suboxone & pregnant

[brklyn208]

I am 9 months pregnant and have been on suboxone for almost a year now. I have has tests done and a number of ultrasounds and the doctors say the baby is great. But I am really concerned about whether I should withdrawal before I have the baby or just have the baby. I have been doing some research on suboxone and infant withdrawal and so far have found that infants do not go through any withdrawal sysptoms. But it's not good enough for me. If there is anyone out there that could help me with what to do or give any advice please help me!!!

[IBKleen]

I did do a Sub program, but not pregnant. From everything I have read, there is not much research out there in regards to pregnancy and Suboxone. I don't have advise for you since I have never been in your position. Please be patient, someone will come along that can perhaps help you out.

[wait2long]

well hun, first congratulations on staying addiction free and your baby...boy or girl???
honestly i didnt even know sub could be taken during pregnancy...i learn something new everyday...LOL!
but if this was me...i would try to get off before you have the baby...but i also have to say you MUST talk with your doctor about this, i dont dare give you advice on something i am unsure of, and you are due quite soon too...talk with your doctor is the best advice i can give to you hun...what is his advice on this???

[runt316]

I am also pregnant & addicted to pain pills. This has been the most terrifying time of my life & I've felt very alone. I'm trying to taper down & just hope that will be enough but have no idea if it will be. I've also looked in to Suboxone. They usually prescribe Subutex when dealing w/ pregnancies but I heard that the baby still has withdrawal symptons. Don't know this for a fact. I was afraid to to start on it because I've read how hard the w/d is on Subutex as well. Does your OB know about the Suboxone?

[brklyn208]

thank you...i'm having a girl...and i'm so excited. i have a six year old little boy and he is awesome but im really excited to be having a girl!!!  I have talked to my doctor and she said it was up to me!! that is not very reassuring...at all!!!  to be honest i'm afraid that if i withdrawal before i have her that something will happen....but if i have her at least she can be monitored and looked after by doctors. i am very stressed over this and can not sleep over it either. i go back to the doctors tomorrow and i usually get a different doctor so i am going to really express my concern.  and i was wondering if you or anyone knows how bad the withdrawals are when coming off of suboxone???  or any good advice to withdrawal off of it?

[brklyn208]

yes my doctor does know that was the first thing i told her when i went to my first appt.
i looked up suboxone withdrawal in infants and alot of the things i read said that the baby goes through no withdrawal but for some reason i can't believe it.  how bad is withdrawal for infants?

[nogie1717]

A medical professional will know more than a bunch of loadies.
J/K everybody.

Honestly though, IBK is right; there has been very little info produced on Sub and pregnancy.  Your doctor will know more about this (hopefully!) than most of us.  I don't know, but w/d's during pregnancy seems like it could be stressful on the fetus.

Just my opinion.

[runt316]

I'm not positive, but I've been told that w/d in the baby off things like the methadone treatment are not that bad, sometimes only a few days, & sometimes not at all, so I assume it'd be the same w/ Suboxone. I just wonder why they didn't switch you over to Subutex which is usually used in pregnancy. I have to do something for my baby as well. Was it very difficult to go in to the w/d stages before they administered the Suboxone to you? Why have they kept you on it over a year?  I wonder why its addicting if you don't experience the euphoria & its only supposed to block the cravings?  Let me know.

[brklyn208]

I dont't know why they didn't switch me over to subutex? I didn't know until recently that Subutex is safer during pregnancy, so it's not like I could of even said something to my doctor, but I'm two weeks from my delivery and I think it's too late. But yesterday I tried to start detox on my own I just didn't take any Suboxone and I couldn't do it. All I kept thinking was how it was stressing the baby out and it scared me. But I think  I need some support from other people in my shoes, like you, to feel better about the whole situation. Thank you so much... if the w/d for the baby isn't as bad then I feel better about  and I thank you!!!! To answer your other questions....for me I didn't wait as long as my doctor told me to, to start taking the Suboxone....I took it a few hours into my w/d and I was fine....The reason I stayed on Suboxone for about a year now is because it really helps me ALOT it's wonderful BUT if I could go back I would have only used it to detox b/c now I have to worry about w/d off of it. It does more for me than just help with cravings...it's like an anti-depressant! If you have anymore questions about it please ask me.

