Pregnant, on Fentanyl & TERRIFIED !

[Melissa_1982]

I am currently 23 weeks pregnant, on 100 mcg per 2 days of Fentanyl & due to a miscalculation by my dr have NO meds for at least 3 days. How dangerous is this to my unborn child? How bad is the withdrawal gonna be, how long will it last & what withdrawal symptoms should I expect? I'm EXTREMELY scared for the safety of my unborn child as well as myself. I have 2 other kids that I am raising on my own & need to know what to expect. PLEASE HELP !!

Melissa

[Melissa_1982]

TY for your concern. The hospital is proving to be useless.  As for my ex he is exactly that... an ***.  It's a VERY long story, but he's the biggest reason I'm on Fentanyl to start with & I curse him every day for it.  It's my own stupidity too for not spending more time researching it, but was given the prescription by my dr 3 yrs ago after I had no other meds & wasn't given an option as an alternate, so it was fentanyl or nothing.  The pain has been bad for years so obviously with a child at home I took what was supposed to help, trusting that my dr would be honest & not knowingly put me at risk. After this baby is born & I've had some time with him I'm gonna look into an in-patient detox option to get me off the Fentanyl for good, but will need something for the pain. This is something I have to suffer with for life, but I refuse to be at the hands of fentanyl for life.

[Melissa_1982]

They monitor the babys heart beat for a minute & then check it randomly while I'm there. The 1st trip I made in his heart rate was checked for 5-10 minutes at least once an hour. The 2nd trip it was monitored for 30-60 seconds once every 2 hours. The 3rd trip it was checked for 30 seconds ONCE & then not checked again.  I have been between 1 1/2 & 3 cms since my 1st trip in, not effacing, vomitting heavily but not bleeding so they assume nothing is wrong.  They have the contractions charted from last weekend at 2 minutes apart for 8 hours before they unhooked me to let me up to walk to see if that would speed it up or stop it.  The 2nd trip contractions were every 5 minutes & charted. #rd trip they didnt even bother trying to monitor them, at this point the nurse was determined I was a drug addict seeking some narcotic & would do ANYTHING to get it.  I have spent the last few hours digging through my records from the hospital when I had both my girls to find the proof for them that BOTH my daughters were like this & yes I'm not effacing, but neither 1 of my girls did either even after my waters broke 5-24 hours before.  My oldest woulda stayed inside forever if they hadn't started pumping me full of Pitocin 28 hours after my water broke. I'm not urging them to intervene & get him out now, but simply trying to show them that my body stops after half the work.  My 2nd daughter started these threats around the same time & if it weren't for doing my research, filing complaints & making countless calls to Women's College Hospital in Toronto, then I would have her on my livingroom floor.

After the dr refused to even see me after my return trip Saturday I warned the nurse to let the Dr know that her refusal to treat is illegal & not only would I be filing a report with the hospital, but would be contacting a lawyer as well. I was told by this nurse that withdrawals don't happen from Fentanyl, & anyone who claims otherwise is an addict or delusional.  YET I have had contact with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health who mailed out a book on methadone maintenance treatment in case it's something I want to consider. On page 1 alone it states : "Methadone prevents opiod withdrawal, which can threaten the life of your baby" . Hmmmmmmm wonder how that's delusional?

I'm hoping to find a safe way into the dr's tomorrow, this weather is nuts.

[faith_hope_love]

I just don't get how that OB nurse and that hospital in general cannot be more concerned.  I don't know much about pregnancy and pain meds. but it seems like the drs. would worry for you to keep going in withdrawals and especially being that it is Fentanyl of all things and what possible distress it might be putting the baby in and you too for that matter.  That's sounds unethical, callous, coldhearted and insane.  We are all total strangers here and seem to be more concerned than them, unbelievable!
Your ex sounds like total *ss too..sorry.  Doesn't he care that if something happened, you have the kids there too..what if you can't call for help?  I will keep you in my prayers. Lyn

[vicki595]

There's something about all of this...that makes me pause and think...

[dominosarah]

Let us know what the doctor says tomorrow.  The baby still has a strong heartbeat?

Have you applied for any govn't assisted programs?

[Addeycakes]

They can't just treat you that way if there are infact risks as heavy as you say.  When they monitored your contractions and vitals everything they charted was under control? Are you ephased? Dilated? Bleeding? Vomitting?  With so many trips to the ER your OB should find it in his/her moral compass to see you and figure out what is the best plan of action here.  I hope you have insurance!!! :/