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methadone and hep c treatment
I am about to start the hep c treatment. I also have been taking methedone for 2 1/2 years from a methedone clinic...I am now at 30 mg a day. I take 15 mg in the am and the other 15 mg a in the evening... only if needed. They each know about the other and all seems ok. Has anyone been in this situation and how has the hep c treatment been working for you?:
I've been methadone free for 27 years. Life is great without it. Try it you might like it.
i just read through all of these comments and of course i have one as well. i can see you are not "ok" with your treatment on methadone, or at least that is kinda how your tone comes off....i know its going to be one of the hardest things to stop using methadone, but all in all every addict is pretty much always in a state of "quitting" at most every given minute of our lives....you should know, there is a place for it. some have a life with the drug after the pain is unraveled.....and for the rest of us its the option we have chosen to live a ''somewhat normal'' everday life without a chronic need to destroy our bodies mat any price just to "be well'' and not "be sick''...., i just hear your frustration with methadone, i have it too, you must know i now get that there is no perfect milogram....only a close to perfect way to live, which can never involve abusing the damn poppy plant. it will help the loads of side effects while in therapy for hep.... im curious if you have quit youre daily dose yet or if you have changed your mind? always know in your heart, there is no perfect milogram....and its your life to live, not ours or anyone elses, you have to suffer through your own demons and try not give in to them, and if that little cup of pink fliud keeps you safe in your own skin than its purpose has been done...good luck.
NYGirl and BoceprevirGirl are so correct. We have been presentiung hepatitis C information to staff at methadone clinics since 1999. In fact Dr Diana Sylvestre Director of OASIS, a methadone clinic in Oakland, California, has done many studies of MMT patients on treatment. She has actually had a higher SVR rate in her clinic patients than most studies show. Also, very few patients need adjustment in their methadone dose while being on interferon treatment, although a few do. There is absolutely no reason to go off methadone in order to treat your hepatitis. In fact, as one of the ladies said, going off may hurt your chances of SVR for many reasons....non-compliance due to side effects, relapse into drug abuse, etc. Methadone is very liver-friendly and as NYGirl states, "one thing at a time. "
I see lots of comments here,here's mine. I have been on methadone 145mg for 3 years I asked everyone my doctors people at the clinic and for the most part I was told deal with the meth later, I even talked it over with the drug companies that make the 3 treatment drugs.my HepC virial load came back @14weeks as nonexistent I'm completely clean of the HepC. This week I find out if I can stop at 6 months or go the whole year. Here's to hoping 6 months! Gooduck!!
Listen to my thoughts, willbb and can do
They won't steer you wrong.
And nice to meet you my thoughts.
They won't steer you wrong.
And nice to meet you my thoughts.
Yes, hi debs1226, and sorry to go off subject. I know lots of people who have successfully gone thru Hepatitis C Treatment, while on methadone, and they have been cured for years now.
Congrats on getting down to 30 mgs, that's great, and good luck with your treatment!
Congrats on getting down to 30 mgs, that's great, and good luck with your treatment!
Ps they do give it to people for pain, people who take 80mgs of oxy a day but get no relief. You know if you start taking one percocet a day, then it's three a day, then it ten mgs of oxy yeah it happens. Suboxone and methadone is the go to when Demerol and morphine don't work.
It's totally reasonable.
It's totally reasonable.
Ok deb( from another deb) this is from someone who's been there.
Just do treatment and worry about the methadone later. Unlike people who think you take suboxone to get off meth -I was on subs for five or seven years. Ssdd.
I have been cured for six years? A long time. I waited until I was ready then slowly decreased one year ago actually. Hardest thing I ever did. My brain still wants them oddly enough.
But, treTment is the priority. There is relapse and then there is relapse.
Work on one at a time.
And don't listen to those who know not what they speak.
Just do treatment and worry about the methadone later. Unlike people who think you take suboxone to get off meth -I was on subs for five or seven years. Ssdd.
