Effects of suboxone on pregnancy.

[ellua]

i haven't posted in a while but really need some advice, maybe just a good vent, i don't know. long story short, i've been on suboxone for almost 4 years and took 16mg the first 2 years but have been taking anywhere from 2 to 6mg/day for the last 2 years. also i have to confess that until a few months ago i'd been taking almost 300mg of d-amphetamine every day for just over 2 year straight-- this isn't an exaggeration. i made a mistake one day tho & got busted by my sub doctor, he's actually been extremely supportive and hasn't pulled it from me altogether. so now i'm on 80mg/day and am functioning *much* better than when i was taking stupid high amounts anyway.

i'm 27 & have been with my 28 year old bf for over 6 years, got a house 2 years ago, and we work together very well. couple months ago i told him i was getting my IUD taken out since it had been in for over 7 years. surprise, surprise, i'm about 5 weeks pregnant. when i told him he didn't really say anything so i left him alone for a day then asked if he was mad at me. he says yes, why didn't you tell me you got the IUD out?? i reminded him i *did* tell him it was being done, and he knew the day i went to the doc so i didn't think i had to make a formal announcement.

his next comment is what really pissed me off and why i'm posting in this thread.

he said, "it's going to be retarded because of all the pills you're on! and suboxone is a new drug, so it'll be like a test baby. you should get rid of it. i'm not ready for a baby."

i was stunned.

im guessing he did a quick google search for "pregnant & suboxone" and got some formal page which is technically required to advise against taking it while pregnant. but i was digging deeper and found this page (http://hubpages.com/hub/Pregnant-or...-Subutex-or-Methadone---Safe-for-Baby-and-Mom) which has *hundreds* of reports from real women who have had the same concerns, and just about all of them report their babies being born totally healthy and about half of them having to be tapered down with another drug after birth... and just a few who say they tried to cut down their dose before having the baby & miscarried. so the overwhelming majority of the evidence seems to suggest it's a helluva lot safer to stay on suboxone & deal with the stigma than try to get off of it.

in the past, he's talked about wanting a family waaay more than i ever have so i feel his concerns are really about the meds i'm on & not that he doesn't want it... i also know both our families would be 100% supportive since both our parents have been dropping not-so-subtle hints about grandkids to me for years.

i think because i had an abortion 9 years ago with an ex-bf (and i had 6 mos of high school left, too) he thinks it must just be sooo easy to go ahead with so we can "reschedule" when it's more convenient.

i just had to get this out somewhere, and didn't want to post on a women's forum since they don't know jack about drugs... and am hesitant to talk to anyone in my life about it yet just in case i take my BF's advice... but i really, really, really don't want to do that.

any wisdom?

 

[amapola]

mod note:

Engaging in personal attacks or judgmental behaviour is, as always, not permissible. Everyone is free to their own opinion but we are all part of the same community attempting to support and help one another. Please focus discussion on medical and scientific issues as much as possible; philosophical and moral debates don't belong in Other Drugs.

For what it is worth weaning off opioids during pregnancy is not the preferred treatment over maintenance as it puts stress on and endangers the fetus.

 

[lmc422]

Amapola is correct about weaning while preggos. I do know that the safest time to wean is during your second trimester as long as you are healthy other wise. I know this bc My son was born on methadone. I wanted to go off but couldn't bc I was high risk of losing the baby bc of a weak cervix.
Maybe an option for you could be to switch to methadone? But I honestly do not see it being a danger. You should also discuss this with your sub doc and gyno with your bf present so he can be assured that the baby will be just fine. And talk to multiple docs. I did it bc I wanted to make sure everything was going to be fine with my baby.
You can PM me any time you want. I'm here for you for support. I also had a similar situation the same time as you in high school. I completely understand!! Prob more than you know!
I wish you luck and that your bf comes to his senses and not be so negative.

**I too am on subs and have held off having another only bc I don't want to have to go thru having another baby born addicted. It's not easy but when you unexpectedly become pregnant while on a maintince drug you do what any mother would do and love the child and be there and educate yourself along with your loved ones. (that last sentence sounded better in my head lol) but you get what I'm saying. My email is also linked in my screen name. Feel free to contact me for anything.