Methadone Drug Addiction .com

Do you think this is a good thing or just another form of addiction?
Please elaborate!!

Well, it saved my life.
Methadone was, and in fact, continues to be the most successful form of maintenance based treatment for opiate addiction. It has been studied far longer, and deemed far safer than other maintenance therapy drugs, and statistically, methadone-treated addicts have the highest rate of recovery once they have completed treatment, compared to both maintenance & abstinence based treatments.
Methadone does not impair cognitive ability, motor skills, or produce a feeling of euphoria- and once a person starts a methadone program, the methadone binds to the same receptors opiates normally do, making them fairly ineffective when taken in conjunction with, in terms of a “buzz”. It still retains the danger of overdose, b/c the toxicity is present.There will always be folks who say it's just a legal addiction- and, Unfortunately, there are folks who don't make it- and who abuse meds while on it- but they are quickly caught due to frequent drug screening, and if they continue to abuse, they are kicked off the program.
I'm assuming we're all familiar with the science of addiction, but if not: the long and short of it is that our bodies produce endorphins- natural pain killers- in small amounts, as needed. Opiates- drugs derived from the poppy plant- (heroin, vicodin, Darvon, oxycontin, morphine, dilaudid, etc.)- when taken, cause an influx of these endorphins. When a person takes opiates on a regular basis, the human body, which is extremely adept at conserving it’s natural resources- recognizes that the person is providing them with more than enough synthetic endorphins through opiates- and the body stops producing it’s small amounts. So when an opiate addict suddenly stops using opiates, the body goes into an endorphin-deficiency, causing the person to become very ill.
Until the last decade, addiction was not recognized as a disease. Since then, the medical community has found evidence of “addictive” genes, in the form of THIQ- a chemical produced from opiates & alcohol by certain people thought to contain the addictive gene. Those without the Addictive gene don’t process the opiates or alcohol the same way, and therefore, do not turn any portion of them into THIQ, the way a person with the addictive gene does. THIQ is believed to be part of the reason that an addictive-prone person develops such strong cravings & is unable to stop using, compared to the non-addictive prone. There has also been some suggestion that the genetically addictive prone were born with an endorphin deficieny, and have likely never had the proper amount, which is what drives them to seek that elsewhere.
The first thing you have to understand is that MMT- Methadone Maintenance Therapy- when used for opiate addiction is not a “quick fix”, or a short term solution. There are other routes~ cold turkey, or detox- detoxes are usually in hospital like settings and last 4-5 days; during which they wean you down with mild narcotics in decreasing doses, like Ultram and Bupranex. The actual meds vary by institution, but bear in mind detox is not considered recovered. After detox, the best chance at recovery requires residential rehab- upwards of 6 months’ worth- followed by a halfway house, then IOP (Intensive Outpatient Therapy) and Aftercare~ and this may all take more than 1 year. A year in which you can’t work, live with your family, or do anything else but focus on recovery.
I would never reccomend MMT to an addict newly seeking recovery- total abstinence should be the goal, but if someone has tried all the avenues, more than a few times, and been unable to get clean, then MMT can be a life saver.
MMT has the highest success rate among opiate treatments- but the best chance of sobriety comes to those who spend a MINIMUM of 2 years on the program. The program involves taking your daily dose, and doing some counseling, but otherwise, you are able to immediately start over-

