How Late Into Pregnancy Is It Safe To Stop Taking Suboxone? (Page 2) (Top voted first)

I am almost 14 weeks pregnant. I want to stop taking my Suboxone completely, but have heard it can cause premature labor if stopped too far into pregnancy. My doctor also said that withdrawals can not cause miscarriage or hurt the unborn baby in any lasting ways. I have been taking 2mg of subutex (now Suboxone) for the past week. Am I okay to cease all Suboxone use, or should I wait another week or so?

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I'm a mom of two wonderful little boys.. I was on suboxone for a year.. This past October I found out I was pregnant with baby number three. I was imitadately terrified when I saw that I was pregnant while on this medication. I went through my first two pregnancys on nothing! Tylenol at the very end of both as I was nearing my due dates and became extremely uncomfortable . But that's it! Now this time I feel horrible! So I slowly went down in dose until I was cutting the films so they were no bigger then the tip of my pinky.. Making one film last almost a month! I am now 5 days with out anything and it wasn't as hard as I thought.. I'm entering into my fifth month of pregnancy so of course I'm monitoring baby kicks.. And to my surprise I'm still feeling them at lest 6-7 times a day.. I'm feeling like I have a stomach virus with bad bad daihrra.. And a little restlessness at night. However, for the first time in the last 18 weeks I'm hopeful!! I can feel the daihrra getting more managable. And really now all that's left is mental. But what keeps me from going back is the thought of my innocent baby going through withdraw because of me. That breaks my heart! So I'm sticking it out! I can do this! I had no idea how powerful this medication is. I was prescribed this medication orinally for back pain.. But it's dangerous! As moms we do what we have to do for our children but if it wasn't for this baby id still be taking that crap. I still have the urg to take them as I know it will take away my stomach discomfort and give me back my engergy. But 5 days in and not feeling nearly as bad as I thought I would feel.. Just waiting for this daihrra to go and I'll be a happy mama! Hang in there ladies! It will be ok! I hope this helped.

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I know this is a older post but am in the exact same position I'm 38 weeks and on .5 mgs of subs and no one knows, I'm curious to know how it turned out? Did back you detox at all? I heard at that lil amount they don't.

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I took Suboxone while pregnant, I felt like a horrible person. I took pain medication for my back and then switched to Suboxone about a year before I got pregnant. My husband had issues with pills so I took Suboxone for my pain so he wouldn't relapse. I ended up getting withdraws if I stopped taking the Suboxone. When I found out I was pregnant I stopped that is the first time I felt what a withdraw felt like. This was my fourth child, my other 3 did not do one drug, pill ect. I was the healthiest during my pregnancies. I did research I found out that withdraws could hurt my baby. So I continued to take 4mg a day split up 1mg four times a day. My husband made me feel worse. Like I wasn't doing the best for this baby like I did for my other 3. But in my situation I felt I was doing what I could, I felt horrible and Googled constantly to see what I could do. My Dr. did not know I was taking anything. I went back and fourth on telling them. I decided not to, I have 3 children that are my life. I was afraid everyday what if they take them from me. My life are my children. During my pregnancy I ended up in the hospital for high blood pressure. Nothing to do with the Suboxone, my third child I got high blood pressure, so they said from the beginning they were going tho watch my blood pressure. At 30 wks ended up in the hospital because high blood pressure. They took so much blood and urine I thought I would lose my kids because I was taking Suboxone. If I withdrew at my blood pressure would sky rocket, that is why I took my doses through out the day. I had my son at 34 weeks, it was scary enough him being early. I did not take any Suboxone when they said they were going to induce me. 2 days in labor they had me on all kinds of meds because of my blood pressure. I got an epidural after about 24. He was 5lbs 14oz and 19 inches long. They said he was very big. He was taken to Nicu to be checked, babies born that early have a high chance of lung problems. If he had any signs of withdraw I was ready to tell the nurses. He was in Nicu for only 3 hrs he was fine. They still monitored him closely because him being a preemie. He was fine, all my nurses couldn't believe how we'll he was doing for a preemie. No withdraws at all. He was released with me from the hospital. I had to take him to Dr visits a lot at first to monitor his weight. In the hospital I was given Percocet, being my fourth baby the contactions after are horrible when you nurse. I started taking Suboxone when I was released. I had to pump milk, in four weeks he was 11lbs 8oz. I pumped milk (he wouldn't latch) for 11 months. He is now three he is very smart and is big and tall. Sorry so long. I know a girl that took Suboxone while pregnant they gave her baby methadone so he wouldn't go through withdraws, they didn't wait to see of he was withdrawing. That is a huge reason I didn't tell. I think nurses and should learn more about Suboxone and pregnancy. It is safer than most any drug. I hope this helps, try to know you are doing the best for your baby. I never felt like I was, my husband made me feel horrible. Hope all is well and good luck with your little one. I am here if you have any questions.

