babies born with methadone addiction

Guest wrote: please try to learn a little more about methadone and its ACTUAL effects on people and infants. persons like you with such strong opinoins should really try a little harded to learn all of the facts. our planet needs more people like you. it is good to be so strong willed.... but it is soooo wrong to be so misinformed and teach other people wrong information.

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 they have ALOT of real actual information. please really look into this before you comment back. i have done aaaalllooot of research and have come up with naturally conflicting information, but there are many more positive side effects than negative. thank you for  taking the time to read this

 

You are quite misinformed, this is normal, as there are people who take methadone and continue using heroin - therefore it would appear that a person on methadone is out of it.  In fact a person who is only on methadone-not on heroin anymore and not taking pills-will look normal, are quite fuctional, can get on with their lives and be a part of a clean and sober society.  I understand that like any drug, methadone may be misused and abused, but on the whole it is used by people who were addicted to heroin and wish to move forward in their lives.  I am one of those people.  I am also pregnant.  I no longer use heroin, I am living a responsible, clean and sober lifestyle - I do not even drink alcohol anymore - and I am very much looking forward to becoming a mother.  I am aware that methadone poses some risks for my baby, but my doctor has assured me that as long as I do not exceed a dose of 100mg (20ml) daily, my baby should not suffer much if any withdrawal symptoms after birth.  I have a few friends who were on methadone whilst pregnant and their babies were born without symptoms and are healthy well adjusted children.  As long as the parents abstain from illicit drug use, methadone is a much safer option.  If a pregnant woman stops using heroin and goes into withdrawal there is a pretty high chance she will miscarry.  Therefore methadone is the only safe option.  Please get your facts straight before spreading incorrect information accross the internet.

Alright I am on 10- 20 mg methadone a day, and am 20 weeks prego. I want to quit completly right about now so that there is less chance of her being born addictd because this methadone is not prescibled. I found it from a friend a year ago who said it would help with opiate addiction. and beleive me i looked but in this small town i can not find anyone to prescribe it. Please Help!!!

i just set an account up to comment on "medhelpman85" and his EXTREME lack of knowledge. Why would you answer someones very serious post by spouting off nothing but a bunch of untruths, false information, and just downright nonsense??? you clearly have absolutely no idea what you are talking about when it comes to addiction, methadone, or babies born addicted to methadone. First off, to say the child will be miserable 24/7 is complete nonsense. Every child born on methadone is different. And while it is true that most will suffer some degree of withdrawal, it is certainly not a guarantee, nor will the baby be "miserable 24/7". The nurses have numerous medications for baby to help ease discomfort brought on by withdrawal and make your baby as comfortable as possible given the situation. Also to say that addicts going through withdrawal can die due to withdrawal is also completely false. Withdrawaling from opiates will not kill a person. Itwill indeed make you extremely uncomfortable and you may like you are going to die but you will not. The only withdrawal that has the possibility of death is withdrawal from benzos, like xanax or valium, and alcohol. This however can be avoiding by going to a facility that specializes in withdrawal and have close medical observation with the proper medications dispensed to you. I just can not understand why you would feel the need, being so dreadfully misinformed, to get on your keybaord and type. next time just dont!!

you are ignorant as well as a select few others who post on this page. there, in fact, have been significant long term studies done on the use of methadone and also the use of methadone in pregnant woman and the long term effects on the child. no your facts before you start spouting off your b-sh*t. Addiction is a disease and if one is unfortubate enough to have been effected by this disease then at least they are making the educated, smart decision to stop using drugs and seek treatment. Go somewhere else with your stupidity and negativity. thank you

arismom wrote:


Its Angie here, I just wanted to say that "arismom" basically said everything I thought (and considered writing-but held myself back & wrote a rather more diplomatic response).  But I agree with what "arismom" wrote and really hope that other people have not taken what "medihelp85" has written as the truth.  Because it was a completely misinformed response, full of completely false information.  Please, anyone who needs information about methadone, get it from a reliable source - unfortunately people in chat rooms and on forums are not always reliable sources as "medihelp85" has surely proven. 

There has not been enough research done on the long term effects of babies born addicted to methadone. We are beginning to see signs of developmental delays, just pay close attention to these things. They have a stronger chance of seizures and heart complications. How old are they now?

My niece just delivered a baby addicted last week and I have done alot of research and have talked with several people who have dealt with these babies. The syptoms vary depending on how much was in there system at the time of birth. Good luck with them.

This is a pretty new "drug of choice" METHADONE--my niece was given

a prescription for bi-polar disorder, and became addicted. She became pregnant and was told to wean herself off

Baby was born and tested positive for metadone--he hasn't shown any withdrawl signs other that a little irritablity and was given phenobarital



