7 &1/2 months pregnant and and addict

[stuck2]

I've been struggling with addiction for almost 8 yrs now and I'm 28 yrs old.  I'm addicted to norco/vicoden.  When i found out i was pregnant i was on a low dose of subbutex and prozac.  I quit cold turkey and felt great for about 1 week.  When i found out from my obgyn that it was ok to take vicoden for pain i immediatley  jumped at the oppurtunity!  My doctor was not aware of my backround 2 addiction.  To make a long story short my question is what should i expect after delivery?  I take 2 norco a day and I'm so scared that my son is going to have alot of problems after delivery.  Scared to stop because of withdrawls.  

[scaredmom330]

I just watched a show about a woman addicted to methadone and took it her entire pregancy, her doctor knew about it but when her daugther was born of course she was addicted to it also,. the baby stayed in the hospital an additional 5 weeks so they could detox her. she was in NICU, on morphine and went through detox. I cried, this little baby went through the same thing an adult would when they quit c/t and she was a newborn. at this point I'm not sure you can just quit c/t without hurting your baby but you need to be complete honest with your doctor. this is a child we are talking about and to start out life in detox just isnt right.

[sirsasso11]

I read your post and from what I understand is your addicted to norco but only taking 2 tabs a day and are 7 months pregnant.  It is wise to let your obgyn know.  I'm sure your obgyn will agree that you are not to go into withdrawals at 7 months pregnant.  The baby will be suffering as well.  From what I know you are better off taking the bare minimum until delivery and let the doc's take it from there.  They will know how to help the baby if there is going to be any withdrawals for the baby.  I would think at a low dose, very little.  From what i know you are too close too delivery now to be putting yourself through withdrawals now and you may risk more harm than good doing so.  Be totaly honest with you OBGYN and any other doc who are involved in your care and they will guide you through this and protect the baby.  My advice and am sure your doc's will agree is to maintain a stable dose now until the baby arrives.  Anything else would could be hutful to the baby.  Do not escelate or drop your doses maintain a steady amount in you system until delivery.  Remember your one and half months away from giving birth.

[dominosarah]

You dont ever want to go cold turkey while you are pg.  It can cause early labor.  ONLY taper under a doctors care.  Please discuss this with your OB.  We know how hard it is.  We also want you to be safe so please only take the advice of your OB when it comes to getting off these pills.              sara

[vicki595]

Ohh!  I know,I know it's hard. I really feel for you.  In one way,it's not simple to stop but on the other hand, it is.  You have to just do it and every day it's easier. I know this to be true...

How about giving the pills to your husband to hold and then give to you one/two at a time.  You can wean down this way. I'd suggest breaking them in half and taking a half at a time AFTER you have checked with your OB/GYN for a good weaning schedule. You really need to tell the Dr. He/she needs to be prepared when the baby is born in case of withdrawals.  I need to ask you a question and I don't mean to be harsh or to hurt you BUT How would you feel if you found out your Dr. was addicted to opiates? This is a person you TRUST and whom you put your life and baby's life in the hands of.   You'd be pretty mad;would probably think of suing.   Well,Sweetie, that's the predicament you've put your baby in.  He/she is trusting you with his life!!

Think about it and do the right thing. We'll be here for support every step of the way.

Keep posting...love and prayers              Vicki

[betatester]

Actually, it is just so simple to stop...  You are going to have w/d symptoms yes but that will be easier and much shorter in time than dealing with the ill effects it is having on your unborn child when he or she is born.  I

I was taking 140mg per day of oxycontin and oxycodone for a year and I dropped to 40mg per day for two weeks and then went cold turkey.  I stayed off narcotics for a couple of months until my stomach started bleeding from the anti inflammatory medications and had to go back on them.  Right now I am hoping to taper down a bit from what I am taking now since I am feeling a bit better since my back surgery.  The reason I have not quit taking narcos is the fact that I simply pass out from the pain without the meds even after the surgery.

You can do it, you can quit and it is that simple.  There are no reasons to make excuses especially now that you are pregnant.  Take a week or so off of work or any big obligations to go through the worst of the w/d symptoms.  Just think, after 5 days of hell it will be over and you will be doing something great for your child.  I can think of no bigger motivation than that.  I hope you can find the will power to get clean.  I will be praying for you and especially your child.

Best of luck,

Beta

[stuck2]

wow, didnt expect to receive so many comments so soon.  thx.  just to clarify a few things, no im not taking norco for pain, im taking them because im an addict.  my obgyn knows about my problem and in the 2nd trimester of my pregnancy she wanted me to go back on subbutex, which i did.  the specialist who i was seeing put me on the lowest dossage possible and only put me on it for 2 months.  he refused to put me on it any longer because he didnt think my problem was that severe, unfortunatley he was wrong.  after only 1 week of being off the subbutex i managed to get a refil from another doc and hav been on them ever since.  there isnt a day that goes by that i dont think about how this is going to affect my baby and i would love to just be able to stop, but its not so simple.  this has affected my hubby just as much  as me.  he's put up with so much of my crap, im so lucky he's stuck by me.  i want to stop!!  

[MomOfTheseBoys]

In my quest to become clean,  I realized what a mess our health care system truly is in.  My insurance company is MORE than happy to continue to pay for rx over and over, but in no uncertain terms are they willing to pay for ANY type of treatment.  Not detox, not in-or out patient, not meds.  NOTHING!  Even my own Dr said the same thing.  Ins companies would rather you get high, than get clean.  Its so much easier to get an RX for an opiate, than it is to find treatment to recover from it. Im happy I have decided to do this, but was afraid of this situation, (no help with insurance)  I can do it on my own, the worst part is over.  But seriously... what a messed up state of affairs it is.  

Day 6.5 and counting :)

[dominosarah]

Please be honest with your OB......do this for you and that little baby......sara

[movnon]

I have a friend who was addicted to vicodin while pregnant and she was taking it daily and her child has severe learning defiances. At the beginning it was unnoticed as an infant but he has faced one delay after another after he reached age 1. I am not trying to judge but using while pregnant is serious. If you can't do it for your baby, who are you going to do it for? Stop NOW! My friend lives in a depression of what she did to her unborn child and today at 4, he cannot speak plainly, delayed in several areas. Its not worth it! JUST Stop!

[avisg]

OK so you were on sub and now have gotten off sub and gone back on your DOC does your OBGYN know any of the where are you getting the hydro from? If you have not you have to let your OBGYN know about your addiction when and what you have been on if its only a few hydro a day you should be able to taper off it with mild WD Viki is right your baby cant tell you who its feeling or adovcate for itself so you have to dicuss this with your doctor .they are alot more understanding then you think.

[vicki595]

Hi and welcome to the forum.  

Is your OB/GYN giving you the Vicodin?  It is ok to take V. ONCE IN A WHILE while pregnant and only if the need outweighs the possible ill effects.  That said, it sounds like you are not taking this for pain but for fun or because you are addicted.

You need to stop now. Ask your doctor for help with weaning off. It's very important. Just think about your baby;that's who I would advocate for.  Get help with this. It will be okay if you get help. Also, I'll tell you this:  Most hospitals do an automatic tox screen on every woman who comes in to the labor and delivery floor. It's standard procedure so you need to fix this now,dear.

Keep posting.  You'll receive much support from this forum.

Good luck!

V.