WHat the hell do you do when pregnant and on methadone?

[angryanderson]

I just found out a few days ago that I am pregnant and I am on methadone. I am absolutely disgusted with myself for allowing this to happen, but me and my husband have been together for 15 years, NEVER used protection, and I have only gotten pregnent ONCE with my son who is now 11. I guess I just didn't really think it would happen. ANyway, the day after I found out, I went to my clinic and met with the doctor. I explained that I needed to be detoxed immediately as I just found out that I am pregnant. I was shocked and dismayed when the DR explained that it would be medical malpractice to detox me and that I could miscarry the baby ,blah, blah, blah. I told him that I would spend 1 week researching the effects of methadone during pregnancy and that I would meet with him again to disuss my options. I feel that this baby would be better off dead than to be born addicted to ******* methadone. This child will have 3 generations of addiction in his or her genetics to deal with as it is, and I am just not prepared to bring a baby into this world to suffer. The DR at my clinic said there was only a 60% chance that my baby will suffer withdrawal, but that does NOT appear to be the truth. It is more like a 60% - 90% chance, and those are not odds that I am willing to take a chance with. I have thought about this alot, and I have decided that since straight-up fetus murder is a legal option (but I am not willing to go there), then it should not be a problem for me to detox off as QUICK as I can and hope that the baby makes it. If I do lose the baby, then nature has made a very tough decision for me, as nature tends to do, but i cannot deny that my GUT is telling me that staying on methadone while I am pregnant IS WRONG. I would love to see what these Dr's think about the situation if they were EVER in my shoes. I think any Dr faced with such a decision would NEVER stay on methadone, or any other drug for that matter. So why would it be OK for my baby? I don't want a sickly baby with a small head who cries in misery all the time. and it doesn't even have to be that way, not when I can detox. Anyway, I only have myself to blame for getting pregnant on methadone, and I will only have myself to blame if I CHOOSE to feed my baby very strong drugs for the next 9 months, but I am going to do what is right, and get these drugs out of my system,and the baby's system, even if I have to walk off methadone. I am currently on 75 mgs., which is down from the 95 mgs. I was on a few months ago. I started detoxing before I was pregnant, and then was feeling sick so I stoppped it. I really regret that now as I would be down to 65 or even 55mgs. I can't believe that these DR's are trying to tell me that I can be on 200 mgs or 20 mgs and it's all the same to the baby. That is ********. I have heard that I can go into a hospital and detox, and I definitely looking into that, but I have to keep my job, so I don't know if that is even a possibility. I am just babbling now, but I wanted to vent about this situation because I am scared to death, frustrated, pissed at myself, and pissed at the doctors.

[corey411]

Hun, I'm not sure what to tell you as I don't know much about Methadone but there have been many posts on here about Methadone and pregnancy. The weekends can be slow here and it may take awhile for someone to come on who can help you better. I will see if I can find any old posts and if I do I'll post them for you. God bless. Corey

[drmwvrjean]

i am so very, very sorry that you are going through this!!  my heart aches for you, but i so admire you for doing what is best for your baby!!  you sound like a very strong woman, and i commend you for your choice and decision.  please keep staying strong and know that i will keep you in my thoughts and prayers!!  please keep us updated on how you are doing and if ya need a shoulder to lean on or just to vent, etc.  i am here!!  God bless and best of luck!! xxxxxxx

[corey411]

Hi. I would definitely like to see info on here about Methadone and pregnancy. There isn't a lot of information about this out there and what little they do have is wrong. For example, a lot of people (even doctors) do not know that detoxing off of Methadone while pregnant can be VERY dangerous to the baby and can even cause miscarriage and premature labor. Methadone is very safe for a pregnant woman to be on and is advised for pregnant women addicted to opiates. I just HATE to see scared pregnant women scurrying to gather information and getting the wrong kind that may put their babies in danger. I have been through it and was lucky enough to find a wonderful Methadone and Pregnancy forum. I'm not sure if I can post a link to it here but please let me know if I'm allowed to and I will do so.

This is from an old post. If you go to the top right you will see a green box that says Medhelpsearch. Type in methadone and pregnant and you can find more old posts. Good luck hun. I'm sure you will have a beautiful and healthy baby. GBU, Corey

[theeagle]

Methadone is a unique and even wierd drug....if the use during pregnancy is anything like withdrawals, then they may well be correct in saying that 20mg or 200mg doesnt make a difference at all..............thats pretty much the way cold turkey withdrawals work out with methadone......However - - if you are at month one......dont see how quiting would be anything but positive.........better than being born with an active addiction at least....................andc you were detoxing to begin with...................good luck to everyone.................................

[worried878]

agree withy eagle...it is a narcotic and people do taper and quit narcotics often...this one has a longer wd than most and ur dose would be an issue...i would talk to another doctor as a slow taper doesnt seem out of the question here

[avisg]

we have a member that is /was an obgyn nurse I am going to send her your post she maybe able to help :) here name is 1234betterlife

[angryanderson]

I appreciate everyone who took the time to read my post and/or make a comment. My situation is still the same, although I am still working on getting detoxed. I referred myself to a high risk OB doctor and my plan was to convince him that I needed to detox, and then he would call my clinic and convince them that I would be OK to detox under his care. This DR didn't cooperate with me at all, but he did seem to think that if I wanted to detox the clinic doctor really couldn't force me stay on. I decided that I would make an appt at the clinic and TELL the DR,( NOT ASK) to start my detox. I did have an ultrasound and it was confirmed that I am 10 weeks and about 5 days along. Since I have about 30 weeks of pregnancy left, it looks like detoxing at a rate of 2.5mg per week would put me at 00mgs around the time of the babys birth. The more time is wasted arguing with these doctors is less time for detoxing and a faster detox. Everyone is telling me that there is more harm done to the baby if I detox from methadone, but no one mentions any harm except for POSSIBLE miscarriage and POSSIBLE pre-term labor. I have already made it clear that I am willing to take those risks, I AM NOT WILLING to leave the hospital after giving birth WITHOUT my newborn who will be kept in NICU and detoxed at that time. I will NOT be able to breastfeed after the baby is detoxed because of exposure to the methadone in breastmilk. Also, the WORST part about having a baby while I am on methadone is that in this state, it means AUTOMATIC involvement with Child Protective Services. I simply will not tolerate some disgusting social worker sauntering into my hospital room and QUESTIONING my ability to be a Mother. Anyway, I seem to rant and rave every time I talk about this situation.

[morganave]

Are you getting your methadone legally?  If so, then you need to continue to look for a dr that will help you get off.  Look in the yellow pages for such a dr.  If you are off of the meds in a short amount of time, the baby will not be born with it in his or her system and you should be able to breastfeed.  IF you are on the meds because a dr gave them to you, then the child protection services should stay out of your business,  Many women are on meds and get pregnant.  You have not commited any crime here.  The crime would be if you continue to use, and refuse  to detox.  Go on the internet and find a dr in your area who will help you.  I would think because your history is such that you have your babies 11 years apart that anyone in their right mind could see you did not plan this baby.  I was doing coke, got pregnant, but I quit right away.  The dr never knew and I was able to take all ten pounds of him home right away and breastfeed him.  Keep looking for help.  Best thing you can do while you look is to keep a notebook of every dr or medical person you speak to.  This will prove that you took steps right away to get help.  They are not going to take your baby from you.  Try to taper while you look for help.  The babe will be fine.  By 40 weeks it will be out of both your systems if you start now, and maybe the hosp will not even need to know.  Good luck, please keep us posted.