This morning I responded to a woman at SuboxForum. Her baby was taken to the NICU for ‘withdrawal’, which is better identified as neonatal abstinence syndrome. She said that the baby is eating well, but there is concern that the baby sleep only 2 hours at a stretch. The baby is on morphine, and mom … [Read more…]
First Posted 2/6/2014 A few weeks ago I wrote about the differing standards of care for women who deliver babies while treated with buprenorphine for opioid dependence. Some hospitals require newborns exposed to buprenorphine to stay in the neonatal ICU for arbitrary length of time. Intravenous infusions of opioid agonists are given to infants whose … [Read more…]
First Posted 2/1/2014 The topic of newborn abstinence syndrome from buprenorphine provokes strong emotions. Expectant mothers anticipate harsh attitudes from doctors and nurses. They worry that their use of buprenorphine will cause their babies to suffer from withdrawal. They hear about the experiences of women reported to CPS after delivery, or whose babies were kept … [Read more…]
First Posted 11/4/2013 I recently saw a new patient who described treating her own opioid dependence with diverted Suboxone. She sheepishly described reading everything she could find about buprenorphine and meticulously using half of her friend’s medication to avoid other opioids, without fail, for four years. She would likely be treating herself now, if she … [Read more…]
Originally posted 1/13/2013 In a recent Google search about Suboxone and pregnancy, one of the top links included the frightening statement that Suboxone and buprenorphine have been linked to SIDS or sudden infant death syndrome, commonly called ‘crib death.’ The statement was from a health forum where a woman wrote about taking Suboxone during pregnancy. She … [Read more…]
One of the top search terms for Suboxone relates to pregnancy, and fear that the baby will experience withdrawal; official name ‘neonatal abstinence syndrome.’ I wrote this post a couple years ago, and I think it is worth reposting. Since the first time around, several studies have shown that withdrawal symptoms occur in about half of … [Read more…]
I recently heard from a person who had been told by her physician that she ‘must get off Suboxone before even thinking about getting pregnant.’ I’ve mentioned a number of times that I’ve had about 15 patients go through pregnancy and delivery on buprenorphine, and all have done well. I encourage people thinking about pregnancy … [Read more…]
A reader’s question: I have been on Suboxone for 2 years. My addiction was Oxycontin. I had knee replacement surgery and was successfully able to take pain meds and then get off them and go back to Suboxone. My medical Doc and I noticed that when I restart the Suboxone, I get 2-3 plus pitting … [Read more…]