Positive experience while taking Subutex during pregnancy

ReadyforBaby,

I'm so relieved to find your post. (And CONGRATS on your baby!!) I was addicted to opiates (oxy) for a year, then got on Suboxone with great success. (Been on 2mg/day for about a year now.) Well, I'm 10 days late and just took a pregnancy test: POSITIVE. I've tried cold turkey in the past and know it would be VERY tough, but (for the baby) I could probably do it. But I've read so much about withdrawal for the baby, and couldn't live with myself if anything was wrong, or my baby had to suffer one second due to my weakness and stupidity. I imagine my doctor will suggest switching me to Subutex. Have you spoken to other moms taking Subutex during pregnancy that delivered healthy babies? While I'm very glad everything turned out ok for you and your baby, I worry that you may be the exception rather than the norm. (Mostly bc of all the negative posts I've read online)

Also, my Dr has been prescribing 8mg Suboxone, but since I only take 2mg/day, it's been a couple of months since I've seen him. Now he's saying I have to start all over as a new patient and pay $250 vs the $125 for established pts. I'm struggling financially, and wondering if Medicaid for pregnant women (I'm in FL) may be able to help offset the costs. (or maybe the anti-abortion nutso groups may be able to help me find a OB who may also be an addiction specialist, like your doctor. Anyway, let me know what you suggest.

Congrats again on your new baby :)

I am so excited and relieved to find someone who has had a positive experience having a baby on subutex! First of all congratulations on your baby girl!! I was on suboxone for 6 months for dependence to pills when I found out I was pregnant. We are so excited because of my PCOS I was told both conceiving and carrying a baby would be extremely difficult. I was also switched to subutex immediately. I am at 8 mgs daily but am very worried about the effects of the medicine will have on my baby and possible withdrawal after birth. My OBGYN has never had a patient in my situation and says she will treat me as a mother addicted to opiates. I have been told tapering or stopping the medication is too risky. I am 7 weeks along and would be so grateful if you could share any info with me. I was told I would be unable to breast feed. I am intrested in finding out more about how you were able to receive a epidural and if you were able to nurse. Maybe my doc could possibly speak to your ob about how to continue with my care. I am so happy to hear that your baby had no withdrawals and that she is healthy!! Let me know if you would be willing to helping me find information and learn more so that I may to have a positive expierence.

I was looking for some positive info on this. I am 41 and have spinal stenosis along with other sever neck problems. I choose to take suboxone instead of oxycodone. Thought it was better for me, and it has been. Up until today when I found out I am pregnant. I am going to contact my doctor first thing in the morning about getting on subutex. But I am scared of being judged, scared of w/d's for my baby, and scared of children services.

Hi.. I came across this thread and I'm also pregnant & on subutex... I was on suboxone for 18 months and was really trying to get myself off it! Then boom I found out I was pregnant 9 weeks on july 31st.. I called my doc that day & they switched me to subutex! I was terrified and sad because my docs advise is to not quit the medication! I have cut myself down to 1 and a half of 8mg a day! It was hard but I did it!! I had to meet with a pregnancy coordinator at my obgyn office and she advised me that the baby will be fine! They have had hundreds of pregnant women on subutex and the babies are born healthy! So I finally quit stressing myself out over it! I also have 2 friends that both were on subutex there pregnancies and they had healthy babies! My suboxone doctor wants me to get down to 1 8mg a day by the time baby comes and I'm having a csection so I was freaking out about what's going to happen after csection.. My doc said I will def be on morphine in the hospital & will get sent home with a higher Motrin or ibprofrin 800 and they will up my dosage of subutex to 2 8mg a day to take w that... And I should be fine then after I recover from csection in a couple months I will finally get to start weening off again! It is expensive! I pay $200 a month for my appointment but I get my subutex for free through my insurance.. I'm in Ohio.. This program has changed my life! And I was spending way more money on pain pills! I just don't want to screw up again after the baby comes! Good luck to u and I hope I gave u some information u were looking for...

