Medical Marajuana and My Preganany

[nononsensemom]

I'm thirty years old and have a five year old daughter. A while ago I developed an autoimmune disorder that caused dibilitating urticaria and possibly several miscarriages. My doctors all reported that there was no cure but time for my disorder and the best thing I could do was practice acceptance. (Right - I couldn't leave the house to work and was desperate to have a second child before it was too late for us.) So...I started smoking marajuana to ease the strain. Low-and-behold, all my medical concerns disapeared. It has been over a year since my urticaria returned and I'm finally pregnant! However. We have no medical insurance and with the economy, were unable to afford the medical coverage for a pregnancy. So I went on medicaid. I told my doctor about the autoimmune disorder but kept the marajuana use to myself (for obvious reasons) Now I have been randomly drug tested and was told I had to stop or be ejected from the doctors care. They will also test my child when it is born.

I don't drink, smoke cigarettes, nothing else. I've done all the research and see no harm to the fetus from the herb alone. My constant worry and anxiety is another issue. My question is, if I decide on a home birth (know a midwife who will work in trade) will they test my baby at the first doctors appointment? Will they test us at the first possible opportunity? I can't have CPS down my throat for doing something that really helps me. I'm only four months along and terrified that the disorder will return due to stress (especially around the holidays) possibly harming the baby. Does anyone know about Medicaid and their drug testing policies for after care on home births?

Thank you for your responses. (Please no harassment regarding my marajuana use. I understand some people don't agree and request only constructive, helpful replies.)

[cameragirl]

It is really a shame, because the prescription drugs in most cases are MUCH more damaging to a fetus than marijuana may be. (And I don't believe it is) I use medicinal marijuana to help with the pain from a rare inflammatory disorder that causes severe muscle spasms. I haven't been able to work in 2.5 years because of it, and I lost a promising career. As it is, I only use it if I really, really can't get comfortable. Normally I would take a cocktail of Flexeril, Ativan, and Tramadol to ease the spasms and pain.

I won't be touching it anywhere near to delivery - it freaks me out that they may test for it at the hospital. I saw a couple that had their infant taken away at the hospital by CPS when I had DD, and it was horrible. Because of the medical condition, I need to have an OB following me and most midwives won't take me. I do not believe they will test the infant for maternal drug usage at the pediatrician's office - likely it will just the PKU and other genetic tests. You should be able to find info on what your state requires online. I would also check the local hospital's policy just in case you need a transfer.

[joyfulgrrrl]

I think first youbshould consider alternatives to smoking it, because smoke is toxic....vaping or eating work great and are healthier,

I would research how to keep Big Brother from intruding in your business. Find out how long it will take to clear your system, for example. Look for practitioners who are more understanding. Look at whether test fooling substances arevsafebduring pregnancy.

I would also consider looking at legal advice, I thnk it's disgusting that Medicaid tests randomly for this harmless substance. They would do moregood testing for alcohol.

Good luck mama!

[cameragirl]

I would agree with the other dosing methods - I prefer vaping or eating. Eating lasts much longer, so I end up using less in the end. I would assume that B vitamins would be safe at the end, but then again, neon yellow pee is pretty obvious. With light use and a thin frame, it can be out of your system within a week. With a lot of pudge and heavy use, it make take 3-4 weeks. Exercise is said to help some.

[hartfelt]

I would have the homebirth and quit 2wks before your due date, just in case. Congrats on your pregnancy!

[hildare]

just piping in to say i hope all goes well for you..

but, you know, there are no guarantees that birth is going to go the way you want it.. i hate even saying this.. but just also while you're deliberating, consider that there are many mamas whose homebirths end up in hospital transfers.  it is likely they would test you/the babe there if that's the case, you know?  just one thing to consider of many, though. 

who gave you the random drug test?  the physician's office or the family & children's services office?  if it's the doc, i would switch with a quickness. 

if it were me in that situation, i would probably continue as normal, then try to quit about 3 weeks or so before the due date.  i am not sure how long it would take to get out of everybody's system.  even if planning on a homebirth, this would be a concern.  however, it's unlikely that they would remove your child, they would probably try to get you to agree to some sort of plan?  it being medicinal, therefore (quasi)legal, complicates this a whole lot.  is there any sort of free legal aid available to you somehow?  <3  oh, wait!  you didn't say it was prescribed to you!  eep. 

still, i would continue and quit in time to not have it be a problem in case of transfer. 

[cameragirl]

The availability of a recommendation (they can't legally prescribe in the US) varies by state. I do have a recommendation. Either way, there is no protection for parents with recommendations that I know of in any state. While it is legal for a patient to take opioid pain medicine in front of their children, eating a pot brownie around your child could put you in legal danger. The majority of states don't even offer job protection, even when used off the job. It is really unfortunate for patients stuck in this position. Again, how quickly it leaves your system depends on your weight, physical activity level, and how often you need it. You can get tests for around $20 at drugstores if you'd like to test yourself. I would give yourself as much time as you can tolerate. I know that it is rough to be hurting, especially when you're dealing with the discomfort of that last trimester.

[Soul-O]

Hi there:

I was diagnosed with chronic autoimmune urticaria (which is what you have, correct?) in Sept 2008 after suffering with hives and airway swellings since March 2007, and have been relatively stable with the help of two mild, commonly prescribed medications (zantac and zyrtec - H1 and H2 inhibitors).  However, my longest lasting periods of remission have been during pregnancy and the first six months postpartum.  In general, according to my Allergist, autoimmune disorders are less likely to be problematic during pregnancy because of hormonal changes in your body, and this is indeed true in my case.  I also had recurrent miscarriages, but was able to carry to term after taking a prescribed course of prednisone in my first trimester.  I am passing along this information because I believe that you may not need to use the MJ at this point.  I was worried about stopping my meds during pregnancy, but found that a gradual weaning off of them produced no adverse symptoms.  My pregnancies were easy and healthy.  Perhaps it would be worth trying to wean off of the MJ slowly, and see how it goes.

Good luck to you, and may you have a blessed pregnancy and delivery!

[cameragirl]

I've spoken to several doctors about my autoimmune issues and pregnancy. All of them stated that around 30% of patients get better, 30% get worse, and about 30% stay the same while pregnant. So, it may or may not get better, but hopefully it does. I really wish that more studies would be done to follow women with health conditions in pregnancy. There is a huge grey area now that more patients are getting pregnant while dealing with chronic conditions.