[lashamummyof2]

Hi - congrats on your baby! I have two kids: one is a baby I had while on meds and the other nothing during pregnancy. Please let me know if you need support or help or specific questions answered. I researched a lot and spoke to medical professionals (along with holistic doctors, doulas, etc) during my pregnancy and came up with a lot of info on the topic. My baby was fine, no w/d and in perfect health. I didn't take a lot of narcotics, just as prescribed. Message me if you need help.
L

[toxictome]

welcome...I'm not a dr. but my guess would be,,"NO"..donnot go thru wd this closr to your due date..I think it would put too much stress on the baby. I would message lashamum...maybe she can calm some of your fears...good luck...keep posting

[brklyn208]

I have a question for you...you said your infant did not go through any w/d...but how did you prepare yourself and what information did you get from professionals on infants w/ding? At this point I'm not going to w/d while pregnant I read too many bad things and a doctor on another forum and he said that me going through detox now would not be good!! So that means that there is a chance that my newborn may have to go through w/d. What will happen to my baby?.....What medicines do they use?....PLEASE HELP ME!!!   I am going crazy thinking the worst and stressing way too much!!!

[brklyn208]

I have a question for you...you said your infant did not go through any w/d...but how did you prepare yourself and what information did you get from professionals on infants w/ding? At this point I'm not going to w/d while pregnant I read too many bad things and a doctor on another forum and he said that me going through detox now would not be good!! So that means that there is a chance that my newborn may have to go through w/d. What will happen to my baby?.....What medicines do they use?....PLEASE HELP ME!!!   I am going crazy thinking the worst and stressing way too much!!!

[Christina207]

Basically if it is going to be a withdrawl process for you.  It will also be a withdrawl process for the baby.  I work as a nurse and a friend of mine works as a nurse in the mother/baby unit and would probably know the answer to this.  I will ask her for you.  May I ask which state you live in? Only so that I can let her know as she knows the laws and requirements etc.  I know that usually they use morphine to detox the babies.  I have seen some babies suffer withdrawls and from what i saw it was awful.  But they were suffering from heavier drugs such as, percocet, heroine, oxycotton, ...basically lots of opioates.  I have never witnessed one suffering from that of suboxene withdrawl.  I will find out for you.  But I am almost positive that if you are going to have withdrawls...your baby will as well. If you tell me what state your in I can be more specific for you on info.  

[brklyn208]

That would be great if you could find out more information for me....I just want to get one thing clear I DO NOT abuse drugs....and I have not for a year now...the only thing I know is that being on suboxone is like being on methadone...and I've heard that babies w/d from methadone is only a few days and sometimes not at all. But that is just what I've heard and read!! And i asked a doctor another forum what he thought would be best and he said not to w/d while pregnant it could be very stressful on the fetus and if the baby has to go through w/d that it would be better outside of the womb. But it still hasn't helped me. I live in PA. So if you could find anything out for me that would be great. My doctors do know that I am on this and I have had level 2 ultrasounds and various tests done and everything came back great she looked fine, so that was a relief !

[toxictome]

Have you shared this info w/ your ob/gyn? If not, I would come clean w/ the dr.

I don't really know anything about it..

[GoingToMakeIt]

PM 1234betterlife. She is an RN for an OB unit.

[avisg]

plz tell your ob that you are taking it .

Suboxone is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether this medication will be harmful to an unborn baby. Use of this medication during pregnancy may cause withdrawal symptoms in a newborn baby. Do not take Suboxone if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment. Suboxone passes into breast milk and may be harmful to a nursing baby. Do not take this medication if you are breast-feeding a baby.

[avisg]

here is some more info .

