Concerns about methadone and alcohol

My girlfriends is on long term methadone treatment. She currently takes 120mgs daily. However, she also consumes anywhere from 10-14 beers every night (yes, EVERY night). She drinks to the point of falling asleep (passing out) whether it be upright in a chair, on the toilet, on the couch... really wherever she is at the time. I've tried to discuss this with her and it only starts an argument. From what I've read, she is creating a deadly cocktail and I am worried. Does anyone have any suggestions or more information on what she is doing to her body so that I can be better educated and try to somehow get her to clean up? Your help is much appreciated.

[IBKleen]

Hi,

It is a very deadly cocktail and if she continues, that is how you will find her one of these days. She needs help and since she does not think so, I don't know what to tell you.

You could try confronting her again, threaten to leave, whatever, but again, she first has to realize she has a problem and then she has to want the help.

As for you, you have to decide if this is how you want to live your life. If she doesn't make the change, nothing will change and you will spend whatever time she has left carrying her off to bed. That is very sad.

[TysonRed]

Yeah mixing opiates with any other drugs is never a good idea, some are worse than others with alcohol being on of them. By now she has probably built up quite the tolerance, but it only takes once of taking too much or drinking too much for bad things to happen. Does she take any other prescription medications, mainly benzo's like xanax, valium, ativan, klonopin etc...or take any sleeping medications. Hopefully she doesnt but if she does then she really needs to get help. Like IBkleen said the first step is for her to admit she has a serious problem that will eventually kill her or land her in prison, theres just no way to go through life like that and expect for everything to be okay. The only thing that you can say is that you care for her and are only looking out for her health, trust me she's ashamed and most people get defensive or in complete denial about how serious the situation is. Unfortunately I know all to well what being in your shoes feels like, my mom is an alcoholic (3-5bottles wine/day), along with that she has 25mcg fentanyl patches, xanax, restoril along with a host of various anti-depressant and bi-polar medication. Its really escalated to the point now that we as a family have to do something to save her life, but were just not sure exactly how to do it. Alcohol is a tricky drug to be addicted to because when someone wants to get sober, they have temptation in every grocery store, restaraunt, gas station, I mean if I could get my previous drug of choice at the super market I really dont know if I could remain clean. Bottom line is she has to be willing to admit theres a problem and either seek professional help of some kind, or atleast try quitting the beer by herself. Thats not to say that I dont think she needs to get off the methadone as well but the drinking needs to stop, especially if theres any other medications involved. So when you do talk to her try not to sound judgemental and really tell her how scared you are for her well being. It could help if you got some of her family or other friends to help you out with talking to her. One other thing is Im sure you know is that you dont want to enable her at all to keep doing what she is doing, no driving her around, no money, no covering up for her, it all has to stop, just be sure that she herself doesnt try to drive after drinking. Done ever give up on people, she may not get it through her addicted mind quickly, but eventually you should be able to get through to her, try to catch her when shes sober or atleast not drinking. Ive found that trying to talk sense into somebody when there drunk about their problem does absolutely nothing, most of the time they dont remember what they did or said the night before. As far as her body is concerned its probably affecting her liver the worst, but Im not that educated on the medical consequences of the two. One other thing that I learned about alcohol is that it is an acute anti-depressant and a long term depressant, so in the moments of her drinking she probably feels great, but in the long run its really making her life even more depressing, I thought that was kind of interesting. I wish you the best of luck, your an incredible friend for trying to help her through this mess, the key is to get her onboard the road to recovery. From my own experience with my mom it has been incredibly difficult for her to dedicate her time towards getting better, I think her longest stint without alcohol was for about 2 weeks in the last 5yrs or so and she was still on her pain patch and other meds. Sorry for rambling on but living around an alcoholic has made me realize just how horrible alcohol is, I know its a very socially accepted drug, but it should be illegal, all it does is kill people, absolutely no medical value at all and yet because there so much money involved alcohol is more acceptable than marijuana, just crazy, but thats a whole nother topic. Take Care.

[mtgoat911]

thats a stong amount of methadone she is on, its about the same as taking 2 oxies a day or 3 bags of herion, i more concerned for you
not many people can be around someone on these drugs, and when they do it affects them, unless you are also on methadone
the best bet would be to start going to alonon and try to get her into treatment, this is ofcoarse if you are not on drugs
wish you the best, i was on methadone and suboxone for a long time, my spouse stayed on sub my first year clean, i told him its me and the kids or the drugs