Addicted to codeine and pregnant. Coming off them but difficult

[PinkBump2022]

I’m new here and I’m 20 weeks into a pregnancy, I found out 8 weeks ago I was pregnant when I was 12 weeks. I had been on codiene for 2 years at this point, I was perscribedy 8 per day but I usually took 16 per day. I did start off with 2-3 per day then upto 6 per day, then for a long time like 18 months I stayed at 8 per day and never went over that. But the last 6 months or so Iv went up to 16 per day. They were on repeat so I had plenty in my house to do that. I regret it now and wished I’d never even started taking them. They were prescribed after surgery but the surgery hasn’t fixed my problem ahd I need more surgery so I’m still in pain but once I found out I was pregnant the doctor said I had to cut down and stop befoe my baby is born or else baby will also be hooked on these so I began cutting down immediately. From 16 per days I’m now on around 10-12 per day. Iv tried cutting down more but I feel dreadful and worry if my baby also feels like that as I wonder if she also needs them too. Iv decided perhaps I should just quit. Has anyone else just quit while pregnant? Can it cause a miscarriage with the stress is caused on your body? Iv asked my doctor is there is any other medicine I can have that would subside the symptoms I get, shivers, sweating bucket loads, vomiting repeatedly, dirhhea, headache, insomnia, whole body aches so bad! She said no just cut down 1 tablet per week.
so please no nasty comments I’m doing my best since finding out I’m pregnant

Hi! Well done on starting to cut down. You're doing well. can you reach out to your local addiction service? They may be in better and more knowledgeable position to be able to help you, they will be able to advise on prescriptions or cutting down to stop etc. im not sure the impact on baby if you were to stop completely and suddenly due to the nature of withdrawal from opioids, please don't do this until you've spoken to an addiction specialist. I wish you the very best

I would not know about addiction services Iv never heard of them.

@PinkBump2022 if you Google your town and addiction services, it should come up. Or if you would like to message me your town/local authority I'd be happy to look

I work in drug and alcohol treatment and spend quite a lot of time working with people who use codeine and have worked with several pregnant women.

Reducing in the middle trimester is the safest and as long as you are doing things slowly and sensibly you should be fine. Your GP is right - 9one tablet a week is very sensible, whilst you might feel like shit you are actiually using relatively small amounts of opiates. Your body will get used to it and you will be fine.

Please don't just stop suddenly. That would be very unwise.

@FriendofDorothy i seen a different doctor for ky last prescription and she said 6 per day is fine and gave me 3 days worth and said if I needed more I’d have to see my other doctor. Iv tried 6 per day and feel like I haven’t had any at all! I did call my doctors to speak to the original doctor who said 1 per week she I can’t get an app until monday. So now after using 10 today after only getting 21 tablets a few days ago Iv got none left but feel ok for now but already feel it wearing off and know it’s going to be a terrible night. Whihc is why Iv thought should I just stop because I know I will find it very difficult to get anymore for a good few days

Please call your GP again.

Please don't just stop.

How are you today?

I’m awful! I couldn’t sleep last night Iv even sweating and shivering now I feel extremely sick. Each time I go outside I get covered in goose bumps even though it’s 20 degrees out. My legs ache so bad. Had a hospital app yesterday baby is doing just fine still moving and happy heart rate

Did you mention it to whoever saw you at hospital yesterday so they could keep a special eye on you?

I have spoke to my doctor today, well a different one. They are putting me 6 per day and every week I’ll have a phone app to see how the week went then give me more with 1 less per day. I feel safer it’s being done this way

Iv collected my prescription and taken two pills as told by the doctor, two in the morning 2 mid day, 2 at bed time. And it’s been an hour since I took two and all those dreadful symptoms have vanished. I couldn’t have lasted much longer feeling like that and I worried my baby may also be feeling like that

Keep it up OP! This sounds hard as hell but if you can grit your teeth and get through this process of reducing one per week just think, by your third trimester you would be drug free. What an achievement.

Ok - it might be good to get gp to refer you to a specialist in hospital - perhaps the pain team (anaesthetics). They may need to liase with obs and gynae about what is safe in pregnancy. There are different types of pain relief - not just codeine. These can include injections, Tens machines, alternative tablets. But they need to make sure these are safe in pregnancy. It is not wise to stop suddenly as it can cause physical effects to you and maybe baby too. You are doing well to reduce - but I think u would need more specialist advice.

Well done! That is a much safer way of doing it :)

Aching so badly but I’m doing good! Had 2 tablets this morning then 2 at 3pm: it’s now 10:30pm and I’m aching very much whihc came on an hour ago but Iv saved my last two for today as late as possible so I get a good sleep. Iv been shivering all day also but it hasn’t been as hot as recent so it could be that too. I just hope I can ride this out

You’re doing well, but see someone if you run into trouble and make sure your midwife is aware so that they can give you the appropriate support!

How are you going now?

I’m doing not great lol. The doctor called me oh Monday to see how I was then told him terrible! Aching legs keeping me up all night. Insomnia, shivers, sweats. Dirheea. He said we will stick at 6 until my body is used to 6 and all these symptoms are gone then we will go down to 5, if it’s too much dropping 1 full tablet will make that 1 tablet a 15mg instead of a 30 so I’m loosing 15mg when ready. He seams so much more understanding about it all then all the others Iv spoken too. He’s calling me back this morning. Well I hope it’s him!! He said it could take a couple of weeks until my body is used to 6. He’s also given me paracetamol to take for the aching legs but I’ll be honest it’s done nothing to help. I asked if any chance mt baby also is feeling this dreadful way inside of me but he said no. It will only be once she’s born will we see her become poorly for 5-14 days feeling irritable if I was still on a high dose. I have no plans to be on a high dose when my baby arrives.

Sounds like you made great progress. How are you doing now?

After all the stress and being poorly Iv seen a drug and alcohol midwife who said 8 per day is fine to be on and my baby would be fine at birth codeine is not a strong drug it’s much stronger opioids tbey worry about!!

That seems strange that it's not a strong drug given your withdrawal symptoms, will baby have withdrawal when he/she is born?

Maybe. It's a bit of an art not a science predicting whether a baby will have withdrawals or not.

Hi PinkBump2022 have you delivered your baby and is baby healthy?

How is the bubba now? Currently 4 weeks pregnant and got a doctors appointment today and need to tell them the truth and my codine problems as I’ve stopped myself taking them for the last two days and have never felt so horrible in my life and now I’m making it worse worrying what’s the best thing to do. I want this baby so bad it’s my first time being pregnant and would do anything but worried now that stopping completely is going to cause more harm
hope your pregnancy all went well x