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I was honestly taking between 8-16 mgs of subutex my whole pregnany. It's best that the Dr's taper the baby off because they do it slowly and correctly, in a controlled medical facility. Like I mentioned they weaned my son off from 7-20-13 & he came home 8-9-13. If u bring baby home and he starts withdrawal it can get as bad as the baby having seizures ,so please take my advice and just try yr best to take as least as possible to keep u from withdrawal,and make sure when u go into labor when they admit u and ask u yall of yr medical questions nbe 100% honest. As long as yr prescribed the medicine u have nothing to worry about. I wouldn't stop while still pregnant I'm glad I made the decision I did. My son just turned 2 & he is perfect no delays

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Yeah, I thought about it... But the excitement of my first baby trumped that. Something you really have to consider, too... If you remain on it, how will that affect labor? If you get an epidural, will it work? If you need a c-section, will the drugs work or will you feel it? I don't know those answers but that freaked me out. I went all natural at a birth center and had quit the Subs, but that's part of why I wanted to get off it so bad. I still think about it sometimes. Being on Suboxone, I didn't really even think about drugs. Now I think about them occasionally. But I've been clean long enough that I'd never go back. But the thoughts are still there. It's best to have a strong support system. Someone to keep you accountable. So you can tell them that you're having thoughts and they can remind you how far you've come, how much better your life is, and how much you have to lose now. Now that I have a completely clear head, I look back on things I've done with regret and disgust. I don't want to go back to that life and my son doesn't deserve that. Suboxone is a great stepping stone to a completely sober life. But once you're off it, you're there! You beat this awful disease! Pat yourself on the back and congratulate yourself on how far you've come!!! You've got this! And what better motivator than the health of your unborn child? I don't necessarily think it would be the easiest to quit drugs while pregnant because I think you would have a higher risk of going back. But you already quit the drugs. Now just stop the Subs. {edited for privacy}.

