???methadone clinics?????

My husband is addicted to methadone and he wants off soo badly. I keep hearing about methadone clinics and suboxodone and narco, what are these and how do you get into a methadone clinic? Does anyone now about if there are methadone clinics in seattle or the surrounding areas? And if the suboxodone and narco help with withdrawls where or how do i get them? thanks so much for taking the time to read this.

[GA Guy]

Where is he getting his methadone?

[symphonymom]

Methadone and Suboxone are very different medications.  I won't bore you with the difference in chemistry and how they interact with brain chemistry but I can share my own experience with BOTH!  After several years of abusing pain killers I went to a methadone clinic.  Where I live you basically call the clinic, tell them you are addicted to specific drug(s) and they will schedule an intake appointment.  Blood tests will be done and if you are 'lucky' they will establish your dose that day (depending on what drug of choice he has been taking, how much and how often) to 'stabilize' his cravings.

Now for the bad news.  The withdrawal from Methadone was WORSE than any painkiller I have ever come off of.  Even with tapering it was horrible.  So of course I relapsed and went right back into pain killer use.

After another year I decided to contact a local physician about Suboxone.  (if you do an internet search you will be able to find physicians in your area).  I started off taking the suboxone four times a day (it is dissolved sub-lingually---under the tongue) and was able to quickly move down to three, two then down to 1/2 tablet a day.  It was much better than Methadone.  

I found that with Methadone I always felt STONED and very very tired.  Would fall asleep at the drop of a hat regardless of my dose level.  Suboxone did not have that effect on me.

The withdrawals from Suboxone were uncomfortable but with chlonodine they were manageable.  The first two weeks are tolerable.  It's the year following while the damaged brain is healing that can be difficult.  I still have crappy days and have had a temp relapse of which I went cold turkey.  

Pros and Cons:
Pro- Methadone - SOME methadone clinics do accept medicaid.
Con- it is more difficult to taper off methadone, plus the daily clinic visits can be a real pain!

Pro - Suboxone - easier to obtain.  Physician will write you a prescription and you will visit once a month
Con - you have to be on a relatively low dose of methadone for suboxone to be 'ok' for your use
Con - Suboxone is more expensive and my insurance did not cover it.

I hope some of this is helpful and hasn't confused you!  Best of luck to you both!  

[mr.lucky66]

Methadone clinics don't like to take new patients that are addicted to methadone. There's a part of the story you didn't say, where does he get the methadone from? I know all about methadone clinics as I've been on several but I would have to know more about him and his history before I would recomend a clinic, if at all.

[angrydaughter522]

Hello, I am the 32 yr old daughter of both parents with addiction issues, but my dad has had many of injuries and birth defects( corrected) but was given pain pills since birth really, thanks to the good old docs !!
some 12 yrs ago after many of many pill popping days, decided- was told -to get on methadone....Oh what a NIGHTMARE, 25 mg (or whatnot) has now become 185 with room to go !!! Seems like you just need to walk in, fork over your money, tell them you take vicodin and off you go with some pretty pink stuff that makes you feel better, just to spend the day waiting to get dosed tomorrow !!!  His life is now consumed with getting thru today for tomorrows dose., even 12 yrs later...What a sad world we live in.....No one at this clinic offers help, ( its all confidential so my hands are tied !!)  where is the so called doctor  to help these people regain there life..not DISTROY it ..Where is the support and care to help recover these people not enable them, I am so sad to watch my dad just act like a junky, his personality is different, his relationship to life,God and people, escpecially his grandkids , his hope seems gone....I am just at a loss of how something that is suppose to help, with the right people involved, people who care,do their job,took their  oath in medicine and are there to guide the addict to recovery, the addict wont seek help most the time...  why are more and more people being dosed instead of helped ????
How can I cope with watching this?
How do I tell my kids grandpa has issues..too young to understand
Can i help him
Why do we just dose instead of help??



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