withdrawing from opiates during pregnancy

[wendy150]

risks to quiting norcos during pregnancy

[mom___13]

I broke my back a few years ago and had 2 back surgeries, I take hydrocodone 7.5 twice a day. I just found out im pregnant around 3 weeks, my obgyn wont see me till april 8th. I stopped taking hydrocodone as soon as I found out I was pregnant its now 3 days into it and I've been going through withdraws my back is killing me and I cant sleep. What should I do? I just broke down and cried because im so frustrated and in pain. Im trying so hard to do the right thing for my baby. This is my first pregnancy.

[wendy150]

well finally  i have a plan with my dr. my fp after a long visit called in my script 10 days early today. she didnt want to do it but i talked to her about a taper plan and that seemed to make her more comfortable. my obgyn this morning wanted no part of it and said i had to see the fp for it and that i wouldnt need any extra monitoring during the taper. she wasnt supportive and i was crying when i left her office. shes insisting i see a psych for depression meds. omg if she only knew that this past couple of weeks were situational and im not depressed.  this has been hard and would be for anybody i think. anyway...im starting the taper with this script. 1 less pill every 2 weeks. she said i could do it how i wanted and that it would be uncomfortable but that i could do it. she even said 2 pills down per week. i thaught that was a bit much. shes just a fp not a pain specialist or addiction specialist. i fill like i did so much today but....exhausted i guess. if anyone has tapered off of norco while pregnant i would appreciate how their dr. reccomended it. thanks in advance and god bless.

[wendy150]

thank you for ur post. i can relate to ur cycle. im very much looking forward to my dr. appt. in the am. thanks for ur info on rebound pain. if the dr. lets me taper then im sure i will be doing ALOT of mind over matter and praying!!! best wishes to u.

[shelliAS]

Hi Wendy, Tomorrow is almost here, and I think you will feel better after talking things through with your doctor.  I have had an interesting experience with my pain, for which I originally began taking pain meds (Back pain).  You mentioned you were concerned about your pain returning if you stopped the opiates.  When I began withdrawing, I had a lot of rebound pain - which is normal.  I used a heating pad, numbing patches, took tylenol, etc.  Now that it has been roughly 6 weeks, I am experiencing very little of the pain I had years ago!  I am not sure what happened, but I realize that while on the pain meds, the pain I would get was short term rebound pain!  I am not an expert, but while on pain meds, your neurological system sort of becomes hard wired to expect pain, so you feel it.  You can start feeling WDs within hours of not having your usual opiate dosage.  Thus I would get in this vicious cycle of taking an opiate, few hours later feeling pain, taking another opiate, etc etc.  Now that I have drastically tapered opiates, I feel very little pain these days.  Opiates are strange beasts.  Anyway, if you choose to taper off the opiates, with your doc's help, you may find that your original pain isn't as bad as it is while on the opiates.  I really hope you get to feeling better - and I hope you can get some peace of mind.

Take care,
Shelli

[wendy150]

omg! ive been reading about suboxen for hours on other sites.! what a terrible thing people are going through. i just flushed all the ones i had left. and thank godness i only took it two days and a very very small amt. i do not want to be on that beast.

i will be ok till the appt in the morn. will update yall afterwards.

[wendy150]

yes im completely outta pills. go to the obgyn tomorrow am. ive been taking a half of a half of suboxen for 2 days now.

the comment about my daughter i should not have made. but...when we went camping with family my pills were stolen outta my tent. she was the only one who was in and outta my tent. i am not positive but my gutt tells me so. it doesnt matter now its already done and nothing i can do about it now except never leave meds like that again not locked up or outta open areas. sad but true.

i feel ok. no stomache ache, no cramping, no chills, slight headache, a little fatigued but ok. baby is moving around normal. im drinking lots of water, taking vitamins, resting, orange juice, friut and NO STRESS!

i am looking forward to the dr. appt in the morning. my husband is going with me. i also made a appt with a pernatal specailist where i had my amnio done and told them on the phone what i wanted to do. they made the sonogram appt and dr appt but said i needed the referal from my obgyn to discuss that paticular issue. if am referred to them i would see them for the remainder of my pregnacy i believe and i would deliver at  more equiped hospital with baby unit for these such things. i feel better making some steps to dealing with this and just awaiting my appt. in the morning.
cant wait to give a very happy positve update in the morning!!!!! pray pray pray

[vicki595]

Are you completely out of pills now?  The comment about your daughter is confusing...

Post back..

[wendy150]

im not feeling well at all. i cant wait to see the doctor  on wednesday. prayin till then. thanks for ur messge.
after reading over all these messges i know what i need to do.but i dont understand myself. why is it so hard to tell her about my script? im not positive but i think it was my 21 year old daughter who took them and that hurts me deeply. shes a medical asst. so she had to have known what position this would put me in. addiction is all in our family-generational curses. its very sad.
praying to get thru today ok - its a tough one.  

