Methadone

[amberjonathan2012]

I am currently on 40mg of Methadone and I just found out I am pregnant. I don't know how far along I am. But my question is..Is it safe for my baby to continue taking methadone? What type of risks are involved with staying on and detoxing off Methadone?

[Julia M Aharonov, DO]

If you give birth to a baby while still on methadone, baby will go into withdrawal a few days after delivery if you do not breastfeed because of methadone level falling in his or her bloodstream. Breastfeeding while on methadone has been done, but there have been reported cases of respiratory arrests and deaths in infants while breastfeeding from mothers taking pure opiate agonist such as methadone.  There are better ways of approaching your situation.
I do hope that this time around you will have good, caring thoughtful doctors and medical team to provide you with better advice. If you are not sure, please feel free to check in with us here.   You must talk to your OB/GYN. if you don't have one, find one.  A midwife group is maybe even better.  They treat many women on methadone and other opiates and will be able to refer you to a physician who will be able to manage you on Suboxone or Subutex and will over a few months taper you off. You and the doctor will need to work together to aggressively get you off the meds by the time you are ready to deliver the baby.  Subutex is the best and safest way to manage addiction during pregnancy.  It allows you to taper yourself (and the baby) safely and quickly off narcotics with minimal withdrawals.
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 the methadone. In case you are unable to wean completely off the Subutex or Suboxone, there have been numerous documented cases of babies delivered and nursed by moms on low doses of either medication without respiratory depression or deaths reported in babies. If you want to know more about these medication you can check them out on my website at http://www.mdsdrugdetox.com/rapid-suboxone-detox/  Please see you doctor or midwife ASAP.   Good luck to you. I do wish you all the best and may this new baby bring you new-found joy and health.

[SouthernVeggie]

A related discussion, Methadone and Breastfeeding was started.

[kerrileac]

hello, oddly enough I am in this exact same situation and considering I just regiatered for this web site amazes me that ive found someone I can relate to so quickly so here is my question, if we just found out were pregnant will it hurt the baby to not get the same amount of methadone it was used to ingesting previous to us finding out? I found out this wed. that past that I was expecting and ever since then I have not taken my full amount of methadone, I have only taken half my drink if that since the day I found out and now I am wonder if it will be hurting the baby or if it will be adjusting to the lessened amount fine? I am not feeling sick or like im withdrawing but its not about me it is about this baby, I want to be completly off this medication by the time the baby is born because I want to breastfeed,  I am just really confused stressed and worried that my baby will suffer. I dont have any idea how far along I am but I am all about getting off this in order to have a safe delivery and healthy baby. pls help me out if you know anything about my concerns....
thank you
KLC