Concerns regarding the use of buprenorphine in pregnancy
There is a lack of adequately controlled prospective studies of the use of buprenorphine in
pregnancy to establish the safety of the use of the medication.
Particular concern should be given to the following areas:
1. Babies born to women maintained on buprenorphine during their pregnancies may experience
a neonatal withdrawal syndrome related to buprenorphine.
A growing body of evidence is being collected regarding the association between buprenorphine
in pregnant women and the neonatal abstinence syndrome. There is insufficient data to comment
on whether this is more or less likely with buprenorphine than methadone, if or how the severity
and duration compare with methadone. The benefits of methadone maintenance treatment for
both the mother and the baby strongly outweigh the risks from the neonatal withdrawal
syndrome.
2. Respiratory depression in the newborn may also be associated with maternal use of
buprenorphine.
Buprenorphine crosses the placenta in amounts that may be reduced compared to maternal
circulation (Nanovskaya, Deshmukh et al. 2002). Buprenorphine may, therefore, cause
respiratory depression in the newborn infant. There are inadequate clinical data to describe this

[brklyn208]

YES...YES...YES...that was the first thing I told my doctor at the first visit when I was 8 weeks pregnant!!!! And they know that it is a category C medicine...and if you read my previous comments I did say that all tests and ultrasounds were done and the baby is great!!!! The thing that i am worried about is the baby w/ding when she is born. I DO NOT abuse drugs I am on Suboxone as a maintence program. And I did not know that I could have just used it to detox and have been done with it. So when I found out tthat I was pregnant my doctor told me that it was my choice to stay on it, b/c tests came back ok and ultrasounds were great also. And they said that w/d that early in pregnancy can cause a miscarriage. So I waited and...it really scares me to w/d now b/c of stress on the fetus at least she can be monitored when born or not go through any w/d at all. I want to do the best thing for my child and I'm very scared and losing alot of sleep over this...i just sit and think about it all day long!!!

[msinsane]

you have been on the sub through out the whole pregnacy right? did your obgyn give you the sub or did another dr. do the dr. communicate i know when i was pregnant i needed a tooth pulled real bad andthe dentist would not do nothing without a written statement from my other dr. i think it is wonderful you are not on pain meds but being on sub for that long i would definately have the drs communicate with each other you are 9 months preg right? i wouls've researched this a while ago it is a blessing that you have the opiates out of you. i also heard a little about sub but i do not know alot i never heard of long term use like that stay on this forum and hopefully someone can help. did you ask both your doctors these questions?

[msinsane]

i do not think toxictome was trying to be hard on you i think we are all trying to understand how after 9 months you are just now wondering these questions i would def take the advice of IBKlean

[brklyn208]

yes i have been on the sub program the whole pregnancy. and my family doctor gave me the sub. i have no clue why my doctor would have me on this for so long...at the time when i was prescribed i had no clue about suboxone at all!!! and alot of people have been telling me lately that i didn't have to be on it for this long...but i had no idea! I thought that it was like methadone.  and i asked my ob about what i should do and she said it was up to me....doesn't help me!!! now i am hearing that i shouldn't go through w/d now!!!! very confused. and the only thing that i've taking while pregnant is the suboxone....no  drugs and i'm happy about that but very worried now that it;s the end and just now found out all of these things!!

[msinsane]

i think its messed up your obgyn is telling you its up to you and i would definately stay on this forum and keep posting i know there are a few people who will know alot more about sub and it is wonderful you are off the opiates and i do not blame you for being scared i think your dr.s did something wrong i know sub isnt to much like methadone i am gonna do some research and see what i can find i would be scared to and it is obvious you are trying to do whats best for your baby you have made steps to improving especially being off opiates as long as you have. This is when we need the old timers to come in i have had alot of good information sent to me but unfortunately nothing on this..... i wish you the best and i dont think i would stop it now i really cant give you the right advice you need to speak with someone in the medical field asap and if its true that there isnt a lot of information on sub that has to do with pregnancy then i would be po at the dr.s for even taking that chance with your child......good luck if you need to talk im here....msinsane

[avisg]

How are they going to handle labor with you on sub ? Normal pain meds are not going to work to control your pain durning delivery .Make sure everyone tells you what will be happing before the day comes .I have some info on it let me know if you would like it.