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I am trying to understand exactly how much you take. I waited until my last trimester to stop taking suboxone. I was on such a small dose because I don't have a high tolerance for opiates. One 8mg strip would last me a month that's how small of a dose. I went through withdrawals for about 15 days before I had the energy to do anything! My daughter was born 8lbs and 20 inches long and she is perfect. I would suggest taking just enough opiates to keep from withdrawing throughout the day. Stay away from sub altogether because the half life is 48 to 72 hours and your wd symptoms will last longer. You want as short of a detox and wd as possible. Wait until the miscarriage window is closed so I'd wait until you're into your 2nd trimester!!! Although the best way to wd is off of opiates other than suboxone they will pick up on your opiate usage at your objective. The panel they use doesn't check for Suboxone. That is a different more expensive 15 panel evaluation. The withdrawal will be longer but it will go undetected by your doctor. Good luck to you! I went through the same scary situation 2 different pregnancies. It will all be okay! Don't detox from a high level. Taper down to almost nothing over the next few weeks until you're into your 2nd trimester. Or you can wait until your 2nd trimester to taper down until the beginning of your 3rd trimester a then stop and withdrawal. The hardest part is after that's over and you have your baby they give you pain killers. That's what caused my problem all over again after delivery. And here I am again 5 weeks pregnant and about to do the same thing all over again. It's a struggle it really is and most just see you as just some addict. That's not always the case. I was never hooked on anything before I went to a doctor after having my first 2 children with the use of an epidural and now I have static nerve issues. I went to my doctor because of back pain and told him I didn't want to be put on any narcotic pain killers. I was them prescribed tramadol for 14 months taking 4 a day. I was then switched to a different medication and started experiencing wd symptoms. I went back to my doctor and he acted like he didn't know what I was going through. 7 days in and it was still getting worse! Later on I had to wd off percocets and by day 6 I was feeling much better. It's crazy to think I asked to be put on something that I wouldn't wd from come to find out it was a worse wd than a narcotic like hydrocodone or oxycodone wd. Never take tramadol/Ultram!!! Ever since that time in my life anytime I take anything for pain for even just a week I'm right back into withdrawal. I trusted my doctor and now I am stuck with this burden for the rest of my life. If you follow my advice you and baby will be just fine! Good luck and I hope this post helps you and anyone who comes across it!

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Finally, I can post my experience! I gave birth to a healthy baby boy 11/2. He was 2 weeks early (38 weeks exactly) and I had weaned myself to 1/32 of a 8mg suboxone film. I never told my doctor because I didn’t want anyone to know but my baby was born and they didn’t pick anything up on drug panels if they did any. I stopped immediately once he was born though, but I haven’t decided if I will start back on 1/32 because I am not having a lot of luck breastfeeding, and I have had to use formula. I would suggest getting off earlier so you don’t have to stop suddenly like I did but they also put me on Percocet because of the sutures so I just quit taking the boxes after I delivered. They said he was perfectly healthy and I don’t think he had any withdrawals because I was taking such a small dose. I hope this gives everyone some peace of mind, in my case 1/32 worked out and no DHS or questions were asked.

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I am currently 39 weeks pregnant and have been on suboxone for nearly 3 years actually am currently on subutex fo r the pregnancy. This is the second pregnancy i have had while on the program. My 2 year old daughter had no withdrawls what so ever and i was on 16mgs at the time. I was afraid for her health but was so relieved she was fine. I used to worry about the stigma of being on the program but then i thought what's worse? to be addicted to pain meds and keep destroying my body and my mind. or to take a medicine that keeps me on the straight and narrow. Easy choice. In not sure the differences between here in Australia and the states with the law but I know us women are praised for being in control of our lives and off drugs because we chose to join the program.

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I'm pretty sure you don't have to worry about .5 mg. I'm hoping I can get that low before my baby is born

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I am currently 8mos pregnant and on 6mg of Suboxone daily. I went to a rehab program which got me started on suboxone right after I got pregnant (but I didn't know I was until over a month later!). I told my ob/gyn at the first visit that I was on it and also told my first suboxone doc that I was pregnant and they both recommended I stay on it for the remainder of my pregnancy. I have been pregnant 6 times before this and miscarried every single time bc I quit taking pills cold turkey each time. So I feel like communication is key and I pray that everyone has as easy of process as I have through this. They didn't increase my dose when I really felt like I needed it. But my baby has been healthy the entire way so far!

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If you're only taking .5-1mg daily, it really shouldn't be that big of a deal for the baby. I'm taking 1-2mg and trying to get down to .5-1mg in the next week. I just found a study done on pregnant women comparing Suboxone to Methadone. All the babies had to be treated for withdrawals but the Sub babies were better withing only a few days. I am going to try and quit altogether. I don't want to be high risk because I'm having my baby at a birthing center with midwives. My baby is coming home with me right away! I'm going to try taking 1mg every other day, then every two days, then every 3 days until I can just quit. Hope this works! So far my pregnancy has been super easy! No symptoms at all! I'm almost 10 weeks.