Thanks for sharing your positive experience, there are several negative ones online so it is wonderful to see positive experiences with Subutex and pregnancy. I too had a positive experience. I went on Suboxone for an addiction to opiates about 2 1/2 years ago. After I was on the medication for a year I found out I was pregnant. I was excited but very scared at first. I had already been switched to Subutex (due to cost of the medication) and had been tapered down to 4 mg when I found out I was pregnant. I remained at this dosage for the remainder of my pregnancy. I did have two high risk ultrasounds done through out the pregnancy just to make sure the baby was developing correctly. I was induced and didn't take any subutex the morning of my induction. I had an epidural and had no problems with the epidural working. I gave birth to a 7 lbs 12 oz healthy baby girl. She had no issues at all and no signs of withdrawal. I had discussed at length with my OBGYN, Subutex doctor, and a lactation consultant my desire to breastfeed and they all said I could. Of course I also cut my dosage in half as soon as I gave birth and then began weaning off the medication. When she was 3 months old I finally quit taking Subutex (at a dosage of .5 mg a day) and had no problems. I felt ready to do this, I had already been in the process of tapering off when I got pregnant and had to put it on hold due to the fact that I was advised not to taper during my pregnancy due to the stress of withdrawal possibly effecting the baby. My biggest advice to anyone who finds themselves in this situation is do not stop treatment because you are pregnant, consult your doctor first! Going off the medication can be worse for the baby than staying on it, not to mention you are putting yourself at risk for relapse if you aren't ready to be off the medicine.

I am a 26 year old mother of a 3year old girl and 5 months pregnant with my second daughter. i started subutex midways thru my my first childs pregnancy. An 3 years later i find myself expecting again. I am beyond happy to welcome another child. But since ive been thru the 2month NICU stay before i still find myself worried sick about if the hospital. i was lucky to have had a amazing hospital first time around willing to let me stay in a empty room too feed change n tend to all my babies needs. Now i live in another part of the state n im not sure if there r any hospitals nearby just as supportive as my former one in Harford County. I want to be beside my newborn but i know she will need to b in the nicu till she is weined off the medicine. I just couldn't bare leaving my child behind in the care of others. Is there anyway to research what hospital would b best for my unborn baby and me? I cant even explain how it felt too b living out of a empty labor n delivery room for 2 months but id do it all over again in a heartbeat. I dont think emotionally i can cope with not having my child in the same place as me. I can only hope i get to stay cause it would break my heart n spirits to leave that hospital no longer pregnant but empty handed. Makes me extremely scared to suffer post pardum depression from separation.

Thank You everyone for sharing. I too was addicted to pills, got on suboxane & *bam* found out I was pregnant. I was so scared. Happy to have a baby, but terrified because of the medication. Doctor put me on subutex when I found out at 7 wks. Safer for baby then suboxane she says. She won't let me wean down which kills me... Just knowing the baby may go through withdrawels is so stressful, but she is an expert in medicated pregnancies and assures me that she and her team will be there. She says the chances of baby w/d are unknown, it just depends on the genes, blood, etc. There is nothing I can do but eat healthy, take my prenatals & stay on my subutex dose (14mg a day) cause apparently it could cause miscarriage if I wean. It is pretty stressful but I am 12 wks 2 days & the baby is strong and healthy. One nice thing about it all, I see the Dr. weekly which calms my nerves being able to hear the heartbeat & watch the fetus grow. I get terrible menstrual cramps so have a suspicious feeling that my labor will be very painful. Actually, for next 3 wks my Dr. is on vacation. So I came here to see if anyone knows if it is possible to have an epidural on subutex. Let me know? Thank you!!

