What is Residential Treatment?

Residential treatment for addiction is a type of treatment in which people with addictions live at the treatment center. This allows them to receive 24-hour care and supervision. People who opt for this type of treatment usually have severe addictions and need more support than outpatient treatment programs can provide.

What is the Difference Between Residential and Outpatient Treatment?

Outpatient treatment is less expensive, allows patients to keep their jobs and support their families, and is typically shorter in duration than inpatient residential treatment. Outpatient treatment may be less successful than inpatient residential treatment in retaining patients in treatment and producing abstinence, but some studies have found that it can be as effective as inpatient treatment in reducing drug use and criminal activity. Inpatient treatment requires patients to live at the treatment facility for the duration of their treatment. This allows patients to receive around-the-clock care and support from staff members who are familiar with their individual needs. Inpatient residential treatment may be more successful than outpatient treatment in retaining patients in treatment and producing abstinence, but it is also more expensive and typically requires a longer commitment from patients.

Who is a Good Fit for Inpatient Treatment?

Some people benefit from inpatient treatment because they need a structured environment and around-the-clock care. This can be especially helpful for people who are struggling with severe addiction or mental health issues. Inpatient treatment can also be a good option for people who have relapsed after trying to recover on their own or through outpatient treatment.

What are the Benefits of Inpatient Rehab in Houston?

Residential treatment provides a number of benefits for those struggling with addiction. Perhaps most importantly, it allows individuals to receive around-the-clock care in a safe and structured environment. This can be especially beneficial for those who have been through detox and are in need of close supervision as they adjust to life without drugs or alcohol. Residential treatment also allows individuals to focus solely on their recovery. This can be extremely beneficial, as it can help them to avoid triggers and distractions that could lead to a relapse. Additionally, most inpatient residential treatment programs offer a variety of therapeutic activities and therapies that can help individuals build the skills they need to stay sober after they leave treatment.

How Does Inpatient Rehab Work?

Inpatient residential treatment for addiction typically lasts between 30 and 90 days. During this time, patients live at the treatment facility and receive around-the-clock care from medical and mental health professionals. This allows them to focus on their recovery without having to worry about day-to-day responsibilities such as work or childcare. Room and board are taken care of as well in this treatment program.

DRUG DETOXING WHILE PREGNANT

Many women are affected by drug addiction. Unfortunately many become pregnant while in the depth of their illness. If you’re in this situation, you might be concerned about what to do and how you can possibly detox while pregnant.

You are undoubtedly aware that continuing your drug abuse while pregnant could affect your unborn baby. If you want to get treatment, do it as soon as possible. The sooner you get clean, the better it will be for you and your baby. Learn about our drug detox program in The Woodlands today.

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What to Consider

Miscarriage

You might be worried that damage to your baby has already been done. There is no way to be sure at this stage. However, if you are less than six weeks pregnant and significant damage was caused to the embryo before you found out you were pregnant, it is likely that you will have a miscarriage.

Getting Sober Now

If you don’t miscarry, and you decide to quit using now, your baby has a good chance of being just fine. Even if you’ve been using heavily, and you are further along than six weeks, there is a likelihood that your baby will be okay as long as you get treatment right away.

Continuing Your Pregnancy

It’s true that some drugs are more hurtful for an unborn child than others. And, how they affect your baby will usually depend on the type of drug you’ve been using, how heavily you used it, and how long you’ve been using it

You may want to speak to a medical professional to find out what your chances are of having a healthy baby. Often, a pregnancy can be the motivation for change when it comes to illnesses such as drug addiction. You might discover that it makes you more determined to get clean for the sake of your child.

What is Detox?

Because everyone is different, the time you’ll need in detox depends on many things including:

How your body reacts to detoxing
Whether the doctor believes that the best treatment for you is in a hospital setting where you can get obstetrical services
What drugs you were using
How much, how often, and how long you have used drugs
Whether you have other mental health or health issues

Detoxing While Pregnant

Detoxing from drugs is difficult for anyone, but because you’re pregnant, you will need to be extra careful. It’s important to find a detox center that will accept you and where there is trained staff who specialize in helping pregnant women. Some of the drugs that might be prescribed to help with drug withdrawal could be dangerous for an unborn child, so you must inform the staff of your pregnancy.

What Will Happen During Detox?

A medical professional will give you a physical exam and ask you about your drug and alcohol use. It’s very important to tell the doctor or nurse about any drugs you have been taking including prescription drugs and ones you’ve been using without a prescription. This helps you and the staff design an appropriate treatment plan.

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Withdrawal

Your body has gotten used to the drugs you’ve been taking, and it takes time to recover. When you quit using you may feel a physical sickness called withdrawal. The detox staff will be able to make you more comfortable during this period. Some withdrawal symptoms are very serious, but most are just severely uncomfortable such as:

Feeling itchy
Dizziness
Nausea
Sleep problems

The medical personnel on staff may give you medications that can make you more comfortable and make it safer for your baby. Be sure to inform your doctor about how you’re feeling so you can get the appropriate medications. Not all people have serious withdrawal symptoms but it can happen. If you have any of the following problems, tell the detox staff immediately:

Seizures
Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there)
Pelvic pain (with or without bleeding)
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Anxiety
Pain

Inform the Staff About All Drugs and Medications You are Taking

Some medications shouldn’t be taken at the same time, so it’s important that the detox staff knows everything that could be in your system before they give you any new medication. It’s important to get care from a doctor when you are in withdrawal and pregnant.