good luck

Regarding the topic of babies born to mothers using "METHADONE MAINTENANCE TREATMENT" not Methamphetamine!!! I would like to share my own personal experience hoping it will be both inspiring and helpful. To begin, I have a back issue, my lower left lumbar is arthritic and degenerative and the sciatic notch that the sciatic nerve comes our of, is closing around the nerve, causing me extreme pain down my lower back, rear, and leg to the ankle. Because of this malady, I was sent to a local pain clinic, where they began prescribing me pain pills and muscle relaxers. I have an addictive personality and became hooked, overusing the meds daily, and then having to go in search of "replacement" meds when mine ran out. Anyway my family caught on to the problem, decided to have an intervention and sent me to a 28 impatient treatment center in Galax, VA, called: The Life Center of Galax, awesome place if you or anyone you know needs treatment. So, anyway, when I came out of treatment 28 days later, I was on Methadone Maintence Treatment. (Most treatment centers use subutex (suboxone....sp?) or methadone for weening patients off of opiates. Well, I didn't have any plans to get pregnant, because I already had three children, low and behold my nuvaring failed (maufacturer recalled the lot numbers) and I ended up pregnant. My husband and I do not believe in abortion for OURSELVES, (being that we are married, in love and if we make a baby together being that we love each other, then we are going to keep it). I immediately went to the methadone clinic that I had been transferred to from Galax which was in Concord, NC and told them I wanted to get off of methadone immediately....NONE of my children have been born on anything but prenatal vitamins. So, naturally I wanted all oft children to have the same start at life. Oh, and when I found out I was pregnant, I had been at the methadone clinic in Concord, NC and out of inpatient treatment for 8 months......and I had already started doing a detox from the methadone.....but was forces to stop it immediately. They even told me if I didn't pay while I was pregnant, they would still give me the methadone, because if not, it would harm my unborn child to stop or ween off!! So, I took thar opinion with a grain of salt and addresses my OBGYN as well, who also agreed that I indeed needed to stay on the methadone.....uuuugghhhh!!! So okay, I reconciled (and so did my reluctant husband and family) that I would be on methadone maintenance for the duration of my pregnancy. Knowing, after the baby was born, that I would immediately begin to ween off again. So, my son was born, with NO methadone in his system, but he was kept at the hospital for an additional two or three days in order to watch his neonatal abstinence scores.....(a term used to describe possible withdrawal symptoms in babies born to mothers using methadone. He did very well, the only issues he had were: crying a little more high pitched than some of the other babies and not feeding as well and wanting to sleep more. They said these were reasons to watch him, meaning that he may have gotten trace amounts of the methadone in his system that wouldn't have showed up as being positive for methadone. (which I don't fully understand)......however, I breastfed him and slowly begin to introduce formula and he did just fine! When he came he from the hospital at five days old he was a happy healthy baby! He was however born small, I went into labor 13 days early with him and he was 5lbs, 15oz. I have had three other children, one four weeks early 5lbs, 15 oz, one two weeks early 6lbs, 15 oz, one one week early 7lbs, 4oz. So, I'd say he was smaller. The doctors and nurses didn't say anything about his weight though. Still, I think the methadone may have played a role in his size, I also had terrible morning sickness with him too, so it's hard to say for 100% certainty. The poster that posted avocados several posts up was right in saying that methadone babies usually do well, unless the mother was using other drugs.....100% truth.....look at me.....today I have a happy healthy 11 week old baby and he didn't have any issues at all when he left the hospital, in fact he has been my best baby yet!!! Better than the three children that I didn't take any mess with while pregnant. Goes to show you from experience, that it is generally safe. If you are on methadone maintenance and you end up pregnant, do the right thing become informed and immediately speak with your clinic and your OBGYN!!! While I would have been happier to not be using methadone while pregnant, things worked out fine! Things are even going great for me, I'm almost completely weened off of methadone, I was up to 80 mg and today I'm at 7 mg!!!! By sep 15th, I will be methadone free, remember no substances even methadone has to control you!!!

It is a sad, sad thing when a woman that is expecting a baby can not control her life enough to get off of the methadone....what will happen when the child withdraws, comes home and lives with mom?  Is mom going to get this innocent infant on meth just to quiet her crying?  

You are so ignorant and uneducated. get all the facts before you talk about it. methadone was not the cause of that babys death. also. it has saved many peoples lives.yes, its disgusting how poeple abuse it and drag there kids around the clinics everyday, yes. but its better than the alternitive, have there parents shooting drugs. leaving needles around ect. hopefully her baby is healthy but at least shes trying (it seems ) I dont understand why she would have another baby on methadone after the first time butI would bet it was another reason besides the methadone that killed the baby.

I am an addictions counselor and was on methadone for a few years myself.  You can not blame the methadone for any of these problems, only the people who are taking it.  I strongly believe in methadone as long as the person is taking it correctly and is showing signs of improving their life.  Your sister may have been abusing methadone or taking too high of a dose.  That is her fault, not methadones or the clinics.  Just because there are people who abuse it, doesn't mean its not good or doesn't work.  Try finding out some success stories from people who have used methadone to get clean and have normal productive lives again.

ya it is possible..and all will be just fine...my daughter is happy and healthy! enjoy them they will be just great!

you dont even know what your talking about. its people like you who make it hadrer for them to do things. get your facts straight, dcf is automatically called when a baby is born on methadone. not everyone on it abuses it and they dont prescribe it to crack addicts. and the hospitals do heklp the babies your so ignorant,. obviously this woman is not your best friend. if you think of her this way. and she has to do anything she can to get it or she will be deathly ill. and its herion not horin. methadone has helped alot of people get of HERION and alot of people i know who probly would have died if it wasnt for methadone. go to school

accually they do drug test you a few times when you get on a methadone clini to make sure you do herion and not methadone. but even if she does pills she may be doing opiate pills and methadone is for that too. i agree its wrong to that alot of ppl get away with using drugs while pregnant but its better than the alternitive i dont care what usay it better then the mom shooting dope and getting withdrawals everyday. the baby would die!

methadone makes it so the mother stops herion so the baby is safer. that doesnt mean every mom stops drugs. they doont and those parents should have consequences. butits too much trouble for the government to do all that work and its they babies who suffer.

sad but true..