First day of Methadone Intake in the morning, SCARED and curious

[EmeraldEyesNJ]

Hi everyone.. I am honestly hoping that someone would read this and reply. So here goes, I am going to begin Methadone Detox/Treatment tomorrow morning for intake. I was told this is a counseling session, bloodwork, etc. i have no idea what to expect, so if anyone who has been though this before could help me easy my fears I would appreciate it more than you could know. Are they going to begin me on treatment tomorrow? Or am I going to have to wait until who knows and go into withdrawl and stuff...

[ihatescreennames]

hey everyone I have a question, I am currently taking at least 4 24mg hydromorph Cotin pills a day. Crushed up and sniffed. Need at least 1 just to get out of bed in the morning. Then have to use threw out the day just so I dont start to feel like crap. I no longer take these to feel a buzz. I take them so I am not violently ill with the worst w/d 's I have ever had in my life. In my teens I experimented. After I had my girls I did NO DRUGS what so ever, didnt drink, honestly I couldn't understand how people could fall into addiction and not be able to help themselves. Now look at me right? ahah maybe its my karma for being such a judgmental *****. Started off my eating a couple perks. I had severe stomach pain that none of the docs or OBGYN's were helping me with. Quickly that became more than a few up to about 10 a day and instead of orally i would crush and snort. From there I went to Morphine 30mg tablets. Didn't like them so much. then to daulidid 8mg breakthrew pills. at the very least 5 a day. After I was introduced to the hydro-morphine Cotin it got really bad really quick.... Long story short, circumstances have changed. I will no longer be able to keep myself medicated. This has been ruining my life for quite some time now, and I think maybe it's a blessing in disguise and is going to give my that extra push I need to get help. I have been contemplating going to the methadone clinic for a long time now. Im scared. Im worried about  how I will feel while my dose is being stabilized. im worried about becoming tolerant to this as well and just having a new battle to deal with. I am prepared to use methadone for a long period of time, if that is whats best for me....But i need something to help me pick up the pieces and get my life back together. Being sick is not an option as ashamed as I am to say this I have 2 young children that need me to be able to function on a daily basis. I have no help, so even being sick for a day is a huge deal. idk exactly what I should do I know this is an old thread just looking for someone to talk to and get some support since I cant find it elsewhere.

[Catt_N]

Just reading all these comments......  sigh....  once you take your first dose, & u feel great, you won't  wanna listen to anyone. That's what I did 12 years ago. It made me feel "normal".... no one told me anything about this drug 12 years ago, I thought it was a miracle. It wasn't long before I increased  higher then decreased then you become a shell of a person, I no longer wanted to go to family BBQs, parties, all I wanted to do was go to work and go straight home. I isolated myself from family & friends. I was no longer my old self after a couple of years. I stopped communicating with my husband... we nearly divorced from my behavior on methadone... and I've known him since we were 6.
Just knowing someone starting on this drug makes me anxious & my palms sweat like crazy.
If only u could see me detox,  then watch me go cold turkey off of it a month ago.
I sincerely hope everything will turn out good for you.
Please be careful, at least u have everything u need to know here on this site. I wish I did. I had to learn the hard way.
All the best.

[Jude17]

Dear Para ,
You HOPE you don't have to stop taking Methadone!  My husband has been on it for 12 years for chronic pain caused by cancer. He was on 4, 10 mg tabs 2X per day. His cancer hasn't relapsed, but since his cancer has no cure, he sees his oncologist every 6 months. The oncologist started him on Oxycodon & Oxycontin 18 years ago because the cancer caused holes in bones which resulted in the muscles overcompensating causing excruciating pain. Six years later, his job was eliminated and we had no insurance. Since methadone was so cheap, his doc prescribed that to replace the Oxy. Now 12 years later his oncologist is being forced to stop prescribing pain meds to patients who don't currently have cancer. The doc will prescribe for two months, cutting each quantity. He was on 240 per month, doc cut him to 180 the first month, then 90 the second month, to 0 the third month. Our primary doctor won't prescribe it, but will send him to a pain management specialist, who we've heard won't prescribe pain meds either (apparently, none in our area will, because of the high rx abuse in our state). Our primary doc told us this is happening everywhere. Last year, rheumatologists were forced to stop prescribing pain meds to their rheumatoid arthritis patients. Narcotics are only being prescribed for up to 90 days for severe diagnosis & surgeries, then you're cut off. So, even if you have severe chronic pain, you're out of luck. Hubby has been cutting his doseage, but can already barely function due to the pain. I'm thinking a methadone clinic may be his best or only option. However, he's very worried about going to a clinic. He's heard they treat everyone like crap. That you must wait hours to get your meds and he's afraid his job will find out. I'm worried too, but what else do we do?
Jude

[para1980T9]

Hi I am a paraplegic I must keep my identity private, I have had 2 full spinal fusions from scoliosis. I suffer chronic back pain. I became addicted to oxycontin, it got worse and worse, changing mood, needing more. After only 8 hours the withdrawal would hit.