Withdrawal without medical care during detox could make it more likely that you will have a miscarriage or start labor too soon. A miscarriage is when the unborn baby dies before you reach the 5th month of pregnancy. Detox staff will help you make a recovery plan for when you leave detox. It’s important to get lots of support and good treatment when you are in recovery.

Slow and Supervised

A detox that is slow and supervised during the second trimester is often the recommended treatment for pregnant women. Some doctors might recommend a replacement drug to help you withdraw from the drug you’re addicted to.

Medication for Opioid Addiction

There are special medications that reduce cravings and help with recovery from opioid use disorder (OUD). You may be given methadone or buprenorphine to help you get through withdrawal and stay off other opioids. Medication for OUD is recommended for pregnant women who are addicted to opioids. Methadone treatment starts during detox.

Buprenorphine is a medication like methadone. It can reduce cravings and lower your risk of relapse. Buprenorphine is prescribed by a doctor and taken at home. Methadone or buprenorphine treatment is recommended for women who are dependent on opioids. Detoxing with medication is safer than without medication because it:

Eliminates cravings
Helps you feel less sick during withdrawal
Can delay the onset of withdrawal for 24 hours or more
Prevents the effects of other opioids

Your baby is more likely to be healthier if you take methadone or buprenorphine rather than if you continue using opioid medications or heroin. But you should know that it is still likely that your baby will be born with health problems if you take any chemical substance while pregnant. Babies born to mothers taking these medications can be born addicted to these drugs also.

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)

Many women have safely taken medications to treat OUD while pregnant. Neither methadone nor buprenorphine has been shown to cause physical birth defects. Still, most babies do go through withdrawal after they are born. This is called neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Typically, babies begin withdrawal a few days after being born but it may start as late as four weeks after birth and last for a few days or a few weeks.

Medically Supervised Withdrawal

Medically supervised withdrawal is a type of medication-assisted treatment (MAT). In medically supervised withdrawal, you begin the medication during detox and gradually take smaller and smaller amounts of medication until your body finishes withdrawal. This helps to reduce the chances of severe withdrawal symptoms, but it also means that you can get completely clean long before your baby is born. If you choose medically supervised withdrawal you should know that:

During the first 3 months of pregnancy, it could cause a miscarriage.
During the last 3 months of pregnancy, it could cause you to go into labor too soon.

How Will I Feel During Detox?

You’ll have many different feelings during detox such as:

You may feel stressed because you’re not drinking or using drugs
It’s possible you don’t even want to be there
You might be afraid of what it’s really like in a detox center
You might be worried about your family at home
You might be hopeful and excited about changing your life

All of these feelings (and more) are normal when you are in detox.

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What Can I Expect During Pregnancy?

First Trimester (0 – 12 weeks pregnant): During your first trimester, you probably won’t be able to hear the baby’s heartbeat or feel it moving yet. This is normal. You might feel nauseous and tired.

Second Trimester (13 – 27 weeks pregnant): Early in your second trimester, your doctor may be able to hear the baby’s heartbeat and feel it move. Tell the detox staff if you feel the baby move. Your body will change a lot during this time.

Third Trimester (28 weeks to birth): It’s important to let your doctor know you are in detox if you aren’t in a treatment center. This way they can make sure you and your baby are healthy. If you have contractions or your water breaks, these are signs that labor might be starting. You will need to tell the detox staff and go to the hospital.

Warning Signs to Watch Out For

Here are some signs that you or your baby might be sick or in trouble. You will want to tell the detox staff or call your doctor if you:

Have felt the baby move but it has stopped and not started again
Have pain or vaginal bleeding
Have contractions, cramps, or any pain you haven’t had before
Have to vomit and have difficulty keeping food or liquids in your stomach (you and the baby may become dehydrated from frequent vomiting

What’s Next? Rehab

Detox is the first stage of getting clean and sober. But you need to learn how to stay that way. The good news is that you have great motivation to stay sober which will serve you well through your pregnancy. From time to time, you may still experience cravings for the substance you used to abuse. You will need to know how to deal with this.

During our inpatient drug rehab program, you will learn not only how to avoid drug cravings, but you will also learn the reasons you became addicted in the first place. It’s essential to face these issues because failing to do so could result in trouble for you some time later. Addiction specialists can help you learn how not to fall back into that trap.

Be sure to tell any rehab provider that you are pregnant in your initial talk because they need to know this to be able to create a suitable treatment program for you. You will need a custom-tailored treatment plan that caters to your specific requirements.

Magnolia City Detox Can Provide Your Detox and Rehab

Yes, you can detox while pregnant. And continue your treatment at Magnolia City Detox. This means that you will benefit from being treated by the same treatment team through the most crucial days of your recovery. Our medical staff is experienced in the treatment of many addictions from detox on.

If you live in or around the Houston area, and you are pregnant with a substance abuse problem, you can find a treatment team here at Magnolia City Detox. We will work for the best recovery for you and your baby. Contact us today.

Dr. Olaniyi O. Osuntokun
Dr. Olaniyi O. Osuntokun is a Neurology & Psychiatry Specialist based in Conroe, Texas, and Lafayette, Indiana. He has extensive experience in treating Individuals with substance use disorders and addiction. He earned his medical degree from University of Ibadan College of Medicine and has been in practice for more than 20 years.

DRUG DETOXING WHILE PREGNANT