Hi
Yes it's possible to have an epidural whilst prescribed subutex. Although epidurals do amongst other medications contain opiates [fentanyl and bupivacaine]. If your last dose of subutex was over 12 hours ago there should be no issue. I realize you can't the alarm clock and time when your labour will start, but in most cases especially if this is a first baby, you may be used to taking subutex in the morning and for some reason most baby's seem to want to appear at night, or start up at night and the labour continues to the next day, this also would give enough time between your dose, Also if it is a first the labour can tend to go on for a few hours, so even if you have just had your subutex, by the time your ready for an epidural enough time should have passed for this to be possible. Just speak to your Dr or midwife about this, when you are making your birth plan so everyone is clear on what you want and when.
I hope this helps

I have a healthy 4 month old little boy and was taking subutex during my pregnancy. I started with 8mg and cut myself down to 4mg the first month and got down to 1mg by the end. Most doctors will tell you not to wean yourself down ONLY for liability issues. They don't want to be accused IF something may happen. Ultimately, it is your choice and what you feel is safe for you and baby. With that said, if you wean yourself down - do it gradually, whatever is tolerable for you. Don't make yourself sick. But some leg cramps, irritability and trouble falling to sleep won't hurt your baby. But again, it is YOUR choice what is best for you and baby.
My lil man had NO problems at the hospital. I have been put back on suboxen and now am taking 4mg. after the hospital I found myself wanting that rush from the percocet they prescribed, so to avoid any problems I asked my dr to up my dose.
I also nurse my baby and he has had ZERO issues. He's starting to take solids now and I plan to wean him in the next month. I am a little nervous of him having withdrawal symptoms, but have been told that he will be fine.

Subutex does not interfere with the narcotics given at the hospital because it doesn't have the component that suboxen has - the part that will make you ill if you take opiates.

I hope this helps. I remember I was so nervous when I found out I was pregnant and it seemed no one had any answers. It was nice to hear what other mothers going through the same thing did.

I'm 13 weeks pregnant and have been taking less tha a half of 8mg subutex for almost a year. I know I have done well cutting my self down to this but I want to ween myself off completely now that I'm pregnant. I know they don't advise weening off when pregnant but since I'm already taking such a low amount id like to know if its possible and if it would affect the baby, help please!

Hi,I no your post is quite old but am hoping either u or someone else will see it and reply.I have literally 3 days ago found out I am pregnant.I'm on 4mg of subutex and am due to go in detox in about a month,just waiting for funding to be finalised.I don't know what to do.shall I not say anything and do the detox cos I really don't want my baby withdrawing but I've read I could have a miscarriage.I just don't know what is the best thing to do.I've been clean from drugs over a year and am desperate to get off my meds.I've tried detoxing 3 Times in the community and failed each time hence the residential detox I've just read that only 50% of babies have wds and am hoping to be down to 2mg in time for the birth if I don't go to residents detox help!! I have no family my best friend is now a heroin addict so I can't have contact with her and my partnet is violent(I'm leaving him today and going into a refuge) I'm. Scared and alone and need some knowledgeable advice please xxx pls reply to my email and to Here as well if u can

Carrie, i think you should talk with your doctor, it probably is not safe to come off of it , definitely not suddenly but don't stress it , chances are you did not plan on getting pregnant so don't beat yourself up over it regardless of what road you have to choose. Once again though i would highly reccomend sharing any and all concerns w/ your dr's ! (:

 

ANYONE ELSE THAT HAS BEEN ON SUBUTEX & HAD THERE BABY: were you able to breastfeed and did child protective services get involved w/ you? Also did your baby experience withdrawl , if so how bad was it and what mg were you on ? I know every situaton is different but it would make me so much more eased too talk to other moms in the same situation i am in so please e-mail or message me back on here! thank you so much (:

Hello, I have a very healthy 15 month old son who was born on subutex. I was weened down from 24 mg to 4 mg durring the birth. I had a planned c-section. My son had very mild withdrawal. He had the shakes and sneezed a lot but didn't cry or seem to be in any pain. It was extremely painful for me on the other ha+nd due to the subutex blocking the pain receptors. Epidurals are fine due to being a localized medicine but the pain was crazy for about 3 days until my receptors where clear. I am now due with my 3rd child also still on subutex and scared myself due to having another c-section, I am weened down to 4mg a day and due next thurs...now I am thinking about trying to stop completely 3 days before. I am scared for myself and will post again. I made myself crazy reading posts to see what others went through. Don't do that to yourself!!! Every experience is different and you already have a lot going on I trust as a mommy to be you will make the right decisions for you and your unborn