OXYCODONE DURING PREGNANCY

[ROWDYSJAS]

I am 32 years old and currently 5 months pregnant with my 3ird child.  I have been diagnosed with severe migraines/chronic headaches and fibromyalsia.  It has gotten really bad this last year.  I have been with a pain specialist for several years now and I have been on lots of medications for the last 3 years.  Most of them potentially dangerous to an unborn baby.  I stopped taking all medications imediately when I thought I might be pregnant.  I tried for the first three months without any meds.  But the headaches were so bad I had to hit the hospital a couple of times.  And the fibromyalsia made me so sore I could barely move and it is just getting worse every day.  And I still have 4 months to go.  My OB and my pain doctor have spoken and for the past month I have been back on the oxycodone for the pain.  I try so hard not to take them because if I caused my baby any harm it would kill me.  But I am weak and due to the pain and with the ok of my doctors I take them.  Pretty much at least one a day.  But I am still terrified of what I might be doing to the baby and worried about addiction and withdrawls for the baby when born.  If anyone has any information or even strong opinions I could really use them right now.

[Jessssieeeeeee]

Good evening!
I don't know if you'll read this, but I feel inclined to shout it to the heavens-- YOU DID NOT HARM YOUR CHILD. As a medical professional, I could spout out lost of statistics regarding opioid use during pregnancy (both prescribed and abused) along with CP dx's. But I'll keep with the meat of what I'm saying....
You are a good mother for being concerned, obviously your adore your little one, CP and all. If you truly dumped your meds 12 days in, you are faultless here. Many mothers take regular, monitored opioid doses during pragnancy, and birth healthy, active children. As far as CP goes-- a variety of factors can contribute to dx of CP, many/most of which are entirely outside of the mom's control.
I hope you have found peace with this. Let your guilt go. You did not HARM your child.
You will (cheesy but true) be in my prayers tonight.

[Iwant2Bclean]

I am very sorry my last post was meant to be for the original poster.

[Iwant2Bclean]

I am the mother of a 3 yr old lil boy that has Cerebral Palsy. I found out I was pregnant with him when I was only 12 days. I flushed the pills and didn't touch them the rest of my pregnancy. I am not saying that my son having Cerebral Palsy is due to my drug use but I have to live with the guilt of wondering if I caused my child to have CP and that it could have been avoided. It is not a feeling I would wish on anybody. Not a day goes by that I don't blame myself. He was stuck at birth for 3.5 hours and even knowing that that was more than likely the cause of it doesn't make me stop blaming myself. Also my Sister in law was taking perks during her whole pregnancy cause her Dr told her it was ok and wouldn't harm the baby. My niece also has Cerebral Palsy. CP is NOT hereditary so that makes my guilt even worse. Yes it could be just a horrible coincidence that 2 drug addicts have a child with CP, but that doesn't change anything for me. I will always blame myself cause who is gonna actually tell me that the so called safe pills was NOT the cause of my innocent child having to live a life of struggles and being called names for the rest of his life?

[brandnewmother]

I am so affraid that my baby will be harmed bc of my addiction.i have weaned myself down tremendously from 10 to 2  to 3 a day  recently, the first month  i didnt know i was pregnanttaking 6 to 10 a day   then the second month i went down to 1 to 3  sometimes more now at 2 to 3 a day at 11 weeks, im super worried plz help

[dandeemandee4]

I am pleased to fianlly see someone who knows what they are talking about!!  Although babies born addicted suck all the time.  my daughter had to have a binky in her mouth 24/7 and it was due to being born addicted. They can also have seizures they are extremely stiff adn sneeze alot.  they go through everything we do. and babies also get paws just as adult do too. but it is never ever good to take **** all through pregnancy and never let anyone know.  cause the aboce person is right.  you could have your baby taken away.  and i dont' know why someone would want their baby born addicted adn suffer and not let someone know to have the baby get proper care.  i am so full of guilt for what I did but i am so glad that she is very very healthy. i took methadone while pregnant and went to the clinic cause by the tiem i got help i was 7 1/2 monhts.  get help now cause it will ruin your life and it will affect the way you parent.

[girlybuff]