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I'm pretty sure anyone that takes Suboxone thru the whole pregnancy is just gonna have to do the birth natural. The pain meds aren't gonna help much. You'll live, tho! I'm down to .75mg-1mg a day but it's really hard this low. It hurts! So far the baby is great, tho. No issues at all! I'm 14w5d.

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Good job Debra!! Keep up the good work. It is not easy but will be well worth it=) be careful though. I'm down to 2 mg now and I'm a little over 22 weeks. My peri prescribed me clonidine to help with withdrawals, it is amazing! It helps so much with sleep and is ok for baby After the first trimester. =) keep me posted!!

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Hi, I allways thought that Drs. would switch a woman over to Subutex if they became pregnant. Around here its the only way a sub Dr. would prescribe Subutex.

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Mine won't! They say it's "less effective" which I think is BS for "we don't want to prescribe it". Also, I think that's a pill so it's not as easy to split up as a strip. I tried at both my last appt and the one before and neither would give me Subutex. I think you can abuse that more so than you can the Suboxone, so I think that's part of the reason why docs get all weird about giving it to you.

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Yeah exactly. I was actually on subutex first and my peri switched me to suboxone. Since they are steps much easier to go down to .25mg and the abuse factor. Yeah def ask your doctor about clonidine, i would be seriously hurting without it!

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1/8 of an 8mg pill would be 1mg. I've read on other forums that women at 2mg and lower had no issues with the baby withdrawing at birth. It still kinda worries me, tho... My doc switched me to the 2mg strips so I could manipulate them down lower. I just formed a written plan... Every 4 days I'm going to cut down 1/8 of a mg. Slow but steady. I should be off completely by June 13th! Wish me luck!!!

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You really need to let your doc know, you won't get in trouble. And it is really dangerous coming down that quickly to your baby. I'm almost 28 weeks and down to .75 mg! I have been coming off suboxone, shoot, for about three months i think. After 20 weeks coming down too quickly affects the baby and they withdraw right along with you, but they actually feel it more. And with a c section what hospitals use to numb you won't be affected by the subs, but there could be drug interactions you aren't aware of. Clonidine will help immensely with the withdraw, the kicks and restlessness, hot and cold all that. And is perfectly safe after the 1st trimester. You need to get honest with your ob. I know it's scary but you won't get in trouble and they will help you wean Off and give you meds that are safe to help with the symptoms. I can't wait to be completely off! My dose is also twice a day. I take .5 in the am and .25 in the pm. =) good luck, keep us posted!!

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I had my son on Sept 30th. He's healthy, no complications. I stopped taking Suboxone completely before the 3rd trimester started. That's what the doctors were really pushing for. Now i just need to get my fiance off. After 2.5 years, he still takes 8mg a day and doesn't have the self control to take less. Frustrating!

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Congrats Debra on tour beautiful baby. It's amazing how quickly we will stop doing something harmful to protect our babies. Now let me first say that I think Suboxone is a great drug and even helps with pain some. Now with that said what people don't realize when they first start is that it is still addictive and will control your life. Examples is this are 1. I would jump out of bed everyday to make sure that filmtab got under my tongue. 2. If I went out if town even for a day trip and forgot my sub I would literally turn around and come back home.3 Constantly obsessing over if I can ever get off the stuff...etc etc. The good things with subs is they are a great alternative for especially opiads, the bad news is they make you feel normal so why get off them. Kind of a double edge sword. Anyway, he has to start a taper method. I would suggest a slow one maybe 3-4 months depending how high is dose is. I was on a low dose to start with so my taper only took 6 days with the first 2 days having no symptoms. Please don't listen to all the horror stories out there. Those people went cold turkey off of huge doses. Let me know if you want me to give you a taper schedule that will keep hum comfortable. God bless

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