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Help! Methadone or not??
I really need some advice and help at the moment. Im in a bit of a mess.
To cut a long story short - Ive been abusing codeine for about a year now. Ive slowly built up my intake and take about 200mg a day (all in one dose).
Ive been to seek some help for this and recently saw a substance abuse Dr who wants me to begin a methadone programme. Im really unsure about this and just feel that this is quite drastic action and dont want to jump out of the frying pan into the fire - so to speak. The leaflet they gave me scared me to death - saying it was a class A drug, I would need to inform the DVLA and may not be able to drive (Im a mum of 3 children who I drive to school).
I just dont know what to do. I suffer from depression too and my medication has stopped working. The Dr I saw felt that I was suffering from anxiety too and this needed attention. He explained that if I didnt go on the methadone programme then I wouldnt have access to the mental health team there. I just dont know what to do.
Has anyone any experience of methadone??
This discussion is related to I NEED HELP PLEASE..
To cut a long story short - Ive been abusing codeine for about a year now. Ive slowly built up my intake and take about 200mg a day (all in one dose).
Ive been to seek some help for this and recently saw a substance abuse Dr who wants me to begin a methadone programme. Im really unsure about this and just feel that this is quite drastic action and dont want to jump out of the frying pan into the fire - so to speak. The leaflet they gave me scared me to death - saying it was a class A drug, I would need to inform the DVLA and may not be able to drive (Im a mum of 3 children who I drive to school).
I just dont know what to do. I suffer from depression too and my medication has stopped working. The Dr I saw felt that I was suffering from anxiety too and this needed attention. He explained that if I didnt go on the methadone programme then I wouldnt have access to the mental health team there. I just dont know what to do.
Has anyone any experience of methadone??
This discussion is related to I NEED HELP PLEASE..
Thank you Brian - it really does help to talk it through and get your feedback.
Ive been to my GP and he has agreed to do a taper plan at home. I will collect my codeine on a weekly basis and we have changed my anti depressant too. Im feeling very hopeful at the moment and quite determined to do this.
Im so glad that I didnt go the methadone route.
thanks again.
Ive been to my GP and he has agreed to do a taper plan at home. I will collect my codeine on a weekly basis and we have changed my anti depressant too. Im feeling very hopeful at the moment and quite determined to do this.
Im so glad that I didnt go the methadone route.
thanks again.
By no means am I trying to say your codeine habit is small but realize if you decided to go on methadone you would be going from one of the weakest opiates to one of the strongest opiates out there. You would be going from one of the easier opiates to get off of to the hardest to get off of. (I don't mean to say it's easy because there is no such thing as an easy opiate to get off of. I just wanted to make you aware of how much harder methadone is to detox from. It doesn't matter what our drug of choice is, there is no easy addiction. It's not so much the drug but the disease. I just wanted to clarify because I don't think your addiction is any different than any other addiction out there. I guess I just wanted you to know that you were right by saying, "jumping from the frying pan in to the fire.) I know of one person that has said methadone is a cakewalk to get off of. I've seen hundreds of posts saying it was the most brutal experience they have ever attempted. And I did say "attempted". because most couldn't make it and went right back to the clinic. I know of only a couple that stayed off of it and it took months to feel somewhat back to normal. Now if you were taking so much acetaminophen each day to do liver damage, I could see where it would be an option because it would be saving your life. Also, if you have not made at least a few honest attempts of getting off of the codeine, I wouldn't even say the word methadone.
Have you tried to taper? I have tapered off of vicodin and also oxy in the past and made it through with little to no withdrawal. If you do not have the willpower to taper on your own, have someone you can confide in hold on to them for you.
You could also just go cold turkey and try and get it over with. There are things that can help such as eating healthy, pushing the good fluids, and most importantly, exercise. You can also find a list of supplements in the health pages which is titled the"amino acid protocol".
You can definitely do this on your own but you did mention that you have access to the mental health team. Is it at all possible for you to go to rehab? Rehab doesn't just get you off of the pills and help to make you comfortable during withdrawals but it will also incorporate life skills in order to stay clean. Like I said, you can do this on your own but many would kill for a chance to go to rehab because if you are serious about getting clean it can really help.
