FIRST LET ME SAY THAT I AM NOT A DOCTOR. FOR MEDICAL HELP YOU NEED TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR!! MY BLOG ISN'T INTENDED TO EVALUATE ANYONE OR PLAN YOUR COURSE OF TREATMENT, ONLY TO OFFER SUPPORT TO WOMEN WHO ARE TAPERING WHILE PREGNANT, AND TO GIVE INFORMATION ABOUT WHY I BELIEVE TAPERING WHILE PREGNANT IS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION FOR MOTIVATED MOTHERS ON METHADONE!!



I came here to create my own space after being told at other methadone support sites that I COULD NOT talk about being pregnant while lowering my methadone dose. Let me explain...
I have been on methadone for 2 and 1/2 years. After lowering my dose 40mgs, I accidentally got pregnant! Terrified, I considered termination. Like the majority of women in the methadone clinics, I had been told that pregnancy meant you had to raise your dose and have a baby born addicted to narcotics!
Then I saw a kind OBGYN, who told me that this was absurd. Of course, it would be my choice to terminate or not, but if I wanted to keep the baby, I would absolutely be able to lower my dose to reduce my baby's risk of experiencing withdrawls, known as NAS (neonatal abstinence syndrome)! She directed me to a high risk clinic, where I could have the help of doctors experienced in my situation.
If you're like me, a pregnant woman on methadone, you are dealing with lots of emotions! Worst for me is guilt, fear of hurting my baby, and fear of the unknown. I reached out to a methadone support website and as soon as I introduced myself and told them my dose and my plan, I was attacked, told I was irresponsible, and made to feel terrible! I checked the site out and found out that other women in the past had endured the same treatment, simply for lowering their dose!!
I could go on and on about why I believe these people treated me so badly, but the real point here is that they are being unethical. This respected website is telling women that they MUST NOT lower their dose while pregnant or their babies will suffer and die. They also are not willing to talk about the risks of being ON methadone, including developmental delays. Basically, no one wants their feelings hurt, even if it means giving poor advice to women in need.
So here I am. I hope that my story can help even just one woman who is struggling the way I did. If you've been rejected from a methadone support site because you're chosing to lower your dose, or just interesting in the possibility of reducing your baby's chance of NAS, you've found the right place! Here is the one blog where your posts will not be deleted if you use the word "taper" with the word "pregnant"!
Please, share your stories and opinions, and hopefully together we can spread a little truth to women who so desperately need it!

This post is not meant to be a substitution for medical advice. I can't diagnose or treat you, please see your doctor!!


To date, I am due on May 16, which means that I am about 24 weeks along.
When I got pregnant, I was at 35 mgs.
I continued to lower my dose at 3mg/wk until I reached 26 mgs, then I switched to 2mg/week reduction.
I think that for me, the slower the rate of reduction, the better!
When I hit 16 mgs, I went to 1/week.
I took several "breaks" during this period!
I am currently at 12 mgs. I decided to stay at 12 rather than go lower, as I was about to hit 10 mgs, and I have heard that you should re-evaluate your taper at this number.
I have to say to all women considering this: success is best achieved by not racing. If you go to quickly, then you risk withdrawls, where the woman who goes slowly and listens to her body will have success! Take breaks, relax!

I have not experienced ONE withdrawl symptom. All of my ultrasounds, fetal monitering, and tests are 100% normal!

All things come with risk. At the clinic, when you tell them you are pregnant, you will be asked to sign a form listing ALL of the POSSIBLE risks of methadone exposure on the baby. These are (and not limited to) behavioral problems, intellectual growth delayed in tests taken in Pre-K, smaller ventricles in the brain, smaller head size, reduced birth weight, fetal stress (most noted 1-2 hours after you drink your dose), fetal death, and NAS.
When you decide to taper (lower your dose), you will also sign a paper that recognizes THOSE risks, including reduced oxygen, fetal stress, fetal death. The problem is, no one knows exactly why a miscarriage happens. The taper-haters like to say that it's because the fetus is in "withdrawl" but there is no evidence for this, and to date there are no conclusive studies that prove this. As you can see, and as I have experienced, you can have a miscarriage NOT lowering your dose. Miscarriage is very common: The average woman has at least 3 in her lifetime, whether she knows or not.
Also, consider why YOU are addicted to methadone. Your brain is addicted. In the early weeks, the fetus has no ability to become addicted.
Severe withdrawls brought on my a total stop of your dose is proven to affect the baby, and is VERY VERY dangerous, and not at all what I am talking about here!
Basically, a gradual reduction is what I support here!

Hey sorry it's been so long, I've been really busy! I'm dropping three more milligrams over the next three weeks, and it's very exciting!
So everyone knows, I have an ultrasound taken every month, because I am on methadone (NOT because I'm tapering, what does that tell you???), and my daughter's growth is perfectly fine! The doctor says that my low dose is more than likely responsible for my baby's growth rate being normal... there is nothing in her development that would give away her mom being on methadone! As usual, NO withdrawl symptoms, but I AM suffering with the flu today... I want every woman out there to know that it is possible to do this, and you don't have to feel one DROP of discomfort! Your body is amazing, and it will naturally regulate itself as long as you give it a chance. Go slowly, and allow yourself to adjust to the dose before you drop again... I regularly take weeks off from tapering, just because doing that improves my chances of success!!!

1/22/08....

The state of New Jersey is proposing 200+ pages of BADLY needed regulation for methadone clinics.
It seems that some pregnant women have been forced off methadone while pregnant, so part of those regulations aim to protect these women, but their wording would make it impossible for a woman to CHOOSE to get off methadone!
Beverly Cribbs is the director responsible for overseeing these proposals, and she is a very polite, kind woman, who informed me that they are currently accepting input from the community on these proposals. She states that none of this is set in stone, and feedback from women like me could cause a rewording of this passage.
I need some help from other women and concerned people. If ANYONE has had experience with this, or even a comment, PLEASE post here and I will give you the info on how to get your voice heard!