I am different than many addicts here, although i was also an addict. However I replaced demerol, fentanyl patches, MS Contin-morphine time release and oxycontin "just time released oxycodone".

I can have any drug I ask my doctors for and as much as I want. & years ago I changed to Methadone, 10mg pills 2 X3 per day. Methadone saved my life. While on methadone I became CEO of the family company with 75 staff members and the company has grown every year under my control.

I take methadone for chronic pain because there is little high, you actually forget to take the pills, there is a long half life, you wake up fine, not needing pills right away. Actually this is who I am now, I will be on Methadone for the rest of my life and I recently got married to a vascular physician.

My methadone story is a story of success. I do not use breakthrough pills like percocet because there is zero effect. The methadone cancels any high from opiates. However, I don't drink, smoke or do anything negative to my body. I drink green tea all day long and eat right. Mentally i'm sharper now than I was before my operations. This year my company was awarded as a top 25 small company.

All I can tell you about methadone is that is should be the 1st choice for chronic pain. Its cheap and there is not a high that maker you become emotionally addicted like Oxy did. After 7 years on Methadone at 60mg per day I can tell you I have no intention on changing anything. I wont ever stop taking it and I like the person I am when Im on Methadone.

I wish everyone well, don't be afraid of this drug. You will have to stop taking Methadone one day I wont but I know the drug well and I recommend it for opiate addiction and especially chronic pain.

[Lilly1955]

Methadone destroyed my life . Way harder to stop than anything else. Some say it worked for them. I found the withdrawals to be horrendous.

[Chelty]

! I started methadone in my late 20's and it's been over 10 years. If someone would of told what I know now. I would of taken methadone for a few months and tapered down!
I think for some people they have to take it to function and to help
with the cravings. But for me personally I'm not an addicted. I'm
Physically addicted but I don't crave drugs. I started on 80mg methadone not knowing any better and realized I have to go down. So
I did 40mg and 20mg and now I'm on 10mg methadone.  And the withdrawals from 15mg to 10mg are the WORST for me. It's been 3 months of pain. I wish I could go back and have tapered off after 6 months. I wish someone could tell me how long the horror will last!! Every muscle hurts and my ovaries feel like a horrible toothache and I want to rip them out!! My back hurts, abdominal hurts, and depression has kicked in. I'm laying in bed with a heating pad. Any advise?

[Jenlynapple]

I believe for some users it's an answer but for others it's the worst , I call it liquid handcuffs and I feel like another I read I'm numb , my emotions out of whack , just living and that's it I barely laugh , I'm anti social , I was an out going funny girl once , now I feel like a robot best I can describe it , going to try my luck at comming off meth again , I'm at 20 lowest Iv been was 8 and couldn't take the withdrawl while having to be a single parent and work too , the constant nausea is terrible for me nothing takes it away , I cry I can't get out of bed , I honestly honesty think methadone is the biggest mistake of my life , my opinion thou

[milkymilk02]