Methadone definitely has its place and it can be a great option for some. You have to do what you feel comfortable doing. If you are having doubts about it, you may want to put it on the back burner. The methadone clinic isn't going anywhere. It can always be a last resort as it should be after you have made a handful of honest attempts at getting clean. That is unless you are putting you health and life at risk.
But do what you feel is best for you. Just don't make it a spontaneous decision. Do your research and don't make the call until you feel it is an educated decision.
Be sure to keep posting for support no matter where you are at in recovery.
Best of luck!
Brian
Have you tried to taper? I have tapered off of vicodin and also oxy in the past and made it through with little to no withdrawal. If you do not have the willpower to taper on your own, have someone you can confide in hold on to them for you.
You could also just go cold turkey and try and get it over with. There are things that can help such as eating healthy, pushing the good fluids, and most importantly, exercise. You can also find a list of supplements in the health pages which is titled the"amino acid protocol".
You can definitely do this on your own but you did mention that you have access to the mental health team. Is it at all possible for you to go to rehab? Rehab doesn't just get you off of the pills and help to make you comfortable during withdrawals but it will also incorporate life skills in order to stay clean. Like I said, you can do this on your own but many would kill for a chance to go to rehab because if you are serious about getting clean it can really help.
Methadone definitely has its place and it can be a great option for some. You have to do what you feel comfortable doing. If you are having doubts about it, you may want to put it on the back burner. The methadone clinic isn't going anywhere. It can always be a last resort as it should be after you have made a handful of honest attempts at getting clean. That is unless you are putting you health and life at risk.
But do what you feel is best for you. Just don't make it a spontaneous decision. Do your research and don't make the call until you feel it is an educated decision.
Be sure to keep posting for support no matter where you are at in recovery.
Best of luck!
Brian
IBKleen - this is exactly how I feel!! I dont feel that my problem warrants this extreme resort but not really knowing much about addiction I have no idea of the right way to go.
I think I have decided not to proceed with the methadone programme at the moment, I will call the substance misuse team tomorrow and tell them, then I will make an appointment with my own GP.
Thanks guys
I think I have decided not to proceed with the methadone programme at the moment, I will call the substance misuse team tomorrow and tell them, then I will make an appointment with my own GP.
Thanks guys
we tried for about a year to get clean and could only get I think 45 hours or so. The money thing was the reason for us.We were so Damm poor from buying them.I was getting mind from a doctor from having a back surgeries. But it was never enough in the bottle but with the Methadone we do have our life's back but we are still drug addicts.Got to have the juice but it is awesome for pain too.......... Heck what am I doing trying to tell someone how to get off of opiates. Heck I couldn't do it without the Methadone,and thats the damm truth.So the best of luck and Shadow740 you are right,Opiates SUCK to come off of.
The thing is that the Methodone really scares me. Maybe I should try alot harder to taper the codeine and do it that way. I have only tried this once and to be honest my heart wasnt in it so didnt really try very hard.
I also agree about the depression/anxiety thing.
I am thinking that maybe if I go to my own GP then maybe he could give me a daily script for codeine and taper me off it and either add an extra anxiety med to my usual anti depressant or change that completely. Anyone know of good anti anxiety meds??
I also agree about the depression/anxiety thing.
I am thinking that maybe if I go to my own GP then maybe he could give me a daily script for codeine and taper me off it and either add an extra anxiety med to my usual anti depressant or change that completely. Anyone know of good anti anxiety meds??
The methadone program today in most cities hands out liquid and they start with the lowest dosage and monitors you daily to avoid the methadone dependency as much as possible. They will tell you that you will be addicted but compare it to heroin or oxy and its a cakewalk and that's the truth.