As opposed to using heroin, you have a safe, clean, reliable dose. You have eliminated the need for IV use, and the need to hustle. Does that sound better?
The very basis of why methadone has been successful in treating opiate addicts is because it works in a time released capacity- rendering it incapable of producing feelings of euphoria or, in laymen’s terms, unable to get you high.
Now- someone who has never taken methadone before, who takes a large enough dose, may experience marked drowsiness- but that’s why Methadone Maintenance Clinics (MMT) follow strict regulations that entail starting every new patient/opiate addict off at the very low dose of 20-30mg, regardless of their height, weight, or tolerance level to opiates. From there, each patient is seen by the clinic physician on a weekly basis, and given the small increase of 2 -5 mg once a week, until they are “stabilized”- meaning they’re feeling normal- not in acute physical withdrawal from the sudden lack of opiates in their system. From that point on, there is a blood test called a peak and trough, that measures the serum levels of the methadone in the patient, to ensure their dose is of a therapeutic level, and not so high as to cause drowsiness.
There has been a lot of propaganda in the press lately about the dangers of Methadone- the bulk of which is directly related to a few celebrity deaths that were caused by the mixing of methadone and alcohol, or methadone & other medications. What is not so well known is that NONE- ZERO- of those cases involved opiate addicts taking methadone in a methadone maintenance program. All of them were the result of a personal physician prescribing methadone for pain, to patients who abused the medication by taking it with other drugs, creating a lethal reaction. The Harrison Drug Act made it illegal for physicians- general practitioners- to prescribe methadone to patients for opiate addiction. Only MMT clinics, which are strictly regulated, may prescribe it for addiction. MMT clinics require frequent, SUPERVISED, random drug screens (so anyone on methadone for opiate addiction cannot be abusing other meds, or they would be kicked off the program); as well as one on one counseling, group treatments, state required classes, state required physicals and blood tests, as well as anything else the individual’s counselor feels they need. They must complete treatment plans and goals on a monthly basis, demonstrating they are moving forward with employment, housing, etc., and they are not permitted to take many medications, even when prescribed by a physician, if there is any chance of an interaction. For example, benzodiazepines are well known for their ability to interact with methadone in a way that induced euphoria- (i.e., a buzz)- and are a major no-no. The MMT clinic will prescribe another medication that will not interact, if necessary, but using the benzo’s will result in being kicked off the program. A general practitioner, on the other hand, can prescribe methadone to whomever he sees fit for pain management, and there are no other regulations.

The removal of cravings is MMT's biggest benefit, and where other treatments- suboxone, detox, etc- fall short. Suboxone does some good here, but in studies, trials, and other reviews of MMT clients who converted to Suboxone, it is not nearly as effective as Methadone is in taking them away.. While acute physical withdrawal is hell, the chronic, mental withdrawal, and the lingering physical withdrawal symptoms like insomnia, leg cramping and that awful crawling out of your skin feeling. Those can take upwards of a year to dissipate without methadone.
In the near decade I have now had sober, I have turned my life around. I a m a mother, a wife, a business owner, and a tireless advocate for the rights of addicts and MMT.
Not everyone agrees that MMT is a good thing; but I find that the majority of them have not had first hand experience, or have simply been misinformed. There are tremendously ridiculous myths about MMT, and as someone who found her life again through it, I feel it's an obligation to educate others. I strongly support reform and regulation of policy- the strict adherences iomposed on MMT clinic clients may seem like a pain, but they are what protects us as well- and should be in effect for ANYONE prescribing MMT- not just for opiate addiction.
I don't expect everyone to agree with me- I simply ask that you take the time to educate yourself on BOTH sides of the story- only then can you make a truly informed position.
If you have any other questions, feel free to email me- i run a website & facebook group that focusses on MMT education.

Some other resources:

* http://www.methadonetoday.org/

* http://www.methadone.org/ (NAMA_ National Alliance for Medication Assisted Recovery , is one of the leading sources of information and education on methadone for MMT)

2010-11-23 16:28:42 by Jehovahs Girl

www.dif-drugs.com _ This computer-controlled dispenser is designed to strictly and accurately control the dispensation medicinal liquid narcotics ...

I'm just curious about why an antagonist of Herion has little affect on smoking cigarettes. I know much of smoking is psychological, but the affects of nicotene is bizzarly different when the half life of methadone dwindles.
Now that I have quit smoking after a 10 year stint the withdrawals are fairly difficult, but not nearly as bad as they were when I quit for 4 years, some 15 years ago.
Part of my reason for quitting was to save money I felt I was simply wasting. Another issue was that I was afraid my treatment program ( lifer at the clinic w/ ZERO dirties) could be masking the damage from smoking?
ADDED:after reading a couple of answers-
I am aware of it trading addictions. Personally I screamed to my local ADAHM board for the 2 years I was waiting to get it here in Columbus Ohio.
I pleaded that I was needing it for pain management. At the time the state government had it so clamped down for anyone to get that my H habit worsened. I lived and live with the stigma that the H way was a WRONG way to manage pain. Well no SH!$ ! Would not this be a good enough reason to educate and distribute? Of course not. Then ,and even now to a certain degree I get these pangs telling me, "Paul, you did what you could do to deal with it all. Of course if they just would have understood that I had a real need to maintain the normal state of mind that the illegal substance afforded me things could have been much much better for all concerned. ..then I feel the unsettling conspiracy pang-" waiting is how you get punished".
Sorry about that. I never talk openly about this for a reason.