hey, its nice to see all these posts from people who are in the same boat as I am in! being a heroin addict, I have gotten so so used to not having anyone to talk to that understands what people like you and I are going through, so thanks! I know this reply is a bit late, but, hey, better late than never right!?...im a heroin addict, 30 years old, and been using opiates for fifteen years now, heroin for six years...I have been on suboxone four different times, the first time I was on it was for addiction to pain pills like vicodan, Percocet, dilaudid...things like that and sub worked wonderfull for me for pain pill dependency! after detoxing from subs, and going back to using three times, and getting into heroin, and than going back onto subs after becoming addicted to heroin, I found that suboxone does not work well for heroin addiction at all, it does not by any means help whatsoever! I am now going to my first methadone appointment on Monday, five days from now, I have never ever tried methadone, not legally or illegaly, but, I now feel I have no other hope whatsoever other than to get on methadone! I can not wait to take my first dose, I am so tired of being a slave to heroin, the needle, and the dopeman...I am sooooo excited to begin methadone maintainence, I am more than ready to put the dope down and continue on with my life without being a slave to the dope and the needle...I am very lucky to be alive even, after many overdoses, and, abcesses, I have scars on my arms from abcesses and having to get them drained and having holes in my arms...methadone sounds like a god send to me after trying many many countless amounts of times to get clean...only to get sicker and sicker and sicker every time I try to kick...I just don't seem to be strong enough anymore to kick on my own...the only time I was successful was in 2011 , I kicked cold turkey and stayed clean for three months...it was wonderfull but I just cant seem to do it again, ive tried so many times just to fail...now, methadone feels like the only chance I have to get clean, I feel if I do not get on methadone, it is only a matter of time before I become another statistic of the number of people who die every single day due to heroin od...I can not say enough how excited and happy I am to begin methadone treatment and put down the needle and get on with my life and my family life once again...or instead of saying once again, I should say, finally, or, for the first time...I know im rambling, but, I am just so happy and excited!!~  heroin is so aweful, how we get into it, I do not know how or why, I just know that I would like to tell as many people as possible that heroin and all other drugs are just a waste of time and a waste of life...it will take your life over, it will ruin your life and everything in and around your life, it is the devil...do you have any advice for me with methadone clinic? any advice on how I can talk to my family, and try to help them understand my addiction without getting mad at me, or without me hurting them anymore? I  have hurt them enough already, I just need them to try to understand...family is all I have in my life...idk what im trying to say or ask in this long *** paragraph... I guess it just feels good to ramble on...thanks everyone, hope to here back from you all soon!!!

[kookiekellie]

Hi i am 28 new to this
Ive been taking heroin since my 16th birthday.
But i found love 6 yrs ago and moved away from the area
Ive been taking methadone for 5 and a half years.
I tapered down over the last 5 years from 120 right down to 5 mils
I started a home detox with tablets the doctors gave me but my withdrawals were to emmence from the right off and i felt my brain wouldn't couldn't function i couldn't even talk to my daughter who is 8 i couldn't even get up or be awake in them 10 days so i would miss out my antidepressant cause i was asleep and sleep i needed.
I gave up because i felt i was alone and took 5 mils of methadone after being in pain for 12 days.i was in bed wacked out on the tablets the doctors gave me to detox for 10 days i couldn't do anything.and when i told my worker i had taken the 5 mils i was shouted at and that made things worse.the anxiety was emmence so much so i lost weight in a month after i started bk with methadone i was a size 12 uk now im a size 6 uk and fit into 10-11 kids clothes uk

But now i am doing things alone cold turkey my docs dont know of this yet my last does was on the 9/11/13 that was half a mil i have been feeling very cold agitated pain in my legs arms anxious but its not emmence as of yet i have been using 1 zopiclone at night . And so far have been able to take my antidepressants.
I have an appointment tomorow to see a doctor this is not my usual one but im needing to tell them what i am trying to do.
Ive done a cold Turkey off heroin before i mean with nothing and i successfully made it through for months without anything but the depression kicks in and i went bk on it.
Methadone isn't a drug to be taken lightly i know this now but didn't then.
I'm able to write today and it would be nice to have someone to talk to anyone out there that has done this and comeout the other side please give me advice.today i have taken a multi vitamin and I'm not sure if i am ment to but i took a 20mils dose of beechams all in one the reccomended does.
Anyone that will help to tell me if or what more i might expect i will truly be greatful.
Enough of my ramblings its just a bit about me

[Terrapin0210]

Hi I have my intake apointment to get into a methadone clinic tomorrow morning then on Monday I see the doctor, I have no idea what to expect tomorrow, I don't know if I'm suppose to go in withdrawing or if I'm suppose to go in with opiates in my system. I'm so scAred i will get refused for one or the other. Since you have recently been through it I was hoping you could share with me exactly what the process was like so i know what to expect and what I need to do. Thanks so much
Terrapin

[MrWicked32]

Methadone withdraws???? They brought me down 5 Mgs per week and it was an easy slip out of it. Just a little more sweat than normal. In the peak of the heroin addiction I was using anywhere from .5 to 2 grams a day(whatever I could get my hands on) methadone was my savior. I have gained freedom....I tried suboxone but it made me nauseas

[clean_in_ks]

Just wanted to let you know, that this thread you posted on is over a year old and the person you responded to isn't around anymore.

If you want to copy and paste this post of yours so others see it and can respond....go to the orange "post a question" tab at the top of this page
and post it there "as a new comment/question".  

