pregnant and addicted to methadone

I am 5 months pregnant and addicted to methadone. Im having problems getting insurance to see anyone and im scared. I take one, 10mg pill of methadone a day. More than anything I want off the methadone before I deliver the baby. I dont have money for rehab and I dont think they even have a center where i live in Asheville, NC. I need to know if I can go off the methadone on my own since I dont take a high dosage. I dont want to hurt the baby, but im not willing to watch my baby go through the withdrawl. Im running out of time and I want to know if there are anythings I can do to make the withdrawl any easier on me and the baby. Im desperite
Thank you for your time,
Sarah Redmond[/b]

I have been through 2 pregnancies on methadone. I attended at methadone treatment center with both. The first I took 20 mgs, the second I was on 45 mgs. Neither one of my babies were addicted. They had NO symptoms what so ever. It is way way more dangerous to come off methadone than stay on it while pregnant. Detoxing while pregnant is very dangerous and could kill the baby. I suggest going to a treatment venter, letting your dr. know exactly whats going on and maintain the smallest dose possible without being sick.

yes you can stop, don't be misinformed. COLD TURKEY is dangerous. TAPERING your dose is not. This is a common misconception, and one that is causing many babies to be born dependant when the mother could have lowered her dose!
You should lower your dose by either 1 or 1/2 a mg per week, taking occasional weeks off for rest. You should not feel sick from this. The baby certainly will not.
You should also rest assured that your dose is so low that the chance your baby is absorbing methadone is extremely low. The only problem will be if it DOES show up: social services will be called in, and since the methadone was illegally obtained, they can likely snatch your baby. I would move hell and earth find a clinic that will allow you to taper.
Some clinics are going off of misinformation and will not let you taper.
You must be firm in insisting on your taper. Know that the longest study on the issue, a ten year study, has just completed, proving that a gradual taper is both safe and advisable!
Many methadone users are misinformed about this, and can even be influenced by their own choices and/or guilt in their own use, and will tell you that "you will kill the baby"
You will not, not unless you simply stop taking your dose, which will cause your body trauma and could make you cast off the baby.
Lower your dose, find a clinic, and RELAX!

this chick is an idiot and should not be giving advice before you kill someones baby idiot and i take methadone that kinda makes meknow a little bit more about the subject if i dont take my dose everyday i get physically ill not once a week stupid i would be feeling like i was on my death bed now imagine me being pregnant like that my body would miscarry in a second with all the things going on with withdrawl but what do i know i only go through it everyday cuz remember u must have won the nobel prize for methadone since u said u know more than the people that work there

Here is my story and advice sweetie. I have a 7 week old beautiful, healthy baby girl! I had a very healthy pregnancy no issues at all except that I have been addicted to percocet & methodone for 3 years. I tried my hardest to get off while pregnant in fear for my child to become addicted. I had my ups & downs during pregnancy taking pills but it was so hard to just stop while dealing with pregnancy I know that sounds so sellfish but a true addict understands where I am coming from. During labor it was discovered the meconium was in the amniotic fluid. When my daughter came out she had some difficulty breathing therefore was brought up to NICU. Then next day I was told she was being monitored for her breathing, next day after that I was hit with my worst fear. The Dr. said the way my daughter is so irretible it displayed signs of withdrawal therefore they ordered a drug test. The test showed opiates. I was told social serv woud be in contact before my daughter could be released. Also started her on dosages of morphine to help with the withdrawals. Then the nurses do a scoring system on the baby every 3-4 hours on their sleep, fussiness, bowel movements, etc. She was in the NICU for 9 days. What I went through is indescribably painful. I felt like I wanted to die for what I had did to my baby. But here is the facts the Dr. told me. Methadone stays in your system the longest and stores in fat & muscle therefore it has a longer life span. The Dr. said he has treated babies that were on Methadone throughout entire pregnancy and had to stay in the NICU from 2 weeks to 1 month for treatment. Also Child Services would never just take your child away due to these situations. Yes they interview you and check out your living environment but would only take your child away if it was in serious danger. Believe me I went through this horrowing experience. Please seek help from a Dr now before it's to late, don't worry about them judging you GET THE HELP. At least they can help you prepare for care after your delivery if in fact you cannot get off the pills. You need to stop now to give your baby a good amount of time to fight off the withdrawals because if you keep taking those pills until the end your seriously in for a long ride. GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FAITH GIRL YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Hello,
I realize that this post is way over due just wanted to share my story with you and any other readers. My husbands and I 4th child was conceived and carried the 9 months while I was daily taking 20-40mgs methadone/daily. I was also on ritalin-high dose for 3 months before I realized my situation, dropped that, but my doc allowed me to stay on 1mg of clonopon daily as well for PTSD. Long story shortened a bit, I had an on time 8lb boy who showed absolutely zero symptoms, Thank God. Our second day in the hospital when I was planning on packing up and bringing our beautiful new son home the worst pain in my life started. Since I was obtaining the methadone illegally and I was also honest with my doc so he could ensure the best possible treatment for my son if needed for symptoms, somehow the hospital found out and tested him. Even though there were no apparent sypmtoms word got out and we staying another night. We left the hospital the next day and foolishly I believed we were out of the woods. That very next day just as we were strapping Jonah into his brand new stroller to take a short stroll to show him off to all the neighbors there was a knock. This first visit from Social Services was a basic interview. They asked to look around to make sure we were prepared for our lil bundle with all the neccessities, which he did admit everything looked perfect to him. For some reason God gave me a second chance because after 10 minutes he left. My doctor began filling my norcos that day so I started taking those to try to once again get on the legal and right track. Well, 1 week later another knock only this time it was from someone with a lil more power from SS. She was very cordial and we talked briefly. I was confident that as she sat there drinking tea and seeing my perfectly maintained son all clean and smelling like a lil angel this would fine. Until she pulls out a swab and requests a drug test right there. Must admit with all of our other children there this was a bit uncomfortable, how could I explain. Well she swabbed and due to the fact that I was only taking legal meds at this time my test was negative. She apologized, as if that was even neccessary, she was simply doing her job. Congratulated us on our new son and let us know the case was officially closed at that point. I remember crying tears of both joy and shame. I must admit that to this day I'll always question what would have happened if I tested dirty? All in all I now am pregnant with our last child and am on methadone 40mgs daily which I requested to be dropped to 20 only this time I am on it legally which helps with the fears but still does nothing for the panic and worry if all will be well with our next angel. The only thing I have ever heard is NEVER stop cold-turkey, NEVER. Wether your taking it legal or not taper is the only way and be honest with obgyn always, you never know. Congrats to your angel.
Alex