Opioids Can methadone clinic kick me out while pregnant?

[dollheart]

Hello. I am very worried so i came here to ask a question- I am pregnant now, about 14 weeks, and when I found out I was, I was mid-detox, though with complications and lots of cramping..so I went back on methadone at the clinic I had been going to. I have had a LONG history there of failing drug tests (more often of the time i've been going than not) and though they re-admitted me (likely b/c of the pregnancy), I have yet again been testing dirty again since going- and its only because I kept feeling withdrawal and I know that is the worst thing possible above anything else, as all of my doctors have told me- so i kept using while increasing my dose. The dr is the only one who can increase dose and he's there only ONCE a week! So I had continued to use and I finally just now a couple days ago got to the dose that has worked for me and stabilized me- but the clinic is getting fed up with me and my testing dirty..I am wondering if they are legally allowed to kick me out even though i am pregnant? EVERYONE (FDA, etc) says its seriously unsafe to taper or detox a pregnant woman from methadone..nd i REALLY WANT to do this now, to do well, i've just had a harder time than i thought i would but in the process, I am afraid they will kick me out before I can prove that I am starting to finally do well. Part of the problem is they are also looking at my past history as well, which doesn't look good. I'm just REALLY afraid to be administratively kicked out because if that happens, then my chances of success go WAAAY down for sure. and i really want to make things better! Does anyone know about this or have experience with it? Thanks in advance!

 

[theartofwar]

when I was on MMT their were a couple girls who were pregnant and were their daily with me getting dosed (no take homes = failing drug tests). This is honestly the only bit of info I have on it. I know their babies were weened off in the hospital at birth.
What I'd suggest , is to contact your counselor if the clinic has you seeing one (almost every clinic requires you to have counseling mandatory) and ask for his / her help - be honest - they are here to help you and your baby , not harm you. If you do not have a counselor contact the program director , again if you are upfront and explain where you are at they should help you and work with you. Remember that methadone is prescribed through a doctor and his oath is to help.

 

[Cane2theLeft]

I would contact Khadijah as she's the resident methadone & pregnancy expert. Here is a thread with some discussion on it and there have many several so if you search around, you can find more information.

I'd like this to stay open here so we can get more contemporary discussion on this topic but please note -

*mod note*

Abusive, judgmental and offensive posts directed at this OP or anyone else who is struggling with substance use and pregnancy will not be tolerated. This is a charged subject and we're not here to point fingers or argue about the ethics. Please keep this on-track and productive.

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While I can't give out specific information on clinic policy regarding this, I am concerned that you are saying you would like to take this baby to term and you've been unable to adhere to your clinics requirements BEFORE the stress of pregnancy and child-rearing come in to the picture. I'm not suggesting that you abort or give your child up for adoption but if you do ultimately decide to keep your child, I really hope that you figure out what you need to do in order to get yourself physically and mentally healthy so that you are able to be a good parent.

Treating an addiction with methadone and being pregnant and/or raising kids is not wrong and is often the best or only option for some but if you're actively in addiction during your pregnancy and after your child is born, its a vast understatement to say you're doing a disservice to him or her. I really hope through all of this you are looking at the best interest of the child and absolutely commit yourself to that being your number 1 priority or instead, consider pursuing other options.

 

[hydrochron]

Your having a baby. Natural mother instincts should kick in and help give you the power to turn your life around. Alot of people have addiction problems then have a baby and turn there life around. You can do it!

You need to communicate to those around you and let them know that your serious about this and want to do it for the baby especially. You should have plenty of people that want to help you.

Good luck

 

[brutus]

Your having a baby. Natural mother instincts should kick in and help give you the power to turn your life around.

Horrible, horrible advice unless you want her to have a miscarriage or an premature birth. There are several pregnant women at the clinic I go to and non of them have had any complications whatsoever.

OP do not come off opiates while pregnant.

 

[hydrochron]

^Your mis reading my advice, I didn't say anywhere to quit taking methadone. I'm talking about improving ones living standards and not shooting heroin while pregnant.

 

[drewbocop]

When I was on Suboxone, one girl was pregnant and they actually transferred her TO a Methadone clinic...

 

[dollheart]

Thanks so much everyone for not being judgemental or harsh like i thought might happen! I appreciate the wisdom and advice, for sure. I totally agree with whoever said the WORST thing to do is to stop opiates while pregnant- I was actually IN the process of doing just that when i found out i was a month pregnant and immediately stopped my detox because i know how dangerous it is- my doctor once even told me that as bad as heroin is, its still better to do that until you can get into a clinic, than to actually go cold-turkey because of miscarriage or fetal distress..when I was detoxing and pregnant (and didnt know yet) i felt period-like cramps everyday! I could tell it wasnt good! Anytime I felt any withdrawal, i would get the cramps again almost right away, first symptom..Which honestly is the biggest reason why I hadn't been able to quit even despite going into the clinic- the methadone was holding me almost through the whole day and night but then around 2-6 am, and then i'd freak out about the cramps and the chances of miscarriage or fetal distress so i'd use! I don't even LIKE the high honestly, so it was mostly out of fear- admittedly it was partially also from habit and just being an addict, but I know from previous experience that I am able to quit and its mostly my fear that has held me back in this situation.

Cane- I definitely know what you are saying! Thing is, I know how stressful it is both before AND after having the baby because I have a 16 month old son already and the situation I am in this time, is exactly the same as it was with my pregnancy with my son too- I struggled to stop using even though i was doing the clinic thing, and it took me a few months of pregnancy before I was able to stabilize enough to not smoke heroin anymore but around 5-6 months pregnant, i stopped and only took methadone and things went great! My son was born on methadone but he did not have ONE withdrawal symptom and left the same day we left hospital! Since i was able to do all of this successfully before, I have no doubt that I can yet again but its just a little harder for me this time than the last time for some reason, such as needing more methadone than before, its not holding me through the day, etc. I need split doses to make it last and solve my problem but the clinic i go to is VERY hesitant to do that for ANYONE..its against their policy and is ONLY done once in a great while for a 3rd trimester pregnant woman, no one else is eligible. but you'd think if thats what its going to take and if that's whats going to make the difference, why wouldn't they do it?! No matter how hard of a time i have with it, i absolutely wont let myself do heroin throughout the pregnancy, i will for sure be clean of it before delivery, I promised myself that last time and i did it! I just don't want the clinic to kick me out and mess up my chances in the meantime while I am in the process of stabilizing! So that's what i wanted to ask! Actually i was clean and doing well for most of my son's life and the only reason I started to fall off again is BECAUSE of the clinic kicking me out and tapering me wayyy too fast (they tapered me from like 75 mg to nothing in about 7 days!) so it made me use again, because i was forced off before i was ready and way too rapidly..so that's why i am so afraid that they will kick me out again because it ends up making me way worse! i generally do well with the program but it always takes me a few months of being there to really get clean all the way..so i just hope they give me the chance, i know i may be slow to progress, but regardless, i have and will just like before! Thanks for all the advice!