[brighterfuture701]

I have to agree that each person responds differently. I was just recently discharged from a inpatient chemical dependency at a hospital. The hospital detoxed me with subuxone and it worked great but they discharged with no further help. I was listed as a high risk so no outpatient program would except me and with my job and child I could not do the MICD program. I really wanted to do the outpatient for help but the hospital counselor would only contact 1 place and was told they denied me and being high risk no place will take me. I left the hospital still having withdrawal symptoms and huge cravings for opiods, oxy, vicodin, percs, ect.... I spent the weekend searching for subuxone clinics for help and found 1 that called me back right away, scheduled me in the very next day and close to home. After meeting with the intake person they felt methadone would be better suited for me since I suffer with chronic pain. They explained with chronic pain subuxone will not help with the pain part and I run a high risk of relapsing, methadone will help with the pain and the cravings once my dose is found. My insurance covers it and with the pain controlled and cravings I can begin to get my life back. The daily visits suck but there is the possibility of going on a monthly script in the future. I am currently looking at being on methadone for a very long period of time, however I can ask to be tapered off at any time and yes it is a very slow taper but I feel that is best, it allows time for my mind to adjust and get used to the fact I am tapering off. I have found in the past a fast taper just caused me to relapse and the mental part of my addiction just wasn't ready. There is also the option of switching to subuxone (yes there is a waiting period and I'm sure other steps to take) but if I no longer need methadone for pain maintenance I can switch to subuxone for awhile and taper off that way. The most important thing for people to remember and think about is you have to do what is best for you not what others think, you have to be comfortable with your decision. Just because 1 person didn't like methadone or had trouble coming off it doesn't mean it will happen to you. Find a clinic you are comfortable with, a doctor you trust and go for it. I just started this program today but I went from feeling hopeless and depressed yesterday to feeling good about tomorrow. I hate the day to day visits but I want my life back and will do what I need to do to get that. Inpatient CD has not helped me in the past, this is my next option and have high hopes. My clinic is helpful, clean and from what I can tell they want to help me get my life back and willing to work with me any way they can. Even telling me that relapsing on the program is not the end of the world and will not cause me to get kicked out. Be honest with them, tell them what you did and move on.

[Joycemac]

You may not have helped the original posters but I'm sure others read your comment and got something from it.

[buzzandwoody]

J

[red2423]

Good advice and so true................

[slowpoke1967]

its so stupid of me to try and help others that have had there posts up for years ,,what was i thinking ,,i never botherd to look at the dates when i started writeing people ,,by now these people are the ones wishing they chose another route,,best wishes to any that read this

[slowpoke1967]

the dose your on as far as an addiction in my opinion does not warrant going on a terrible drug like methadone,,believe me im not knocking you in the slightest to each there owne,and this may be a terrible addiction for you but do me a favour even though you probably already made up your mind ,,please please talk to (gnarly_1) before starting in on methadone,i am only asking you to do this to save you from a world of hurt,,,there are other ways and as bad as i was i wish i chose one of those other ways,,i read the books on methadone and read all i could about the help it can give ,,but i never read about the bad it does,,please take my advise and get ahold of him he is great and knows more about this drug than most and can help you ,,,this all comes from the love i have for addicts because im one and there are so many

[mortgageman1]

ok so im on month 3 of meth and have not relapsed once and i have had no desire to take a pill but i have to admit i dont like the feeling at night i am fine all day till about 7 or so i started on 50 of meth and im on 40 now but i will do it good luck to all.

[mortgageman1]

Hi
ThaNKS  i am on day 2 and so far so good. little rough last night but nothing i couldnt handle.

[Oxy480Jim]

You are overdosing acetaminophen.  You are playing Russian roulette every single day.
If you kill your liver, there is no cure, You will die.

I will even say YES!  do the methadone rather than those pills!
At least you will be alive to consider other options. But do consider them after yu are stablized on the methadone.

[Oxy480Jim]

The problem with methadone, even though it does work for a lot of people to get them off the drugs, is that you are then stuck on methadone.
A better answer for some people, IF they qualify, is a Buprenorphine taper  program, where if successful a person could be drug free in as little as 21 days, and not have to go through serious withdrawals. many people report  mild to none at all.

If methadone is your best option,  I agree. it's a lot better than being a junky.  But drug free would be even better. Buprenorphine treatment isn't for everyone, and isn't free.

It could be used to get off the methadone later as well. Everyone's situation is different.

[mortgageman1]

Tomorrow i start methadone, I am on a 20 to 25 perc 10s a day i want off and i am terrified i dont eat any more ive lost about 50 pds I hate percs i never thought i would be one of those people but here i am. I tried cold turkey a few times to no avail so this is my last chance. wish me luck.

[gnarly_1]

check your e/mail sent you some info.......Gnarly