[wendy150]

thank you for ur replies. im starting to get uncomfortable with posting this private stuff now. dont worry i will talk to the dr and follow her instructions. i havnt done anything wrong except want at a very bad time to be off pain meds and right now its not up to me i will leave it up to the dr cuz all of u r right, i have no clue and im not educated enough to mess around with this due to the risk. it appears that its nothing to be messing arouondwith cuz its not about me withdrawling its the baby and i never knew this kind of stuff about it. believe me!!! im taking it very seriously.

[vicki595]

Wendy~  Do not take the Suboxone. Just spread those 19 pills out equally until your appt. on Wednesday. Then,talk to the doctor.  It sounds like you're taking more than recommended. You need to be honest with your doctor. And your doctor DID tell you that the pain med was fine to take. Just stay within limits.

Be careful about getting information on the internet. It's not always correct. In this situation,your doctor is your best friend.

All the best~

[pattifan]

Hi Wendy,

Please do not start to taper on your own. Starting to go into withdrawal risks miscarriage and it is much safer to keep on taking your meds. I've worked with pregnant opiate users for a long time and I do know about this.

The biggest drug risk to your baby is smoking, and that may well be why your other kids were 'light for dates'.

Opiates hardly ever cause any long term harm to a baby but withdrawal does!

If you wan't to taper then that's fine, but please only do it under close supervision by a doctor. This isn't the time to be thinking about coming off!

Please enjoy your pregnancy and try not to worry.

[buzzhorn1]

You probably need to talk with your doctor and get a taper schedule from him/her.  If for some reason you don't want to do that there is a bunch of taper info on the web.

Please talk to your doctor though and explain your concerns and ask for cooperation and help.

Good Luck!!!!

[wendy150]

i didnt mean to post "never have to worry about running out again" i ment they can be dispensed to me properly and tapered off however they are supposed to until im done with them and not taking any.

[wendy150]

well..... so far i only have 15 norcos and 4 vivadin and 5 subs to make work to keep me outta withdrawl til the 27th.
my husband  is going to dispense them when i refill so i can take them correrctly and however im supposed to taper down on them. i dont know how.
right now im just trying to survive til the 27th with the best way. not sure how to do it.
after the 27th i wont ever have to worry about running out again but until then...i dont know what to do.

[wendy150]

i have a dr. appt next wednesday and i plan on talking to the obgyn about the situation. whati want is to be off pills and have my baby arrive without withdrawls.

i have been prescribed norcos for 3 years. i take 8 aday.  
im 40 years old
21 weeks pregnancy
high risk for preterm delivery (other kids were 4 wks early and 41/2 lbs but very healthy.
i smoke cigarettes

i dont know what i will do about my pain when im off the meds but i havnt really thaught about that. i just want my baby to have every chance to be healthy and i definatly dont want her to have to stay in the hospital for treatment cuz of opiates in her system.

when i ask my dr at other appts. about the norcos she says they wont hurt the baby but after research and talking to others i have concerns about this.

how do i taper on my next script 240 norcos
i am gonna run out before my next refill by like 2 days
i have 5 subs (i have taken these once before and had 2)
i was very sick and i know i will endure withdrawl but how do i do it safely
and the right way?
should i stay on the norco until my 8th month?

sorry it took me so long to respond i just found that someone did.
thanks in advance for your help in this matter that seems to cause me
many sleepless nites, tears and worry.

[avisg]

I just read some of your other posts DO NOT go on sub unless it is given to you by a doctor that can monitor you and the baby ...You really need to come clean with the doc

[avisg]

You need to speak to your OBGYN ASAP ... They will help you with a Plan that is the best for you and your baby . We are here for support but remember none of us are  doctors and its really important to get info from them.

[vicki595]

Cold turkey withdrawal may cause miscarriage. Don't do it.

Get in touch with a doctor right away.

[metacomet]

Dear wend,

I will help you with this... please... most important thing is DON'T STOP TAKING the meds! Cause It will be worse.

Provide more details about you please, like age, months or pregnancy, type of opioid and for how long and how much do you take daily...

Once you provide this I will let you know what you situation could be in the middle of this.

Blessings!

Metacomet

[buzzhorn1]

Hello Mom To Be,  yes there are risks to quitting while pregnant.  If you're serious you should probably talk to a doctor about this one.  The biggest danger is you might go into shock and your body might equate your survival with termination of the pregnancy.  Take care of yourself and the baby.  A good addiction specialist might be able to work up a taper that won't put you under much strain.  You might feel miserable and ornery but be overall ok.

Much prayer and love to you and yours!