I'm not saying any drug withdrawal is easy...its just a cakewalk from withdrawing from an opiate. Opiates SUCK to come off of. :(
I'm not saying any drug withdrawal is easy...its just a cakewalk from withdrawing from an opiate. Opiates SUCK to come off of. :(
I am in the Methadone program now, and it save my life and also my wife's too,but we were doing oxy's at the time.We were doing them everyday for three years.before you go to the program you should try any other way to get off of them.I don't know much about Codeine but PLEASE try something else.Then if it doesn't work then think about Methadone.I shouldn't ask this but how are you taking this,by mouth or what. The methadone is just another drug, you really want to get off then just give them up.Start cutting back on the pills about 10% aweek. So instead of 200,take 190 for aweek,then 180 the next week and just try that first before you go getting into the program.And Listen to the people on this web site they are here for YOU.They love helping people out.I love the program but wish I would have try a different way,now I am a juicer for life.
janice, i forgot to tell you that... you have to work on some aftercare after detoxing, sure....Therapy , addiction counselling, Na meetings... whatever it may work for you.
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Consider yourself very lucky that you had no wd from methadone. That isnt usually the norm.
btw, you don't even know what dosage her doctor was going to prescribe her...it might have been the mildest dosage of the drug and for only a few weeks.
I don't think anyone knows what is needed beside the individual and their doctor. Opiates have a specific effect on the body. Methadone clinics don't always prescribe methadone. Iknow people that they have said didn't need it. What they do is offer a cheap and discrete series of tests and support.
Some people have difficulty quitting methadone and for this reason doctors now taper individuals off of it gradually and with assistance. It isn't like it used to be.
She/he may or may not need the drug but no one will know that without a medical exam by a trained professional.
I hope anyone can kick a drug without help. I have just seen too many relapses in my line of work to know that opiates have a specific hold on you, as they once did on me.
Some people have difficulty quitting methadone and for this reason doctors now taper individuals off of it gradually and with assistance. It isn't like it used to be.
She/he may or may not need the drug but no one will know that without a medical exam by a trained professional.
I hope anyone can kick a drug without help. I have just seen too many relapses in my line of work to know that opiates have a specific hold on you, as they once did on me.
I have heard a lot of people coming off the methadone and it is not easy at all, they have had a really hard time..... i don't think it is needed here ..... you can treat your anxiety and depression issues with therapy and if you need it an antidepressant and quit the codeine that you have been abusing for a year without the methadone ...
I am 13 years clean off heroin and thank God every day for methadone. I had no problem withdrawing from it after 4 months and in the past 13 years I have not had one relapse. Methadone is also the only thing that has successfully gotten my bf off of oxycontin. Doctors don't usually advise drugs addicts to get on more pills unless they believe it will help.
Just my opinion, but coming off methadone is nothing like coming off of an opiate. I tried to get off heroin and I wasn't' without willpower. I was one of those straight A types in school. It was just too hard.
If you look at me today you would never know that I was ever an addict.
Just my opinion, but coming off methadone is nothing like coming off of an opiate. I tried to get off heroin and I wasn't' without willpower. I was one of those straight A types in school. It was just too hard.
If you look at me today you would never know that I was ever an addict.
I understand your concern. Just because he is a doctor does not mean you have to do what he says. It is your body and you need a doctor that is going to be your advocate. Maybe he is right but you can always get a second opinion from another doctor? DId you talk to the doctor about weaning? going into a program? Is he a pain doctor? have you broken your contract with a pain doctor?
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I find it so hard to believe that anyone would suggest that you go on Methadone for Codeine abuse. Please understand that I am by no way suggesting that your addiction is that bad or anything like that but it would so sad to see you do this. I am not an advocate but if I were to recommend it, it would only be in the case of hard core Heroin addiction and even then I would be hard pressed to recommend it. You have no idea what you would be in for and it would be such a shame to see you go through that.
By all means, speak with your doctor about a good taper plan and some outside support.
I understand that anxiety, depression and withdrawal go hand in hand but before you decide to take yet another drug, give the withdrawal process a chance. You may find that the anxiety is not there. You may find that it is there. At that point you can speak with your doctor about that but don't jump the gun. Right now you want to get off of all drugs, right? It takes time for your body and your mind to re-adjust, for lack of a better term, so give it that time.
Let us know how you make out at the doctor and stick around here. Often just talking about it relieves the stress and anxiety. Glad you found your way here.