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Methadone Anonymous Forums :: REGULAR FORUMS :: PREGNANCY INFO & FORUM :: Just like to offer support
angela-ns Moderator Posts: 41 Registered: Feb 2006  Posted February 17th, 2006 12:00 AM   IP              Hi everyone- I am new to this site, but have posted a couple of times. I have received wonderful feedback, insight, information and am pleased I found such a place --and feel welcome. Everyone seems so nice and genuine. I thought I would mention that I had my baby while I was on 80 mg's of methadone. I think that it was one of the hardest things that my husband, me and my baby have gone through. We were mislead by my methadone clinic as far as what to expect when having a baby while on methadone, so we weren't as prepared as we should have been. My baby (Gavin who is now 9 months old) went through withdrawals and had to be stabalized on phenobarbetol, then when he got to come home, he was on morphine orally every 4 hours for a month. I DO NOT want to scare anyone. I am just here to offer my support because I know what you are going through, personally. I know that I felt so incredibly guilty and ashamed at the hospital and I could barely face myself in the mirror let alone my family. But I did, and me and my baby pulled through it just fine. And as scared as I was, I was shocked and grateful at how knowledgable the staff at the hospital was about babies born dependent on methadone. Thankfully, they took good care of my baby. There is such a wealth of information, good medicine and good protocals to follow, so babies do quite well these days and usually do not suffer any effects after they are weaned. So, if I can lend anyone a hand or an ear, I am here. I wish I had known about this site when I was pregnant...especially such a great nurse to talk to, who is so passionate and well informed. I know I could have used the support, so if I can help someone else, I will. Angela Noel Scott Angela Noel Scott
Marot Poster Extraordinare Posts: 1203 Registered: Oct 2005  Posted February 17th, 2006 06:29 PM   IP              Just wanted to thank you for the heartfelt message to all pregnant women on MMT. I am an MMT pt. and a former Labor and Delivery nurse. Got addicted to oxys from job related back problems. So, I have also worked nursery and have been involved with problems such as yours. This site could really use more moms with practical experience like you so, WELCOME!!!! WELCOME!!! AND WELCOME!!! and keep reading and posting at all of our cool topics! Love Marot
angela-ns Moderator Posts: 41 Registered: Feb 2006  Posted February 18th, 2006 11:08 AM   IP              Hi Marot- Nice to meet you. Thanks for your kindness. I am happy to be here. I just know how I felt, and I think how I felt being on methadone and pregnant, i.e. the guilt, anger (at myself) and sadness has to be a common emotion for these women to experience. I know that my situation was worse than most, because I met women at my methadone clinic who had their children while on MMT and their babies were fine. Well, when I say fine, I mean there weren't any complications. My son had to go back to the hospital once after coming home because once he got down to the lower doses of morphine he began to experience withdrawal symptoms again. I am here to tell you that I am still--- to this day--- consumed with guilt because of having to witmess the effects of my dependence on my innocent infant. And now that I have experienced withdrawals, I know how he felt. There was a time when I thought he was not going to be able to come off the morphine, but he did and he did great. I have also learned that the guilt I felt then and feel now, is useless because there in no point in beating yourself up. I did the best I could under those circumstances and knew that I had to be strong for my baby...and I still do. I was so pleased with his resilliance --and I don't think that we give babies enough credit for how strong they really are. I forgot to mention that my baby was also 6 weeks early and only weighed 4lbs when he was born. He didn't have any problems associated with his prematurity, he just was off the charts as far as his scores for withdrawals and the methadone clinic I went to, said that very rarely do babies ever have to stay in the hospital because they get so little of the methadone. However, the neonatologist said that 80mg's was a high dose and that by protocal, he would have to stay at least for observation. And, well...he did stay for two weeks. I am thankful that he did stay and that there is medicine for babies because I am sure that the phenobarbitol saved him. I would like to suggest that every Mom be honest with their OBGYN about their MMT, and I contacted the hospital I was delivering at proir to my due date, asked for the neonatologist that was head clinician, and told him my situation so there would be no confusion. I am so glad I did, too. They gave me a tour of where my baby would go, they told me exactly what would happen and discussed in detail with me and my husband everything that would happen. We had a great doctor. He was supportive and non-judgemental, which wasn't the case with all the nurses, but I understood their prospective, too. And they still took excellent care of my baby. But I am glad I talked to the neonatologist and I did it on my own, and it was a good thing to do. Thanks again for your reply. I will keep posting. Ang Angela Noel Scott
