Worried About Vicodin During Pregnancy

I am 35 years old and about 7 weeks pregnant with my second child.  My problem is that I have been taking Vicodin 10/325 for 2.5 years daily.  The MAX that I take is 3 per day.  When I found out I was pregnant about two weeks ago I started going down because I dont want to take anything while Im pregnant.  I never take a whole one, usually just a half every four hours beginning around noon or so.  I took a total of 1.5 yesterday.  I told my doctor I had been taking them and she told me to stop, but what I didnt tell her is that I had been taking them for 2 plus years.  I know my intake doesnt seem to be alot, but I have had shoulder problems that make me miserable and I dont know if I am "addicted" to these pills or not and Im scared to just "stop". Is this amount hurting my baby? will I be Ok if i get down to none by the end of the first trimester?

thanks to everyone.

[cugirl]

Definately discuss it with your Ob/GYN they may give you something thats not as strong.  Also check out safefetus.com for info on different drugs.

[Tasha456]

I think you need to tell your doctor the full extent of you taking the medicine.  He/She needs to know so they can give you the proper health care, and make you aware of anything that could possibly happen to the baby.

Good Luck.

[dandeelyon]

You can take vicodin (hydrocodone/lorcet) during pregnancy.  I've taken it in all of my pregnancies for migraines and headaches.  My ob's (three different ob's) all prescribed it.  They like for you to not be taking it during the last trimester because the baby could be born addicted.  They would have someone on hand to help with the babies withdrawls if you are not able to quit.  

Obviously quiting would be the best.  It all depends on the reason you are taking it.  You do want to let your ob know if he/she doesn't already.  The tapering method is the best way.  Your body is accustomed to taking the medication.  Three a day is not a whole lot so the symptoms should be minimal if at all if you use the tapering method.

Please do not beat yourself up over it.  It is very common to be prescribed opiates during pregnancy.

[girlybuff]

You't probably physically addicted at this point but that doesn't necessarily make you an addict so don't get so hard on yourself.
The body develops a tolerance and you will probably have some withdrawal symptoms, vomiting, sjakes, but at that level of usage it'll most likely be minimal.
Tell your dr the truth and they can decide what's best.  They might suggest tapering, or stopping all together.
The problem with going cold turkey after all that time is the stress it will put on the fetus possibly leading to miscarriage but it's not probable at tha rate.  I know of people addicted and taking 30 - 40 a day while pregnant.
To put your mind at ease, vicodin, percocet, lorecet, are all Cat C which means there is no known harm to the fetus.  They don't recommend taking it long term and closely before delivery because of the withdrawal effects the baby will have after it's born, crying, shaking, etc.  BUT if they are aware of it and you have been taking it as prescribed, those things are easily treated.
I am 35 weeks pregnant today and have been taking 5-6 pills a day of vic ES for 3 herniated discs and severe migraines here and there since I was 4 months along.  Before I was pregnant ibuprofen halped me the best but I cannot take that at all so my ob prescribed this.
I am however stopping this week so my baby will be able to come out completely clean.  It only stays in your system physically for about 2- 3 days at most so she should be ok when she's born (I hope).  When a mother is in that much pain, it's very very stressful for the baby.  The doctors need to make sure the good outweighs the bad when dealing with stuff like that.
Talk to your dr.  If she doesn't make you feel comfortable and you feel you cannot be honest, see another dr.  Believe me, they have heard it all.
If you want to talk to me more, I'm at ***@****.
Best of luck to you.

[SavannahBama]

Thank you to you all.  I am going to the doctor Thursday and I will tell her that I have been taking them for the past two weeks.  I am down to 1.5 per day but I honestly think this is as far as my pain threshold will allow without me being miserable, so I will see what she says, she really is a great doctor and I trust her...i just initially felt "ashamed" which I have never felt about taking my meds.  I dont know why I do now.  

If anyone thinks of anything else to add, please feel free to post it.  I have been reading this board for days

[LWid]

Hi Everyone I am new to this thread but am going through something similiar. I suffer from very bad back pain an at 4 months started taking an old prescription for hydrocodone that I had , stashed away due to previous back pain now I take up to 4 a day and am afraid that this will hurt my baby, I am 33 weeks pregnant now and am scheduled to have a C-section at 39 wks, My OB does not know, can anyone tell me what to do

[dandeelyon]

You really need to let your dr. know.  You also need to taper off taking them.  There is a risk to the baby if you deliver while taking hydrocodone.  The dr's need to know if they have to look out for signs of addiction and withdrawl (withdrawal) in the baby.  Your baby should be fine as far as taking the medication, it's the whole delivery thing that could be problematic.

Good luck to you.

[LWid]

Thanks for the response, How often a day did you have to take your meds,I don't think you mentioned that I am afraid to tell my OB because he is not the one who prescribed the meds and I am afraid that I will be looked down upon.

[dandeelyon]

The dr. probably won't be pleased but they do have to know.  I end up taking it once or twice a week (4 pills/day) for unbearable headaches.  I was hoping it would get better with the hormones but only got worse.  If you can start tapering off now, things should go fine at delivery.  The dr. can help you with a schedule.  I don't take mine daily so I don't have much problems with not taking them.  I took tramadol for about a year and had the most horrible withdrawls.  Never again.  They had me on a daily dose of the stuff.  NEVER AGAIN!  I quit cold turkey because it was affecting my life.  That was not the way to do it,

Good luck.  I'm sure everything will work out fine.

[seabeewife]

i am 13 weeks pregnant and i suffer from a bad back due to not healing properly from my last c-section and i take any where from 1-2 vicoddine a day on the days i work and my doctor knows they dont so much like it but i would not be able to tolerate the pain otherwise. so dont beat yourself up too much if it was that bad they would not give it to us.

[erica8405]

I'm a 26 year old who is 3 months along with my secondf child I am on neuroton and hydrocodene for extreme nerve pain of my celiac nerve. My doctors know about the medication and told me the vicodin is ok but the neuroton they don't know is there any other women out there on this med or took this med when pregnant and what were the effects

[Marina13]

Hi Everyone Iam 31 weeks and ive been taking half of a vicodin for almost one week already do u think i will have problems in delivery?

[Maya2269]

My friend is having a baby and she takes 10 Vic a day will it hurt her baby?

[jey22xoxo]

http://pain.emedtv.com/vicodin/vicodin-and-pregnancy.html

if u copy and past this link in to ur browser it may give u some answers, this is what i found from the emedtv.com website