Methadone is not a narcotic antagonist. It is a narcotic. It is used to ween people from heroin because is does not have the same euphoric properties of heroin, and has a very long half life.

I fail to see the connection with quiting smoking. Methadone is not used as a smoking cessation aid. You would just be trading one addiction for another, and would not really help nicotine withdrawal in any quantifiable way.


edit:
Yes I am quite aware of it's uses, and it is a legitimate pain medication. I was referring to it's other qualities and why it is useful in the treatment of heroin addition.

2007-06-06 13:01:59 by paulj0557-vacuum cleaner expert

Price: $0.99

Like if I lose a tablet or two, or take a few too many can i fill day or two early? 3 days early? Get my drift? What is the law on early narcotic refills? (Methadone)

Depends on your insurance, if you file on insurance. Though you can choose to not file on insurance and sometimes the pharmacy can fill a bit earlier than 'insurance' allows. This is often solely up to the pharmacist on 'duty' at the pharmacy your medicine is located.

However, in general terms, generally you can always refill a *monthly* (30 day) prescription 2 days early. Often you can fill up to 5 days early.

Although! -- Methadone is a schedule II narcotic.

Also it is Methadone, which has a very strict scheduling and monitoring schedule by many agencies from the government down to the dispensing agent.

So technically the answer would be there are no 'refills' for methadone.

Though you do say it is handwritten, so you are getting a 'new' prescription every month.

This will largely be up to the pharmacist. Though by law the pharmacist should wait till the 30th day before refilling a schedule II narcotic.

The specific law is as follows:

We can write up to THREE schedule II Rx's on the same day, however, they are assumed to be 30 day supply's and the maximum supply for all three combined can be no more than 90 days. Further, we cannot post-date these Rx's they must bear the original date as the initial fill,but have specific instructions of when the subsequent Rx's can be filled.

Example:

Three prescriptions are written for 30 Methadone tablets/wafers each. The first can be filled on that date.. for this example let us say 1/2/2010.

Then second has instructions to not be filled until "1/30/2010" -- which is for the patient to have medication for the month of february.

The third is for the month of march, roughly 30 days later.

The prescription(s) are technically violating the law and, as such, are invalid if they are 'post dated' ..or without the specification of when to refill, by the same doctor in a time frame of less than 90 days.

So the answer should be look at the handwritten prescription and derive the fill date.

If your doctor has written the prescription with no specific instructions, then it can be filled , technically, on the date shown on the Rx itself.

Complicated, I know.. and it is frustrating to doctors and pharmacists alike. But the DEA is extremely tight on schedule II medications. Ritalin and the like would fall under the same "odd/strict" rules.

Thing is, if you get this once a month then the doctor should be writing it at a time that you can get it filled/need it filled. Again, if you are a day early it should be very much accepted. If it is within reason, the pharmacists generally don't have much problem. People can't be expected to wait till they run out and show up at the pharmacy at 6am the day they need the medicine.

Though it isn't incredibly common to be prescribed methadone in such a lenient manner - It is more commonly 'doled' out daily,.. or 'weekly' at clinics.

However if used for pain it is often written as you speak of,.. and some doctors will treat addicts (if this is the case, consider yourself lucky.)

Not to preach,but given the half-life of methadone, there should be absolutely no need to run out 'early'. It will do its job at the dose prescribed, and it doesn't 'wear off' after 4-5 hours like other medications.. it lasts beyond 24 hours (which is why it tends to build up in peoples systems over time).

If this were hydrocodone with apap (IE: Lortab/Vicodin, etc) the laws are much less strict.

2010-06-30 22:07:42 by Jeffrey

Price: $19.95

I don't know BUT both are addictive...... so, be careful!!

2007-05-09 19:18:16 by we take to the breeze...

The doctor I had been seeing released me and refered me to another pain clinic. I called them up to set a appointment and they said they needed medical records from the other doctor so I asked if I can pick them up and they said no they have to. Well time went by and I heard nothing so I had been running out of medicine so I went back to the other doctor who didn't care for me to get a prescription since I only had one pill left. So I explained to the nurse so she asked the doctor and he said no go to my orthopedic surgeon who said he can't issue pain medicine go to the hospital and you will get it there

That happens when a doctor suspects you are addicted to pain medication and the doctor does not want to be included in a crime that may be occurring, the hospital will evaluate you and determine whether the doctors concerns are founded or not.~

2010-05-14 14:53:07 by kic's