rikaros Member Posts: 20 Registered: Jan 2006  Posted March 5th, 2006 09:41 AM   IP              80 mgs is NOT a very high dose. I had my children between 85-105 mgs and only one had mild withdrawal. I did my research online, as you are right, noone tells you what to expect. I learned to split my dose, raise it when I needed to and I'm telling you it really helped both me and all my children. With myfirst child, the one who had mild withdrawal, I didn't start split dose until I was 7 months pregnant, the others I began right away. I've said before, I think that there needs to be a study on the effects of early split dosing and the severity of NAS- I think there is a real coorelation between the two. Keeping your medication at a constant level has shown to affect the movement cycles of a fetus- when on split dose the fetus has movement cycles identical to a mother not taking medication where on a single daily dose the movements get very sluggish approximately 3-4 hours after administration and very agitated prior to the next dose. They call this an abnormal normality. Don't feel guilty about it! I know that's easier said than done, as I too had problems with guilt during my first pregnancy. But you are doing the best thing for you- and that spills over into your relationships. It's kinda like when you are on an airplane with your child and the oxygen masks drop. You don't just give it to your child, you breathe first, then give it to him/her. If you pass out who will take care of your child? Having a mother who is able to feed, hug, bathe, kiss, coo, and change diapers is much much better than a mother who is stuck in the hell of pain and addiction. You're pretty worthless when you're in that state, you can't take care of yourself let alone a child. By you being on methadone, whether for pain or addiction, you are doing what is best in the long-run for that beautiful baby! Ericka R Lear, CMA Director, PA-NAMA Regional Director Mid-Atlantic States "Making A Difference"
angela-ns Moderator Posts: 41 Registered: Feb 2006  Posted March 5th, 2006 01:55 PM   IP              Thanks Erika. I appreciate the feedback. I also did a split dose, but I also didn't begin the split dosing until I was 7 months pregnant. That had more to do with me being new to the clinic and not having take-home priviledges. Then, they decided, because I was pregnant (and plit-dosing is better for pregnant women) I could take home my evening dose. The problem I deal with is like many others here, I am an addict and for me, after becoming addicted to percocet I was taking for chronic pain, I got on methadone, but I got on methadone to get off percocet and now I am also addicted to methadone. Do you see what I mean? I am working on myself, accepting that I am powerless over my addiction, accepting that I do have faults, but I try and be a good person and a good mother inspite of my faults. I just would like to believe that I am always trying to do my best, and there are days when I feel lazy, like I am acapable of more. But all I can do is keep working at it. Thanks, again! Angela Angela Noel Scott
nenama_mom *MODERATOR* Posts: 210 Registered: Oct 2005  Posted March 6th, 2006 08:41 PM   IP              Angela, Welcome to the site and our little, growing family! You are not addicted to methadone. An addiction involves negative behaviors. if you are stable on your methadone and not abusing it then you are being maintatined on methadone. You are dependent, not addicted. there is a ral difference between addicted and dependent. You did the right thing being proactive and discussing your baby's situation with the neonatologist prior to his birth. 2 weeks must have seemed like an eternity at the time, but 2 weeks is not unusual at all. 2-6 weeks is not uncommon. Clinics tend to set women up for feeling terrible about thier methadone RX by telling them that most babies don't withdraw. That is in fact not true. Practically 90-100% of babies exposed to methadone experience some withdrawal symptoms and 60-80 require treatment for those symptoms. The focus should not be on NAS, but on the mother's long term recovery made possible by methadone. NAS is treatable and only last a short time when you compare that to the rest of the child's life with it's mother!! Stay strong and keep posting Angela!! Hugs, Sharon Sharon Dembinski, PNP, CMA Nurse Practitioner Discovery House the Center for Recovery and Hope Kent Hospital-MOM Program Advisory Board MSO Org Certified Methadone Advocate New England Regional Director: National Alliance of Methadone Advocates 401 736-4561 or 508 864-0311
angela-ns Moderator Posts: 41 Registered: Feb 2006  Posted March 7th, 2006 01:25 AM   IP              Thanks Sharon. ireally appreciate it. I will say that I well, me AND my husband were mislead. the entire time I went to my clinic for MMT I was open with my husband, included him in all the decisions as they were affecting OUR child...not just mine. So before I even started the MMT we spoke to my OBGYN, and the clinic dorector. The clinic director told us, specifically that almost NEVER to babies suffer ANY withdrawal because they don't get much, at least not as much as the mother. Now when I told the neonatologist (this after having been on MMT 80 mg's for three months) what my dose was, his jaw dropped; he said that my son WOULD have to stay at least for two weeks...the initial observation to see if he has withrawal is at least three days. So we were upset that the clinic mis-informed us. I don't think that it was intentional. I do think that they should have been more general and informative, though. And I think that often women, like me, are gullable and take a directors word, without question. So all women should explore there resources for info. Thanks again for your help. Angela Noel Scott
Unseen Member Posts: 4 Registered: Oct 2009  Posted October 30th, 2009 09:09 PM   IP              I am brand new to this site, and so excited to have found it! I have some questions for you if you dont mind though, because I am currently 10 weeks pregnant, and on methadone. There isnt a methadone clinic for me to go to, and my OBGYN doesnt have a ton of experience prescribing this, so he's only put me on 10 mgs. I am still absolutely miserable and sick as a dog, I see him on Monday. I am assuming by the time he figures this out, judging by the dose I am on now, I am going to be on about (at least) 30-40 mg's. My question has to do with custody. I am in Michigan, I'm not sure where you're from, but I am really afraid that child protective services is going to try and take my baby from me, because I am an "addict" that has to take methadone pregnant. Did you have to go through anything like that? Do you know if we automatically have rights for this?
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Methadone Anonymous Forums :: REGULAR FORUMS :: PREGNANCY INFO & FORUM :: Just like to offer support