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 ...

Okay I don't know too much about this stuff but I'm trying to help my dad get off methadone. He has stopped for only two days and he really needs some help. We're from jacksonville florida. Any places we can call for him to take something to get off of it? Please help!

As the previous replier explained, Suboxone is a maintenance based for of treatment for opiate addiction, like methadone- however, you don't want to take suboxone if you're also taking (or have recently taken) methadone.
Suboxone contains a Narcan like proponent, that makes the user sick if they take other opiates- methadone is an opioid agonist; a synthetic opiate that binds to the same receptors in the brain that opiates do.
Suboxone has become the darling of the opiate treatment community over the last few years for many reasons; the most obvious one being that it's a little easier to obtain than methadone is.
The Harrison Drug Act made it illegal for a general practitioner or physician to prescribe methadone for opiate addiction treatment. Methadone has two uses: as a maintenance based therapy for opiate addiction, and as a pain management medication for chronic, severe pain. While a physician may prescribe it for pain, only a state run and certified Methadone Maintenance Clinic (MMT) may do so for opiate addiction. To do so, they are required to follow rigorous regulations and clients must adhere to these policies, or they will lose their place in the program.
These regulations include (but are not limited to) taking frequent, random, supervised drug test screens; participation in both one on one & group counseling; completing tri-monthly treatment goal plans that are used to demonstrate the patient is moving forward with their life not only in terms of sobriety, but as well as in establishing a stable home situation, getting gainfully employed, and anything else that their individual situation warranted. There are also annual physicals, periodic well-checks, routine blood work; occasional state required class completions (mainly educational- for ex: a class on HIV/AIDS, or Hepatitis C awareness may be mandated by the state; parenting classes, GED completion, etc.).
Methadone, when taken properly, does not impair cognitive function or slow motor skills- nor does it give the user a feeling of euphoria (in other words, it won't get you high). Suboxone CAN give the patient feelings of euphoria, and has a high risk for abuse.
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.
The first thing you need to understand is that methadone for opiate addiction is not a quick fix. Abstinence should always be the ultimate goal, and there are many forms of treatment available to you- detox, residential rehab, IOP, etc- but if those methods fail, repeatedly, then methadone is a very good option.
It has a lot of negative stigma b/c people are simply ignorant and uneducated about how it works- they consider it a bad drug, and a substitute high- when it reality, it is neither. In comparison to most medications, methadone has few side effects- nor does it get you high. It does require daily dosing to keep the patient from going into acute withdrawal, but it eliminates the use of needles, the potential for overdose or buying something mixed that is dirty and potentially dangerous; and it allows the addict to stop hustling, and begin turning his or her life around. Saying methadone should be banned b/c it's a bad medication is like saying chemotherapy should be banned b/c it's terrible- in some ways, yes, it is- but if you have cancer, it's a damn good way to beat it.
The bulk of the negativity we hear now has been the result of a few celebrity deaths I the tabloids- what most don't know however, is that none- ZERO- of those deaths- or any others- were related to a person taking methadone as prescribed. They were the result of taking it improperly, and in conjunction with other medications- and they were not getting their methadone from MMT clinics, but from physicians or friends they mislead.
MMT clinics don't give take home doses until the client has been in the program for a long period, and in total compliance through out- and even then, they are only given them in small increments (1-2 at a time)- the longer they're there and comply, the more they can earn, but it is rare for a clinic to ever give more than 5 or 6 at a time. When a client earns those, they must pick them up in a locked box and be willing to bring in any unused doses they should have left, within 24 hours, if the clinic calls them for a routine check.
Now- Suboxone.
Suboxone, as a rule, is not a bad drug- but methadone has, and remains to be, the most successful form of treatment for opiate addiction- among both maintenance and abstinence based programs. Some years back, a medication called ORALAM came out, and people were jumping for it: it required dosing only every other day, which gave the client more freedom.
After a heavy push to switch, many patients developed heart problems; and eventually, ORALAM was discontinued and the patients returned to methadone. Later, a study of client activity indicated a higher rate of relapse and drug abuse when they were on ORALAM, versus when they were on methadone.
Suboxone seems to be the latest ORALAM- but unlike ORALAM, or methadone- it can be prescribed by a general practitioner. All they have to do is complete a weekend long in service to get certified, and agree to not take on more than 25 Suboxone patients. Since then, they've popped up left and right. The patient has very little required of them other than taking their suboxone, and the doctors can give them a 30 day supply from day one.
Many patients on methadone made the switch, b/c it sounded like freedom. Most relapsed, and many returned to methadone.
The caveat is this: in order for a methadone patient to go to suboxone from methadone,they must first get down to a methadone dose of about 20-30mg (at the rate of 1-5mg decreases a week). Once there, they must stop using methadone for several days, and allow themselves to go into withdrawal- only then can they start suboxone- b/c again, suboxone has a narcan element that will make the user ill if they use opiates in conjunction with suboxone.
Most importantly- to get off methadone for suboxone makes little sense- it is very much trading one addiction for another. Suboxone is not a quick fix either, but it's less effective, and has less success.
I don't know the particulars of your father's situation- if he's using for pain or opiate addiction- or most importantly, why he wants to quit.
The longer a patient stays in an MMT program, the higher the success of his sobriety after. This has been proven time and time again, for decade after decade. Programs will never tell you to get off or stay on; it's the individual's decision, but they will warn any less than 2 years is highly unlikely to keep you sober. Many patients stay on it for years, and go on to live happy, productive lives.
If your father has personally made the choice to get off, then there is a process. Before I explain it though, I have to reiterate how vital it is that this be his choice- not b/c of family pressure. Many families don't understand how MMT works, and urge their loved ones to get off- at the expense of the addicts sobriety. It doesn't work like that- if it did, they wouldn't have needed it in the first place. I suspect Suboxone will not last long, at least for the indication of treatment for addiction- it lacks any requirements on behalf of the addict to change their lifestyle, which they must do if they want to stay clean. We lose not just our ability to not use in opiate addiction- we lose everything; and we must restart by building back up the things we tore down. MMT clinics help addicts do that; Suboxone on the other hand- well, it is exactly what most people think of methadone- little more than a legal daily dose. No treatment, no discipline, no responsibilty.
In addition, the person should have their life in order: a stable home environment, a good job they enjoy, strong- repaired- relationships with loved ones; hobbies and activities they enjoy. Without these, they stand no chance- opiate addiction has the lowest success rate of any addiction, and withdrawal from methadone is a thousand times harder than that from heroin or other opiates.
If your father falls under all these categories, then there is a process for weaning off that ease the transition and withdrawal. I know of very few people who did it a different way and made it through, the method is in place for a reason.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10 6559159942&ref=ts

I strongly urge you to read it.
If you have more questions, or need help locating something, please don't hesitate to email me, either through here or on the website board (I'm the creator/admin). Best of luck,

2010-11-25 05:37:24 by b628

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: $2.45 $2.45

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

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

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