6 months pregnant and addicted to Roxy's

[Jen1990C]

I'm 6 months pregnant and have been taking roxy pills for about a year now. I take one 30 mg almost everyday, at the most 2 pills in a day, but I can go up to like 3 days without taking any pills. I haven't told my Doctor this because I'm scared he won't offer any help and instead throw me in jail which would definatley do me no good, but I'm sick of taking them, I'm scared if I stop that my baby will go through withdrawals inside me. Atleast that's what I've read and heard. I don't go through major withdrawals, I just get weak feeling and a little achy. Does this mean my child won't go through any withdrawals because mine aren't so bad?? All my doctor ultrasounds have looked good, I'm having another one in 2 days and I'm scared to death what I might find out since my last one. I don't know if I should mention this addiciton to my doctor since its not a bad one, but I fear that its bad enough to be harming my child right now. I need help bad, I'm stressing out majorly over this, I don't know what to do!!??

[Julia M Aharonov, DO]

Ok, you got to get control of this situation and quick. First, you must realize that you are not the only one in this predicament. We get this question on this forum over and over again from wonderful caring women who want to have healthy babies. Second, you must talk to your OB/GYN. He will not  though you in jail, everything you tell him is confidential and he is there to help you and your baby. Ob/GYNs treat many women in exactly the same situation and will be able to refer you to a physician who will be able to manage you on Suboxone or Subutex if you need it.  It sounds that your dependence is not too severe and you may be able to slowly taper it yourself.  The baby will safely "detox" with you and you should not be concerned.  As long as you are not on any narcotics by your third trimester, the baby should be born healthy and not in withdrawals. You and the doctor will need to work together to aggressively get you off the meds so by the time you are ready to deliver the baby. You you can not tolerate the 'cold turkey',  Subutex is the best and safest way to manage addiction during pregnancy.  It allows you to taper yourself safely and quickly off narcotics with minimal withdrawals. Hopefully before your third trimester (or as close to it as possible) you will be drug free and happily looking forward to a birth a healthy baby.  You need to quit smoking as well, (if you do) because it leads to decreased baby weight and higher incidence of early labor.
Suboxone and Subutex are both commonly used medication to help pregnant addicts stop using and have been found safe to use in pregnancy to help mom stop her addiction.  It is certainly far safer than continuing to use the narcotics.  Please see you doctor ASAP.   Good luck to you and your baby.

[Julia M Aharonov, DO]

Jen,
Please, calm yourself down.  If you are doing fine without the pills, so is you baby. He is certainly not having all the guilt and anxiety you are going though right now.  If you choose not to tell your doctor about taking the narcotics, that's perfectly fine and is your right and choice as long as you take absolutely NO MORE narcotics form now on.
My personal opinion is that if you can not talk honestly and openly to your OB, then he is not the right doctor for you.  But if you want to stick with him and continue being clean your baby will no be in withdrawals and no one will know anything.
Your child is the most important thing in your life right now so staying clean is of utmost importance.  Relax, enjoy being pregnant, and being a mom to a healthy baby.

[Jen1990C]

And also, If I do tell my Doctor about this, can he inform child services or whoever and tell them what I've done? And when my baby is born, drug free and no withdrawal, can they still try to take him away because I took pills during most of my pregnancy? I'm pretty sure I can wean myself off these, I'd rather quit cold turkey, but like I said I don't know how my baby is gonna feel with me doing that. I have an ultrasound tomorrow and I'm really scared. I have a good feeling tho that I'm just overreacting, thats what moms do I guess. My last ultrasound, 4 weeks ago, was good and he was developing on track, but alot could've changed since then, and he's very active in my belly, that's one thing that keeps me sane, I constantly have my hand on my belly all day long. Feeling him kick and move is the best thing ever right now and it keeps me positive!!!

[Jen1990C]

My withdrawals aren't bad. I don't get cravings or the shakes or anything severe, my problem is I don't wanna just quit cold turkey because I don't know what's going on with my baby and how he's feeling inside me, I don't want him to be sick, but if I'm fine without them and can handle the easy withdrawal I have, ( I hate calling it that cuz it's not as bad as some people) then won't he be ok? I'm really confused, I'm stuck. I know it's bad to take it but it could also be bad to just quit, atleast that's what I've heard, thats the only reason I haven;t stopped completely, because I'm scared that might make it worse on him because, I hate to say this too, but the pills are normal to him right now, I've been taking since before he was thought of. I don't want this to seem like an excuse to keep taking the pills, and I'd rather not get on any other medication unless it helps him. Will Suboxone or Subutex help my baby with his withdrawals if he has any or is that medicine mainly for me? If it doesn't help him I'd rather not take it, I want to be on no pills but my prenatal!!!