired-er now, and drained at coming across all the little wrongs things on this planet. This woman has acted irresponsibly and so has her physician. I think the matter should be referred to the State medical board and the district attorney's office. I frankly don't know what they would do. Probably nothing. The chance of birth defects and reduced intelligence is a given. Neither this woman nor her physican have had the right to endanger this new life. This post distresses me very much.

[hillary5]

hi ... i know oxy can be taken during pregnancy but NOT like your friend is taking ... the baby will definately go thru w/d's ... most babies are tested for drugs when they are born.  Doctors usually know the signs of a baby in w/drawals after delivering ... the thing that concerns me is, the amount of acetaminophen she is taking - WAY too much which causes liver damage .. just think what it may be doing to the baby ... so, basically if she stops now they will still see the drugs in the babies system ... they can also test the amnio fluid and hairs on the baby ... she really needs to tell her dr everything she is doing ... this may save her from not having her baby taken away .. has she had an ultrasound or anything yet?  i know you said she only went once to the dr .. i feel terrible for that child and i do understand about addiction to .. i'm addicted to pain pills also and took vicodin while pregnant but only 1 maybe 2 a day if that ... never during the whole pregancy did i take anymore than 2 ...

now the XANAX .. this is what i found when i googled whether or not taking it is harmful to the baby ... this is what i copied from the post ....

** FDA pregnancy category D. Xanax can cause birth defects in an unborn baby. Do not use Xanax without your doctor's consent if you are pregnant. Tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. Use an effective form of birth control while you are using this medication. Xanax can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Please talk your friend into telling her dr what has been going on .. i can't imagine being that far along and not knowing she's pregnant .. is this her first? maybe i read over that part, don't remember .. i wish her luck and i'll say a prayer for that baby that she will be okay ... just remember that they may very well take the child away and i wouldn't something like that happening to anybody.  No one is perfect but there is an innocent child involved who didn't ask to come into this world and now could very well have a life full of problems because of what she did ... keep us posted .. i'm interested in seeing what happens and PLEEEEEZE try to get her to talk to the doctor ... i will be thinking of you all ... ;-)

[melaniee]

i am 10 weeks pregnant and i have a prescription for 10 mg. of oxycontin to take 1 to 2 a day!! am i doomed??  what about birth defects? please help

[IBKleen]

Melaniee....This is an old thread and may go unanswered. Please go to the top of this page and hit the "Post a Question" button, follow the instructions to start your own post. Hope to see you in the forum.

[mj324]

i am 6 weeks pregnant and just quit doing oxy 2 days ago, i am having the worst withdrawls. Vomiting, nausea, hot/cold flashes, depression, body aches, everything, you name it i have it. Im just wondering if i feel this horrible what is it doing to my baby? Is y baby going through withdrawls as well? Should I slowly wean myself off as to not shock the baby? Please somebody answer me.

[AlessandrasMom]

Hi mj324,
I just wanted to help you first by saying you need to go to the top and hit Post A Question.  Then post your question to start a new thread so these wonderful people can help you.  Congratulations on your pregnancy, I just don't know anything about being pregnant and being on oxys, but a lot of people here can help you.  Good luck.  Did you seen what IBKleen said to melaniee?  Follow her instructions.

[SoveryPregnant]

im 3 weeks pregnant, doing drugs isnt a daily thing for me but i took quite a few zanex the generic kind (the orange ones) i also took an oxy a couple weeks ago as well. There was also one night i drank a few beers. Is my child going to be all ****** up now?!?

[GoingToMakeIt]

It is always best to tell your Dr. There is no way we can tell you all is OK with you and your baby.

[avisg]

sovery xanax is known to cause birth defects PLZ make sure your doctor knows all of this . That way they can take care of the baby to the best of there ability .Are you planning on continue to use while pregnant?

Alprazolam is not recommended for use during pregnancy due to the potential for harm to an unborn baby. Consult your doctor for more details.

[carlyanne]

Can someone help, I'm 31 wks pregnant and i have still been taking my antidepressent tabs, they are 100mg sertriline, my doctor said that I can take then in my pregnancy, but seeing other peoples comments about precribes drugs has worried me abit :( HELP

[pinknat]

I am currently 6 months pregnant. Before I got pregnant I was addicted to opiods. I had been going to a methadone clinic to get off pills. Thats when I found out I was pregnant. Once I found out that I was pregnant i discontinued that treatment. On my first doctors visit to my obgyn I found out i had prestage cancer on my cervix, on top of that I have severe back pain to were I get a knot in my lower back. That causes my right leg to go numb. My OB started me off on lortab 5/500 and referred me to a pain managment clinic thats when i found out I have arthritis in all my joints also RA, and possibly cancer in my spine I am only 23 yrs old and all these problems hit me at once. Now that I have started taking pills again because I cannot tolerate the pain without them,  I am taking more than prescribed my ob has already upped my dossage to 7.5 loratabs. So I am always out of my meds early which puts me having to get them off the streets, which scares me,even though I have been honest with my ob from the beginning even about my addiction. I just dont know what to do because I want whats best for my unborn baby,but the pain is awful without meds,sometimes even when with it. Thats why I take more than im supposed to at times, its not to get high. My main concern is cps getting involved when I have her which is in december. I am so scared. Because sometimes when I am out of my prescribed meds I may have to get percocets rather than loratabs. Someone please tell me what I should do because my kids are my life. But this pain is unbearable.