I have been cured for six years? A long time. I waited until I was ready then slowly decreased one year ago actually. Hardest thing I ever did. My brain still wants them oddly enough.
But, treTment is the priority. There is relapse and then there is relapse.
Work on one at a time.
And don't listen to those who know not what they speak.
You are right. I'm sorry for going off.
@Debbs, I have no exp while on meth and tx. Good luck to you. If there is anything I can do to help you please let me know.
@Debbs, I have no exp while on meth and tx. Good luck to you. If there is anything I can do to help you please let me know.
The OP only wants to know if there is anyone who was on MMT while treating. It's not unusual for addicts to have an opinion on the highly controversial topic, MMT but advising the OP to stop/start her medication seems out of bounds given she has provided no details whatsoever about her life or medical history. I am just saying.
I have to be honest, I never heard of anyone besides addicts getting methadone until today.
"May be more likely to relapse". BS! I know at least 15 recovered addicts who have completed tx and not one of them mentioned wanting to get high during tx.
The rap while your on meth is that it's so hard to get off don't even try. It's crap that addicts say so they don't have to confront getting clean. It's not true.
I felt better after a few months. Was it pleasant? No, but I wanted to get off so I did it with the help of many other people. If someone wants to get off they can. Just ask for help. I went from 90 mgs. to 0. I didn't sleep for 17 days except for little pass out sessions 15-20 mins long. I felt like crap for about 4 weeks. Then I slowly came back. It was the best thing I ever did and I believe that is the main reason I am alive today.
As you can tell this is a sore spot for me as I used to believe all that crap myself. I lost a lot of good people who believed it too. It's not true.
"May be more likely to relapse". BS! I know at least 15 recovered addicts who have completed tx and not one of them mentioned wanting to get high during tx.
The rap while your on meth is that it's so hard to get off don't even try. It's crap that addicts say so they don't have to confront getting clean. It's not true.
I felt better after a few months. Was it pleasant? No, but I wanted to get off so I did it with the help of many other people. If someone wants to get off they can. Just ask for help. I went from 90 mgs. to 0. I didn't sleep for 17 days except for little pass out sessions 15-20 mins long. I felt like crap for about 4 weeks. Then I slowly came back. It was the best thing I ever did and I believe that is the main reason I am alive today.
As you can tell this is a sore spot for me as I used to believe all that crap myself. I lost a lot of good people who believed it too. It's not true.
Hey Jimee. My husband lost his leg in a motor-cycle accident, and he used to take other pain meds, to manage his pain, but they were hard on his stomach: Vicodin has tylenol in it, and was giving him GERD and ulcers.
So our Doctor gives him Methadone pills, for pain management. He was never addicted to heeroin at all
They have been using Methadone for chronic pain management (people, like my husband, an amputtee, will always have phantom limb pain, its not going to get better_ I wouldn't suggest using it for pain management, for people who will get better though) for about five years now, I think.
I did read a few studies, that have said recovering addicts may be more likely to relapse during Tx, because of the Interferon causing psych effects, such as depression.
I havent known that to be true, with us here, or the people in my HCV support group, at home though.
How did you quit methadone, I thought people had to go on subutox, and that the withdrawals from methadone last a year sometimes, or even forever?
So our Doctor gives him Methadone pills, for pain management. He was never addicted to heeroin at all
They have been using Methadone for chronic pain management (people, like my husband, an amputtee, will always have phantom limb pain, its not going to get better_ I wouldn't suggest using it for pain management, for people who will get better though) for about five years now, I think.
I did read a few studies, that have said recovering addicts may be more likely to relapse during Tx, because of the Interferon causing psych effects, such as depression.
I havent known that to be true, with us here, or the people in my HCV support group, at home though.
How did you quit methadone, I thought people had to go on subutox, and that the withdrawals from methadone last a year sometimes, or even forever?
Are you saying methadone is good for your liver? Can you also explain the statement "If you take it for addiction your chances of relapse are greatly increased". The sx from triple tx do not include pain. I know, I was on it. When did they start giving methadone to people for pain? It's for people addicted to opiates no? What research do you have to back this up?