From experience I can tell you that if you are off for at least 4 weeks, your baby will not be born addicted.  IF the baby does happen to be born addicted, they can tell right away and you could be in trouble but IF you are honest about your usgae, you will most likely be ok.
You don't want your baby to go through withdrawals.  Although they can easily treat the withdrawals in newborns you don't want to have to medicate your child as soon as they come into the world.  Babies who are suffering from withdrawls have trouble eating, sleeping and they have a poor sucking reflex.  It's not pretty as they cry excessively.
I was prescribed pain killers throughout my pregnancy and waened down VERY SLOWLY with the help of my ob/gyn.  I had a beautiful, healthy, perfect little girl who continues to thrive and become smarter and smarter by the minute.
I just want to stress to all the pregnant women out there who are using for whatever reason be it legal or not, that you cannot and SHOULD NOT go cold turkey under any circumstances.  It puts the mother's body into shock no matter what your usage is and can cause pre term labor and/or miscarriage.
If you are early ini your pregnancy, be honest with your dr and allow him/her to wean you VERY slowly.  The drugs that normally would be prescribed to anyone coming off of opiates (valium, xanax, klonopin etc.) are EXTREMELY UNSAFE at any time during your pregnancy.  They are all a category X and can and most likely will cause defects or brain activity reduction.  So you need to make sure that when you wean that you do it slowly and carefully so that your body does not go through too much stress.  It is way better for the mother to be comfortable during this process than it is to go through it quickly.        
If you are later on in your pregnancy, again I stress to be honest with your dr.  They can and should help you and if you are honest there is less chance of you getting into trouble and having your baby taken away.
If you are so late into your pregnancy that stopping isn't an option, take as little as possible, pray and talk to your dr.  Hopefully, it won't be an issue.
I do need to say though that although the pregnancy is obviously important, you need to have some sort of a plan for after the baby is born.  Even if you're being prescribed the drugs like I was, you are still addicted an no baby deserves to have an addicted mother.  You will need to be on the ball with all of the sleepless nights and crying ahead of you.  SO please, talk to a dr., get on suboxone, go to counseling or meetings but whatever you do, get a hold of this problem because you never gets those years beck and you don't want to be in a fog for the best and most important months of the beautiful babies life where you should be spending your time gazing into their eyes and watching them sleep at night for hours at a time.
May God bless you all and may you all have healthy and happy babies who have a sober and clear headed mother.
Please PM me if you have any questions.

[Flutterby111]

I have been through so much....gosh where to begin.  I started taking the oxycodone regularly when I was pregnant because I suffer migraines and headaches-tension/stress.  ANd as you know, couldn't take imitrex, Topamax as a preventative, Maxalt, etc.  And the headaches were SO bad.  I can't even explain them.  I'd had them for years before, but to not be able to take anything for them was torture. I'd be in bed crying.  I'd sleep in the spare office at work on the floor with blankets during my breaks.  I tried Lavendar aromatherapy.  I heard rubbing lemon peels on your forehead can held-so Yes I tried it-NO it didn't work.  I tried massage therapy but when you're pregnant they don't want to touch you barely, afraid they'll put you in labor-haha!!!.  Point is, I tried many remedies and failed miserably before resorting to the percocet.  I was on a care plan with my OB 30 percs a month.  Realistically, by the time I got to the 3rd week, I'd have maybe 2 left, I'd be so nervous and cying because I KNEW I'd have more than 1 or two migraines and not enough to help the pain.  My OB upped the careplan to 60 a month because she realized the severity of my situation, because I was in Urgent care every couple weekslll  So I would take sometimes 2 a day, sometimes 1 a day, then sometimes I'd go 4-5 days without a headache.  But little did I know I was building an addiction.  One that would ultimately rule my life a mere 8 months later.  I did not abuse the meds while I was pregnany at all, but as soon that little girl came out c-section (In November 2007) it was free game and they kept giving me meds and I kept taking them.  I breast fed, and 6 weeks after birth weaned her onto formula, maybe that served as weaning her off of the drugs, because she never ever made a peep.  She was always happy, never fussed-period.  But I sufferred crazy withdrawls after I tried to quit cold turkey in February 2008 that messed me up emotionally and physically in ways unimaginable.  I was naive.  Depression followed.  And cravings. And relapse.  And I'm addicted to painkillers. And it all started from those stupid migraines and headaches.  And I don't know if the infants suffer any of what adults do along the lines of emotional hardships, but I'd damn well ask now.  And I have, just not an OB.  They said they're sure my baby was fine.  Of course they're going to say that.  She' truly seems perfect!!  But if she had gone through anything I had-I'd be hurting someone.  I don't know how I stayed up long enough to write this.  I feel bad writing one this long on your page!!!
I just want you to know how serious this is.  this is a summary too!!!!

Good Luck.
♥ flutter

[dandeemandee4]

I just wanted to let you know that i was addicted to methadone while pregnant wtih my daughter.  I came out at about 7 months that i was addicted I was taken 80-100mg a day. I t will not harm your baby.  otherwise they wouldn't prescribe it to you.  but....your baby will be born addicted.  but if yoru doctors know then they can prepare you adn the baby will be taken care of.  you are in no condition to go tothe methadone clinic because you are taking it for pain.  and you dont'whave to worry about cps getting all over you because you are taking it legally land for a reason such as pain.  in my home state washignotn every baby that is born cps has to be notified.  but you are okay, don't worry.  just know that your baby will most likely be put on morphine to taper down adn she or he will withdrawal.  but it causes absolutely no damage.  it's not like alcohol or heroine which can cause retardation or other things.  my daughter is now 5 months old adn hasn't been sick or one ear infection and is ahead in her miklestones.  just put your faith in gods hands and trust that your doctors taek care of you.   if you have any other questions feel free to ask. i know tons of woman who go to the methadone clinic so they have either gone through this or are right now.  take care.

[joann1975]

rowdy - I hope you will contact 1234betterlife I know she has helped a lot of pregnant women. If you will go through the archived pages and use the search engine on the top right of the page you will find lots of info regarding pregnancy and narcotics.
Best of luck to you!

[toxictome]

PM 1234betterlife. She is an OB nurse and can give you some suggestions.
good luck!