I'm suggesting getting off the methadone before starting tx. How does this increase your chances of relapse? Please enlighten me.
I'm suggesting getting off the methadone before starting tx. How does this increase your chances of relapse? Please enlighten me.
Getting off methadone won't help your chances of SVR. Actually, if you take it for addiction, your chances of relapse are greatly increased. And, if you take it for pain, your dose will help with the side effects. Studies have shown that those who stay on their dose are more likely to complete treatment and not withdraw from tx due to side effects. Also, as a MMT patient, you likely know that tapering takes time to be done correctly. Even from 30mg a day it could take a while. Tapering too fast is also a risk for relapse.
Hi Debs, I don't take methadone but I do take narcotics (Opana ER, 10mg) to help take the edge off severe chronic pain from a spinal cord disease. Before I started triple tx I required 4 tablets per day, but after I started tx with Incivek I found that it felt like I had doubled the dose of narcotics. I figured out that the Opana was just starting to last the full 12 hours that it's supposed to last, so I dropped from taking it 4x daily down to 2x daily and it worked out fine. The interferon/ribavirin combo alone don't seem to affect the Opana.
Here's my two cents.
Get off the meth first to give yourself the best chance to SVR. 15 mgs is nothing. It's mostly a mental game once you get below 40 mgs. I know firsthand. Get clean first them start tx. PM me if you'd like to know how I did it.
Good luck.
Get off the meth first to give yourself the best chance to SVR. 15 mgs is nothing. It's mostly a mental game once you get below 40 mgs. I know firsthand. Get clean first them start tx. PM me if you'd like to know how I did it.
Good luck.
Many people who treat are on methadone. It is true that some with liver disease need a higher or lower dose due to the liver's ability to process, and many folks on treatment need to raise their dose for several reasons:
1.) it helps with side effects
2.) side effects from tx often mimic withdrawl, and patients are at a higher risk of relapse
3.) their dose is often not metabolized as easily and patients need increases.
I have been on MMt for over 12yrs and am a patient advocate for those oin recovery with medical maintenance. However, the clinic should be able to guide you in this regard. I do not know how the new drugs are with methadone, but I do know that SOC is ok.
1.) it helps with side effects
2.) side effects from tx often mimic withdrawl, and patients are at a higher risk of relapse
3.) their dose is often not metabolized as easily and patients need increases.
I have been on MMt for over 12yrs and am a patient advocate for those oin recovery with medical maintenance. However, the clinic should be able to guide you in this regard. I do not know how the new drugs are with methadone, but I do know that SOC is ok.
If doing the triple treatment including Victrelis ,there also seems to be no problem as your doctor has advised ,however again...... clinical monitoring is needed.
Best..
Will
Plasma concentrations of methadone or buprenorphine
may increase or decrease when coadministered with
VICTRELIS. However, the combination has not been
studied. Clinical monitoring is recommended as the dose
of methadone or buprenorphine may need to be altered
during concomitant treatment with VICTRELIS
Best..
Will
Plasma concentrations of methadone or buprenorphine
may increase or decrease when coadministered with
VICTRELIS. However, the combination has not been
studied. Clinical monitoring is recommended as the dose
of methadone or buprenorphine may need to be altered
during concomitant treatment with VICTRELIS
Congratulations on getting your HCV treatment underway.This below is from the Incivek dosing protocols(if in fact it is Incivek you will be doing)
Good luck.
Will
Concentrations of methadone were reduced when co-administered with telaprevir. No adjustment of methadone dose is required when initiating co-administration of telaprevir. However, clinical monitoring is recommended as the dose of methadone during maintenance therapy may need to be adjusted in some
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2011/201917lbl.pdf
Good luck.
Will
Concentrations of methadone were reduced when co-administered with telaprevir. No adjustment of methadone dose is required when initiating co-administration of telaprevir. However, clinical monitoring is recommended as the dose of methadone during maintenance therapy may need to be adjusted in some
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2011/201917lbl.pdf
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